California - Northern

[lualshannon]

I am in a dilemma which I need advise on. What is the best way to integrate roosters? I have a 9 mos., and 2, 6 mos. old boys which I am having difficulty to have them get along. The younger two are fine with each other, but the older one is not. I decided to alternate caging them until they get the idea that they must be civilized with each other.

Couple of times, let them all loose, and my, oh my!! they were jumping in the air with all the feathers raised on their necks, trying to claw each others' faces and biting where ever they can. Of course, while this was taking place, I was in the middle of all the chaos, trying to separate, and catch one, any one. I have number of scratches, and received bites, but all the boys are all right, no damage.

How do you the chicken experts, manage to get them get along? I mean, they don't have to be best of friends, but, looks like, if I do not interfere, there will be blood, and someone will get seriously hurt. Yes, all my chickens free-range, and they have about an acre of place.

I even tried to take one all the way to the other side of the property and released him, and even before his feet touched the ground, he was paddling. Well, then he started to run to the other side, and me right behind him. I had no idea they could run this fast. I did get a hold of him as they were about to lock into a vicious fight, was able to get hold of him.

I would very much appreciate your suggestions as to how to solve this problem, and what to do.

Thank you!

 

[zooweemama]

I am in a dilemma which I need advise on. What is the best way to integrate roosters? I have a 9 mos., and 2, 6 mos. old boys which I am having difficulty to have them get along. The younger two are fine with each other, but the older one is not. I decided to alternate caging them until they get the idea that they must be civilized with each other.

Couple of times, let them all loose, and my, oh my!! they were jumping in the air with all the feathers raised on their necks, trying to claw each others' faces and biting where ever they can. Of course, while this was taking place, I was in the middle of all the chaos, trying to separate, and catch one, any one. I have number of scratches, and received bites, but all the boys are all right, no damage.

How do you the chicken experts, manage to get them get along? I mean, they don't have to be best of friends, but, looks like, if I do not interfere, there will be blood, and someone will get seriously hurt. Yes, all my chickens free-range, and they have about an acre of place.

I even tried to take one all the way to the other side of the property and released him, and even before his feet touched the ground, he was paddling. Well, then he started to run to the other side, and me right behind him. I had no idea they could run this fast. I did get a hold of him as they were about to lock into a vicious fight, was able to get hold of him.

I would very much appreciate your suggestions as to how to solve this problem, and what to do.

Thank you!

Personally I let them be unless they are drawing blood. They have to work out pecking order somehow. Mine figured it out with little bloodshed and now every minds their Ps and Qs. Honestly my worst issue was having roosters being rough with hens. They are permanently penned up until further notice (they were bought as pets which makes offing them off limits).

 

[zooweemama]

My duck eggs are pipping. Looks like 9 eggs made it to an early lockdown. Eggs are wiggling, have some pips and I can hear actually peeping. This should all be over this weekend and shortly after that I have some chicken eggs slated to hatch - a couple Betty/Gary love children and 3 bantam BLRW eggs that so far are growing well. *fingers crossed*

 

[Ali707]

Hi guys!! I need some positive Coturnix Quail hatching vibes!!!
This has been one hell of a week! My grandma, who passed the crazy chicken lady torch to me, passed away in front of me on the 8th, we have to put poor Ruby down today due to the Marek's thing, I'm losing weight like crazy & I cannot afford it. My mind is just going crazy right now & my quail are on day 18 & no wiggles yet. I have 33 eggs in the DIY bator. Chiqita--- Do you have any advice? Anybody? They are Jumbos. I'm breeding these quail to help my dad with his prostate cancer. I have read a lot about how valuable quail eggs are, health-wise.
Now I'm just rambling.... Anybody hatch quail?? The quail threads are not so helpful

.... Maybe I should go refill my estrogen Rx...

Okay my head just exploded reading your post! I am sending good vibes your way. I hatched the regular size Coturnix that came with the incubator and I have about 14 of them. They started pipping at day 17-18 and took about two days for everyone to come out that was coming out.

Here is the plan..... I am not that far from you in Roseville. If yours don't hatch, you can have mine. They aren't Jumbo's but they are 2 weeks away from laying. I am having difficulties getting the quail pens done to suit my time frame anyway.

If they do hatch then YAY! If not you now have a back up plan. What temps and humidity did your incubator stay at? Mine were at 100 because much of the stuff I read said 100 for quail. So if it was a little lower that could be why it is taking a little longer. The pips are almost impossible to see anyway so you could have some and not even see them. I have found some of the older quail posts to be a little helpful, but the quail people seem to be a little more aggressive than the nice people here. They get in arguments all the time over there. Chiquita also mentioned that quail eggs are sensitive to too low humidity. At least I think that is what she said. My memory I swear.....

