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

[Smarcebird]

What breeds have you got together???

3 Barred Rock, 2 Speckled Sussex, 1 Black Mix Breed, 1 RIR mix, newbies are easter egger mixes (it's not them - too new). The only one looking good is the Black Mix - who really never hangs around the others at all.

 

[al6517]

It never ceases to amaze me all the post regarding bare backed hens with small bald spots on their heads, and all you ladies squackin about how it must be the rough Old/young rooster. There are several reasons for bare backs and bald heads least of which is the roosters inability to be ever so gentle in his technic. I am just not a fan of everybody (it sure seems) coming down on the roosters for what is natural behavior for chickens. we in the real chicken world call it the Oprah syndrome. Poor feather quality 99.9% is often the reason............ severly inbred poor hatchery stock, poor feed rations or the owners feeding all kinds of wierd BYC homemade feed recipes, lack of protien due to the fact they are laying heavy at this time of year and there natural body function is to redirect that to their eggs not the feathers. Lice and mites are also a main factor and many folks inability to identify them, especialy in free range birds. To few hens or too many roosters vying for the rights to breed as is the way it is in nature, animal nature not human nature, I'll bet if a hen could talk she tell you a thing or two and one would be the rooster isn't too rough. Too many backyarders have no idea what rough mating even looks like or if what their seeing is anything at all. they just follow along with everybody else in thinking it's the rooster, because it must be true what with so many newby's saying so...... right.

I know it has to be the rooster right after all there are only 40 bazillion thread topics and 80 bazillion post that echo the same sentiment every single day..... day in and day out so it surely must be true. Well it isn't, we here need to find the reasons for possible problems not make poor observations then come to irrational decisions based on that. it's a recipe for disaster.

Now please keep in mind this is the OT thread so sugar coating issues or righting misconceptions lightly isn't what we do here, plain simple down to the earth get to the point check your emotions at the door kinda place. The past year or so the thread has gone the same direction as the other rainbow and unicorn thread types, with many saying or starting the post with I'm not an OT but this is what I have read or this is what the reseach say's, and that's not the mission here, we seek the the true and dole it out willingly from those who see it and have witnessed this and many other things for years upon years, and then passing that onto Y'all. That is why Bee started this thread topic, to have real well rounded discussions without everybody getting their little feelers in a tiff when proper advice is given.

So................. Let's re-visit the whole my rooster is mean to my hens disscusion and get some folks involved who can tell you exactly what it is your seeing and why when it comes to the flock family dynamics. and in such a way as to not have to dance around all the touchy feely emotions that too often cloud the issue beyond recognition.

Thank you all for your support.

 

[thedragonlady]

3 Barred Rock, 2 Speckled Sussex, 1 Black Mix Breed, 1 RIR mix, newbies are easter egger mixes (it's not them - too new). The only one looking good is the Black Mix - who really never hangs around the others at all.

In spite of the fact that I will immediately be a pariah with the BR and RIR people, these are the two breeds that I would check first in feather picking in a mixed flock. They are pushy birds who will terrify some other shyer breeds.You culled the Orp. probably one of the gentlest of breeds, and you still have the problem. Check your protein and fat levels in your feed. If it were winter, I would add a slab of fatback to the run.Too chancey in the summer with botulism. It's feed, or bugs that are the problem.

 

[mbmess2003]

Al for president! haven't posted on the thread before but I've been following along since the beginning. I personally like that I don't have to wade through the fluff in order to glean the Kernels of wisdom that can be found here. Many thanks to Beekissed for starting this thread!

 

[fowlman01]

Al............. "with many saying or starting the post with I'm not an OT but this is what I have read or this is what the research say's".

One thing most old timers know is that just cuz it is written in a book, on TV, on BYC or any other source of information....none of this makes it true or a fact.
For some reason people also think it is CERTAINLY a fact if it was written in the 1800's or early 1900's. There were "experts" back then that had no idea what they were doing, just like we have today........maybe more since a lot more people used poultry to make money then.

Walt

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's rare for me to have a seriously barebacked hen. The few times I do, I eat her. The problem goes away. Since the problem goes away, I assume it's not the rooster's fault.

