Bay Area BYCers!

This Flu bug is kicking my butt royally.....It's been a week.
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Melina, most health foods stores carry it, I think you can find tablets at like Safeway or Walgreens but they don't work as well. You want the liquid extract, after taking it I usually start feeling much better by the next day.
 
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Debi - She is adorable! Have you shown her the chickens behind the fence to see what her reaction is? We have four dogs -two Labs, a Lab mix and a Chihuahua/Queensland heeler. And consistency and 15 minutes a day is really all it takes to train a dog, well most dogs. Some are just hard headed!! Luckily the labs are very well trained bird dogs. So, when I introduced them to the chickens I had the chickens in a pen and watched very carefully and used the Leave it command a lot. They eventually got the idea. The lab mix has been around chickens in the past and now that they are more hen than chick she doesn't pay them any attention. So the Labs pretty much walk around the birds now. The little Chihuahua is the latest addition and still in training! She tries to herd them on occasion so we have to watch her. We are teaching her the leave it command, but all in all she is very gentle around them. And she was curious and gentle with them as chicks too. She was only 5 months when we got the chicks so as she has grown so have they!

It takes some patience, but by being consistent and watching them you should be able to teach her to leave them alone. Also, keeping her active and engaged - walks, playing and toys - she'll be a calmer dog overall. Besides if she is part catahoula, which are pig hunters by nature, maybe chickens won't look appealing!!
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Good Luck and Congratulations!!!!
 
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Debi - She is adorable! Have you shown her the chickens behind the fence to see what her reaction is? We have four dogs -two Labs, a Lab mix and a Chihuahua/Queensland heeler. And consistency and 15 minutes a day is really all it takes to train a dog, well most dogs. Some are just hard headed!! Luckily the labs are very well trained bird dogs. So, when I introduced them to the chickens I had the chickens in a pen and watched very carefully and used the Leave it command a lot. They eventually got the idea. The lab mix has been around chickens in the past and now that they are more hen than chick she doesn't pay them any attention. So the Labs pretty much walk around the birds now. The little Chihuahua is the latest addition and still in training! She tries to herd them on occasion so we have to watch her. We are teaching her the leave it command, but all in all she is very gentle around them. And she was curious and gentle with them as chicks too. She was only 5 months when we got the chicks so as she has grown so have they!

It takes some patience, but by being consistent and watching them you should be able to teach her to leave them alone. Also, keeping her active and engaged - walks, playing and toys - she'll be a calmer dog overall. Besides if she is part catahoula, which are pig hunters by nature, maybe chickens won't look appealing!!
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Good Luck and Congratulations!!!!

Thank you, Sandy! I take her out with me whenever I do chicken chores. There is always a fence between them when she is off leash but we do take her right in the middle of them when she is on leash. She is very interested in them and we have to use the leave it command often. She has not quite got the hang of that command yet. I also tell her sternly that they are "My chickens". I have been giving her the almost empty bowl after giving the chickens their morning yogurt treat. I'm hoping that she gets the idea that she is below the chickens in pack order. LOL! One day I was carrying our constantly broody BA from the coop to the fenced area. I didn't know that Pixie was behind me and she jumped up and got two of Precious's tail feathers. Big mama was NOT happy about that. Pixie better be careful because that broody hen has a "fowl" temper!
 
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Hey Jeremy,

Your chicks are doing great. They just turned 20 weeks, and Wickham, the alpha, started crowing last week.

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His hormones have definitely started acting up. Just yesterday, I saw him trying to mount one the BW pullets, and she didn't like it at all, and really stood up to him, even chasing him away. BUT, for a short period, he was relentless, and she got tired and a bit traumatized. No blood. Just a feather or two. I'm hoping this is all just teenage hormones, and not real aggression. Have you experienced "just a phase" with your Wheaten and BW cockerels/roos? I'm tempted to re-home him, but I might be overreacting at this early stage. He hasn't challenged the humans, and has always been a bit afraid of us, but it upsets me to see him cause a ruckus.

Thanks for any insights. Oh, and if anyone else wants to chime in on cockerels, that would be great!
 
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I call this the "Fraternity Boy" phase. Just be glad they don't have access to beer and togas!

Most of my boys move past this phase once they get the hang of it, and the girls get used to the concept. The ones that stay overly ornery (or is it "hornery"?) don't get to stay in my flock.
 
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I call this the "Fraternity Boy" phase. Just be glad they don't have access to beer and togas!

Most of my boys move past this phase once they get the hang of it, and the girls get used to the concept. The once that stay overly ornery (or is it "hornery"?) don't get to stay in my flock.

LOL, Fraternity Boy. That's hilarious. Thanks for the response, Chooklet. How long does this phase usually last?
 

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