Colorado

[Mtn Margie]

Hello all! Having a stressful afternoon so I'd like to get it out for a moment. I have removed my duck pool from our chicken run, one of my little guineas fell in

luckily it did not drown but the next 24hrs will be touch and go. Doing a little better, instead of laying on its side and shivering, it is actually sitting up and working on walking around. First one of my birds to fall in ever, but all it took was that one and the pool is gone. I'm praying my little one will pull through 100%

OH so sorry!

I bet if you put a ramp in the pool up to the side that would help just in case. The ducks are going to need something to swim in..... We put a log in the horse troughs just in case a critter falls in. I HATE dead rodent stinky water!!!!

 

[LeciaBee]

OH so sorry!    I bet if you put a ramp in the pool up to the side that would help just in case.  The ducks are going to need something to swim in.....  We put a log in the horse troughs just in case a critter falls in.  I HATE dead rodent stinky water!!!!

I just put a shallow sled like thing in the run that gives the ducks water but nothing can drown in. The pool is now in my yard for when they free range around. Plus I have a big ole swim hole dug out in the middle of my yard. Nothing can drown in there but the ducks love to play in it, my chickens like to walk around the hole and peck out worms. Just broke my heart that I found my guinea like that. But on the bright side, it is doing wonderful now! Running around the brooder, eating and drinking as well. But just to be safe, I am keeping it in the brooder with the heating lamp til tomorrow!

 

[xmonster0]

we have 2 light brahma roo's free to good home

but must be picked up at our place in calhan colorado

we are alittle too heavy on roos one got the back of his head picked bloody so he is serperated

the other was pecked at in same place just not as much

they are both healling,

they are super gentile and friendly

let me know if you want em by sending me a pm

btw they are both young like under a year but just barely

 

[suncatcher]

I was sooo excited about finding an egg last week, but now I seem to have more questions...
Someone has been moving the fake egg around in the nesting box; however, eggs are being "dropped" from the roost. I imagine that this will change with time?

Also, this weekend I found evidence of two yolks on the floor of the coop, but no shell. Do you think someone is laying eggs without shells or do you think someone is eating eggs? How will I be able to tell the difference?

Also, the eggs have been there in the very early morning (5:30- 6ish), this is a lot earlier than I expected.

Here's the rundown:
Thursday- tiny green pullet egg
Friday- nothing
Saturday- evidence of two yolks no shell (but husband said he saw an egg in the coop early AM but it was gone by 7:30)
Sunday- nothing
Monday- 1 larger green egg and 1 misshapen green egg that was broken at around 6AM

So- does this seem like normal and reasonable activity for young pullets (pretty sure the EE's are responsible)? Or do I need to be concerned about calcium?

Happy Monday!

Wendi, do you use deep litter under the roost? The reason I ask, is I have found eggs under the roost too, this was years ago, and you don't want to have any of your hens to start eating those broken eggs!! It is a habit that is really hard to stop, once they start. I added extra straw, and only found one or two, so they get the nest box concept quickly. Here is hoping you have more eggs than you know what to do with in the next couple weeks!

 

[Chook Chick]

Does anyone know someone that does caponizing?
My local vet doesn't treat chickens. I have been trying to find another home for my 5 month old cockerel, to no avail. What I did get is lectured on how I had no business hatching eggs when there's the chance of producing a male that will be illegal to keep, and more than likely will need to be culled. I really didn't need a lecture from this particular organization, especially when I was asking for help.

If I keep him I'll be breaking the law; I tried to cull and failed miserably, thanks to his thick hackle feathers and my dull knife. He's fine however, crowing and chasing the girls like nothing happened (I tried to cull a week ago). He has attacked me and my daughter. He came up behind her and pushed her, and he has taken a chunk out of my left arm.
Can anyone make any suggestions or help? And please, no lectures!!

 

[gardendufus]

Chook, no lecture here, I'm WAY above the legal limit for how many I am allowed to have.

I don't know anyone who can caponize, sorry.

Will that stop the crowing, which I guess is what your problem is?

 

[Chook Chick]

Chook, no lecture here, I'm WAY above the legal limit for how many I am allowed to have.

I don't know anyone who can caponize, sorry.

Will that stop the crowing, which I guess is what your problem is?

I kinda doubt the crowing would stop but it would be a plus in his favor/keeping him alive; it's his aggressiveness.... you never know when he's going to come after you, and I sure don't want any incidents with my grand babies....and thanks for no lecture!

 

[Chook Chick]

He's also getting a bit rough on the girls, he's torn up one hen's wattle AND comb!

 

[Chook Chick]

I was sooo excited about finding an egg last week, but now I seem to have more questions...
Someone has been moving the fake egg around in the nesting box; however, eggs are being "dropped" from the roost.  I imagine that this will change with time? 

Also, this weekend I found evidence of two yolks on the floor of the coop, but no shell.  Do you think someone is laying eggs without shells or do you think someone is eating eggs? How will I be able to tell the difference? 

Also, the eggs have been there in the very early morning (5:30- 6ish), this is a lot earlier than I expected. 

Here's the rundown: 
Thursday- tiny green pullet egg
Friday- nothing
Saturday- evidence of two yolks no shell (but husband said he saw an egg in the coop early AM but it was gone by 7:30)
Sunday- nothing
Monday- 1 larger green egg and 1 misshapen green egg that was broken at around 6AM 

So- does this seem like normal and reasonable activity for young pullets (pretty sure the EE's are responsible)? Or do I need to be concerned about calcium? 

Happy Monday!

Hi Wendi,

I had the same problem, my pullets were laying eggs from the roost and I also had several shelless eggs.

I took my roosts down and put golf balls in the nesting boxes; I put a container of oyster shell by their feed and I also crush their egg shells and give them back to the girls to eat.

Once I saw a steady pattern of the girls laying their eggs in the nesting box, I put the roosts back up and haven't had a problem with shelless eggs or where/how they lay...the eggs are always in the nesting box now

 

[Pozees]

Does anyone know someone that does caponizing?
My local vet doesn't treat chickens. I have been trying to find another home for my 5 month old cockerel, to no avail. What I did get is lectured on how I had no business hatching eggs when there's the chance of producing a male that will be illegal to keep, and more than likely will need to be culled. I really didn't need a lecture from this particular organization, especially when I was asking for help.

If I keep him I'll be breaking the law; I tried to cull and failed miserably, thanks to his thick hackle feathers and my dull knife. He's fine however, crowing and chasing the girls like nothing happened (I tried to cull a week ago). He has attacked me and my daughter. He came up behind her and pushed her, and he has taken a chunk out of my left arm.
Can anyone make any suggestions or help? And please, no lectures!!

I don't know anyone who does caponizing, although there is a thread here started by Kassaundra with a lot of pictures showing how she learned. I would be afraid to do it myself, it looks a little too delicate for me, but anyone with a little experience with a scalpel could probably do it easily.

I'm sorry you got a lecture. If you are willing to cull, you may have to try again after you sharpen your knife. Meantime, do whatever you can to correct his aggression. Carry a stick to keep him away from you. This behavior is really the main reason he should be culled, even more than violation of the law.

Hatching eggs will always produce males. Maybe you can find someone who would like any males for the freezer in any future hatches, if there are to be any. Pre-arranging might ease the stress. If you can work with someone who will take all males at a certain age, say 8 or 10 weeks, as long as you are hatching breeds that produce enough meat to make a meal by that age or shortly after, and work out when they will be able to take them, you can hatch to your heart's content. Pre-planning is the key.