Crazy week full of events - this is my first mini-flock.

[gmrt77]

This week has been really intense for me and my girls. Sadly, I lot Clementine all of the sudden and I'm still quite in shock. I tried my best, but nothing I did seemed to help. I have decided to share some of my experiences. I also had to give my first chicken bath ever, and it was better than I thought - my Florentina had an egg literally glued with poop to her rear feathers. Thank goodness I noticed rather fast.


I have had cockotiels in the past, and I know some birds really enjoy warm water. Florentina was really relaxed as I cleaned her rear feathers.


I got to hair dry her too. I enjoyed the time with this little girl. She behaved 100% better than our kitties when we give them a bath. And she was out and about in a jiffy.

I want to share also some pics of my girls when they were just babies. How much fun they are! And how much I will miss my Clementina (the one on the right)

In this picture I was just testing the height of their perch.


In this picture you can see Enriqueta (Plymouth Rock), Clementina (Brahma) and Florentina (Buff Orpington). They all have grown to be big chickens.




Here are the girls a little more grown...

This big girl was Clementina. She was a delightful girl who liked to peck and play.

Here are the girls chilling this summer while I mowed the lawn.


Here they are also perched under the garden table. How convenient!


And here are the girls enjoying their coop.

These have been the most fun 6 months ever.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

That is so cool So sorry for your loss a few months ago, i lost my 4 beautiful buff brahma's (along with all but 1 of the rest of the flock) and they were the funnest and sweetest birds ever! Chicken baths can be really fun or a nightmare lol. good thing you caught the problem in the orpington before it advanced.

 

[gmrt77]

Thanks CityFarmer12! In my wildest dreams I would be bathing a chicken.
Sorry to hear about your flock. Cheers!

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

your welcome!! Lol, no doubt thank you, it was very sad, but i am slowly building my flock back up

 

[gmrt77]

I'm considering to get a third girl in the future, although Enriqueta and Florentina are already doing a number to my yard, and have steadily given me all the eggs we really need. How many birds are you going to get?

 

[Mrs. K]

just as a heads up, adding a single bird to an established group is darn hard on the new bird. Chickens equate strangers to dangers and attack quite often quite ruthlessly. It is better to add at least a pair and the pair should be as big as the established pair......

Unless that BO goes broody, then you can either give her eggs (possible chance of getting roos) or some day old chicks, she will raise them in the flock and there will be no integration issues! I love my BO's for that very reason, and Butter has raised a lot of chicks for me! NOTHING is more fun than a broody hen with chicks!

Mrs K

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

I'm considering to get a third girl in the future, although Enriqueta and Florentina are already doing a number to my yard, and have steadily given me all the eggs we really need. How many birds are you going to get?

I agree with Mrs. K, it is very stressful to add just one chicken, but not impossible. Chickens sure can tear things up!! I am getting 30-40 chicks, but only about 15-20 will be kept, the rest are meat chickens.

 

[gmrt77]

Thanks for the advice! I will take it into account. I think two is perfect. Do you think the same happens when there is only one individual left in the flock?

 

[gmrt77]

Thanks Cityfarmer! I will keep it in mind. I find hard to think about eating any of my chickens, which is funny, because I have eaten lots of them in my life. Any tips on how to sacrifice one if they get sick and you don't want them to suffer anymore?
So far my girls are healthy and happy, but I'm learning fast that things can change quick.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

Thanks Cityfarmer! I will keep it in mind. I find hard to think about eating any of my chickens, which is funny, because I have eaten lots of them in my life. Any tips on how to sacrifice one if they get sick and you don't want them to suffer anymore?
So far my girls are healthy and happy, but I'm learning fast that things can change quick.

your welcome Its hard to eat my chickens to. The ones i raise for meat i don't get attached to, and just keep in mind that they are food, not pets. With the layers its a whole different story though. It's really hard to kill them, because i learn all their quirks and personality's . After they stop laying, we do kill most of them, because when you have so many layers, you can't retire all of them! I'll admit, i do have some that don't lay, but i won't kill.
There is lots of great info all over this forum on how to kill them quickly. We are still perfecting how we do it and still learning, so there are a lot of people more experienced in this.
Man, it can all go downhill so fast. One moment their fine, and the next their dead

Birds are hard because they hide illnesses well, and by the time they show it, they are to far gone to save. I think the most hardy birds are waterfowl. They can recover amazingly well. Hehehe, another bird i can't kill (if it comes down to it, my dad has to do it) is ducks and geese. I literally fall in love with every single one i see. Thats another thing i will be getting more of this spring

Well, good luck with your birds I hope they live a long and happy life, and don't get sick or anything