2018 Newbie Chat!

CannedMonster · Mar 30, 2019

Hello everyone. I’ve been very busy with chicks and work.
I now have 7 bantam chicks since I added 2 mottled Cochin babies last weekend.
And, of course, I have the 7 LF chicks that I’ve had for a few weeks now.
Everyone was transferred to the outside coops a few days ago.
And none too soon because both groups were outgrowing their brooders!
The bantams are in the bantam prefab coop which has been closed off to the adult birds.
Sadly this means Pippin & Cricket cannot lay in there (they could if DH would just pay attention and let them in when they’re ready to lay) so they’ve been going elsewhere.
I also bought a smaller prefab to use as a growout coop for the LF chicks.
Both groups of chicks have their heat plates out there with extension cords running out to them.
They’re doing great!
Even the tiny day old bantams are fine.
I will post pics this weekend as time allows.
I now have 30 chickens :th

I think I’m done.
Oh but wait!
I still have my order from Murray McMurray coming around May 1st.
17 more babies.
But most of them I plan on selling because I just don’t have the room for them.
And DH still doesn’t know about that order :oops:

Anna Ranieri · Mar 30, 2019

PNW_Peepers said:
Thank you! I’m due October 23rd. I have 18 adult birds. & 10 chicks right now. Whilst outside today my neighbors (not my bad chicken abusing neighbors) asked if I’d be willing to sell them five laying hens. Which will put me back to a reasonable number. At least three of my chicks are cockerels, so at least two of them will be culled or rehomed. In total I can easily House 30 chickens. I wouldn’t feel comfortable going over that.

Anna Ranieri · Mar 30, 2019

ChooksNQuilts said:
Hello everyone. I’ve been very busy with chicks and work.
I now have 7 bantam chicks since I added 2 mottled Cochin babies last weekend.
And, of course, I have the 7 LF chicks that I’ve had for a few weeks now.
Everyone was transferred to the outside coops a few days ago.
And none too soon because both groups were outgrowing their brooders!
The bantams are in the bantam prefab coop which has been closed off to the adult birds.
Sadly this means Pippin & Cricket cannot lay in there (they could if DH would just pay attention and let them in when they’re ready to lay) so they’ve been going elsewhere.
I also bought a smaller prefab to use as a growout coop for the LF chicks.
Both groups of chicks have their heat plates out there with extension cords running out to them.
They’re doing great!
Even the tiny day old bantams are fine.
I will post pics this weekend as time allows.
I now have 30 chickens

I think I’m done.
Oh but wait!
I still have my order from Murray McMurray coming around May 1st.
17 more babies.
But most of them I plan on selling because I just don’t have the room for them.
And DH still doesn’t know about that order

Wow that's a lot of chickens - how wonderful! Great for keeping your boys busy too lol

