2018 Newbie Chat!

[PNW_Peepers]

Up until a few moments ago I thought Lilah had gone broody but after reading a couple of articles, I think maybe not. Maybe you could help me to know :-
When Lilah first laid after mothering Roo, she would go into the nest box at 8:45am then come out t 9:20am every morning like clockwork for the first couple of weeks, then she started going in earlier and earlier but coming out later and now she goes into the nest box at about 8am and doesn't come out, so I h

He's so cute

If she isn’t leaving the nest at night to roost with the others then she’s definitely broody.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Some interesting dynamics with Silkie and his girls.
Lately the girls have been doing a lot of scuffling for pecking order positions.
Bootsie seems to be trying to rise higher and Cricket and Pippin won’t have it.
Nothing serious at all; just sparring.

Yesterday and this morning I witnessed Silkie sparring with Bootsie and Minnie and it was more serious than just the girls.
I believe he is trying to dominate them which is something he must do in order for them to even respect him and let him breed.
I remember reading about this in other threads about young cockerels.
It took Angus a long time to dominate the 3 Wyandottes.
Some females are just more defiant I guess lol.

Think this pretty much sums up all woman doesn't it Lol

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I put pig back in with his girls in the late morning today after only an hour or two of separating them this morning. Things are going wonderfully. He only seems to have interest in dominating little blue and pecking her head right after he wakes up. After a couple hours his hormones must balance out. View attachment 1561568
The weather here in Oregon right now is similar to summer temps. We’ve been in the high 70s. I’ve been letting the adults free range all day unsupervised. So far so good. Fingers crossed it stays that way. Yesterday I mowed over a Yellowjacket hive accidentally. It’s the second time I’ve been swarmed in the last two years. I’m mildly allergic so I’ll be hurting for the next week. If only the chickens could take care of themselves this week!

Lovely picture of them enjoying the sun, you have such beautiful chickens. Does Pig have green/blue streaks through his feathers or is that a reflection of the sun?
Sorry but could you tell me what "yellow jackets" are please?

 

[Anna Ranieri]

If she isn’t leaving the nest at night to roost with the others then she’s definitely broody.

I'm not sure what happened to my post but it cuts off half way ???
Basically, she used to only take about 30 - 40 mins to lay her egg then would come out, but now she stays in there, but I go get her out. For the last couple of weeks I had managed to entice her out using her favourite treat and once she was out she didn't go back in till next morning and two mornings (although not in a row) she came out by herself. This morning my trying to entice her didn't work so I put my hand under her and very gently moved her off the egg and out of the nest, once I'd got her to the edge of the nest she jumped down and tucked into her treats, usually I would stand with her for a bit while she eats them but this morning I had an appointment so walked out the run pretty much straight away and the next I knew she came running out of the run up to my back door and was clucking at the top of her voice, she was clucking like this for a while clearly distressed but calmed down when I gave her some melon. My daughter thinks its because I left the run, she thinks this because she appeared to be following me but I don't know, I'm worried it was because I moved her off her egg and out of the nest. Usually I would leave the egg in there for a couple of hours to check see if she goes back to it but this morning I took it straight away, however Lilah was eating and didn't see I'd taken it, she couldn't of because I slipped my hand behind the door which she couldn't see, nor could she see into the nest, and she hadn't gone back in the nest so really had no way of knowing I'd taken the egg. The clucking she did is the one chickens do when they are threatened or scared. My daughter told me she's been fine all day and hadn't gone back to the nest at all, also when I got home she was fine and did her usual asking me for treats as soon as she saw me, and was happily foraging up until bedtime when she had her bedtime treat then put herself to bed. So I don't know if she is starting to get broody but isn't quite there yet, or if she is broody but just easy to handle, I don't know. Would appreciate if you can shed any light on this situation for me please?

 

[Anna Ranieri]

So does anyone's chickens know there names and the other chickens names?

On two occasions now I'be noticed they are aware.

First one I told Prince to watch Rose because she was on the edge where should could escape--he looked at me and went over babawking at her and moved her


Second time i told Rose to stop pecking Dorothy, she looked at me and went on to peck Blanche--that Rose has a personality.

Ohhh how wonderful Lovely story

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Mine don’t know their names but I can call them to me by saying “chick! Chick! chick!”
They also know the word NO

Pedro and Jellybean know their names, "don't you dare" and "no" and sometimes they respond to "here" depending on what mood they are in. Lilah knows her name and the word "here" She is the best behaved of the bunch,(including the ducks) Pedro and Jellybean are the naughtiest and the ones who get up to mischief and I wouldn't change them for the world. Roo has yet to learn hers.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

We went from 80 degrees last week to 50s during the day and getting down to the 30s. There was no time for acclimation. I spent the last two days trying to winterized everything. I got the straw in the hutch and heated bottles set up for water, covered their runs with clear plastic and even gave them a fleece blanket(for the rabbits)

I got the run all covered in plastic, put the two heated roosts in and set up for the heated water bowl and heated bucket for the ducks. I just need to run one more extension cord. I still have to make the duck shelter, take down the pool and secure the back of coop--I need a second person for that.

