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

[Beekissed]

Thanks, Bee, for your advice on dirt and grit. The soil is pretty fine in my yard, but I know where some gritty and rocky parts are. I think I'll give the chickens a few shovelsful in an old pan just so they have a smorgasbord to choose from.
And your picture of the chicks is beautiful. You can just feel the peaceful happiness of those birds.
On roosters' crows: my little Silkie/footwipe roos are loud, scratchy-sounding, and obnoxious. My honkin' huge young Light Sussex roo has the sweetest, almost musical crow, and it's not nearly as loud. Go figure.

You're welcome! The CX were quite spoiled as far as meat birds go....shade, sun, play, freedom, fresh air, fresh soils..who could ask for more?

 

[thedragonlady]

After 12 hours of having feather-footed chickens, I see now, HillfamilyFarm, why you prefer the clean legged varieties! After their trip home in a cardboard box, the d-Uccle's feet are terribly stained, and bedraggled looking. The run portion of their home is just blow sand - very fine particles, much like beach sand - that they readily took advantage of, each partaking of a dirt bath. I put a shallow container of water in there as well. And of course, the first question out of the box is: Is there a proper way to keep their feathered feet in show condition? Will see what I can find later today when I get a few minutes, but thought I'd throw that one out there for you old timers. Thanx, Brie

Feathered feet do best on Kitty Litter if you put the birds up in show coops. You can screen it every day, and clean their feet at the same time. I could never keep good foot feathers on Silkies on anything else, but D'uccles are harder feathered birds. Clean and dry are key, as well as big enough coops. No bouncing off ramps or roosts either for hard feathered birds.

 

[therapydoglady]

Thanks, HallFamilyFarm for your input, as usual. This evening, being on clean bedding and the sand, they look great! Don't know if they used the "foot bath" or not. It's empty.

The Barrel coops look interesting, but think we'll just go with what we've got. They've got to be allowed to be chickens, 1st and foremost. The showing will just have to accommodate that. When I showed dogs, oft times we were penalized because of broken hair (Afghan Hounds), but they were well adjusted, happy dogs 1st, show dogs second. The chickens must be allowed to be who they are. Don't know if chickens suffer neuroses, but I might.

The d'Uccle thread, babymakes6, will take some time to get through. I will read it through to the end tho, I promise. I also promise not to have a house chicken! BJ came home with a rabbit this afternoon, and since the air conditioner in the rabbit barn is ka-put, she will have to stay in the house until I can get to Odessa and buy another one...but only until I do. Don't mind some things in the house, but other things belong in the barn.

The seabright chickens are really pretty, and don't seem to have minded their change at all...we had an egg today. Samantha is elated!

Thanks, all! Brie

We have never had an issue with caring for the feathered shanks on any of our dumplins chickens!

I know many feathered shank breeders use show conditioning coops. One Brahma/Cochin breeder uses a barrel coop system.

 

[therapydoglady]

Feathered feet do best on Kitty Litter if you put the birds up in show coops. You can screen it every day, and clean their feet at the same time. I could never keep good foot feathers on Silkies on anything else, but D'uccles are harder feathered birds. Clean and dry are key, as well as big enough coops. No bouncing off ramps or roosts either for hard feathered birds.

Thanks. The ramp was on the ground when I went to feed this evening, so I just took it out of the pen. They jump in and out of their coop with no problem at all. I used a piece of 3/4" PVC pipe for their roost. I can just reach in and clean it off if it gets nasty which is why I did it. I figure the size is about perfect for little bantam feet. I used 1" for the bigger hens coop, so they will be easy to clean as well. Bryan laughed at me fore screwing the caps to posts first, then gluing the pipe in place, but I didn't want them to have to counter-balance each other like log rollers if the pipe rolled. He keeps telling me, "Brie, they're chickens!" but for the price of two screws and 5 minutes, they'll be comfortable ones!

Thanks again, Brie

 

[galefrances]

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[Beekissed]

That is a White Rock, a young rooster that someone "gifted" us out of the blue. He was pretty....but he was soon soup. Without a group of hens in that flock, he started trying to mate the little chicks and he had to go. He was really sweet to them at first, as every other rooster I've ever had has always been to my chicks...but then he went a little goofy as his hormones kicked in.

I've had WR hens and they were among the best DP birds I've ever owned and I'll definitely include them in any future flocks I get.

 

[thedragonlady]

Thanks. The ramp was on the ground when I went to feed this evening, so I just took it out of the pen. They jump in and out of their coop with no problem at all. I used a piece of 3/4" PVC pipe for their roost. I can just reach in and clean it off if it gets nasty which is why I did it. I figure the size is about perfect for little bantam feet. I used 1" for the bigger hens coop, so they will be easy to clean as well. Bryan laughed at me fore screwing the caps to posts first, then gluing the pipe in place, but I didn't want them to have to counter-balance each other like log rollers if the pipe rolled. He keeps telling me, "Brie, they're chickens!" but for the price of two screws and 5 minutes, they'll be comfortable ones!

Thanks again, Brie

If you want to preserve foot feathering, get rid of the PVC, and put in wood 2 x4 roosts laid flat 4" side up. You want those birds NOT trying to curl their toes and feathers over a round 2" , slippery pole. That will break hard feathers.

 

[therapydoglady]

If you want to preserve foot feathering, get rid of the PVC, and put in wood 2 x4 roosts laid flat 4" side up. You want those birds NOT trying to curl their toes and feathers over a round 2" , slippery pole. That will break hard feathers.

OOOOOOOHHHH! Thanks! Brie

 

[bruceh]

well my 2 roosters that crowed every 10 min are soup. it is all done. very good soup. made it with onion, celery ,carrot, sweet potato and motzo balls. yum yum good. i guess i won't have a cold for awhile. i wonder if my layers would eat some. it is getting a little chilly at night

 

[bruceh]

@ goober watch the roosters as they mature. 3 rooster for 15 hens could be to many. they may ware them hens out. with the 2 brothers that are now soup. they mounted the hens together. first one then the other. you may get by with 2 roosters. i don;t know about 3. it could get a little rough once all the roosters figure it out.