California - Northern

[ChickNmamma]

I tried to get pics of Petunia's comb but she didn't let me get too close. It is like a straight comb until you get to the back where it divides. So if her head was down it looks like a Y but the top of the Y is proportionally smaller than the stem. Is that a common Polish shape?




would you call her splash? she has a few random dark grey markings throughout.

Dotty looks even worse today.

Integrated The General with his girls...everyone is happy

Ozzie chipped the tip off of his beak fence fighting with The General on Sunday...any reason to be concerned? It isn't much of a chip... and he seems fine otherwise. It's hard to tell if he is having trouble getting food because he is constantly dropping it for the girls anyway but he is scratching and pecking like normal. The two of them are funny now. They are both like "I know I am supposed to act all like a bad ash with you but I would rather dance for the ladies and scratch around." I think they will be fine when I eventually let them range together. Will 19 hens and pullets be enough for the two of them?

I am not certain on the comb, but my Mottled Houdan has a V comb - if you stick the bottom point of the V on top of her head it is sort of like she has two tiny straight points. Yours looks sort of like a modification on this... She has too many bumpies on her comb.

I would call her splash, yes. Do you know anything about her parentage? Because it could either be Splash (two copies of Blue) - or Dominant White over Black..

Don't worry about the tips of Ozzie's beak - it will grow back if it isn't too far down (like half his beak), and if he is acting normal and picking and scratching he isn't hurting much.

Yes, 19 hens and pullets will be enough for two roosters. There will probably be a few tussles when you do put them together as they work out who is first and who is second. Sometimes they split the flock into two harems. Depends on how much room they have to roam around in - and if they all sleep together at night.

 

[capayvalleychick]

As the coop build progressed, and I blathered about it to other "regulars" at my fav hang-out, I got some eye-rolling responses and astonishment about using a "contractor to build a chicken coop?!?!?"

Very nice coop Linda. So glad this has finally worked out for you. I use a contractor to build my coops. I'm also married to him, so that might be why.

In addition Harriet who was hatched 3/31 by Ron from eggs from Kim has been laying for about 3 mos.

The person who bought the rest of those pullets wanted to return them because they weren't laying. I explained that it was probably the time of year, days getting shorter, maybe they were molting - plus they're still young pullets. I asked what she was feeding them and she said "scratch". Just scratch, because they free range and the old timer farmers at the local morning coffee klatch told her husband that was all they needed. This is a person who has lived in the country and raised a few animals all her life.

I told her to give them a layer feed with calcium & protein.

Ozzie chipped the tip off of his beak fence fighting with The General on Sunday...any reason to be concerned? It isn't much of a chip... and he seems fine otherwise.... I think they will be fine when I eventually let them range together. Will 19 hens and pullets be enough for the two of them?

His beak should be fine. They debeak commercial chickens and they still live. Not that I'm condoning that in any way, just that I think it won't bother him. Keep an eye on him to be sure, which I already know you will.
It is very difficult- usually impossible- to integrate adult roosters who have not been raised together. If one decides to be submissive and they have enough space and hens, it might work. Keep a very close eye on them and remove at any signs of blood.

 

[chickee]

My Silkie eggs are hatching EARLY!

They went into lockdown yesterday and were due to hatch on Thursday! So far one porcelain and one blue/splash have pipped. I have to go turn on the heat lamp in the brooder to get things warmed up. These guys are going to be spoiled! The brooder is in the guest bedroom and as Catdance Silkies recommended they will be fed Kaytee hand feeding formula mixed with boiled egg yoke for the first few weeks. Hoping for a good hatch!

SO excited for my first Silkies!

On another note . . . all the talk about worms and worming, I saw for the very first time worms in my chickens droppings this morning! Yuck! I blame it on the ground squirrels moving in this past year. We were able to get rid of them all for now. Everyone gets wormed tomorrow!!

 

[lawatt]

The person who bought the rest of those pullets wanted to return them because they weren't laying. I explained that it was probably the time of year, days getting shorter, maybe they were molting - plus they're still young pullets. I asked what she was feeding them and she said "scratch". Just scratch, because they free range and the old timer farmers at the local morning coffee klatch told her husband that was all they needed. This is a person who has lived in the country and raised a few animals all her life.

I told her to give them a layer feed with calcium & protein.

funny, i had an identical conversation with my contractor on saturday, as he was finishing up the work on my new coop extension -- he & his family only have one chicken right now, i'm trying to get him to take a few of my extras -- but he was only feeding them scratch, thinking that was just a generic name for chicken food. i tried to set him on a better course...

and crazily busy at school, but love seeing all the photos!!!

 

[ChickNmamma]

My Silkie eggs are hatching EARLY!

They went into lockdown yesterday and were due to hatch on Thursday! So far one porcelain and one blue/splash have pipped. I have to go turn on the heat lamp in the brooder to get things warmed up. These guys are going to be spoiled! The brooder is in the guest bedroom and as Catdance Silkies recommended they will be fed Kaytee hand feeding formula mixed with boiled egg yoke for the first few weeks. Hoping for a good hatch!

SO excited for my first Silkies!

On another note . . . all the talk about worms and worming, I saw for the very first time worms in my chickens droppings this morning! Yuck! I blame it on the ground squirrels moving in this past year. We were able to get rid of them all for now. Everyone gets wormed tomorrow!!

for a good hatch, how many are in lockdown?

Interesting recommendation on the feed - mine got fermented feed (Flock Raiser) with everybody else. The broody raised chicks are eating exactly what the adults are eating, nothing special. Well that combination will certainly kick-start the feather growth!

Yes, worms are icky. When you see them you have LOTS. Go Get Them!