The chickens are doing pretty good with this new weather. They come flying out in the morning(well except for today with the plastic door). The ducks are still going in the pool. The ducks are amazed with the plastic and keeping trying to eat it. I think they like the noise. The chickens are not sure about the clear plastic door. It took a while for them to all come out, but the three girls did go in and lay eggs.

I'm exhausted. I laugh when I look at the run--I got pvc running across with extension cords inside(on the ground and up high)--I can see myself slipping on them or hitting my head.

Winter is not going to be fun. Sir Duke is enjoying life in the house. He still screams for me in the morning, roosts on his branch at night.

I would like to teach these guys how to use the nipple waterer. I think that would help prevent frost bite with Prince. I can't find the time between work and getting all this ready.

In your opinion how would be the best way to teach them how to use a nipple waterer? I'd like to change my girls onto a nipple but don't have a clue how to.
Also, could you tell me, do your ducks sleep throughout the night? I'm asking because mine don't, they are shut in there duck house at night but I can still hear them "chattering" especially when they are eating, they usually wake around 11:30 pm, then again around 1 am ish, then maybe about 4 or 5 am. I'm not bothered if its normal, just worried something might be up?

 

[CannedMonster]

Up until a few moments ago I thought Lilah had gone broody but after reading a couple of articles, I think maybe not. Maybe you could help me to know :-
When Lilah first laid after mothering Roo, she would go into the nest box at 8:45am then come out t 9:20am every morning like clockwork for the first couple of weeks, then she started going in earlier and earlier but coming out later and now she goes into the nest box at about 8am and doesn't come out, so I h

He's so cute

It takes a hen about 26 hours to form and lay each egg.
The actual time it takes to lay it is usually 30-45 minutes.
So they’re not going to always lay at exactly the same time every day.
Some hens are very regular though.
My red sex link is.
A bird that’s broody will stay in there most if not all day and night.
She will puff up her feathers if disturbed and may growl and even try to bite you.
It doesn’t sound like she’s broody.
Some hens take a little nap while they’re in there.
I think some of them just like the quiet.
Emily will stay in the box for several hours sometimes.

 

[llombardo]

In your opinion how would be the best way to teach them how to use a nipple waterer? I'd like to change my girls onto a nipple but don't have a clue how to.
Also, could you tell me, do your ducks sleep throughout the night? I'm asking because mine don't, they are shut in there duck house at night but I can still hear them "chattering" especially when they are eating, they usually wake around 11:30 pm, then again around 1 am ish, then maybe about 4 or 5 am. I'm not bothered if its normal, just worried something might be up?

I've heard that a red laser light pointed on the nipple will work. I got the laser--o just have to find the time. Not sure how long it will take.

My ducks are quiet at night--not sure if they are sleeping. They do not have access to food or water at bedtime.

When they were younger and in the bathroom I tested out the trail cam and they were active until about midnight. I think it picked up like 97 little videos and it was all them.

 

[CannedMonster]

I'm not sure what happened to my post but it cuts off half way ???
Basically, she used to only take about 30 - 40 mins to lay her egg then would come out, but now she stays in there, but I go get her out. For the last couple of weeks I had managed to entice her out using her favourite treat and once she was out she didn't go back in till next morning and two mornings (although not in a row) she came out by herself. This morning my trying to entice her didn't work so I put my hand under her and very gently moved her off the egg and out of the nest, once I'd got her to the edge of the nest she jumped down and tucked into her treats, usually I would stand with her for a bit while she eats them but this morning I had an appointment so walked out the run pretty much straight away and the next I knew she came running out of the run up to my back door and was clucking at the top of her voice, she was clucking like this for a while clearly distressed but calmed down when I gave her some melon. My daughter thinks its because I left the run, she thinks this because she appeared to be following me but I don't know, I'm worried it was because I moved her off her egg and out of the nest. Usually I would leave the egg in there for a couple of hours to check see if she goes back to it but this morning I took it straight away, however Lilah was eating and didn't see I'd taken it, she couldn't of because I slipped my hand behind the door which she couldn't see, nor could she see into the nest, and she hadn't gone back in the nest so really had no way of knowing I'd taken the egg. The clucking she did is the one chickens do when they are threatened or scared. My daughter told me she's been fine all day and hadn't gone back to the nest at all, also when I got home she was fine and did her usual asking me for treats as soon as she saw me, and was happily foraging up until bedtime when she had her bedtime treat then put herself to bed. So I don't know if she is starting to get broody but isn't quite there yet, or if she is broody but just easy to handle, I don't know. Would appreciate if you can shed any light on this situation for me please?

Please see my first response to your original post.
Also, the eggs belong to you so why do you care what she thinks of you taking them?
There’s no rooster to fertilize them.
If you didn’t take them they would eventually rot.
And if they were broken by one of the girls the smell would be abominable!
Plus they could learn to eat eggs if they break them.
If you don’t have a rooster and don’t plan on breeding then allowing them to stay broody can be detrimental to their health.
Some broodys will sit on that nest until they starve.
Thankfully most are more sensible but they will still often lose a lot of weight and become quite pale if they’re broody for weeks or months.
As for why she followed you clucking-
who knows
It could be that she was just used to you staying there.
You’re the flock manager so you manage and they’ll just have to get used to how you’re doing things.