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

[donrae]

My grandma told me to always have a rooster in the flock, "otherwise you'll have to kick those hens out of the way all the time". I've always had a roo, never had squatting for me. The person who started the squatting topic, with the pullet who ejaculated fluid......well, that's why I will never pat/ruffle/scratch a hen if one did happen to squat for me. In my mind, it's masturbating the hen. Sounds like your hen had a good time.........yeah, I have enough sexual needs to worry about taking care of my honey, let alone a bunch of hens. I'm so glad I can have a rooster!

 

[thedragonlady]

I do get a chuckle when I read about folks hugging their roos....I feel sad for the poor guy!

My main roo~whichever one is holding that current position~ is always treated with the utmost respect. He is never handled(would definitely be handled a little more abruptly if he roosted in my nestbox

) unless I have to and then I pick him up firmly but gently. As a result, he doesn't flap or fight me, though he is vigilant. I can't afford to have him fighting mad while I'm holding him because he has simply huge spurs and weighs a metric ton(current roo, Toby)...I look like I'm holding an ostrich when I have to pick him up. He's six now and he has only been picked up maybe 3-4 times, only at night and only for brief periods.

You could say we have a mutual respect but he knows when to submit~I don't mess with him, he doesn't mess with me. I find that to be my idea of a perfect rooster(or a man, for that matter)....masculine, dignified, active, handsome and virile...but still wise enough to know from whence his supper comes.

Love this BEEKISSED!!! The "Roos" should remember too that we "hens" control 90% of the wealth in this country, and 100% of you know what else. Wrote an article on that once for the Poultry Press in answer to what makes a good "chicken" wife, rather well described as an unpaid slave.

 

[featherz]

Back before I had roosters, my pullets (leghorns and production reds, but the leghorns did it more often) would RUN up in front of me and squat. They'd literally chase me down to squat. LOL. When I finally got them a rooster, they no longer bothered with me. My big squatters now actually are my two barred rocks and a couple of shy easter eggers. And no, I don't hug them or put diapers on them.

 

[Fred's Hens]

See, Galanie? It DOES happen and I don't know everything...or anything, for that matter!

Just never happened in my world yet.

Fred, do they just squat when you walk by, like bowing to the king or what?

Nah, it is a sexual thing, at least I think so. It sure isn't a fear thing with my flock. For what it is worth, and that isn't much, the super squatters were often good layers, good breeders and fertile Myrtles too! LOL. Go figure.

What I know and what I want to know about squatting is absolutely nothing. I ignore the behavior, quite honestly. Thank goodness it isn't wide spread, cause you can trip over 'em, the squatters that is. Geeeesh.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
My thoughts exactly.

 

[fowlman01]

Not disagreeing with anyone here .... as I don't know. However my wife who has had many, many more birds than I, does try to treat this. She squeezes the gunk from the eye as mentioned and administers Tylan, 1-2cc. Sometimes a second treatment, then the bird gets over it or we cull.

Can she tell online what the problem really is? No! and I am very aware that tylan can fix some problems. It is irresponsible to make online diagnosis of "something" that appears to be a puss pocket. I know you said you are not disagreeing, but people on here believe everything that is posted...unless it is true that is. Sulmet may fix it as well, but no one here knows what it really is and it is clearly a problem. I am guessing that your wife is treating CRD and that can be treated, but more importantly...why is it happening? ..so you also have Coryza which looks just like that and is highly contagious......Err on the safe side in these situations. I posted my thoughts and the State of California trusts me enough to do health inspections of poultry...so that is all I have to say.

Walt

 

[fowlman01]

Nah, it is a sexual thing, at least I think so. It sure isn't a fear thing with my flock. For what it is worth, and that isn't much, the super squatters were often good layers, good breeders and fertile Myrtles too! LOL. Go figure.

What I know and what I want to know about squatting is absolutely nothing. I ignore the behavior, quite honestly. Thank goodness it isn't wide spread, cause you can trip over 'em, the squatters that is. Geeeesh.

When I am judging hens squat for me...does that mean I'm sexy?......I just wanna know. I need an ego boost.

Walt

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Quote:

Lord knows I needed a chuckle tonight.

 

[JustFeathers]

Thanks to everyone who posted there thoughts and opinions as to what my bird had. Maxine is no longer with us as of 10 am this morning. We took care of business. Since there was no improvement overnight I was not going to prolong her discomfort. Yes my 4 birds all have names (now 3), but it is mostly for the identification when speaking to family members, I usually just call them "girls" when I greet them in the morning and such. Just a side note, I will not pay a vet to care for my chicken - would rather just buy new chickens with that money and start over.

 

[fowlman01]

Thanks to everyone who posted there thoughts and opinions as to what my bird had. Maxine is no longer with us as of 10 am this morning. We took care of business. Since there was no improvement overnight I was not going to prolong her discomfort. Yes my 4 birds all have names (now 3), but it is mostly for the identification when speaking to family members, I usually just call them "girls" when I greet them in the morning and such. Just a side note, I will not pay a vet to care for my chicken - would rather just buy new chickens with that money and start over.

If the vets at UC Davis Avian Dept can't fix birds, the average dog and cat vet sure as heck can't......but they will take your money. I realize it was probably a hard decision, but I think you did the right thing. One of the things I do most days is look at the eyes of my birds. I don't pick them up, I just look at them from a distance. The eye is one of the places that poultry health problems manifests itself......that and the posture of the chicken. Whatever the problem, an early start on dealing with it makes a huge difference.

Walt