California - Northern

[ChickNmamma]

Dottie is pulling out her lower neck/chest feathers. I will get a pic later but I noticed she had feathers missing and Tom said he saw her pluck. I read all the descriptions I could find on why she might be doing it and nothing sems to fit. She is a Delaware from My Pet Chicken and is just a year old. Any thoughts?

Lots of things going on here so I am not able to post replies to everyone but wanted to say "Howdy!"

Tom finished the coop on Sunday. The babies are outside with light. They are happy. I take my little folding chair into the coop and bring them treats and I am happy because they now run all over me instead of freaking out..

My Daughters graduate from St. Mary's on Sat. My son from high school the following Friday. Busy and emotional time for us here. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me re the feather pulling. She is otherwise behaving normally. I feed King, give yogurt or buttermilk most nights they have been wormed and free range for hours everyday unless we are not home. Everyone else is good. Buck Beak has broken feathers on her back but she was Ray's favorite so that is to be expected.

Does the feather picking go along with sitting in the nest box all day and night, puffing up and running around clucking with her wings spread? Puffing up and growling at you if you try to take the eggs from under her? Pulling chest feathers is a usually a sign of broodiness.

 

[chiqita]

They are here! I got an email at 6 that they had landed last night, and went to the PO to find out where the SJ sorting center was so I could pick up. While I was driving there the sorting center delivered them.

They were not pleased with the situation when I checked the box and tried to escape, but are now eating and drinking like champs.

CJ squeezed an extra hen in there so I have 2 partridge girls, 1 black boy ( immediately named Herman after Herman and the hermits) 1 white rooster and 3 white hens. 2 of the white girls are clean necked! I'm very excited.

 

[chiqita]

and lizann, I kept getting nervous in my dreams last night and going to check your message on my phone, that they were on a plane and ok. I found out that I didn't bring my hone to bed last night, so I guess I kept checking it in my dream, lol.
so TYVM!

Now I'm thinking good thoughts on debs eggs!

 

[chiqita]

Does the feather picking go along with sitting in the nest box all day and night, puffing up and running around clucking with her wings spread? Puffing up and growling at you if you try to take the eggs from under her? Pulling chest feathers is a usually a sign of broodiness.

this. Sometimes chickens that are not THAT broody will pull feather then feel satisfied and not sit. ID only worry if she keeps it up.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Quote:
I have one hen that keeps doing that. Even raising her feathers and squawking at me when she's in the nest, but she hasn't committed. I have one in the Polish pen who did the same thing but she also hasn't committed. Both of these girls have never gone broody before so I'm thinking that once one of the seasoned broodies does, they'll quickly follow.

 

[tommysgirl]

Does the feather picking go along with sitting in the nest box all day and night, puffing up and running around clucking with her wings spread? Puffing up and growling at you if you try to take the eggs from under her? Pulling chest feathers is a usually a sign of broodiness.

She doesn't spend that much time in the nesting box but this weekend started to puff up and growl when I even look at her when she is there. The rest of it sounds amusing but no she doesn't do those things.

They are here! I got an email at 6 that they had landed last night, and went to the PO to find out where the SJ sorting center was so I could pick up. While I was driving there the sorting center delivered them.

They were not pleased with the situation when I checked the box and tried to escape, but are now eating and drinking like champs.

CJ squeezed an extra hen in there so I have 2 partridge girls, 1 black boy ( immediately named Herman after Herman and the hermits) 1 white rooster and 3 white hens. 2 of the white girls are clean necked! I'm very excited.

Happy for you!

this. Sometimes chickens that are not THAT broody will pull feather then feel satisfied and not sit. ID only worry if she keeps it up.

That makes sense!

I have one hen that keeps doing that. Even raising her feathers and squawking at me when she's in the nest, but she hasn't committed. I have one in the Polish pen who did the same thing but she also hasn't committed. Both of these girls have never gone broody before so I'm thinking that once one of the seasoned broodies does, they'll quickly follow.

See...I knew I could come to you all. I didn't know there was such a thing as a non-committed broody but leave it to you all to help me learn. Thanks!

 

[chicksnthestiks]

They are here! I got an email at 6 that they had landed last night, and went to the PO to find out where the SJ sorting center was so I could pick up. While I was driving there the sorting center delivered them.

They were not pleased with the situation when I checked the box and tried to escape, but are now eating and drinking like champs.

CJ squeezed an extra hen in there so I have 2 partridge girls, 1 black boy ( immediately named Herman after Herman and the hermits) 1 white rooster and 3 white hens. 2 of the white girls are clean necked! I'm very excited.

Glad they made it safe and sound.

 

[Flowers of Abba]

Sad news : woke up to the one survived of debs eggs (col Cochin) and a cuckoo marans dead in the bottom of the brooder. My hubby was rooting for the col and is now sad at work... They weren't slumpy so I'm guessing they couldn't get out if the dog pile.

Happy news: I bought two flukes hydrometers and they say my glass thermo is off over 2 degrees!!!!! So I threw them in with two doz trader joe fertiles ;-))) my humidity was at 55 yesterday, today 45... How low is too low for day 1-18?
Kandi

 

[Happy Chooks]

A few questions:

1) Do chickens normally eat their own or their coop-mate's feathers? Mine have been.

2) When do roos start to crow? Mine are around 8 1/2 weeks old.

3) Do some chickens like a little light in the coop to see at night? The flocks first few nights in the coop were on the chilly side so at dusk we turned on the light to lure them in and left it on. Now they don't really go in until we turn it on (it's not a heat lamp anymore but like a 60 watt light bulb) and then turn it off after they climb onto their roosts.

1) Eating them from the ground is not a big deal. Feather eating is a sign that they need more protein. But picking them off the other birds is not good.
2) When they want to. I have had a cockerel crow at 1 DAY old.
3) They don't need the light, unless you are trying to force egg production in winter.

Quote: Sounds like you will soon have a broody.

 

[ronott1]

Sad news : woke up to the one survived of debs eggs (col Cochin) and a cuckoo marans dead in the bottom of the brooder. My hubby was rooting for the col and is now sad at work... They weren't slumpy so I'm guessing they couldn't get out if the dog pile.

Happy news: I bought two flukes hydrometers and they say my glass thermo is off over 2 degrees!!!!! So I threw them in with two doz trader joe fertiles ;-))) my humidity was at 55 yesterday, today 45... How low is too low for day 1-18?
Kandi

35 to 40% works for me. I get the incubator to the target and then let it drop to 20 before adding more water.

Watch the air cells for development.