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

[ajlynco]

Thanks Fred and Ridgerunner I'm gonna wait till I get a couple more and then make a celebritory omelet

 

[therapydoglady]

chicken hook

www.openwriting.com/archives/2007/11/using_a_chicken_1.php Tells you how to make one, and how to use it. Quite a nice read...makes me want a set of those old magazines!

 

[therapydoglady]

chicken hook

Cutler's Supply (dot com) has one ready made for $7.95, and a picture of one.

 

[ajlynco]

One more quick question, what do the OT's use to treat their chickens when they get cut or scratched?

 

[WalkingWolf1]

I remember, some time ago on this thread, someone talking about the hooklike device used to catch chickens by the leg. Could anyone tell me how to make one of these, where to buy one , or refer me to a thread describing the hook?

I made these a couple of days ago. One has a handle that is about 7' long and the other one is about 3' long for use inside the coop. Get a piece of wire and bend it in this general shape. The end that will be attached to the pole I will bend a tight "U" shape about 1/2" in length and start the duct tape in there. When they pull on the hook it won't come out of the tape. I have made them more permanent in the past but have found these hold up really well and are easy to rebuild with minimal effort.

EDIT: Handles can be anything from PVC pipe to broom handles to branches broken/cut out of a tree. These particular handles happen to be small bamboo.



Here is another example of hook available from cutler's

 

[qball53]

I remember, some time ago on this thread, someone talking about the hooklike device used to catch chickens by the leg. Could anyone tell me how to make one of these, where to buy one , or refer me to a thread describing the hook?

Just google chicken hook and you'll find a bunch of them. I don't know how quick or agile you have to be to catch a chicken with one of those. We just use a cheap fish net purchased at Academy.

 

[ldutch123]

I am not wanting them to be cuddly just not have a heart attack when I have to pick them up or come to there name so if they are in a dangerous spot I can get them to get away from it quickly. Right now I have to carry them outside because we are still working on the coop but I want them to get some fresh air and get use to being outside. If I could get them to follow me I could just bring them all in at once rather then have them cry while I bring them in one at a time. It would also be nice if they didn't cut my hand up during every trip.

Treats ! Lots of treats. My chickens love veggies and watermelon and scratch and they follow me like a lonely puppy every single place I go. I can just let them wander around and if I call they are all right at my feet. And there are 80 of them. Now I may have a wanderer or 2 who don't come right away but they all come. And when I bend down to look em over they all submit to me like I'm the head rooster or something lmao! I spend a lot of time with my chickens but I let them be chickens too.

 

[therapydoglady]

I usually buy day old chicken when I replenish my flock, and they grow up being handled, so it's no big deal to them. I always talk to them when I feed, water, clean and what have you. And I always pick several of them up every day to inspect little fuzzy butts, eyes, feet, so they are used to being handled. By the time they are put in whichever coop is going to be their home, they know me by sight, sound, smell. Minchi's comparison to spoiled teenagers is right. Chickens are in it for themselves! They don't necessarily love me (tho the notion is nice) but they always think I might have a treat or something in my pocket (which I usually do). When I sit in the chair, if I just sit there and be, I most usually have one or two in my lap or on the arm of the chair, and I'll pick this or that one up, inspect feathers, under wings, around vents etc. just to make sure they are healthy and pest free. And when I'm through, they get their biscuit, or grape or apple or whatever I take for a treat. They all come a runnin' when I walk in with the magic bucket. It is filled with scrapings from breakfast, lunch and dinner plates, crushed egg shells, and whatever kitchen refuse that is edible for them. I do have a garbage disposal, but it doesn't give me eggs!

And whether they love me or not, I sure love them, and in return, they give me eggs and more importantly, they make me smile!

 

[deek]

And whether they love me or not, I sure love them, and in return, they give me eggs and more importantly, they make me smile!

 

[Kassaundra]

I usually buy day old chicken when I replenish my flock, and they grow up being handled, so it's no big deal to them. I always talk to them when I feed, water, clean and what have you. And I always pick several of them up every day to inspect little fuzzy butts, eyes, feet, so they are used to being handled. By the time they are put in whichever coop is going to be their home, they know me by sight, sound, smell. Minchi's comparison to spoiled teenagers is right. Chickens are in it for themselves! They don't necessarily love me (tho the notion is nice) but they always think I might have a treat or something in my pocket (which I usually do). When I sit in the chair, if I just sit there and be, I most usually have one or two in my lap or on the arm of the chair, and I'll pick this or that one up, inspect feathers, under wings, around vents etc. just to make sure they are healthy and pest free. And when I'm through, they get their biscuit, or grape or apple or whatever I take for a treat. They all come a runnin' when I walk in with the magic bucket. It is filled with scrapings from breakfast, lunch and dinner plates, crushed egg shells, and whatever kitchen refuse that is edible for them. I do have a garbage disposal, but it doesn't give me eggs!

And whether they love me or not, I sure love them, and in return, they give me eggs and more importantly, they make me smile!