 

[al6517]

Yes Walt that is also very true indeed, we have all heard of what the Old timers did back in the day, when they did what they could with what they had and it wasn't always the best choice one size fit's all formula.

I am also not a fan of getting rid of a rooster for the sake of bringing in a more timid well lady mannered specimen to the flock, especialy if your trying to hatch a few good ones.

Back to bare backed hen's........... have you ever noticed after their fall/winter molt their feathers come back all nice and good looking and stay that way till late spring or early summer ??. Well the rooster hasn't stopped mating them and their plumage stay's nice all winter long. smart people also feed special seed grains during and after a molt as you have read and seen, for feather conditioning. Soooo why stop that regimine during the summer when they also need it even more. He doesn't top his hens one way in the spring/summer and top them yet another way in the fall and winter............ come on folks really...... think about that. so why are your hens bare backed in the summer mostly. Well .....news flash !!!!!! it AIN'T THE ROOSTER !!!!. If you want to protect your hen's better feed them better during their most stressfull and productive times, and I mean good feed or some custom mixed stuff. What I don't mean is all this nonsensical mashes and fermented what not's, and goofy kitchen made whatever recipe you saw on one of these forums. Feed seed grains that are specificly designed and used for plumage growth and sustainability, feathers will not grow well or be maintained well if the skin isn't also properly attended to, and I mean under all that fluff. As a show breeder we have way's to maintain good skin coat and and feather quality, as one missing feather in the wrong place is a deduction. So yeah we know how to keep their feathers and most importantly why they lose them so we can make those corrections, and it is mainly in diet.

90% of you hatchery chicken folks pretty much have to just suck up the fact that your birds regardless of their dietary intake will always look poorly, because their bred poorly and feathers are the least of the hatchery contract breeders main priorities, and you folks are the main population squackin about rough lookin hen's, well of course........... listen I don't make the rules but that it is what it is, no harm no foul. I gotta run and maybe later we can have a real discussion on how to properly feed them so they don't look ragged and you even to get to keep tha rooster who is soooo soooo mean to your little girlies. how bout that for a deal.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

It never ceases to amaze me all the post regarding bare backed hens with small bald spots on their heads, and all you ladies squackin about how it must be the rough Old/young rooster. There are several reasons for bare backs and bald heads least of which is the roosters inability to be ever so gentle in his technic. I am just not a fan of everybody (it sure seems) coming down on the roosters for what is natural behavior for chickens. we in the real chicken world call it the Oprah syndrome. Poor feather quality 99.9% is often the reason............ severly inbred poor hatchery stock, poor feed rations or the owners feeding all kinds of wierd BYC homemade feed recipes, lack of protien due to the fact they are laying heavy at this time of year and there natural body function is to redirect that to their eggs not the feathers. Lice and mites are also a main factor and many folks inability to identify them, especialy in free range birds. To few hens or too many roosters vying for the rights to breed as is the way it is in nature, animal nature not human nature, I'll bet if a hen could talk she tell you a thing or two and one would be the rooster isn't too rough. Too many backyarders have no idea what rough mating even looks like or if what their seeing is anything at all. they just follow along with everybody else in thinking it's the rooster, because it must be true what with so many newby's saying so...... right.

I know it has to be the rooster right after all there are only 40 bazillion thread topics and 80 bazillion post that echo the same sentiment every single day..... day in and day out so it surely must be true. Well it isn't, we here need to find the reasons for possible problems not make poor observations then come to irrational decisions based on that. it's a recipe for disaster.

Now please keep in mind this is the OT thread so sugar coating issues or righting misconceptions lightly isn't what we do here, plain simple down to the earth get to the point check your emotions at the door kinda place. The past year or so the thread has gone the same direction as the other rainbow and unicorn thread types, with many saying or starting the post with I'm not an OT but this is what I have read or this is what the reseach say's, and that's not the mission here, we seek the the true and dole it out willingly from those who see it and have witnessed this and many other things for years upon years, and then passing that onto Y'all. That is why Bee started this thread topic, to have real well rounded discussions without everybody getting their little feelers in a tiff when proper advice is given.

