2018 Newbie Chat!

[Anna Ranieri]

Ok I have another conundrum now. I went out to collect eggs and noticed one of our EEs had this weird growth on her beak. Again, I didn't get very good pictures. I'll have DH grab her tonight. I can only spare a few minutes outside before the baby calls me back in.
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I really can't see the lump on here but I'm wondering could it be an abscess?

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I'm just a little confused about treats. Are greens considered treats? Free range chickens eat as many greens as they want so I'm guessing no? I give mine some greens most days because there aren't any in their run any more. I'm afraid to just let them out in the yard because I'm not sure how I'd get them to come back when I need to leave. I don't want to just leave them out alone because of hawks that are frequently around here. Maybe I should just give it a try and see if meal worms would lure them back, lol. Can always get my husband to help round them up. Or my daughter BBZZZZTT, lol.

I give mine romaine lettuce everyday which I count as a supplement and not a treat, - but there are some who consider anything which isn't chicken feed to be a treat. Will be interesting to see what others think.
I don't know if this is any use to you but I taught my birds to come when I make a clicking sound because I wanted to make sure I can get them in the run when I need to. It doesn't have to be a clicking sound, you can use any sound you want, I just chose clicking based on the cockerels calling their girls. Anyway, if you're interested here's how I did it. To begin with, every time I gave them a treat I would click my tongue, as I threw the treats to them I'd click - after a couple of weeks I then stood only a little way away from them clicking but waited for them to come to me before throwing the treats to them, I start giving the treat as soon as the first bird reaches me, so's not to risk losing their interest by keeping them waiting, it doesn't take long for stragglers to catch up, just mean some get more of the treat than others. I don't remember how long it took but once I was satisfied they'd gotten used to that, I started clicking to them to come get their treat only this time as they approached me I'd walk, still clicking, to a chosen spot, which they'd follow me to and when I got to the spot I'd chosen I'd stand still and give them their treat. I did this quite a few times but walked them to a different spot each time. I still use this method, and it doesn't take long for them to learn, my newest addition Lilah, took about 3/4 days for her to cotton on that clicking means treat. And it isn't just for getting them in the run - one of my girls flew up on to our 6ft high fence and was about to jump down into the neighbours garden (they have a dog which would have attacked her) I clicked and clicked and she then turned round, jumped into our garden and came running over to me, I screamed to my daughter to get me a banana and kept her occupied by clicking and walking, until my daughter had passed me the banana which I shared out b'cos the whole flock come when I click ( I have since clipped her wings) more recently my grandson left our backdoor open and within a very short time we had all 4 ducks and all 4 chickens rummaging around in every room, pooping as they went , so I grabbed a handful of mealworms and walked out clicking, my daughter said it looked like the pied piper with this line of ducks and chickens following me lol. I will say though if you do use this method but want others to be able to lead them too, you all will need to go through the training because we found that they would only respond when I click, my daughter and others all have tried it but none of the birds will respond, so my daughter had to go through training them herself for them to come to her/follow her too.

 

[Geranium]

@No More Empty Nest I give some treats, but not many. Because my chicks are still growing, I want to make sure they get enough protein from their feed, and don't fill up on other things. I give them a handful of Chickie Garden Picnic mix (grass seeds, mealworms, and shrimp) spread on the ground of the run when I let them out in the morning, and if I have to lock them up before they've gone in for the night, I give them a handful or two of dried mealworms. They've gotten a very small amount of green treats from me but have picked at the leaves of bushes next to their fence. Once they're grown, I plan to give them more greens to eat.

 

[llombardo]

I want to say that it's unlimited greens. The chickens get to go in the side area daily and they scratch around the grass. I will have to let the ducks out to.

The make duck and rooster don't always see eye to eye and I don't want Ricky to get hurt, so I will have to divide their time up, which means putting Prince in the coop and listen to him pace and crow because he wants out.

 

[llombardo]

I don't know where you read about not crowing in front of you but it isn't true, there is no evidence what so ever of roosters crowing in front of anyone is a bad thing (or even means anything. There is an old superstition about crowing in front of you being very bad luck, and that a person "shouldn't let a rooster crow on your doorstep" which would bring bad luck for the rest of your life and even death - so whether what you read came from that I don't know but I know enough about cockerels to know that isn't true.
I promise you I have no wish to offend anyone who may read this but one of my biggest hates is when humans provoke an attack then blame the rooster or label him aggressive or unsafe, it also gets at me how so many blame a rooster for doing what they are designed and programmed to do and accuse the rooster of being aggressive when all they are doing is their job. It is my belief that cockerels deserve respect and understanding and is the owners responsibility to learn, gain and understand everything about roosters and about keeping a rooster. I also believe that learning their rooster is a great help to ensure they don't provoke an attack. I have great admiration for you due to you doing what needs to be done to prevent any provoked attacks i.e. no longer taking carrier bags near him.
I am asking you please to watch this video and take note of everything this guy is saying, he is an expert who is renowned for his expertise and skill in breeding, keeping and training roosters. In this video he uses Gamefowl only because he had an aggressive bird but all this is across the board for all cockerels - I believe this video may answer some if not all your questions and concerns.

