California - Northern

[ronott1]

Lol there you go see! You missed it. He likes you avoid the arguments so other than the big help of moving the coop that one day (she was out of town so it didn't cause problems) I am on my own.

They are all still a little on the skinny side but I have increased the treats. Been working with some yogurt, soaked bird seed, millett, kale, some of their own eggs. Just some extras. They all have a good appetite I just think it will take time.

My poor black Polish though, she seemed to still be losing weight.... how did I know this? Because everynight I find her on the run floor and have to pick her up and stuff her in the coop. She is acting just fine, but I really think she can't see.

Last night I put her in the pet carrier and brought her in and gave hr some eggs, kale, soaked bird seed and she ate like a pig. I have never seen her crop so full.

Then when she was done I took her out wrapped her in a towel and trimmed up her crest. I am guessing that was the main problem because it was THICK. She really didn't seem to mind me cutting it either. Almost relaxing it looked like. So now she can see!!!! We will see if she goes in to the coop by herself tonight.

I need to pay attention to the smileys better I guess..

Treats are not the best thing for them. 20% plus feed and no treats for two weeks is best along with the kale and eggs fed back to them. I would go easy on the yogurt and no bird seed or millet.

I hope your Polish gets to eating with the flock soon.

 

[Ali707]

I need to pay attention to the smileys better I guess..

Treats are not the best thing for them. 20% plus feed and no treats for two weeks is best along with the kale and eggs fed back to them. I would go easy on the yogurt and no bird seed or millet.

I hope your Polish gets to eating with the flock soon.

The have only gotten the yogurt twice over the last 2 weeks, and the bird seed about the same. I went to pick up either the broiler/meat bird feed or the starter King Freedom yesterday and they were out of both....... So trying to increase the protein with some meal worms and eggs but not a pile of either.

Pretty much the old adage nothing in excess goes for me as well as the birds...... unless it's chocolate.... For me that is.

 

[ronott1]

The have only gotten the yogurt twice over the last 2 weeks, and the bird seed about the same. I went to pick up either the broiler/meat bird feed or the starter King Freedom yesterday and they were out of both....... So trying to increase the protein with some meal worms and eggs but not a pile of either.

Pretty much the old adage nothing in excess goes for me as well as the birds...... unless it's chocolate.... For me that is.

Good Job!

When I went to Western Pet and Feed in Davis, they only had Freedom layer crumbles. I like the pellets better but picked up a couple of crumbles instead. My middle daughter thought the car smelled good because of the king feed. They did not like the smell when I picked up chicken feed with fish meal in it.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Capay - awesome story! So glad everyone is okay. And you have a terrific dog too! Time to ask Santa for auto door openers. Then you don't have to worry about being home in time.

 

[chrissyr]

So I would love some input on broody hen...or actually a pullet. They just started laying in Sept. I wasn't planning on incubating until spring. My issues are these:
1. Pullet eggs are too small right? I don't think they would be good quality to hatch.
2. weather
3. This is my longterm concern: Everytime I've let hens raise chicks, they seem to teach them to run when I go in the pen. I actually prefer to do it myself so they're more tame. Any thoughts on your experience with this. Or how to tame your hen raised chicks. Even my tamest hens have done this.
-- This is one of my Blue Copper Marans pullets. I am wanting to try to break her up, but I'm wondering how hard it is going to be. She's only been laying 6 weeks and already broody. Been in the box 3 days and all puffed up and pecks at me when I grab for eggs. It seems for laying this short period, I'm thinking she may have a STRONG instinct to do this often. Hopefully not.
When I had a couple of cuckoo marans about 8 years ago and one went broody. The first year she was a wonderful mom. The second year: she hatched them and I started finding them dead the next day. The survivors were running from her. She would cluck to them and then in a split second chase them like they were a mouse to peck them. I was especiallly surprised because the first year she raised 8 with no issues. I'm hoping these girls will be better moms when I do let them hatch out.

 

[ronott1]

So I would love some input on broody hen...or actually a pullet. They just started laying in Sept. I wasn't planning on incubating until spring. My issues are these:
1. Pullet eggs are too small right? I don't think they would be good quality to hatch.
2. weather
3. This is my longterm concern: Everytime I've let hens raise chicks, they seem to teach them to run when I go in the pen. I actually prefer to do it myself so they're more tame. Any thoughts on your experience with this. Or how to tame your hen raised chicks. Even my tamest hens have done this.
-- This is one of my Blue Copper Marans pullets. I am wanting to try to break her up, but I'm wondering how hard it is going to be. She's only been laying 6 weeks and already broody. Been in the box 3 days and all puffed up and pecks at me when I grab for eggs. It seems for laying this short period, I'm thinking she may have a STRONG instinct to do this often. Hopefully not.
When I had a couple of cuckoo marans about 8 years ago and one went broody. The first year she was a wonderful mom. The second year: she hatched them and I started finding them dead the next day. The survivors were running from her. She would cluck to them and then in a split second chase them like they were a mouse to peck them. I was especiallly surprised because the first year she raised 8 with no issues. I'm hoping these girls will be better moms when I do let them hatch out.