So................. Let's re-visit the whole my rooster is mean to my hens disscusion and get some folks involved who can tell you exactly what it is your seeing and why when it comes to the flock family dynamics. and in such a way as to not have to dance around all the touchy feely emotions that too often cloud the issue beyond recognition.

Thank you all for your support.

Wonderful post Al. I think the exact same thing every time I see those posts. I have three bare backed hens in one of my small flocks right now. Is the big bad rooster being mean? No.... I've got one healthy, active rooster and three healthy hens who have been laying me lots of nice eggs for several months straight. They are fine and dandy, just showing the results of lots of egg production and as you said, lack of protein due to redirecting their energy to egg production instead of feather production. I bet a dollar against a donut that if I add a few more hens they would not be as bare. Might be, but might not be too. I wonder sometimes if those posters blame the rooster for molts too.....

Al............. "with many saying or starting the post with I'm not an OT but this is what I have read or this is what the research say's".

One thing most old timers know is that just cuz it is written in a book, on TV, on BYC or any other source of information....none of this makes it true or a fact.
For some reason people also think it is CERTAINLY a fact if it was written in the 1800's or early 1900's. There were "experts" back then that had no idea what they were doing, just like we have today........maybe more since a lot more people used poultry to make money then.

Walt

Walt, I always think of something my Grandpa said...

"Believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see"

Now don't get me wrong, I've learned a lot over the years, and some of what I've learned was here on BYC. There are a few posters here I do tend to learn from. If it wasn't for people like you, I would never have gotten into breeding SOP quality birds. I follow several people's posts, and sometimes I read something and think "Wow! I didn't know that!" But before I call it gospel I try it myself.
I love learning. If I'm wrong, tell me I'm wrong, I want to learn. But once the scolding is over - tell me how to improve it. You always do that, and there are several others who do too. There are a ton more folks who own four chickens and have had them for three months and read a book... and know all there is to know. I currently have a few hundred head and have had chickens for close to half a century and everyday I learn just how little I know.

I seldom post on this thread anymore as it went all fru fru quite a while back, but when you "old timers" get tired of being ignored and having the newbies argue with the things you say, please remember this;

There might be 49,000 who aren't listening... but there are a few of us that are.

Thank you OTs.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Since you guys have been talking about misinformation and all, it reminds me. I had a lot of trouble with my last hatch. The eggs got to over 104 degrees, maybe even up to 106 degrees, and then they got down to below 85 degrees when my broody left the nest for more than a day and a half. It made for some really awful hatching conditions. But still, 7 out of 10 eggs hatched into 7 beautiful healthy chicks and I think that's pretty good. A lot of people on some of the threads I've seen start having a panic if they bump an egg in the incubator, let some hot air out by accident, if the temp varies half a degree, ect, ect. Maybe I'm just lucky or a miracle happened, but it does not seem to me that the eggs will die if they don't stay at a perfect 98 degrees with a perfect humidity. What are you guys thoughts on this? What do ya'll think the problem is when a whole batch or most of a batch of eggs don't hatch? I've always wondered about it.

 

[bruceh]

i really want to hear from an old timer about roosters and why they are kept. i think this will clear up many issues we have. my opinion and mine only. today most not all people have chickens for eggs and less people for meat. i am not talking about breeders of show birds. i am talking about everyday backyard chicken owners. i am not interested in hearing about how pretty they are ,i wanted a variety , or that is what they sold me and i became attached. i want people to know the true purpose of a rooster. again my opinion most people today have chicken tractors, dog runs, and other good set ups to keep predators out. they provide feed for their chickens. so what is the need for a rooster?
most hatchery stock type birds, i would not waste my time feeding for months, caring and tending ,, and spending a lot of money, only to process later to get a scrawny little bird to eat. now i am not talking about pure strain heritage breeds. i am talking about the mass majority of chicken folks.who buy their chickens from a major hatchery for a couple bucks.
i think we can all see where i am going with this. i want a respected o/t to say it .but hey i am trying to start a honest discussion here. so i am open to debate.