Good video. Prince does give me space but, always a but, he can be to interested in when I bring food out. He does not give me space all the time. He gets close and wants to know what I got. He has always had issues with bigger stuff so he will take smaller pieces from me versus the ground. He does flap his wings every now and then. He never does the side dance.

Even if I have to watch him and myself around him, I do not see me giving him up. He is to good with the girls and I enjoy learning every day what he is about. He meets me at the gate and he watches me, he most likely is trying to figure me out. If I were to hatch any eggs it would most likely be the faverolle or the EE with him. I think they would turn out wonderful. The barred rock is to confident. The brahmas can be to skiddish. The RIR is a possibility to.

The day he was flopping around, he trusted me enough to make sure he made it to where I was to help him. He could have just as easily gone where I wouldn't have saw him, but he made it a point to literally come a foot from me. He did look at me like I was crazy when I stuck my finger down his throat, but I also thought afterwards, boy was that a crazy stunt. I will never forget how he was looking at me as I was telling him to hold on. Then within a couple days the little shit flogged me. I had a whole conversation about how I saved his life with him--my neighbors must seriously think I'm nuts--talking to chickens, roosters and ducks.

 

[llombardo]

The leghorn that is in the house is a good boy too. He is definitely more flighty and wants nothing to do with being near me, not even a little bit--never did. When he is eventually outside I think he will do well with some girls of his own. He was always the leader--got them into the coop at night--all of them. He even waited for the ducks to be in their house too. He is going to be so happy once he is outside.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Good video. Prince does give me space but, always a but, he can be to interested in when I bring food out. He does not give me space all the time. He gets close and wants to know what I got. He has always had issues with bigger stuff so he will take smaller pieces from me versus the ground. He does flap his wings every now and then. He never does the side dance.

Even if I have to watch him and myself around him, I do not see me giving him up. He is to good with the girls and I enjoy learning every day what he is about. He meets me at the gate and he watches me, he most likely is trying to figure me out. If I were to hatch any eggs it would most likely be the faverolle or the EE with him. I think they would turn out wonderful. The barred rock is to confident. The brahmas can be to skiddish. The RIR is a possibility to.

The day he was flopping around, he trusted me enough to make sure he made it to where I was to help him. He could have just as easily gone where I wouldn't have saw him, but he made it a point to literally come a foot from me. He did look at me like I was crazy when I stuck my finger down his throat, but I also thought afterwards, boy was that a crazy stunt. I will never forget how he was looking at me as I was telling him to hold on. Then within a couple days the little shit flogged me. I had a whole conversation about how I saved his life with him--my neighbors must seriously think I'm nuts--talking to chickens, roosters and ducks.

The more you say the more I am convinced he isn't aggressive nor a "man fighter" As for him showing interest in you, don't forget you have a different relationship to what the guy in the video has with his, yours is more of a personal relationship and close bond and I believe his interest in you is very possibly totally different to the interest the guy is talking about. He is a trainer and breeder so doesn't form the bond or relationships we do with our flocks, his are not pets. Also, remember Prince is still quite young and might not yet be over his "teenage" stage. I will be most surprised if he doesn't settle down completely the older he gets. I am convinced you have yourself a wonderful Rooster who will bring you many years of joy.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

The leghorn that is in the house is a good boy too. He is definitely more flighty and wants nothing to do with being near me, not even a little bit--never did. When he is eventually outside I think he will do well with some girls of his own. He was always the leader--got them into the coop at night--all of them. He even waited for the ducks to be in their house too. He is going to be so happy once he is outside.

Awwww bless him - do you know how long until you can put him outside?

 

[llombardo]

Awwww bless him - do you know how long until you can put him outside?

He will be insude until at least spring when I can build another area for him, seperate from the others. My plan is to give him the coop that the others have now and build them a bigger one. He has a nice size area with a tree branch to roost on. I leave the radio on for him and spend time with him everyday.

 

[llombardo]

The more you say the more I am convinced he isn't aggressive nor a "man fighter" As for him showing interest in you, don't forget you have a different relationship to what the guy in the video has with his, yours is more of a personal relationship and close bond and I believe his interest in you is very possibly totally different to the interest the guy is talking about. He is a trainer and breeder so doesn't form the bond or relationships we do with our flocks, his are not pets. Also, remember Prince is still quite young and might not yet be over his "teenage" stage. I will be most surprised if he doesn't settle down completely the older he gets. I am convinced you have yourself a wonderful Rooster who will bring you many years of joy.

I hope so because I adore him. I do not hold anything against him, nor will I ever. I am dedicated to him and respect what he is bred to do.