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

[bruceh]

moutain mamma, moutain momma,
you have got to take the time to read this thread. all the information is right here. ( i am saying this in a very caring voice ) if you read the thread your frustration level will decrease.
answer to question:

1. each chicken is an individual so laying is in the birds ability to do so. while a leghorn is known for their prolific laying ability your leghorn may not be a prolific layer.

2. dogs eat poop. will it harm the dog maybe maybe not. if the poop from the chicken is healthy probably not. if the chicken is carrying an illness that dogs can catch then yes the dog can get sick.

3. a chicken is an individual . chickens lay all kinds of egg.

4. moses i have no idea.

5. spurs. yes a roosters spurs will continue to grow. you can trim them if they become to long.

6. aspen leaves i have no idea.

7. heritage breed you can get off this forum. check buy -sell- trade. or go to the breed you desires thread. there is a wealth of info at your disposal within this forum. meat chickens you can obtain at almost any hatchery.

from what i am gathering from the description of your birds sounds as if it is a nutrient issue. sandpaper eggs or rough eggs sounds as if it is calcium issue. the leghorn sounds like same thing and the de-shelved looking bird same thing. it sounds as if there is a feed problem. not enough of this or not enough of that. your birds are very young so a full molt is not likely. with that said, the days are getting shorter and it is getting colder so egg laying will naturally slow down.

bee you posted at the same time i was posting. my answers are a little different but same idea.

 

[Kansas Prairie]

Bee how does Manna taste?

 

[Beekissed]

Like chicken....

 

[Kansas Prairie]

 

[amenfarm]

Hmmmm.... if the calcium in oyster shells dissolved in water, wouldn't there be a bunch of naked oysters running around? Just wondering...

They (OS) do not dissolve in salt water. This is why when someone vists a beach, then bring back "pretty" shells for the freshwater aquarium, they wonder why their fish died!!

 

[HiddenChicken]

How about one of these heritage goats?

:-O dear God........ I burst out laughing when I saw that picture! I think my first reaction was to think I'd take the caterpillar anyway. Now...I'm not sure. I *reeeeeaaaaally* don't like caterpillars. :/ Hubby says that photo has to be photoshopped & I'm notoriously gullible, so...who's right?

 

[HiddenChicken]

  of everything I've read..... what amazes me the most? Adults that have never been stung by a bee. What did you people live indoors, windows closed, never step foot outside as children? I just can't imagine. Seems to me you aren't living life if you haven't agravated a bee enough for it to sting you. And never walked barefoot? Really? Poor neglected children. 

It's all perfectly explainable Stony... I'm special. LOL!

Somehow, I missed the "bee sting" bus, but I'm sure it'll come around again for me. I just wish I had this kind of luck in poker...

 

[HiddenChicken]

Yeah!!!  I can't believe they missed out on pin worms from going barefoot and taking those little white pills each summer to get rid of the pesky things!  They just haven't lived, man! 

No need to feel sorry about me and Mountain Momma missing out on pin worms & bee stings. We're good. Honest... .......

 

[Hinotori]

Quote:
It's a real picture. Here's a story on them http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2008/08/19/the-incredible-tree-climbing-goats-of-morocco/

 

[NikkiMiChickie]

Broody hatch update:

Had another chick hatch this week, BUT, it died before it got out of the shell. When I found it, there was half a shell, chick still inside, but dead. Why? What causes this?

2 eggs are pipped tonight, and one has some definite movement going on! I can hear it!! Of the 6 eggs she's still sitting on, I candled tonight and tossed 2. Honestly, she's only a banty, so her original 11 eggs were WAY too many for her tiny self to successfully hatch. I'm learning... I've candled a couple of times before tonight, but I feel completely incompetent, so have always just stuck em back under her to continue my little science experiment... It's just this week that I've now removed 3 eggs that just looked like water swishing around inside when I held them up. I cracked the first one open, just to be sure, and boy did it smell awful:/ the two I just removed looked the same, but I didn't crack those open to check this time!

OT Question: if you candle, when do you do it? And at those times, what are you looking for?

Or, if there's another good thread that will explain, please direct me there...

Thanks!
-Nikki