Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Dead Rabbit]

I wasn't referring to the smell so much as the...er...um...more icky habits they indulge in when they are randy. Makes me wanna hurl my cookies....

BJ, I will tell you something I noticed about these CX chicks that have been getting the fermented feeds. When they first arrived they were really hitting the waterer, as per usual for CX. And it is pretty normal for them to drink a lot all through their short lives...but I've noticed that they aren't swilling the water like they were when they arrived. Their fermented mash has a moisture content, so this helps, but I think the main reason is that they are not having diarrhea, thus are not dehydrated.

Combine that with the ability of ACV in their water to replace electrolyte loss and I think that this plan just might work!

Healthier poop, healthier bird. Less nutrients out the backside means less total feed consumed but with the feed consumed contributing to better efficacy for their growth and weight gains.

like drinking their own piss??? LOL!! must be pretty good for them. they are created quite well to populate.

 

[Dead Rabbit]

This is a great idea! I'm definitely doing this for the really fluffy girls

this helps with feather mites too.

side note. some folks will use NAIR to really get rid of the feather. makes um bald as a babys butt. now after shaving them, and you see they have a case of the" red arse". literally their butt looks like its red and chapped....this is a sign of good health.

if you have time during the heat of the day, you can fill some of their wallowing holes with water. they can stand in it. putting water on their feet helps cool them down too. but this is for extreme measures. usually shade is all a healthy chicken needs. ive never lost a healthy chicken to heat or cold. not saying they wont die from sun stroke. if forced in hot sun with no shade they will die. the black breeds have it worse than other feather colorations.

 

[ldutch123]

My chickens have a lot of shady branchy bushes to stand on and hang out in. They are always under the bushes. I am not worried they will be too hot during the day I'm more worried about night time. I always wondered if you could trim their feathers to give them some relief. I doubt I will shave them cause I would be worried to slice their little butts :/ I have trimmed a tophat girls feathers so she could see. Poor girl could see a thing with her head feathers and her beard. She was doomed.

 

[ldutch123]

I had a shellless egg today with blood all over it. Is this normal? I'm assuming it was one of the 7 month old girls, I can't be sure but it was brown and smaller which leAve me to think it was. Is there any vitamins they r lackin to do this?

 

[Beekissed]

It's normal...and then again it isn't. It's normal for it to happen to new layers until they get the pipes working properly. You could see tiny eggs, abnormally shaped eggs and even those like you saw today. This can happen to new layers, those who are getting too old to lay properly and also happens when birds start back to laying from being off for the winter and molt.

If you aren't feeding a good layer ration yet, you need to start. If you don't want to do that, you might want to start offering oyster shell free choice along side whatever you are feeding and increase your proteins...laying eggs takes extra calcium and protein, so it will help her get regulated if she has the right nutrition.

 

[ldutch123]

::I do feed a layer feed and oyster shell I bet it's one of the new layers. My girls seem to be a little behind. If I have 35 hens how many eggs should I being seeing daily or how do you guys and gals keep track if someone is or isn't laying??

 

[ldutch123]

PLEASE NOTE I DIDN'T MEAN TO HIT THE EYES ROLLING EMOTICON. Lol

 

[Dead Rabbit]

when i mentioned shaving. i didnt mean actual shaving. my fault for not explaining. dont use a razor. your just getting the feathers all gone down to bare skin. if you want just cut the feathers as close as possible with scissors.

i dont worry about a shelless egg until they get a yr or so old then if i start seeing that consistantly, i know they are starting to wear out. this is the sexlink breeds. i doubt the traditional breeds wear out near that quick.
id think its a new laying pullet and as BEE mentioned shes just getting started laying.

ive never figured out how to tell who isnt laying consistantly. only way to know is using a trap nest system, and ive never done this. you can tell a hen is laying to some degree by feeling the pin bones in her butt. if you can get 2-3 finger width between those bones she is laying. if her butt is also real puffy. with very wide pin bones, she is laying to beat the band.

 

[daver]

Now that's a pic I would love to see.

Dave

I'll certainly post a pic! Should be classic....one big white roo with 54 white fluff balls running around on the green, green grass.

 

[Beekissed]

Here's the first introduction of the two generations...not out on the green grass just yet but still green grass underfoot!

In this pic he is holding real still and letting the peeps peck his wattles and comb...seems to love those little chicken kisses.