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

[Ridgerunner]

The main thing I am looking for is how it acts. Does it stay inactive, hunched up, fluffed up, and just setting there instead of interacting with the others. This may be sitting in a corner or staying on the roost. Don't get this confused with pecking order stuff if you have immature birds or are integrating new ones. They are going to stay separate and away from the bullies, but watch how they look and act.

Look for physical deformity, especially with the neck and legs. Is something just not right? Is it walking funny or holding its head wrong?

Is it making different sounds? With chicks that plaintive distress peeping is a clear sign something is just not right, but sometimes they can make croaks and other sounds that just don't fit in, especially if it sounds like it affects breathing. Chickens make a lot of different sounds so don't freak at everything unusual, but kind of watch that chicken for a while if it makes different sounds, especially if it is consistently making those sounds.

Way down on my list for worry but just to be alert for something possibly being wrong is anything different, like that poop color you noticed. Feather loss, different feathering out, differences in size and weight gain, all these are perfectly normal and occur in any flock, just look for something really out of synch and then observe.

I'm sure I've missed some things. Maybe others will help you out.

 

[therapydoglady]

Got a call yesterday afternoon from a battered women's shelter where I do lots of therapy work with my dogs, mostly with children whilst their moms are getting settled in. (groundwork for this "story-book ending."

While moving hay Sunday to make room for a new load, I found my Silky hen behind the bales with 5 new baby chicks. I didn't even know she was settin! I thought a fox or something had gotten her. Anyway, before I took off with the therapy dog to go to Odessa (45 miles away) I took a dog crate and loaded up that hen, her husband, and all 5 of the chicks, and took with us.

Long story short, the chickens were a much bigger hit than the dog was, and I do believe a new generation of chicken people were discovered! I have never thought of taking chickens before, but will always keep them in mind in the future. Those little chicks and those silkies mesmerized those children for the better part of 4 hours! They'd go check out the toys and what not, but always wound up back at the chickens. "Gilligan," the roo, is such a pet, he'd sit in their laps and didn't mind being handled. Of course the hen and chicks were off limits to be held, but were fun to watch.

I have said for years, that if you have a bounty of something, and are not willing to share it with others, that on the Day of Reconning, God is going to slap you silly! I have a bounty of chickens, so I'm sharing!

 

[Beekissed]

Got a call yesterday afternoon from a battered women's shelter where I do lots of therapy work with my dogs, mostly with children whilst their moms are getting settled in. (groundwork for this "story-book ending."

While moving hay Sunday to make room for a new load, I found my Silky hen behind the bales with 5 new baby chicks. I didn't even know she was settin! I thought a fox or something had gotten her. Anyway, before I took off with the therapy dog to go to Odessa (45 miles away) I took a dog crate and loaded up that hen, her husband, and all 5 of the chicks, and took with us.

Long story short, the chickens were a much bigger hit than the dog was, and I do believe a new generation of chicken people were discovered! I have never thought of taking chickens before, but will always keep them in mind in the future. Those little chicks and those silkies mesmerized those children for the better part of 4 hours! They'd go check out the toys and what not, but always wound up back at the chickens. "Gilligan," the roo, is such a pet, he'd sit in their laps and didn't mind being handled. Of course the hen and chicks were off limits to be held, but were fun to watch.

I have said for years, that if you have a bounty of something, and are not willing to share it with others, that on the Day of Reconning, God is going to slap you silly! I have a bounty of chickens, so I'm sharing!

AMEN!

I am so blessed to hear of your work with the children of these families and your attitude toward giving! I feel the same way about all that the Lord has given me...it's not really mine as it came from the Lord and God instructs us to give freely and so I do. It all comes back to you tenfold, shaken down and running over in one way or another, doesn't it?

 

[al6517]

The main thing I am looking for is how it acts. Does it stay inactive, hunched up, fluffed up, and just setting there instead of interacting with the others. This may be sitting in a corner or staying on the roost. Don't get this confused with pecking order stuff if you have immature birds or are integrating new ones. They are going to stay separate and away from the bullies, but watch how they look and act.

Look for physical deformity, especially with the neck and legs. Is something just not right? Is it walking funny or holding its head wrong?

Is it making different sounds? With chicks that plaintive distress peeping is a clear sign something is just not right, but sometimes they can make croaks and other sounds that just don't fit in, especially if it sounds like it affects breathing. Chickens make a lot of different sounds so don't freak at everything unusual, but kind of watch that chicken for a while if it makes different sounds, especially if it is consistently making those sounds.

Way down on my list for worry but just to be alert for something possibly being wrong is anything different, like that poop color you noticed. Feather loss, different feathering out, differences in size and weight gain, all these are perfectly normal and occur in any flock, just look for something really out of synch and then observe.

I'm sure I've missed some things. Maybe others will help you out.

Very sound advice and calculated as well, the take a deep breath and relax appraoch does work much better than the freak out and post a catastrophe which in turn bring frantic mostly wrong answers. This also works for minor injuries which tend to work themselfs out without the need for a ridicules vet visit. I think you have the right frame of mind and wait & see attitude .......... Good luck in the coming day's.

 

[Beekissed]

AL!!!!!

 

[Minchi]

I found some great advice here! I thought I would say Thanks!

I am new to chickens, I have 3 7 week old chickens, and yes they are pets....even though they were suppose to be experiments in being able to kill animals for food. Note to self...don't name your food.

 

[Fred's Hens]

AMEN!

I am so blessed to hear of your work with the children of these families and your attitude toward giving! I feel the same way about all that the Lord has given me...it's not really mine as it came from the Lord and God instructs us to give freely and so I do. It all comes back to you tenfold, shaken down and running over in one way or another, doesn't it?

"There are only two kinds of people in this world, Givers and Takers. Takers are losers and only leave holes in time." Frank Constantino.

 

[cherylcohen]

"There are only two kinds of people in this world, Givers and Takers. Takers are losers and only leave holes in time." Frank Constantino.

We call the bad guys...Energy Suckers!

 

[rosewolf22002]

Did anyone see my post? It was #3780. I really would like some help, please. I am still reading just like I said I would.

 

[Minchi]

Ok I am on page 38. I am going to read it all but I was wondering if someone could tell me the youngest you would put a large group of young keets and chicks in a group of adults? Everyone is under a year old. My oldest 12 were born in Feb. My youngest are 25 chicks and 14 keets born June 6th. I have the youngin's in a brooder that is 6ft by 4ft and open topped. It is 100+ degrees all week. My yard for the larger ones is 18 ft by18ft and they have a 8ft by 8ft coop. I am planning on free ranging as soon as the lil ones are bigger. Oh yes and I have a sprinkler system in the big yard to cool the sand. I am in Texas and the sand can get up 135 degrees in the sun that I have seen. Maybe higher. How old do keets need to be before they can get wet? Thank you! I will go back to reading!

I am not sure but I thought I would re post and hope someone sees it. Anything to help a fellow Texan, grew up in Dallas.