Anna Ranieri · Mar 30, 2019

Lilah is now a year old so I'm guessing now a hen? Pedro and Jellybean will be a year next month but Roo doesn't turn a year until August 11th.
Although the attacks are still happening everyday I've noticed they are less frequent and not prolonged as had been previously. Other changes are happening slowly but surely, i.e. the girls love to roost around the edge of my grandsons trampoline and up until a week ago Roo had never been permitted to be up there let alone join the others up there but now she can. First they allowed her up there on her own then a couple of days or so after they allowed her to be up there with them so I'm hoping this is a sign they are starting to find their balance. There's still no sign of a head chicken yet, Lilah is still the boss over Pedro and Jellybean who both still are boss over Roo who is still boss over Lilah. I spoke with my breeder friend (whom I got Lilah and Roo from) he advised me it is Lilah's maternal instiinct which has her allowing Roo to get away with bossing her around and her doing so is adding confusion to the situation, with Lilah allowing Roo privileges a chicken in Roo's position shouldn't have is causing the others to berating Roo for stepping out of line. He's told me not to worry though as they will eventually sort it out. He's advised that although she gets hurt (and I often wonder if she's left with a headache after being bashed on the head so much) they are not injuring her which either one could do quite easily if they wanted to, is a sign of the attacks being disciplinary measures rather than bullying.
Lilah still being maternal towards Roo isn't doing her any favours albeit Roo might like the "special" treatment she gets from Lilah but he is confident Roo will eventually get to where she needs to be. He also said although not impossible, it is highly unlikely Roo would ever be able to take over the flock bcos Pedro and Jellybean wouldn't allow it. I realise myself that Pedro could quite easily topple Lilah for that position, Pedro is the strongest and toughest of all four and I've often wondered if Pedro wants Lilah to stay head although there is no certainty of this.
I'm still missing my ducks terribly and am thankful for the regular updates the Chuckery provide me with but there are other ways their absence is affecting us, we now have wild birds frequenting our garden loads everyday and they even go into the run to get the girls food, but when the ducks were here rarely a bird would dare enter our garden and of the very minimal ones who did the ducks would see them off immediately and having never had any problems with parasites Roo now has lice which are determined not to leave despite our interventions. We also have a local cat who previously was seen off by the ducks and didnt return for the time they were here, now keeps appearing which scares me as well as the girls as I can't determine if it's after my chickens or not but with the girls being spot on with alarm calls as soon as they see it approaching I am able to chase it off. I am wanting to douse it with a ton of water as this can be an effective deterrent but it is too fast and runs away as soon as it sees me coming so I haven't been able to do that. I am in no way a violent person nor as a rule would harm any animal but I am at the stage of if it ever gets any of my girls I'd hunt it down, kill it and face the consequences of breaking the law!
On a brighter note, now with the ducks gone we have a little more money to splash out on our girls, melons and cranberries which are mega expensive here were a luxury we rarely could afford but now we give them one melon a week and one of their favourites - oatmeal mixed with cranberries and raisins are now on their regular treat list, we are also able to buy them their own meat rather than having to share ours which means they get more than used to be. I would very much appreciate some suggestions of fruit which is healthy for them to have, they like their banana as well as the affore mentioned but would like to give them more of a variety now we have they extra pennies to be able to provide ( we've tried apples but they rarely eat them)

PNW_Peepers · Mar 30, 2019

@Anna Ranieri anything rich in carotenoids is highly beneficial to your chickens. Again moderation is key with any treat so try not to overindulge them. Carotenoid rich foods are responsible for the yolk color, the more carotenoids they eat, the darker the egg yolk. A few high in carotenoid foods that are safe for your girls include: sweet potato, collard greens, kale, carrots (my girls personal fav), spinach, pumpkin, apricots, and cantaloupe. I will often feed mine one of these each day as a breakfast. Try to avoid high in natural sugar foods. They struggle to process them correctly.

Anna Ranieri · Mar 30, 2019

PNW_Peepers said:
@Anna Ranieri anything rich in carotenoids is highly beneficial to your chickens. Again moderation is key with any treat so try not to overindulge them. Carotenoid rich foods are responsible for the yolk color, the more carotenoids they eat, the darker the egg yolk. A few high in carotenoid foods that are safe for your girls include: sweet potato, collard greens, kale, carrots (my girls personal fav), spinach, pumpkin, apricots, and cantaloupe. I will often feed mine one of these each day as a breakfast. Try to avoid high in natural sugar foods. They struggle to process them correctly.

Great advice, thank you very much! I give mine carrots and they really like them but I'll be sure to try them on the rest of your list

PNW_Peepers · Mar 30, 2019

Anna Ranieri said:
Great advice, thank you very much! I give mine carrots and they really like them but I'll be sure to try them on the rest of your list

The only big no no’s they can’t eat are avocado pit, tomato, and onions.

CannedMonster · Mar 30, 2019

Mine eat tomato all the time.
The plant is supposed to be toxic to them but my friend says her chickens will even eat some of the plant.
I guess nobody told them :lol:

Nobody told mine that clematis is toxic as they eat as many of the leaves they can reach.
I’ve been fermenting scratch as a treat for them and they love it.

PNW_Peepers · Mar 30, 2019

I got three Welsummer today, & I’ll get two brahmas on Tuesday or Wednesday to brood them with. Aside from the five my broody Australorp is sitting on this will conclude my chick days. Each of my Welsummer are so different from one another. One of them has a scabbed navel that I’ll keep a close eye on.

CannedMonster · Mar 30, 2019

Okay I promised pics of the babies.

The LF chicks got to peek out at the world today!
That’s the buff Orpington in front with my “blond” EE chick above and one of the Barred Rocks on the other side.