Consolidated Kansas

[lizzyGSR]

Time to get the gun out. We get hawks but that is the beauty of having larger birds. They can't lift them. And the dogs have learned that hawks are NOT supposed to be here and will throw a fit if one gets closer than across the road.

So I blamed the hawk for the disappearance of the duck that went missing last week... until my DH found the duck's car as buried under some loose hay near the barn. Our pup has certain areas that she tends to hide her treasures and that is wasn't one of them so I doubt it was her that killed the bird. Plus, she was scared of the geese that we used to have that would hang around the ducks, and so she usually leaves the ducks alone despite the fact that we no longer have geese. Whatever it was that got that bird buried it under the pile of hay and tried to dig under the edge of the barn (from the outside) to bury it. My DH said the carcass also looked "chewed on." ThAt pretty much throws the hawk out unless the hawk got it and something else moved it later. Don't know. Anyone have any ideas what might have gotten the duck? I am gonna leave my birds locked up for a while as a precaution but I can't leave them penned forever. We got them with the intent of letting them free range

 

[lizzyGSR]

Sorry. That was a typo. My DH found the duck's carcass.

 

[rlh1]

We did not get one egg today! What the heck is happening!? I have a red heat lamp on in there, I was hoping that would be enough. But why Now? The days are getting longer... anyone have any ideas? I haven't noticed any extra feathers floating around, yet... they are only 9.5 months old, could this be the start of a molt? That young? If it has to be anything, I hope it's a molt.

 

[lizzyGSR]

rlh1 - if it is any help, my chickens are about 10 months old and some (not all) are molting right now and looking really shabby.

 

[rlh1]

LizzyGSR I really hope it's a molt. I just finished working 4 ten HR shifts so I haven't been able to spend much time with them. I'm off this weekend so I will be put there. We will figure this out then. Thank you for telling me, it does help!

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Questions: Both my barred rock orp "Rockie" and Limpy one of my turkey hens are broody co-sharing the same very large nest box currently they are sitting on 6 eggs jointly. I want to give them more but not sure what is a good number is? Since this is there both at least with me first time sitting and I know the BR keeps stealing all but one egg from Limpy? My other question is the eggs they are sitting on are 2 days behind the ones in the incubator so I don't know if it is better to take the 6 from them and finish them in the incubator and give them however from it so that they don't have a staggered hatch? Should I split up their nest into 2 and place each one on there "own" nest the night I give them more eggs so they don't steal chicks/fight over them?

 

[chicken danz]

So I blamed the hawk for the disappearance of the duck that went missing last week... until my DH found the duck's car as buried under some loose hay near the barn. Our pup has certain areas that she tends to hide her treasures and that is wasn't one of them so I doubt it was her that killed the bird. Plus, she was scared of the geese that we used to have that would hang around the ducks, and so she usually leaves the ducks alone despite the fact that we no longer have geese. Whatever it was that got that bird buried it under the pile of hay and tried to dig under the edge of the barn (from the outside) to bury it. My DH said the carcass also looked "chewed on." ThAt pretty much throws the hawk out unless the hawk got it and something else moved it later. Don't know. Anyone have any ideas what might have gotten the duck? I am gonna leave my birds locked up for a while as a precaution but I can't leave them penned forever. We got them with the intent of letting them free range

Dogs will bury a carcass, but so will foxes. If you have a fox you will be loosing more birds for sure. Better keep a look out or find a way to trap it. And they are opportunistic hunters and will hunt in daytime or night.
Quote:

Questions: Both my barred rock orp "Rockie" and Limpy one of my turkey hens are broody co-sharing the same very large nest box currently they are sitting on 6 eggs jointly. I want to give them more but not sure what is a good number is? Since this is there both at least with me first time sitting and I know the BR keeps stealing all but one egg from Limpy? My other question is the eggs they are sitting on are 2 days behind the ones in the incubator so I don't know if it is better to take the 6 from them and finish them in the incubator and give them however from it so that they don't have a staggered hatch? Should I split up their nest into 2 and place each one on there "own" nest the night I give them more eggs so they don't steal chicks/fight over them?

