Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[gardendufus]

DUH......Cass, thanx so much. Why didn't I think of just taking the larger chicks out of the brooder completely, keeping the smaller ones segregated. After all, I thought of the extra feeder, water and heat lamp. I guess by that time I was already locked into opening up the brooder. The coop is plenty large enough to do both.

Sometimes I just outhink myself.

 

[Cass]

DUH......Cass, thanx so much. Why didn't I think of just taking the larger chicks out of the brooder completely, keeping the smaller ones segregated. After all, I thought of the extra feeder, water and heat lamp. I guess by that time I was already locked into opening up the brooder. The coop is plenty large enough to do both.

Sometimes I just outhink myself.

well there ya go then. LOL It happens to the best of us, over thinking things.

 

[hannahransom]

I am totally a newby, but I will also mention it would be good to keep the 1 day olds segregated from the 5 week olds for a bit because their size different is quite big and I would imagine you would have some major fighting going on.

I am planning on brooding chicks in my coop, but enclosed so the big girls can't get in there and the chickies can't get out and I am hoping they will get used to each other being exposed to each other so early

We will see come May


OT question: good processing tools? And WHERE on earth did you buy them? I want to have good quality stuff.

 

[galanie]

OT question: good processing tools? And WHERE on earth did you buy them? I want to have good quality stuff.

A number of companies that make cooks knives also have quality boning and processing knives. Both Randall Burkey's and Cutler's supply have the kill cones. Some order disposable scalpels from Amazon.com for making the throat cut if that's the way you want to do it.

 

[hannahransom]

I actually haven't decided how to do it yet. I would like to do it whatever way kills the chicken the fastest/easiest (for them, not for me).

Ok, OTs, I must be ones of those people with terrible husbandry practices, because I am always having issues.. But a limp? Should I do anything about it? It's a 20 week old not laying yet. She's normal otherwise, just limping, no idea what caused it.

 

[bobbi-j]

I actually haven't decided how to do it yet. I would like to do it whatever way kills the chicken the fastest/easiest (for them, not for me).

Ok, OTs, I must be ones of those people with terrible husbandry practices, because I am always having issues.. But a limp? Should I do anything about it? It's a 20 week old not laying yet. She's normal otherwise, just limping, no idea what caused it.

How long has she been limping? If it's been a week or more, does she show any signs of improvement? Can you catch her and see if you can find any obvious reason for her limping? If it has just started, I'd give it a few days to see if she improves.

 

[Lollipop]

I actually haven't decided how to do it yet. I would like to do it whatever way kills the chicken the fastest/easiest (for them, not for me).

Ok, OTs, I must be ones of those people with terrible husbandry practices, because I am always having issues.. But a limp? Should I do anything about it? It's a 20 week old not laying yet. She's normal otherwise, just limping, no idea what caused it.

Yup, like Bobbi, I would give her some time, even a month or so. I've experience this several times over the years and sometimes they just need time to collect themselves. Even if she continues to limp, she probably will be able to have an otherwise normal, productive life.

When it come to culling, or killing a chicken, the easiest way by far, for all involved, is an ax. I trapped a rat one time and decided to drown it. Now, I've dealt with death all my life because of my association with chickens. Also, I definately have no love for rats. I'm gonna tell ya, it was heart rending to watch that stupid rat trying to get a breath. No more slow deaths for any animals for me. Use an ax, it's quick and merciful...........Pop

How long has she been limping? If it's been a week or more, does she show any signs of improvement? Can you catch her and see if you can find any obvious reason for her limping? If it has just started, I'd give it a few days to see if she improves.

 

[hannahransom]

I certainly want quick deaths! I'm actually an ex-vegan, so I have a soft spot for animal suffering.

I just noticed the limp today, so it is recent. I kinda checked her out to see if I could figure it out and I couldn't. When I tried to inspect the upper part of her leg (like thigh area that is feathered) she was having no more of it and escaped. I'm not sure what usually causes a limp but I'm wondering if something tried to catch her and she got away. She's pretty nimble/flighty (california gray, which is a leghorn barred rock cross).

 

[Cass]

I certainly want quick deaths! I'm actually an ex-vegan, so I have a soft spot for animal suffering.

I just noticed the limp today, so it is recent. I kinda checked her out to see if I could figure it out and I couldn't. When I tried to inspect the upper part of her leg (like thigh area that is feathered) she was having no more of it and escaped. I'm not sure what usually causes a limp but I'm wondering if something tried to catch her and she got away. She's pretty nimble/flighty (california gray, which is a leghorn barred rock cross).

I'm not an OTer, but I have had my issues with limping. Seems that they can injure themselves when jump/flying down from high places. Mine have always recovered; none are currently limping.....IF she continues to have leg issues you might want to consider a lower roost and nest box for her (if yours are over 3 feet high) just so she doesn't add more injury to the affected limb doing things that chickens do. But even if she limps forever, she can still lay eggs and be part of the flock, she'll just use her wings more to take the weight off her "bad" leg.

 

[featherz]

I've had a few limping chickens. Some had bumblefoot, which I ineptly tried to cure - found out later it's often better to just leave it alone and only attempt to 'cure' it if needed. My other limping chickens just recovered on their own - like cass said, they just jumped wrong, most likely.