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

[keenecowboy]

Well, there is no roo around, so I guess the next step is isolation.

 

[tdgill]

oh my! 42 girls and no fellas? I think you're missing out on the wonderful roo-ness! Nothing prettier or more entertaining. The flock dynamics and the way he spoils and pampers and looks after his ladies...I wouldn't miss having a roo for the world!

I isolated my first broody hen in a roomy bunny hutch (small wired floor and predator protected) with her closest girlfriend to keep her company. I would take her off the roost at nite if she's roosting at all with the chicken that snuggled up closest to her....

Kept them comfy and gave some special treats for three days Seemed to work fine. But it was also easier for me to keep eggs collected. lol. You get alot of eggs! I have a hen that I swear goes broody at the site of 10+ eggs in a nest. A couple summers ago I wanted to have chicks and finally just put a bunch of eggs in one prime nesting spot and I swear that little hen's face lit up and she got all excited and sat right down and gathered those eggs up under her.

 

[loanwizard]

Neighbor Keene Cowboy, I have a roo or 2 for you if you want them. Maybe even 3 or 4 if you want to bring your flock in balance.

 

[RWD57]

More information on clutches for the uninformed...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_incubation
http://www.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Incubation_Time.html
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/natbltn/400-499/nb456.htm

 

[Gerry2011]

Thanks for the links. Very interesting even to experienced bird owners.

More information on clutches for the uninformed...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_incubation
http://www.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Incubation_Time.html
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/natbltn/400-499/nb456.htm

 

[RWD57]

Avian Reproduction:
Clutch Size, Incubation, & Hatching
http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/avianreproduction2.html

 

[jdbev]

First off: I LOVE THIS THREAD!!!! Just the type of info needed to raise a great flock! As a noob (two years) I have found myself referring to this ALL THE TIME! I think that this thread alone could be published as a book. Thanks Bee for starting it, the knowledge (and entertainment value) is top rate! One of these days I will get to the end of it....

Secondly, I have a question. I just introduced three new hens and our first roo to our australorps. One of the hens (in quarantine) is not doing so well. She has a cough and wheezing. This started yesterday, and today it is worse. I have tried to feed her some yogurt (Greek) with ancho powder (I was out of cayenne) but she doesn't appear to be eating anything. Should I cull, or try something different?

Your humble pupal.

 

[Beekissed]

Keep her isolated and just watch her, keep her food and water handy. If she worsens and still won't eat, hunkers over and looks miserable for more than 3 days, then I'd cull her. If she doesn't and seems to get better, just keep her isolated until the symptoms clear up.

My granny used to dose her birds with turpentine if they coughed or wheezed....no joke.

And it worked!

 

[jdbev]

TURPENTINE!?! WOW! Thanks for the info Bee. Not sure that I will try the turpentine, but that's quite interesting to know.

 

[Lollipop]

Keep her isolated and just watch her, keep her food and water handy. If she worsens and still won't eat, hunkers over and looks miserable for more than 3 days, then I'd cull her. If she doesn't and seems to get better, just keep her isolated until the symptoms clear up.

My granny used to dose her birds with turpentine if they coughed or wheezed....no joke.

And it worked!

I'm a cull kinda guy, especially if she isn't better in a few days. Tupentine, LOL. Sounds like one of my grannies remedies..........Pop