If it were me I would relocate the barred orp, and leave Limpy with the other eggs. I say that because turkeys get something in their head and will keep coming back to the same spot. If the turkey does hatch eggs though, they will be cared for far better than a chicken will do. It takes a day or two for chicken chicks to realize what the turkey is telling them but they catch on.
You could take Rockie and put her elsewhere with some newer eggs. One thing I have learned though when giving a broodie new eggs make sure they are slightly warm before you do. It seems to make them accept new eggs and a new location better than cool ones. I guess the warmth makes them believe they are theirs.
You're gonna have a chickplosion if you keep this up! What fun!!
Yesterday I was doing chores. I had warned this one onery rooster that if he jumped me he was going to be dog food. I even told him that again, the first bucket of food I took in for them. The second bucket full he made the mistake of trying to flog me. Needless to say he is sitting on the stove all cooked up for the dogs now. It is a shame. He was a beautiful bird but I won't tolerate a rowdy rooster even if he is meant to be butchered. I decided to just skin him out for the dogs rather than dip him. I've never wrestled dressing a bird more. I couldn't find anything that would readily cut his skin; then I literally had to cut the skin from the meat. The other cockerels had ganged up on one other one and killed it so after I got this one done, I tried skinning it as well. The skin came off in basically one pull. So those of you who normally skin your birds: Did I try to process him too quickly, or was this one just a tough bird? He was probably 7 months old at the most so it wasn't age. I've skinned a few other birds I've culled and not had this problem before. Just wondering why he was so hard to do. He did have tons more feathers than a lot of birds. Very very fluffy.
I made it through my first night of class but it sure made for a long evening. I'm kind of dragging now. I think I'm going to love this class. They have the best equipment I've ever seen, and even some of the things that aren't part of the course, the instructor said we could "play on" in later classes. The big thing that caught my eye was a huge computerized plasma cutter. The table must have been 8 foot by 12 foot. I can only dream of spending my time making things with that. It's all done with computer codes, not Images so it would take a lot of time to learn it. But I can see making a huge metal cut out chicken with it!!!!

 

[Plinky]

Hi folks!
Our barred rock "Winky" has not laid an egg since October, I think. I thought she was egg bound and bathed her, etc. back then. A small amount of some kind of cheesy stuff came out finally. But that was it. She then lost some feathers (not a full molt). She was about 8 months old then. I realize it's winter, but is it normal that she just hasn't laid any eggs at all?

Fun note: the Lawrence Public Library does a program each year call "Read across Lawrence" where they give zillions of copies of the same book out so the whole town is reading the same thing. They have an adult, teen and kids book selection. This year the kids selection is Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones. Apparently about a chicken with supernatural powers!

 

[lizzyGSR]

Dogs will bury a carcass, but so will foxes. If you have a fox you will be loosing more birds for sure. Better keep a look out or find a way to trap it. And they are opportunistic hunters and will hunt in daytime or night.

I have never seen this pup bury anything. Any time I've seen her catch small wild birds, she has always played with them then eaten them. I really doubt it was her. I find it interesting that you mention fox. I don't think I've ever seen any around here. Even if it were, I still think that spot was an odd place to bury the bird - whether it was the dog or something else that killed it. I'm taking this opportunity to worm the chickens so they will be locked up for a little while. I'm not sure how long though.

it sounds like you are going to really enjoy the class! I hope you learn lots!!!

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Quote:
If it were me I would relocate the barred orp, and leave Limpy with the other eggs. I say that because turkeys get something in their head and will keep coming back to the same spot. If the turkey does hatch eggs though, they will be cared for far better than a chicken will do. It takes a day or two for chicken chicks to realize what the turkey is telling them but they catch on.
You could take Rockie and put her elsewhere with some newer eggs. One thing I have learned though when  giving a broodie new eggs make sure they are slightly warm before you do. It seems to make them accept new eggs and a new location better than cool ones. I guess the warmth makes them believe they are theirs.
You're gonna have a chickplosion if you keep this up! What fun!!

Danz yep I figured I would move Rockie late at night and give her the eggs they have been joint sitting and just grab 6 great eggs out of my incubator and slid those under Limpy the 17th night