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

[stonykill]

I can only speak for my own flock about the egg song. There is a distinct difference in my birds between the egg song that has gone out of control and the alarm call. They are similar but the alarm call is different..... it has for the lack of a better term a serious sound to it. I know the difference and grab a gun when I hear the alarm and yell at them to shut up when 40 or 50 chickens and then the ducks start in on the out of control egg song. Thank god they all don't chime in.
Now I have some hens who call out EVERY time they lay an egg. With my flock, not speaking for all flocks they seem to be calling for their rooster. I had a friend witness this once. I see it daily. A hen suddenly lets out her LOUD egg song. My friend looks around, wondering why? This hens rooster was 10 feet from us eating with his other hens. This rooster ran top speed 100 yards to round up his other hen who just laid her egg and bring her back to his flock. At least a dozen of my girls do this everyday they lay. It is really noisy around here

 

[Beekissed]

Bee I've got a question: I have 3 -7 week old chicks & the Bantam died yesterday, I think she got too cold. The AG cross isn't acting real spry today, I just picked it up & it has a hard lump on the front of its neck right below its head, that seems to high to be the crop?, I guess it will probably be dead by tomorrow

The 3rd one is a Speckled Sussex & seems OK so far

I think I missed the question.... is it about this lump? I've never seen anything like that before and don't have a clue what it could be. If one has died and another has a swelling on the neck, it could be some infectious disease going on. Usually when a human or creature has a swelling there it is an infection in the lymph node but I can't say this for sure for your bird.

Maybe you could tell us more about where you got these birds and how long you've had them? Maybe a good pic or two of them and their living conditions and environment?

 

[delisha]

Hen or cockerel?

 

[galanie]

Hen or cockerel?

 

Kneejerk reaction: Hen.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Hen or cockerel?

Pullet, if a single comb. If it were a cockerel, it'd likely have a huge comb and serious wattles by now. Age? 14 weeks?

 

[cheeka]

Have you ever thought about photoshopping a cigarette hanging out that vent? You've posted it before and I roar because I see an old old old man with no teeth and a horrible horrible unshaven face.

x 2 !

All the newbies are busy reading

been reading days and days on end, turning into months, so much good wisdom and practical information. have to say, I was doing all right from the beginning, but have to give credit where it's due! the ACV in the water and BOSS in the deep litter ~ and the deep litter itself, come to think of it... ~ and the lard/oil and fermented feeds... all gleaned from right here... I have really (IMHO) beautiful, glossy, fat n fluffy chickens that completely own the fact that they are chickens.

LOL!! I have thought for a long time that this is the reason it sounds just like "predator call." Because "Dang that hurt!

mine get as much supervised free range as possible, on the occasion when I've been there to hear it... there may be 3 gals laying, and the rest of the gang is out free ranging. then one would come out and sound the alarm as though she were lost and alone. this instantly would bring the lead rooster, who would make a similar call, and bring the whole flock together. then they'd all go off together, til the next hen would come out, realize she's alone and the cycle repeats... it's just been my observation of my little flock, it's definitely a loud call... I enjoy listening to the range of vocalizations.

 

[normanack]

I just re-read the whole section of the thread (10-15 pages back or so) about treating those little red mites on the broody silkie. I spotted a tiny white creepy crawly on my broody and have a few questions...
What, exactly, am I looking for when I'm trying to spot "mites or lice"?
Where, exactly, do I look?

Totally not an OT, but it was me with the broody Silkie so I can tell you what I saw:

On a white silkie-feathered bird: tiny but visible red dots scattered about halfway down the feathers.
On a white regular-feathered bird: tiny but visible red dots scattered on top the feathers.
On colored birds: I can't see whether there are mites or not.

Quite honestly my chickens have so many feathers on their butts that I have trouble finding the vent at all. When I do, the bird has had it with me and I only get a glimpse, not enough to see anything. (Helpful, huh?)

One way to check for mites: dig your fingers down into the feathers, till you're touching the skin. Stay like that for half a minute or as long as the bird will tolerate it. Pull your hand back and look at it in good light. Red dots? Mites.

Don't worry, though. If you can't see them on your hand, you'll feel them soon enough, on your arms, shoulders, chest, face, itchy itchy itchy! As Fred said, take a shower. They wash off.

My best tip: Dots that don't seem to move are not dead. Keep a beady eye on a motionless dot and after 30 seconds or so, it might move. I think they fall off when they're dead.

 

[Beekissed]

What did you finally decide to do with that Silkie? Did it all work out okay and did she have those chicks?

 

[NikkiMiChickie]

Thanks! I haven't checked my only white bird yet (leghorn - crazy flighty, roosts out of reach). Maybe I'll grab a ladder tomorrow and get her down (if I'm not around for a few days, it's bc I broke my neck in a dark coop with a ladder! Lol). Makes sense that it would be easier to spot bugs on the white birds. I have 3 chicks as well, maybe ill try a thorough search of them. They should be easier to hold on to!

 

[delisha]

Quote: This chick is almost 14 weeks. I have never had a pullet this age with so much color in the comb and wattles. Single comb. I hope its a pullet. Giant bird for the age and that is throwing me off too.Well I suck at sexing birds. If they lay an egg I usually can tell the sex than.