2018 Newbie Chat!

[llombardo]

@Anna Ranieri I'm not allowed to keep roosters where I live, so once they start crowing, they'll have to go to a new home. And i'm so attached to all of them, I would hate to have to give one up. Hopefully they're all girls.

@PNW_Peepers that's really interesting! The problem with the What Gender board is that for the most part, people post a picture, people tell them it's a pullet or a cockerel, and they say ok thanks, and move along. Rarely do they come back with an update as to whether people were correct or not! So who knows really how accurate all the guesses are.

They were right with both of mine. I was in rooster denial for a long time..lol

 

[llombardo]

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.

 

[CannedMonster]

 

[llombardo]

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.

 

[CannedMonster]

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.

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

 

[CannedMonster]

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.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

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.

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!

 

[Anna Ranieri]

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

We went ahead and named the cockerel we hatched. I fell in love with a post earlier this year of a chicken named Pig, so Pig it is. View attachment 1560350
I moved him back in with the girls last night. Went great until this morning. I believe he’s trying to mate the blue Ameraucana but doesn’t know how. He’s repeatedly pecking her head trying to pin her down. She gets fed up of being pecked and attacks him. It never ends. From here on out he’ll get to sleep with the girls and I’ll seperate him during the day.

He's so cute

 

[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.

I take it you get really cold winters then?

 

[Anna Ranieri]

View attachment 1561216