Consolidated Kansas

[chicken danz]

I certainly understand your feelings on that MsDebD. I would be the same way about birds. Occasionally you do know where the goats come from and some that are registered, but again that isn't any guarantee either. I did buy my goats from the auction and even had papers on some of them. I bought on the cheap though when I was getting goats because it was just a project for me. But I did well.
Yesterday was warmer temperature wise here but the wind was blowing and it felt pretty chilly at times. Today is supposed to be even warmer. I can't wait.

 

[friendshipstar]

Hello everyone!
It is supposed to get up to 69 degrees here today, and this girl is super excited about that.
I don't know about anyone else, but I am sick to death of being cold.
I saw a gorgeous black LF Cochin cock at the state fair this year that I fell in love with. I put my business card on the cage with a "for sale?" notice. The people who owned him contacted me a month or so ago to ask if I was still interested, and of course, I was.
Yesterday, they brought him to me. He is HUGE and absolutely stunning. You can walk right up to him and pick him up. He is super friendly....except to my big blue LF Cochin Cock. I just HATE that.
My blue has never been aggressive to anyone or any animal. But he does NOT like the new kid on the block. So I am keeping them separated and am trying to decide what I want to do. Blue's daughters will be some of my egg layers this year, and he is a real gentleman with the ladies. He's a great protector too. The new guy has great bloodlines and will add the size to my LF Cochin flock that I've been wanting. He is about six months older than blue, who will be two in June.
I let my birds free range on our property every day. I am thinking that the only way that this will work is to put them in separate pens and let them out every other day. Does that seem like the thing to do? If I can't figure out something soon Blue will be looking for a new home. Opinions please.
Tammi Jo

 

[chicken danz]

Hello everyone!
It is supposed to get up to 69 degrees here today, and this girl is super excited about that.
I don't know about anyone else, but I am sick to death of being cold.
I saw a gorgeous black LF Cochin cock at the state fair this year that I fell in love with. I put my business card on the cage with a "for sale?" notice. The people who owned him contacted me a month or so ago to ask if I was still interested, and of course, I was.
Yesterday, they brought him to me. He is HUGE and absolutely stunning. You can walk right up to him and pick him up. He is super friendly....except to my big blue LF Cochin Cock. I just HATE that.
My blue has never been aggressive to anyone or any animal. But he does NOT like the new kid on the block. So I am keeping them separated and am trying to decide what I want to do. Blue's daughters will be some of my egg layers this year, and he is a real gentleman with the ladies. He's a great protector too. The new guy has great bloodlines and will add the size to my LF Cochin flock that I've been wanting. He is about six months older than blue, who will be two in June.
I let my birds free range on our property every day. I am thinking that the only way that this will work is to put them in separate pens and let them out every other day. Does that seem like the thing to do? If I can't figure out something soon Blue will be looking for a new home. Opinions please.
Tammi Jo

I honestly wouldn't separate them. The way to make it work is to put them together. If you have a pen area where you can lock up the birds for a few days and put the new cock in a cage in the same pen they will get used to each other's presence. I guess the idea is that they get a sense that the other bird belongs. They might scuffle through the cage for a while as well but at least this isn't quite as bad. After a few days when you see that the competition has stopped and the older rooster isn't being as aggressive let all the birds out to free range.
Keep in mind though that spring is coming so there is going to be some occasional fighting, but this method has worked for me several times. I don't bring in adult birds but have different pens here and there. When I put birds together for breeding it really helps. At some point one will become more dominant but they will get along better.

 

[Trish44]

I have never been able to bring in an adult rooster & have them get along with the other rooster or roosters I have. If they grow up together then they seem to figure out the pecking order & one becomes the dominant one or leader. I have three out in my laying flock that free range but they all have grown up together.

 

[chicken danz]

Well I said I don't bring in adult birds but I just brought this roo in from Sharol. He is still young, maybe just 5 months or so, but this worked really well. Two days in the cage in the pen with another rooster and I let him out yesterday. So far they are getting along fine. I will wait another day or two to let them out of the pen simply because I want him to sleep there for the time being.

 

[sharol]

I'm so glad to hear he is adapting. I thought I had his brother sold, but they guy broke off communications in the process of setting up a meeting time.

Oh, well, he will probably be OK with the rest of the flock for another week. When I get back from my daughter's I'll do something with him. I just ran out of time, and he is just too pretty to eat.

 

[chicken danz]

Enjoyed the warm weather today. I got some sand and dirt hauled over and filled the trench for my water line to the new building. I was going to put some sprayfoam in the hole in the wall and found my new can had leaked inside and the tip broke off when I tried to use it. What a waste. That stuff isnt' cheap. So I guess I'll see what I can do with hydraulic cement. I'm not sure how I am going to get it packed in that hole though. I had planned to use the hydraulic on the inside and the outside with the foam filling the void between.
I was going to move some more birds today but I don't have any more heated water bowls so I really can't do it yet.
The girls must have known it was warmer because I did get a lot more eggs today. Only 6 eating eggs but the breeders did better. I may have to take some of these breeders that aren't up to my standards and make them layers. I try not to be in the egg business per say but I do have regular customers that are doing without right now.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Wow that sun today was glorious & it was warm enough to not even need a jacket till the evening. It just made me have spring fever bad! We had to go for my Dr. appt & shopping today so I didn't get to just be outside & do anything at home, hopefully tomorrow.

Hope the Dr. appointment went well.

This break in the cold was nice. I sure would like it to hold through the weekend. We are planning a memorial BBQ for a classmate of DH tomorrow, and I sure am ready to be outside. I've been planning my garden for months now, and am ready to get started on it (yes I know we still have lots of cold weather to get through but this 'greenie' must dream).

 

[zigzag45]

Quick question for those who do fermented feed.... (I guess two). Are the flies really bad on the FF when you feed it? And, the actual question... what is the rough proportion you use of scratch to feed in the FF bucket? I was thinking 3/1 - feed/scratch.

 

[Trish44]

Quick question for those who do fermented feed.... (I guess two). Are the flies really bad on the FF when you feed it? And, the actual question... what is the rough proportion you use of scratch to feed in the FF bucket? I was thinking 3/1 - feed/scratch.

I have not had a problem with flies & the FF. I use half & half scratch & layer feed. I also do supplement with some BOSS for snacks in the winter. Today my birds got some old blueberries that had been in the freezer a bit too long, they loved them & two apples that were starting to get grainy. They were very happy birds.