Chicks4MyChicks
In the Brooder
- Jul 30, 2016
- 13
- 0
- 30
Scenario , question #1
48 hours ago we brought home our little flock. We have 2 buff orpington, 1 white rock, 1 partridge rock, 1 speckled sussex, 1 golden laced wyandotte, 1 black australorp and 1 welsummer. The Welsummer and the GLW are 9 weeks, the others are closer to 11 weeks old. The first morning buff orpington #1 was pecking at a few of them, in particular the Black Australorp. By early afternoon the Buff Orpington settled and pretty much stopped pecking. Thats when White Rock stepped in and was relentlessly pecking at Black Australorp until she had a bald patch about 3" across on her lower back. Very red and inflamed, perhaps a little blood. So we may have panicked but we bought some Blu-Kote and gave her a spray. White Rock shifter her attention over to Partridge Rock. Today is day two and White Rock is still trying to peck out feathers from anyone she can, but still primarily from Partridge and Black. No need to apply any more Blu-Kote as it was not as severe at all.
We are watching White Rock eat most of the feathers she pulls, unless they are too big.
Is this just normal activity to establish pecking order? When can we hope to see it stop ?
Scenario #2
they are all in the nesting boxes...... at one point all 8 were in one box....... boxes are 14" x 14" x 15"
We are placing them on the roosting bars ( 1" x 6" boards, 44" wide , one is 14" from the floor, the other is 28" from the floor) but within minutes they are in the boxes...... having said that...... tonight 3 have stayed up on the top roost. Buff#2 , Welsummer and White Rock
Does that indicate they are the dominant ones?
Do I worry about the others in the nesting boxes or will they catch on soon enough? I can board off the boxes if need be
Scenario #3
I have two daughters , aged 6&7 who are very excited to have chickens. All 8 chickens are friendly enough that my girls are able to pick them up and sit down and cuddle. My daughters place them up on a roosting perch in the run and everyone seems happy. With all the excitement of having chickens , friends and family are visiting to check things out and that has meant we are keeping the chickens up later than I think they want to be up. Around 7:30 they start to lay down but we are still visiting them .......... we have the coop door closed .......... around 8:30 we are leaving them alone, opening the coop door and they are hopping in for the night.
Are we handling them too much? too soon?
do they have a bed time?
I have told my wife and kids that tomorrow night the coop door is open and when they decide to go inside , the visiting is over.
Any and all thoughts are appreciated......... new to all of this but absolutely loving it
if you have questions I will do my best to respond
Thanks
Dax
48 hours ago we brought home our little flock. We have 2 buff orpington, 1 white rock, 1 partridge rock, 1 speckled sussex, 1 golden laced wyandotte, 1 black australorp and 1 welsummer. The Welsummer and the GLW are 9 weeks, the others are closer to 11 weeks old. The first morning buff orpington #1 was pecking at a few of them, in particular the Black Australorp. By early afternoon the Buff Orpington settled and pretty much stopped pecking. Thats when White Rock stepped in and was relentlessly pecking at Black Australorp until she had a bald patch about 3" across on her lower back. Very red and inflamed, perhaps a little blood. So we may have panicked but we bought some Blu-Kote and gave her a spray. White Rock shifter her attention over to Partridge Rock. Today is day two and White Rock is still trying to peck out feathers from anyone she can, but still primarily from Partridge and Black. No need to apply any more Blu-Kote as it was not as severe at all.
We are watching White Rock eat most of the feathers she pulls, unless they are too big.
Is this just normal activity to establish pecking order? When can we hope to see it stop ?
Scenario #2
they are all in the nesting boxes...... at one point all 8 were in one box....... boxes are 14" x 14" x 15"
We are placing them on the roosting bars ( 1" x 6" boards, 44" wide , one is 14" from the floor, the other is 28" from the floor) but within minutes they are in the boxes...... having said that...... tonight 3 have stayed up on the top roost. Buff#2 , Welsummer and White Rock
Does that indicate they are the dominant ones?
Do I worry about the others in the nesting boxes or will they catch on soon enough? I can board off the boxes if need be
Scenario #3
I have two daughters , aged 6&7 who are very excited to have chickens. All 8 chickens are friendly enough that my girls are able to pick them up and sit down and cuddle. My daughters place them up on a roosting perch in the run and everyone seems happy. With all the excitement of having chickens , friends and family are visiting to check things out and that has meant we are keeping the chickens up later than I think they want to be up. Around 7:30 they start to lay down but we are still visiting them .......... we have the coop door closed .......... around 8:30 we are leaving them alone, opening the coop door and they are hopping in for the night.
Are we handling them too much? too soon?
do they have a bed time?
I have told my wife and kids that tomorrow night the coop door is open and when they decide to go inside , the visiting is over.
Any and all thoughts are appreciated......... new to all of this but absolutely loving it
if you have questions I will do my best to respond
Thanks
Dax
