2018 Newbie Chat!

[llombardo]

I saw this on Princes head..does anyone know what it could be? I thought frostbite but I don't think his comb goes that far back. I posted over in the injury thread already. I know it's not pecking, none of them peck him at all ever

View attachment 1593711

Update. We decided it was a wound. Earlier today he was trying to get behind the rabbit hutch and there is hardware cloth there. I went outside, caught him within 30 seconds, cleaned it and and treated it with colliodi silver. He did not give me an ounce of trouble. He was very good.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I think maybe the weather being crazy may have brought it on. I know it's been crazy here, no time to acclimate. Hopefully all will be recovered soon.

I think you're right, we've even had warnings put out for us humans about some super bugs sweeping Britain, brought on by the unusual and unnatural warm weather we are having, I don't care for snow nor do I like the cold but just about everyone and every animal is getting hit by one bug or another caused by the weird weather we are having. Sometimes we need a good cold snap to kill off these super bugs/virus's and germs.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I saw this on Princes head..does anyone know what it could be? I thought frostbite but I don't think his comb goes that far back. I posted over in the injury thread already. I know it's not pecking, none of them peck him at all ever

View attachment 1593711

I'm thinking it looks more like a tear than a peck and as far as I'm aware frostbite goes grey to greyish black

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I gave them some different stuff today..some canned cat food, tuna, greens, a little bread and cranberries.

Nothing brings them together like food..lol

View attachment 1593712 View attachment 1593713

Food treats is when mine are least together! Lilah is the only one who doesn't ever have a go at Roo but all the others do, including the ducks, Pedro and Jellybean never have a go at each other but they go for Roo and Lilah goes for them, the ducks never have a go at each other but they'll have a go at all the chickens. I make a point to spread the treats right across the garden in an effort to give everyone a chance at having some but often they are so intent on chasing others away from the treats, the chaser or chasers end getting less b'cos while they are chasing someone, the others quickly gobble up the treats. I took to sneaking some treats under a chair for Roo but Pedro and the ducks got wise to it and so chase her from under the chair then gobble her's up but clever little Roo runs to where they have left their treats and eats them, lol

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I just had a visit from the guy from the complaints department, I was out back locking my birds up for the night and didn't realise he was there. My daughter was on her way out and saw him, she told him I was at the shops as she knew I wasn't prepared for the visit as I had no idea he'd come back again and he hasn't contacted me by email at all - she quickly text me to say he was there but by the time I came in he had gone. I am so worried, he hasn't been this persistent with any of the other residence who have had complaints. I can't imagine life without my birds and I'm so scared they will force me to give them up. I really don't know what to do, but think I'll just wait until he visits again, which might even be again tonight. I just keep praying and hoping Jesus will favour me in this and allow us to keep our birds, but i admit, I am so very very scared.

 

[llombardo]

I just had a visit from the guy from the complaints department, I was out back locking my birds up for the night and didn't realise he was there. My daughter was on her way out and saw him, she told him I was at the shops as she knew I wasn't prepared for the visit as I had no idea he'd come back again and he hasn't contacted me by email at all - she quickly text me to say he was there but by the time I came in he had gone. I am so worried, he hasn't been this persistent with any of the other residence who have had complaints. I can't imagine life without my birds and I'm so scared they will force me to give them up. I really don't know what to do, but think I'll just wait until he visits again, which might even be again tonight. I just keep praying and hoping Jesus will favour me in this and allow us to keep our birds, but i admit, I am so very very scared.

What kind of hours do they work? I would think they make visits during the day?

Just make sure everything is as clean as possible and as quiet as can be with ducks. Mine don't wuack unless they see me or get excited. Keep excitement down.

 

[CannedMonster]

I candled Pippin’s 2 eggs today and they look to be developing nicely.
I wasn’t in a really dark room when I did it, which is supposed to be the best way, but I could see the air cell, veining and the dark mass that is the chick.
I bought a rabbit hutch that we set up in the garage and I’m going to put her in there, nest box and all.
I’m afraid to let the chicks hatch in the coop with overnight temps in the low 20s.
I don’t know yet how good of a mother Pippi will be.
Judging by her determination at setting, she’ll be very good.
The eggs are on day 14 and should hatch somewhere around next Monday.
I’m starting to get excited about this!
And nervous and anxious

Emily has been showing broody behaviors also but it doesn’t seem to be “sticking”.
She spent half the day in the nest box yesterday but she would let me touch her without puffing up like Pippin does.
She let me take her egg too.
She got off the nest when I opened the big door but she kept picking up pieces of bedding and leaves and dropping them on either side of her.
That is nesting behavior.
She went back in the nest and was still there when the flock went to bed last night.
Then today she was out foraging with the rest and didn’t lay at all.
I won’t be letting her set if she starts getting serious.

