Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[FVRM]

Amerucana chick behavior ! Has Anyone out there ever seen a severely aggressive amerucana chick? I've got a 4 week old that is literally attacking every chick that walks by him/her and he's the runt in the nursery as I call it! I can't figure him/her out. I've just never seen one this youg and aggressive it's so bad ill either have to cull him or pen him up seperate he's literally attacking the back of their necks pulling feathers and the down feathers causing the others to bleed! I hate to cull him!

seems like the runts are the most aggressive. i guess they're trying not to look weak because they know they're losing their place in the pecking order. If you don;t want to cull you need to separate him and either keep him isolated or keep him with older chicks that won't get picked on by him.

 

[heatherscooby77]

I have two roosters that have become my favorites!

Those two look like they are planning something that will get them into trouble!

 

[jonsccm]

Those two look like they are planning something that will get them into trouble!

The black one is innocent it's the blue one that's the ring leader!

 

[MrsBachbach]

young chicks here get dirt, greens, worms the first week; that is when they can build passive immunity to cocci, before they get to the age where it can be fatal. Also I ferment my feed, gives a lot of probiotics and I don't need to mess with ACV in the water.

The fermented feed also helps prevent cocci. In several  years, hatching 80=100 chicks each season I've had one batch with cocci and that was birds that came from elsewhere, not my home hatched ones.

That sounds great. I wish that was an option for me, but it isn't. I will look up fermented feeds when I have time, but right now, I spend so much time on the birds I don't know when I would have a chance to even do that. They do get ACV w/ mother in their moist feed though.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Those two look like they are planning something that will get them into trouble!

I love juvenile roosters! They are without a doubt the most friendly or inquisitive birds. The females tend to avoid you. The males will come up to you, peck your shoe, pants leg, tilt their head and look you in the eye, etc. I know they are just sizing me up for a later date.
No, seriously, I have had some very mellow males around here. I haven't had to keep my eye on one in a long, long time. I have a blue wheaten male that is just as calm as can be. I can go in his pen, pick him up, pet him, etc. It's going to be hard to let him go one day.

 

[maryhysong]

That sounds great. I wish that was an option for me, but it isn't. I will look up fermented feeds when I have time, but right now, I spend so much time on the birds I don't know when I would have a chance to even do that. They do get ACV w/ mother in their moist feed though.

the ACV with mother is good. Really it doesn't take that much longer to ferment than not. I currently have 80 birds; about 30 or so are adults and are fed once in the morning. The rest are babies and juveniles that are fed twice a day, morning and evening. Morning chores including letting the dog out to run and play, playing with the new kittens and feeding them plus all the chickens and rebooting the ferment buckets takes about 1-1 1/2 hours in the morning. I spend about the same amount of time in the evening feeding the babies, gathering eggs, playing with the dog and the kittens and filling up all the waterers.

Besides the probiotics the fermented feed is sort of pre-digested so the birds are able to absorb more nutrition from it, along with the healthy gut bacteria. When I started doing it almost two years ago my flock numbers were in flux, with hatchings, selling, culling, ect so I couldn't keep an accurate record but many people have done experiments, especially with their meat birds, and found that they use less feed when it is fermented. Some have even begun to ferment their dog's dry food and report less intestinal troubles, and way less rotten gas.

 

[MrsBachbach]

the ACV with mother is good. Really it doesn't take that much longer to ferment than not. I currently have 80 birds; about 30 or so are adults and are fed once in the morning. The rest are babies and juveniles that are fed twice a day, morning and evening. Morning chores including letting the dog out to run and play, playing with the new kittens and feeding them plus all the chickens and rebooting the ferment buckets takes about 1-1 1/2 hours in the morning. I spend about the same amount of time in the evening feeding the babies, gathering eggs, playing with the dog and the kittens and filling up all the waterers.

Besides the probiotics the fermented feed is sort of pre-digested so the birds are able to absorb more nutrition from it, along with the healthy gut bacteria. When I started doing it almost two years ago my flock numbers were in flux, with hatchings, selling, culling, ect so I couldn't keep an accurate record but many people have done experiments, especially with their meat birds, and found that they use less feed when it is fermented. Some have even begun to ferment their dog's dry food and report less intestinal troubles, and way less rotten gas.

Gosh! You sound about as busy as me! Almost the same routine too! I probably have about 50 including the young ones right now. I do have a garden I have to tend to also. And doggies and cats and a hubby. An hour and a half...boy, I don't know if I can squeeze that in there. If I didn't have so many pens to care for individually, I might have that extra time.

 

[maryhysong]

Gosh! You sound about as busy as me! Almost the same routine too! I probably have about 50 including the young ones right now. I do have a garden I have to tend to also. And doggies and cats and a hubby. An hour and a half...boy, I don't know if I can squeeze that in there. If I didn't have so many pens to care for individually, I might have that extra time.

yes individual pens and waters and feed dishes are a pain; lets see those birds are in.... 11 different pens and soon there will be more because I have young cockerels that are going to need to be separated from each other soon until the fall shows start and I can sell some off..

I also have a garden and am currently building more coops and putting up fence. I also work a 40 hour a week job and sell at our farmer's market on Sat. And I do it ALL by myself. I'm single and my kids have all moved away.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Multiple pens are a pain in the butt. I have 16 right now.

 

[MrsBachbach]

yes individual pens and waters and feed dishes are a pain; lets see those birds are in.... 11 different pens and soon there will be more because I have young cockerels that are going to need to be separated from each other soon until the fall shows start and I can sell some off..

I also have a garden and am currently building more coops and putting up fence. I also work a 40 hour a week job and sell at our farmer's market on Sat. And I do it ALL by myself. I'm single and my kids have all moved away. 

You sound way too busy for me!