Arizona Chickens

[Gallo del Cielo]

I still have newbe insecure questions about molting. Because they are all kinds of feathers I hope no one is pulling feathers.

How old are they? Are there lots of feathers from more than one bird? Most importantly, do you see any primary flight feathers on the ground?

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I've got a problem. Wonder if any of you have any ideas on how to stop this destructive behavior-it's driving me nuts!
I have five hens. My Leghorn died after tearing her vent badly laying an egg. Even though she was the smallest of all of them, she was the boss and the hens got along until she died. Since then the Barred Rock and Dominique have become bullies. They have pecked the feathers off the backs of my two EE's (to the point that they were bloody) and then started on my Buff Orphington. I separated the bullies from the EE's and BO and now one of the EE's is pecking the BO and the other EE. I'm at my wits end!
What could be causing this and How can I stop it? It seems like they're literally trying to eat each other!
Terri

Hmmm...that's a tough one. Changing the social structure will always cause some disturbance, but this seems pretty extreme. How long has this been going on?

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

How old are they?  Are there lots of feathers from more than one bird?  Most importantly, do you see any primary flight feathers on the ground?

Got then Nov. 04, 2012 @ 2 days old, All kinds of feathers, some flight, checked the girls, flights growing in, down, feathers with down and a few tail. All the girls except Powder and Whinny and only a very few mahogany red (Lucy). No bugs I can see, a lot of pin feathers, but I do not know yet what is a lot with chickens. The girls that lost tails are growing in, girls that just lost tails are the ones I was watching for picking.

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

Got then Nov. 04, 2012 @ 2 days old, All kinds of feathers, some flight, checked the girls, flights growing in, down, feathers with down and a few tail. All the girls except Powder and Whinny and only a very few mahogany red (Lucy). No bugs I can see, a lot of pin feathers, but I do not know yet what is a lot with chickens. The girls that lost tails are growing in, girls that just lost tails are the ones I was watching for picking.

Sounds like they are growing their adult feathers. My chicks are now dropping flight and tail feathers. They were hatched the middle of Dec.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

Sounds like they are growing their adult feathers. My chicks are now dropping flight and tail feathers. They were hatched the middle of Dec.

Thanks. This is part of my learning curve. How long do they go thru this ? I've been wondering about that, they have been blushing strong color, giving me hope, then fading out. I can't wait until I get more then 1 egg every other day.

Powder had been giving me really nice eggs between 53 gr and 58 gr.

 

[kacklinkelly]

Countrygirl - I heard that some areas of Flag are possibly getting up to 14 inches of snow.
Thought of you and your chicks. Hoping you are all warm. It's so strange to me that we
can think of people we have never met yet they have positively influenced our lives.
Have fun playing in the snow.

 

[countrygirl74]

Countrygirl - I heard that some areas of Flag are possibly getting up to 14 inches of snow.
Thought of you and your chicks. Hoping you are all warm. It's so strange to me that we
can think of people we have never met yet they have positively influenced our lives.
Have fun playing in the snow.

Awwww, thanks - you're too sweet! I actually am in Chino Valley, just north of Prescott. They are saying about 1-3 inches, so we'll see. My sis lives in Flag though with her chickens. It's amazing how well they handle the cold temps up there. She has never provided heat or light and they still do a really good job of laying for her all winter. She visited and brought me 2 dozen eggs this week as I am STILL waiting for my first egg!
We are all keeping warm here, just waiting for the storm. All the 20-week-olds are nested down in warm straw and pine shavings and my new babies are happily sleeping in an old towel in their brooder, under a heat lamp. I love the snow so I hope we get something!! It's soooo quiet when it snows in the night and early morning. All my noisy ducks and roosters sleep in - lol!!

 

[kacklinkelly]

Oh, OK, my husband is dreaming of retiring in Prescott area. We have not checked out Chino Valley yet.
We have a few years yet for that to happen but it's on our radar. The time flies by way too quickly.
Wish I had gotten into my chicken thang much younger. I think I would have been a much calmer
mom. Our kids are grown now and I am a first time Grandmother. They all laugh at me and my
chicken stories.

I remember well the beautiful snowy nights and mornings from when we lived in NY. Some nights
when I would be outside as the lightest snow was falling, it almost felt like we were in a snow
globe. It was quiet, The snow would glisten off the street lights and all was well with the world.
Have a great night.

 

[cbnovick]

Just wanted to share some pics of all my new baby girls (hopefully girls!) The first couple pics are the first 4 we picked up last week - had some fun with them and my 12-year-old daughter. Then, the next few pics are our new babies that we picked up just today! So fun to have babies around again!
P.S. I apologize for the messy chicks - they are on ff.

GREAT PHOTOS!!!!

 

[cbnovick]

For those of you in the phoenix area....
WOW on this rain....that 'ol Murphy Mother Nature strikes again...as soon as I need to move about 20 growing chicks to the outside brooder, we get dumped on with blowing rain...I could have waited another day, but I figured we would surely not have another big front like last time...
WRONG (-;
Oh well, guess I know what I will be doing this weekend...de-flooding areas of my run and our yard low spots etc. I know we need the rain but does it all have to come at once??? I am so glad we waited to weed the desert landscaping areas...maybe next weekend any new sprouts will be ready for pulling up...love those orange daisy like flowers though!
Guess desert beggars can't be choosers when it comes to getting precipitation!