California - Northern

[Happy Chooks]

Having had little experience with Cockerels before. I have one that tends to bite (not repeatedly but seems to be the first reaction to trying to handle him) Is this a strong indication of a roo that will be aggressive. He is almost 12 weeks old. Of the 6 that I have he is the only one that does this of course he is the only Delaware and is mixed in with 2 pita pinta boys and a CLB girl (will be separating them soon) his age. He does settle down when held and once reprimanded will let you stroke him etc. but he often gives you a pretty strong bite.

In my experience, not necessarily. At that age, they tend to bite out of fear, especially if you reach for them quickly or are messing with another one and they squawk. I've been bitten by far more pullets than cockerels.

 

[ronott1]

In my experience, not necessarily. At that age, they tend to bite out of fear, especially if you reach for them quickly or are messing with another one and they squawk. I've been bitten by far more pullets than cockerels.

They also think my ring is delicious and several think that the red lid on the water jug is something to peck.

Pita Pinta cockerels seem to be very inquisitive too.(about the only way chickens can interact with things is via the beak).

 

[PetRock]

Last Sat, I lost one of my oldest hens. She was a hatchery Silver-laced Wyandotte and was 4 1/2 yr old. She seemed fine when I let the chickens out at 6:30 and I saw her eating the wet feed with supplements that I give them at around 7. 2 hours later, Monet found her dead in the middle of the yard. Since it was Sat, I soaped her up, bagged her, and kept her in a cooler with ice until Mon. FedEx was open on Mon but I didn't realize until I got there that they were not doing any pickups that day. I feel sorry for the tech who had to open that box on Wed afternoon. I asked them to test for all kinds of things. The prelim report came in last night. The result was death due to intra-abdominal hemorrhage secondary to liver rupture (Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome). They said that she was an over-conditioned hen with lots of fat. I weighed her before packing her up and she weighed 7 lb. I guess that I killed her with kindness and too many treats. This is not the first older hen that I have lost to this. I have been giving my flock some dietary supplements that are supposed to help with liver health such as mild thistle seed powder, kelp powder, alfalfa powder, etc. I do give my flock sprouted BOSS but not very much of it. The grandkids love to feed their leftovers to the girls so I guess I should curtail that. Does anyone have experience with counteracting this condition?

 

[ronott1]

Last Sat, I lost one of my oldest hens. She was a hatchery Silver-laced Wyandotte and was 4 1/2 yr old. She seemed fine when I let the chickens out at 6:30 and I saw her eating the wet feed with supplements that I give them at around 7. 2 hours later, Monet found her dead in the middle of the yard. Since it was Sat, I soaped her up, bagged her, and kept her in a cooler with ice until Mon. FedEx was open on Mon but I didn't realize until I got there that they were not doing any pickups that day. I feel sorry for the tech who had to open that box on Wed afternoon. I asked them to test for all kinds of things. The prelim report came in last night. The result was death due to intra-abdominal hemorrhage secondary to liver rupture (Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome). They said that she was an over-conditioned hen with lots of fat. I weighed her before packing her up and she weighed 7 lb. I guess that I killed her with kindness and too many treats. This is not the first older hen that I have lost to this. I have been giving my flock some dietary supplements that are supposed to help with liver health such as mild thistle seed powder, kelp powder, alfalfa powder, etc. I do give my flock sprouted BOSS but not very much of it. The grandkids love to feed their leftovers to the girls so I guess I should curtail that. Does anyone have experience with counteracting this condition?

Oh yes!

I have had a couple of Australorps die that way.

It is not really an over conditioning thing. It has to do with being a hatchery good egg layer. Death like that is associated with a hot day and some breeds are prone to getting it

I do not give my chickens any scratch, pasta or white rice. Cut all simple carbs along with the corn scratch.

Still, it happens.

 

[PetRock]

Oh yes!

I have had a couple of Australorps die that way.

