My guess is that she got herself tangled up in something, panicked, and in her struggle to get out of whatever it was (which she did), she hurt her neck. I found her lying on the floor of the youngster coop, not moving. When I moved her, she struggled against me, and she can move her wings and...
Wednesday will be their 9th week (10th for the surviving Americaunas) and I'm looking forward to the day I can bring the newcomers into the flock. I'm sure the Little Red Rooster is ready, too. The big Americauna doesn't let him have any hen time, by the looks of things.
We lost one Rhode...
So last night, after work, I go to pen up the birds. The chickens are good about going into the coop and sitting on the high perch, but the turkeys, not so much.There is a rail in front of the coop that they like to sit on overnight, if I can't chase them into the coop.
So, last night I see a...
The numbers have dwindled, but we still have three original birds and have added three Americauna chicks who were hatched on the 11th. I plan to get some more next week, depending on what Buck Moore gets in.
This big fellow is the dominant one.
This smaller guy is definitely the...
I recently had to do away with a 5' rat snake that had moved into the coop. Now, I can't prove that he ate the eggs my hen had been sitting on, but the eggs were gone and he (I learned afterwards) had eaten one of the hollow plastic practice golf balls that we used to make the hens think there...
The conservative estimate I got was that at 12 weeks, they'd be ready. 9 - 12 weeks is the most common answer. One thing that was pretty much a constant was introducing the newcomers after the older birds were down for the night. I guess if they wake up together, it eases the transition. I hope...
We let ours out in the morning and they do what they do until the evening. The turkeys don't like to go to the coop, but the chickens are always in the coop when we come to lock it down.
I asked at the store I'll probably get my next batch of chicks from, and was told that anywhere from 9-12 weeks, they'll be able to take the lumps of establishing their position in the flock. I won't claim to be an expert and it's been a while since I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express, but it...
Our Rios keep hiding their eggs. I'm hoping for a couple new Toms.
Tommy Thanksgiving is getting near the end of his employment as a Tom and about to start his new career as an entree.
I'm good with the "live and let live" position, but if a venomous snake is too close to the house, and my family or dogs are at risk (both dogs have been bitten at least once, and it's pricey to get them treated!) then Mr. Slithers has got to go. My wife hates all snakes, but I'm trying to get...
I need to learn more about this, too. Our flock has been dwindling, some to raccoons, some to coyotes, and the last one to one of our dogs who didn't understand that the chicken didn't want to play. I want to start adding more birds, but I need to learn the best way. Don't need gladiator...
So, on our farm we have Rio Grande turkeys - 2 Toms and 7 hens. The hens are no trouble. They hop the fence and range about, but they know where the food and shelter is and they come home in the evening. Same for the Toms, but there's an added facet to them - they have decided I'm a threat, so...