Arkansas folks speak up.........

[bbrierly]

What is everyone doing for their chickens in this crazy heat!

 

[Abunari]

I am giving mine some extra shade with a tarp over the run and a lot of fresh water.

 

[Greg88]

more shade and plenty of fresh water. Fan in coop. South facing window blacked out.

 

[lcertuche]

It has just now got hot here. We have trees all around us, ponds and the chickens have free run during the day. They stay mostly under the trees during the day. I have heard of freezing water bottles and putting in the coops. I have a cage with month old chicks so I may do that with them. I always freeze 2-liter soda bottles for everyone to take when they go play ball or go to the park to run so it wouldn't be any extra trouble. My coop is too far to consider fans but that is a good idea.

 

[lcertuche]

Hi ya'll, it's Linda from Waldron again. Here's some pics of my juvenile delinquents
(10 weeks old). The black patterned ones are Black Sex-Link Roosters and the red ones were sold as "Red" which apparently can be anything. I'm thinking they are what hatcheries claim as "Production Reds". They are really pretty now that they have all their feathers. That first month they looked pretty mangy, lol. They free-range during the day and are quiet friendly although the red pullets are not quite so bold as the roos. People dropping by are always taken by surprise when they suddenly have a flock around their ankles, especially if they are holding something and get pecked. I love my chicks but most these boys if not all will land in the freezer. All my kids are picking pullets to be THEIR chicken which is probably due to the fact they are going to be around after winter. No one wants to think of their pet on the dinner table.

 

[Miriahb]

LOL,
some of them get downright protective!

My daughter's sweet, flighty little Japanese Bantam "Prissy" is about to get another name...

Went out to gather eggs and the little snot was on three. This is her first time ever being broody and with my other two that went broody, they left the nest if I reached under them. Normally if she is laying an egg, she'll scurry off of the nest and run if I approach. Oh no, not this time. That little ball of feathers fluffed out and gave a full-out-deep-throated-exorcist growl. I waved at her, trying to get her off and the little demon chicken attacked me. She drew blood right in the tender area between my fingers. I'm about to start calling her Pazuzu.

On a final note...I let her keep the three eggs after I had to pin her down with a garden trowel so I could take them and mark them with the date.



You can see the broody rage in her eyes.....

Not protective enough. The three she hatched out were immediately set upon by the lead roo and pecked to death (and eaten

). Lesson learned. I will have a separate place set up where momma is away from the rest of the flock next time she goes broody.

 

[caj1985]

Not protective enough. The three she hatched out were immediately set upon by the lead roo and pecked to death (and eaten

). Lesson learned. I will have a separate place set up where momma is away from the rest of the flock next time she goes broody.

I am so sorry for your traumatic experience. That is when I would get rid of a roo. Again sorry for your issue, but that would be my solution. I have only had one roo that would attack chicks. He came to an abrupt end. I believe genetics have a lot to do with character faults in animals. It is totally against the nature for a male to kill what he should consider his own offspring. Most of the roos I have had were either extremely protective of chicks or at worst simply ignored them until they hit juvie age where the cockerels were put into their place in the flock as underlings.

 

[lcertuche]

I've never had a rooster attack chicks. Years ago, when I had one mean game chicken mama and she would steal the other hens chicks. If the babies wouldn't go with her she would peck them to death. Most mama birds would try to defend them but she was merciless. I gave her and her huge flock of babies to a neighbor that had a hard time finding chickens tough enough to survive. She and all her little blended chicks (probably around 25 chicks, thanks to her forced adoptions) went on to thrive but my neighbors complained to me about how mean she was. I agree that get rid of the mean ones. I have a one-month old chick that has turned to attacking us every time we work with them. I started pecking it back with my finger but it is still attacking other family and even had one of our 10-week old roosters down pecking it. I have separated it and it has settled down for me but not my son yet. It's only been one day so I will give it a few more days and return it to the rest of the flock.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I agree with getting rid of the roo. Roo should protect not kill.


We were gone for a week and it is amazing how much chicks change!





I can't wait to see how the colors finish off!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Those feathered legs sure look funny, especially on the buff second from the bottom. I had to look twice to see what I was looking at. And you talk about Draye's naked necks.