As soon as the Ruby thing is taken care of you need to just decompress a little. Go have some quiet time and try to relax and mourn. It will take time but slow down a little and refilling the Estrogen RX won't hurt.

 

[zooweemama]

Hi guys!! I need some positive Coturnix Quail hatching vibes!!!
This has been one hell of a week! My grandma, who passed the crazy chicken lady torch to me, passed away in front of me on the 8th, we have to put poor Ruby down today due to the Marek's thing, I'm losing weight like crazy & I cannot afford it. My mind is just going crazy right now & my quail are on day 18 & no wiggles yet. I have 33 eggs in the DIY bator. Chiqita--- Do you have any advice? Anybody? They are Jumbos. I'm breeding these quail to help my dad with his prostate cancer. I have read a lot about how valuable quail eggs are, health-wise.
Now I'm just rambling.... Anybody hatch quail?? The quail threads are not so helpful

.... Maybe I should go refill my estrogen Rx...

I can't help with the quail stuff but wanted to send cyber hugs. Sounds like a serious rough patch right now. I know all my in laws are crazy without their hormones...it takes everything going to the Nth level. I hope things settle for you. My condolences on your gramma and prayers for your dad.

 

[Nikon]

Feed store people are very helpful. They told me my chicks were Ameraucanas. I know they aren't. They tell you what they read. I don't know how many of them actually have raised chickens. I have "helped" some of them right back - especially with pasty butt chicks that weren't being washed or pulled off and were dying.

They have small bags of "chick grit" at my feed store - in little brown lunchbags. If they aren't supposed to have scratch why sell chick grit?

I give my older chicks scratch mixed in with their food. They get grit from the ground when they play outside. I think you are fine with what you are feeding them. All my littles have grown up eating scratch after they were old enough to go run around outside. Most of my mom's babies eat scratch when they are 2 days old - they stay with their mommies and my mom doesn't feed special feed so they get what is in the big tub for the big chickens. They are all healthier than those feed store chicks...

That's my two cents worth.

Bah ha ha! Yeah they told me my chicks had worms and that's why they had runny pooeys even before we described what they looked like and how they were behaving and that the babes had only been outside for maybe 5 minutes for their photo shoot!

 

[GallusGirl]

That sounds like such a horrible week, hope things get better from here. Wish I could help more!

Hi guys!! I need some positive Coturnix Quail hatching vibes!!!
This has been one hell of a week! My grandma, who passed the crazy chicken lady torch to me, passed away in front of me on the 8th, we have to put poor Ruby down today due to the Marek's thing, I'm losing weight like crazy & I cannot afford it. My mind is just going crazy right now & my quail are on day 18 & no wiggles yet. I have 33 eggs in the DIY bator. Chiqita--- Do you have any advice? Anybody? They are Jumbos. I'm breeding these quail to help my dad with his prostate cancer. I have read a lot about how valuable quail eggs are, health-wise.
Now I'm just rambling.... Anybody hatch quail?? The quail threads are not so helpful

.... Maybe I should go refill my estrogen Rx...

 

[Janeothejungle]

Got the rest of the roof cut and installed on my lunch break!



Tiny Chicken Building Inspector says "This is not up to code, lady".

 

[Nikon]

Got the rest of the roof cut and installed on my lunch break!



Tiny Chicken Building Inspector says "This is not up to code, lady".

LOL! Wouldn't surprise me one bit if CA decided to enforce CA Code on coops and dog houses.

Nice Makita!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

So I headed to Western Farms today to get some grit and meal worms. When I asked about grit in a smaller quantity the girl who worked there asked me how old my chickens were. I informed her they were 10-14 weeks olds. She then said they did not need grit, because they were not eating grains. I told her they were, in fact getting some scratch. She said they shouldn't be, and that they would not be getting enough protein.

I am confused. We are using scratch as a training aid to get them to come to us as well as to give everyone something to do (we are unable to free range inside city limits). They are getting less than 10% of their daily diet in scratch. Then they also get either meal worms or a boiled egg every day. Their feed is Modesto Mills Organic Soy Free Starter/Grower.

Should I not be giving them scratch? Should I be worried about their protein?

JP, who is semiretired, is the most knowledgeable and there are some others who are good too. Of course, if it wasn't for BYC, I wouldn't know what they don't know, ya know?

My little ones are mad for anything green right now. Protein or not, they are craving and devouring greens, so I make sure they get plenty of pebbly soil to pick through.