It is not really an over conditioning thing. It has to do with being a hatchery good egg layer. Death like that is associated with a hot day and some breeds are prone to getting it

I do not give my chickens any scratch, pasta or white rice. Cut all simple carbs along with the corn scratch.

Still, it happens.

Mine don't get any corn except for the rare time we pick up newly harvested corn along the road out in Brentwood. They also don't get white rice because we don't eat white rice. They do get some pasta especially when the little ones don't eat all of theirs. I guess that I will try to limit that. I was wondering if the fact that they are hatchery birds had anything to do with it. I still have a few hatchery hens from the first couple of years of us having chickens. They are stately old lady hens and could probably use more exercise than they currently get. The younger pullets/hens run all over the yard while the older girls take their time.

 

[ronott1]

Mine don't get any corn except for the rare time we pick up newly harvested corn along the road out in Brentwood. They also don't get white rice because we don't eat white rice. They do get some pasta especially when the little ones don't eat all of theirs. I guess that I will try to limit that. I was wondering if the fact that they are hatchery birds had anything to do with it. I still have a few hatchery hens from the first couple of years of us having chickens. They are stately old lady hens and could probably use more exercise than they currently get. The younger pullets/hens run all over the yard while the older girls take their time.

Yes, it is a hatchery thing. My guess is she had fatty liver disease since she was two. The good care you gave her kept her going for the extra years.

Do not feel bad--you are taking good care of your flock.

 

[PetRock]

Yes, it is a hatchery thing. My guess is she had fatty liver disease since she was two. The good care you gave her kept her going for the extra years.

Do not feel bad--you are taking good care of your flock.

Thanks, Ron. It has been quite a week. I just got back from the farm where all my breeding birds are kept. It looks like one of my black Langshan cockerels has Mereks. At least, he has the paralysis that is indicative of Mereks. We are going back out there this afternoon and putting him down. I guess that I will keep him in a cooler and ship him to Davis on Mon. I need to know for sure what he has. Last Friday, all of them looked great and then today, the one boy is down on the ground and his comb & wattles are small & pale. Then on top of it all, one of my Bresse cockerels somehow got out of our death row pen after I filled the feeder and attacked me from behind. He had a close encounter with the blue bucket that I was carrying and he still kept coming after me. I've been thinking about keeping one of the young ones and breeding Bresse again. He changed my mind for me this morning. Chauvelin's genes continue to be passed on to his grandsons, I guess.

 

[caychris]

Thanks, Ron. It has been quite a week. I just got back from the farm where all my breeding birds are kept. It looks like one of my black Langshan cockerels has Mereks. At least, he has the paralysis that is indicative of Mereks. We are going back out there this afternoon and putting him down. I guess that I will keep him in a cooler and ship him to Davis on Mon. I need to know for sure what he has. Last Friday, all of them looked great and then today, the one boy is down on the ground and his comb & wattles are small & pale. Then on top of it all, one of my Bresse cockerels somehow got out of our death row pen after I filled the feeder and attacked me from behind. He had a close encounter with the blue bucket that I was carrying and he still kept coming after me. I've been thinking about keeping one of the young ones and breeding Bresse again. He changed my mind for me this morning. Chauvelin's genes continue to be passed on to his grandsons, I guess.

Not to make light of the situation but why is it that everything always seems to happen on a Friday afternoon or a holiday weekend where you are forced to wait to get things answered.

Sorry to hear about the Bresse. I remember you agonizing about which one to keep.

 

[PetRock]

Not to make light of the situation but why is it that everything always seems to happen on a Friday afternoon or a holiday weekend where you are forced to wait to get things answered.

Sorry to hear about the Bresse. I remember you agonizing about which one to keep.

Yep, it was the one that I kept that went into attack mode today. Where was the gratitude, I ask you?!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote: I agree on your bird being a hatchery bird, they tend to have more health issues. I don't think there is anything you could do differently to change it. My oldest hatchery birds are 5 1/2 and they aren't laying anymore. I expected to lose one this year, but they are still going, and one went broody this year.

Quote: Makes your decision on whether to keep them or freeze them easy.