I will answer the pullet egg question: They will hatch fine! If they started laying in sept. they will be going on 8 weeks old--Give them to the broody.

We live in California so the weather is not as much of a concern as it is in Snow country.

Had feeding with meal worms will win over most chicks. They are very food motivated.

I have a Broody that rejects the chicks. I pop them into a brooder after they hatch. She is no longer broody and I get to raise the chicks.

 

[AmyPaperlady]

My husband said we could go ahead and get more chickens, since it seems to be going well (considering that no one is laying yet, and I'm not expecting anyone to be for at least another week, based on when we got them--or longer, since we've a combo of not-laying-yet and finishing-molting, I'm surprised he said so already). It's probably just as well that the owner of the birds I bought doesn't have any other breeds I want (well, not that she's selling, anyway), or else I'd be tempted to get some from her and not quarantine, on the theory that a week away from her flock won't have changed anything except pecking order.

I've still not told DH about quarantining, nor told him that about the only place we could do so is the garage. He just moved the food bank into the used-to-be-a-fireworks-booth shed (we have a ministry) so the garage is actually usable (not for vehicles, though). I still have an 8 panel Superyard, which would give me a little over 30 square feet, so I could get 3 adults, right? The only problem with the Superyard is that it's only 26 inches high, so I'd need to make some sort of lid, wouldn't I? Since I don't want loose chickens in the garage.

I saw that juststruttin' is selling off some breeds I want, but she's too far away, and I can't afford shipping

I guess I should stick to my plan of joining OR4HMom at the poultry show in Eureka in February... That'll give me the time to break it to DH that I'll need a good chunk of the garage for a month

 

[ronott1]

My husband said we could go ahead and get more chickens, since it seems to be going well (considering that no one is laying yet, and I'm not expecting anyone to be for at least another week, based on when we got them--or longer, since we've a combo of not-laying-yet and finishing-molting, I'm surprised he said so already). It's probably just as well that the owner of the birds I bought doesn't have any other breeds I want (well, not that she's selling, anyway), or else I'd be tempted to get some from her and not quarantine, on the theory that a week away from her flock won't have changed anything except pecking order.

I've still not told DH about quarantining, nor told him that about the only place we could do so is the garage. He just moved the food bank into the used-to-be-a-fireworks-booth shed (we have a ministry) so the garage is actually usable (not for vehicles, though). I still have an 8 panel Superyard, which would give me a little over 30 square feet, so I could get 3 adults, right? The only problem with the Superyard is that it's only 26 inches high, so I'd need to make some sort of lid, wouldn't I? Since I don't want loose chickens in the garage.

I saw that juststruttin' is selling off some breeds I want, but she's too far away, and I can't afford shipping

I guess I should stick to my plan of joining OR4HMom at the poultry show in Eureka in February... That'll give me the time to break it to DH that I'll need a good chunk of the garage for a month

Congrats on getting more chickens! It you lived closer I could get you a couple of Bresse--They are very friendly.

 

[chrissyr]

I will answer the pullet egg question: They will hatch fine! If they started laying in sept. they will be going on 8 weeks old--Give them to the broody.

We live in California so the weather is not as much of a concern as it is in Snow country.

Had feeding with meal worms will win over most chicks. They are very food motivated.

I have a Broody that rejects the chicks. I pop them into a brooder after they hatch. She is no longer broody and I get to raise the chicks.

Thank you Ron. I underestimated the power of mealworms

. I was hoping to get CL next spring. Anyone close to Tracy with CL eggs? I may have to get more chicken pens set up, my husband will love to hear that

 

[debs_flock]

Today I processed two turkeys, sorted out eight for next year's breeder's, two more to finish raising for the holidays and someone came by to buy the last twenty turkeys!!!

Yup, ALL GONE, all 35 extra turkeys,

Of course it was great they also bought a bred dorper ewe, two dorper ram lambs and a dorper ewe lamb. They are coming back to buy our extra male alpaca and they want some roosters!!!

Good day