ALABAMA!!

[ihavechickens2]

One of my silkies decides today, the coldest day of the year, is a good day to start laying eggs. By the time I got to it was already frozen

 

[Dylon]

One of my silkies decides today, the coldest day of the year, is a good day to start laying eggs. By the time I got to it was already frozen

My silkies have been laying too. I had planned incubate them. The weather has been so bad I'm certain a couple have froze the last few days

 

[DeannaA]

One of my silkies decides today, the coldest day of the year, is a good day to start laying eggs. By the time I got to it was already frozen

How old is the one that just started laying?

The feedstore here was giving away chicks last month. About every other month I think. My friend got some. They were almost all roosters and bad quality. But free, if you just want laying chickens, is a good price. I understand the frustration of the comments about caring for pets. I have read many times about people saying they have to replace all of their chickens because their dog or neighbors dog killed them all again. Continuing to put new chickens in a known bad situation is hard to read. If you need any advice on how to keep them safe, a lot of people here can help you out. I'd also google. I have had some bad advice, not this thread but another, that cost me a chick.

 

[Dylon]

thanks for your reasonable reply!  the 2 feed stores i've been to in town have off-hand mentioned about free chick giveaways when you buy a bag of feed... i just didn't remember when they said they did it.  and since i won't be going through a lot of feed due to my misfortunes, i won't be going by there for a month or so.  i tried to read up on mixing the new CHICKS into the old flock.  i waited until they were "old enough" from what people were saying, but i don't think the silkies were quite big enough for the larger hen attacks.  they had plenty of room.  and they seemed perfectly fine for the first 2 days. but i guess the big hen finally had enough of them and got into them while i was at work.  at least when i get some new CHICKS they will be larger birds and will be able to take the abuse my big hen likes to give out.  maybe they'll have a RIR in there that can put her in her place.

I sort of agree with RedneckGurl...

How old are they when you put them in with the grown chickens?

And if it is the hen doing this to the young ones, why wouldn't you just take that hen out... ?


It just seems to me that your heart really isn't into this project...

 

[Wisher1000]

Hello, Biga! Welcome to BYC and to the Alabama!! thread.

I suspect that the big hen is the alpha and is bullying the others. They are often not at all kind to each other and sometimes kill the weaker birds. Chicks, juveniles, ornamental birds like Polish, Silkies, Showgirls, etc often need to be kept separately from most large fowl for their own safety. They are not as active, fast, or even as smart as the ones that are bred to be more self sufficient. That's why I don't keep the froo-froo birds.

I need to send some chicks from Tuscaloosa County up to the Alabama/Tennessee line for Marinecorpfarmer. Does anyone know someone who travels that way who would be willing to transport some chicks?

 

[JDchicks]

One of my silkies decides today, the coldest day of the year, is a good day to start laying eggs. By the time I got to it was already frozen

My silkie/showgirls seem to like laying eggs more in the cooler months than summer time. Are you hoping she will go broody or are you wanting to incubate?

My showgirl has been hatching eggs for the last few days. And one last night, the coldest night yet, no less. Amazing what chickens can do.

 

[JDchicks]

I have been able to mix my silkies with my LF Brahmas in the same pen. But it took a while. I had them in pens set right beside each other for over 2 months. Then I would let them socialize together while supervised. Eventually, I was able to leave them together all the time. But again, it took a long time.

I have the two breeds separated now cause of breeding the silkies. But I am able to put them together if I need to work on a coop or something.

Spending time with your chickens will tell you whether they are socially able to accept others into their flock.

 

[ihavechickens2]

How old is the one that just started laying?

The feedstore here was giving away chicks last month. About every other month I think. My friend got some. They were almost all roosters and bad quality. But free, if you just want laying chickens, is a good price. I understand the frustration of the comments about caring for pets. I have read many times about people saying they have to replace all of their chickens because their dog or neighbors dog killed them all again. Continuing to put new chickens in a known bad situation is hard to read. If you need any advice on how to keep them safe, a lot of people here can help you out. I'd also google. I have had some bad advice, not this thread but another, that cost me a chick.

oh no its fine. I incubate most of all my eggs. I don't eat any of my chicken eggs. she is a pullet I hatched last spring, all her other sisters have already started but she decided yesterday to start.
this is her

 

[Tomtommom]

Even at 17 weeks, my hens do not like my juveniles. Mixing chicks into an existing flock is hard, but not impossible. The key is plenty of room, so they can get away from eachother. Also, putting food in more than one spot helps.

I've also got a poorly chicken, hawk attack... she looks terrible, the others pecked at her comb and now that she's molting she looks even worse. I can't catch her, she's a flighty one, so I just try to help her from a distance. That's just the way chickens work. My other chicken that survived a hawk attack snuggles up to her at night, like she knows what's it's like... so she keeps her warm. Ranks in a flock can change just like that. The flighty one was fairly highly ranked, until this happened. Now she's at the bottom of the totempole. She'll be ok, with time. I will likely rehome her once she's back on her feet. Sometimes a change of scenery gives a bird a new chance.

I raised my chicks in the coop with the adults, separated by plastic chicken netting. It allowed for easier integration in the flock. The older hens would correct the young ones if they tried to eat before the adults had their turn.. but none got really violent. The juveniles just learn to stay out of the way. I'm sure with time they would have merged into the flock just fine. They were about 9 weeks when I allowed them around the adults, before that they were behind wire. Allowing younger chicks around adults, if they do not have a mother hen, is asking for trouble. They have to be big enough so the can RUN when needed. Gotta wait til they look like little T-rexes haha.

 

[Tomtommom]

Free one-eyed hen in Calhoun county, GA. That's not TOO far from South-East Alabama.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/845435/ameracauna-needs-a-new-home