California-Southern

[Desert Rooster]

Any one from the HIGH DESERT?

 

[BarkerChickens]

Quote:
Yeppers! DH and I live in Hesperia as well!

 

[Ladymaran]

Wanting to say hello, and to bump up this thread. Not much happening here. Just today, I think my four older chickens (about 18 wks old) are finally accepting the two younger ones (about 10 wks old)! It's been a pain having to keep the two in a cage in the coop because the older ones kept pecking at them. Hope everyone is enjoying this light rain we've had.

 

[baustin]

Hi everyone. I've been on here before but wanted to say I'm in Inyokern, in the high desert, just outside of Ridgecrest about an hour or so from Victorville.

I have four new pullets, an Andalusian, a Wellsummer and two Wyandotte's. Three of the four have just started to lay. One egg is white, the other brown and the third is a milk chocolate brown. Does anyone have a suggestion for stopping hens from picking on each other? Four of my six grown hens look awful. I got rid of the roo since he was stripping their backs when mounting them but now they pick on each other all over. My best thought is the stew pot but they lay well so hate to go that far. I've never had it happen before.

 

[alicefelldown]

Ventura County.

Also happen to be looking for someone local who could help manage my flock when I'm on vacation in Dec/Jan. Be willing to pay $ or trade in exchange. (I'd also be willing to take care of your flock if you were out of town.)

Hoping to find someone to make friends with where we could both rely on each other.

 

[NewHen]

I hatched pullets in June 2010 from eggs I bought from "peachick." I have one black marans, one exchequer leghorn and one blue marans to sell from that hatch. $25 each. I also have one Australorp & one Light Brahma hen from mypetchicken, that hatched in May 2010 for $15 each. The Australorp has been laying for awhile but I'm not sure about the Light Brahma. Pick up only in Encino. My last hatch was surprisingly female and I need to reduce the flock or build another coop! Email me if you're interested.

 

[Chef]

Quote:
Hi Baustin. Sounds like you need to get another roo. You should have got some saddles for your girls so the roo can't cut them up. They look like chicken capes and are a serious life saver. The hens are most likely picking on one another trying to determine who's the boss. A roo is the perfect mediator for this problem. After awhile it is possible for one of the hens to start to act like a roo by crowing and even mounting. Hope this helps. Good luck!


Chef

 

[NewHen]

Quote:
Hi Baustin. Sounds like you need to get another roo. You should have got some saddles for your girls so the roo can't cut them up. They look like chicken capes and are a serious life saver. The hens are most likely picking on one another trying to determine who's the boss. A roo is the perfect mediator for this problem. After awhile it is possible for one of the hens to start to act like a roo by crowing and even mounting. Hope this helps. Good luck!


Chef

How much space do you have for them in your coop and run? They might be overcrowded now that they're bigger. Mine also went a little batty and pulled out some tailfeathers when I had a crew demolishing my yard and than hardscaping. Sometimes they'll peck and even it feathers if there isn't enough protein in their diet. Try giving them some non-medicated chickstarter in their feed, some black oil sunseeds and estimating your sq footage.

 

[baustin]

I have six hens in a 12x16 run and the hen house is 4x12 with the nests mounted on the outside. I mix up a mix of laying crumbles with water and add 2 or 3 beaten eggs and add a couple of cups of sunflower seeds and add oyster shells to it also. I don't think the space or the lack of protein is the answer so it may be the lack of a roo. If I got another one it would be a more gentle a breed. I got tired of being attacked by my roo. I have another pen with 4 pullets in it that have just started laying and they're doing fine. Thanks for the suggestions though. I've had chickens for years and never had this happen before so it's been a puzzle.

 

[krazeepolack]

I'll venture a bet here! I'm the only guy on here that got BOOTED OUT of thier place. I went to pea soup bland-erson's in Buellton ONCE, a long time ago. I was w/two other friends & we ordered coffee. Next thing I knew, we were asked to LEAVE. I guess they didn't like the way we were dressed.

I've never been back since, & no, I don't tell anyone I know to patronize the joint!!!!