 

[WendyJeepchick]

Chiqita...

I have a friend who's husband is a vet in Hilmar...DAIRY MECCA. He is a graduate of ther Davis Vet School. If you PM me your friends info, I can talk to them about it. Not sure how happy he'll be that I'm volunteering him for this. We'll see how it goes.

 

[chicksnthestiks]

My Silkie eggs are hatching EARLY!     They went into lockdown yesterday and were due to hatch on Thursday! So far one porcelain and one blue/splash have pipped. I have to go turn on the heat lamp in the brooder to get things warmed up. These guys are going to be spoiled! The brooder is in the guest bedroom and as Catdance Silkies recommended they will be fed Kaytee hand feeding formula mixed with boiled egg yoke for the first few weeks. Hoping for a good hatch! 

SO excited for my first Silkies!       


On another note . . . all the talk about worms and worming, I saw for the very first time worms in my chickens droppings this morning! Yuck! I blame it on the ground squirrels moving in this past year. We were able to get rid of them all for now. Everyone gets wormed tomorrow!! 

Hooray!!!! Go Silkie chicks! I just wormed all my chickens and repeated after 10 days. I didn't see any but the girls had messy butts and runny pooh. Now its back to normal.

 

[tommysgirl]

I am not certain on the comb, but my Mottled Houdan has a V comb - if you stick the bottom point of the V on top of her head it is sort of like she has two tiny straight points. Yours looks sort of like a modification on this... She has too many bumpies on her comb.

I would call her splash, yes. Do you know anything about her parentage? Because it could either be Splash (two copies of Blue) - or Dominant White over Black..

Don't worry about the tips of Ozzie's beak - it will grow back if it isn't too far down (like half his beak), and if he is acting normal and picking and scratching he isn't hurting much.

Yes, 19 hens and pullets will be enough for two roosters. There will probably be a few tussles when you do put them together as they work out who is first and who is second. Sometimes they split the flock into two harems. Depends on how much room they have to roam around in - and if they all sleep together at night.

She hatched from a shipped egg. She was supposed to be a Dorking but after I had set the eggs the seller contacted me to say that she may have got a few buff laced Polish in the mix. Dad is a SG Dorking and Mama clearly was the Polish and not the Dorking. but she is a funny girl and I like her. Since she started laying she is less flighty.

We live on 5+ acres and they have lots of roaming room. Ozzie currently sleeps in the big pen with the 6 adult hens and 4 of this spring's pullets. He will be getting a couple more girls when I add the Dorkings I am picking up from Kim. The General has the smaller pen and just 7 girls that sleep there

The person who bought the rest of those pullets wanted to return them because they weren't laying. I explained that it was probably the time of year, days getting shorter, maybe they were molting - plus they're still young pullets. I asked what she was feeding them and she said "scratch". Just scratch, because they free range and the old timer farmers at the local morning coffee klatch told her husband that was all they needed. This is a person who has lived in the country and raised a few animals all her life.

I told her to give them a layer feed with calcium & protein.

His beak should be fine. They debeak commercial chickens and they still live. Not that I'm condoning that in any way, just that I think it won't bother him. Keep an eye on him to be sure, which I already know you will.
It is very difficult- usually impossible- to integrate adult roosters who have not been raised together. If one decides to be submissive and they have enough space and hens, it might work. Keep a very close eye on them and remove at any signs of blood.

Well if she followed your advice they are probably laying now. I know that I get obsessive with research but I don't understand people who do zippo. My aunt and uncle are that way. The General got a scratch only diet for years. The roosters in with the hens got layer pellets

but the boys in the bachelor pad got scratch and scraps

None of the boys were getting what they should have been. I started feeding for them when they went on vacation in the spring then I started feeding the bachelor pad full time and advised them when they got back that chicks, hens and roosters should not all be eating layer pellets.

We are totally OK with having them take turns having days out. The General is so so soooo happy with his new station in life that he probably won't complain one bit if I leave him in every few days. Thanks for the advice. I hope there is enough space here for them to get along. Seems like 5+ acres would be enough but Ray and one specific peacock fought over our back yard for months.

 

[tommysgirl]

My Silkie eggs are hatching EARLY!

They went into lockdown yesterday and were due to hatch on Thursday! So far one porcelain and one blue/splash have pipped. I have to go turn on the heat lamp in the brooder to get things warmed up. These guys are going to be spoiled! The brooder is in the guest bedroom and as Catdance Silkies recommended they will be fed Kaytee hand feeding formula mixed with boiled egg yoke for the first few weeks. Hoping for a good hatch!

SO excited for my first Silkies!

Last night I dreamed that I walked by a box of silkies and one of them jumped on my shoulder and nuzzled me. I think it's a sign.

 

[fowlman01]

Www.FarmTek.com -it's a "piglet/poultry waterer." The white section contains a float mechanism seated down inside the red part.
Pricey, but I didn't want to run a water line into the coop at a site a couple hundred feet higher in altitude where it will freeze more often than at my home coop. I've already experienced the home coop waterline feeding the auto-waterer burst overnight here, once, and it was bad enough in a much larger structure - at least two-thirds of it was above the pooled water, although all of the bedding got mushy. This coop would turn into a 10 X 12 pond if that happened.

I am a Deep Litter Method chicken keeper, so the bedding will be pine shavings plus LEAVES, LEAVES, WONDERFUL LEAVES. (Many more deciduous trees at Thistle Dew Ranch than at my home - and nobody raked them for .... Well, never.) Plus pine needle duff.

Thanks! That might work well for me too. It gets down in the low 20's here a few times a year.

Walt