 

[llombardo]

I candled Pippin’s 2 eggs today and they look to be developing nicely.
I wasn’t in a really dark room when I did it, which is supposed to be the best way, but I could see the air cell, veining and the dark mass that is the chick.
I bought a rabbit hutch that we set up in the garage and I’m going to put her in there, nest box and all.
I’m afraid to let the chicks hatch in the coop with overnight temps in the low 20s.
I don’t know yet how good of a mother Pippi will be.
Judging by her determination at setting, she’ll be very good.
The eggs are on day 14 and should hatch somewhere around next Monday.
I’m starting to get excited about this!
And nervous and anxious

Emily has been showing broody behaviors also but it doesn’t seem to be “sticking”.
She spent half the day in the nest box yesterday but she would let me touch her without puffing up like Pippin does.
She let me take her egg too.
She got off the nest when I opened the big door but she kept picking up pieces of bedding and leaves and dropping them on either side of her.
That is nesting behavior.
She went back in the nest and was still there when the flock went to bed last night.
Then today she was out foraging with the rest and didn’t lay at all.
I won’t be letting her set if she starts getting serious.

The hutch in the garage is a good idea. Who is the dad here?

Mine move the eggs. Not sure how they are getting them from one box to the other with a divider? It seems one of them likes to keep them all together.

 

[CannedMonster]

The hutch in the garage is a good idea. Who is the dad here?

Mine move the eggs. Not sure how they are getting them from one box to the other with a divider? It seems one of them likes to keep them all together.

Emily’s egg was fertilized by Angus.
I’m not sure about the bantam egg.
I don’t even know which girl laid it lol.
It’s either Cricket’s or Itsy’s.
It was laid in the big coop and I just took it and put it under Pippin.
It could have been fertilized by Silkie which I’m really hoping for.
The girls can carry the males sperm for up to two weeks I’ve read.
But the Dad could still be Angus because I’ve seen him breed Itsy
Don’t ask me how but I’ve seen him do it lol.
The funny thing is that I’ve never witnessed either Silkie or Angus breed Cricket.
I’m sure at least one of them did but I just never saw it.
It’ll be interesting to see the bantam chick grow and who it resembles.
Of course if it has Silkie genes it should be fairly obvious after it hatches.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

I candled Pippin’s 2 eggs today and they look to be developing nicely.
I wasn’t in a really dark room when I did it, which is supposed to be the best way, but I could see the air cell, veining and the dark mass that is the chick.
I bought a rabbit hutch that we set up in the garage and I’m going to put her in there, nest box and all.
I’m afraid to let the chicks hatch in the coop with overnight temps in the low 20s.
I don’t know yet how good of a mother Pippi will be.
Judging by her determination at setting, she’ll be very good.
The eggs are on day 14 and should hatch somewhere around next Monday.
I’m starting to get excited about this!
And nervous and anxious

Emily has been showing broody behaviors also but it doesn’t seem to be “sticking”.
She spent half the day in the nest box yesterday but she would let me touch her without puffing up like Pippin does.
She let me take her egg too.
She got off the nest when I opened the big door but she kept picking up pieces of bedding and leaves and dropping them on either side of her.
That is nesting behavior.
She went back in the nest and was still there when the flock went to bed last night.
Then today she was out foraging with the rest and didn’t lay at all.
I won’t be letting her set if she starts getting serious.

Is the nest box easy for a small chick to get in and out of? Speaking from experience, if the opening to the nest box isn’t on ground level it won’t end well. We almost lost lazarus due to a nest box with a lip to keep the bedding in. She couldn’t get back into the box and nearly died. They may hatch early as well. Mine hatched 36hrs before they were scheduled to. Fingers crossed you have a wonderful hatch!