Doing It Again...Eggs Went in Hova Today (Candling Report Page 3)

[Farmer Kitty]

You know how they say teenagers will eat you out of house and home? It sounds like the youngsters in your group are like teenagers!

 

[speckledhen]

You got that right! I felt so awful to have to grab Hawkeye when I penned up the group after they'd been out all day and put him in a separate pen, but they'd start picking at him if I didn't. It's a good thing he's so easy to handle. I just feel so sorry for him because they're the bad ones and he's the one being punished. Well, I'm going to solve this one way or another because the pen where he stays every night is the broody pen and I think I'll be needing that in a month or two for its intended purpose.

 

[seminolewind]

Cynthia, free and easy to try, rub the gooey under part of a bar of soap on it, it's the only thing that keeps my horses from chewing on fences when I've tried everything else.

 

[speckledhen]

I'll try that, too, Karen, thanks. Gotta fix this problem!

 

[ozark hen]

Now they make chicken diapers and ...what do you call those things that protects the hen's saddle feathers? Now surely someone on byc can come up with a "suit of leather plus helmet" for Hawkeye?? He will look like their prince in shining armor but leather??

Seriously, raptors have a kind of helmet why can't Hawkeye wear something to protect him???

 

[speckledhen]

I thought about a Saddle Guard for roos with nagging/pecking women, LOL. My poor boy is going to soon look worse than his own favorite girls!

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Pollysmum just recommended that I use blue cote on the pullet the others are picking at. She said that it's color that entices them to peck. Maybe a solution for you. She says "DO NOT... put any color such as red, pink, orange, anything that will indicate or could indicate fresh meat the birds will peck at it." And "If the pecking is happening in the coop... put up celephane on any windows .......... RED............yep.. red... the entire hen house will turn a pink tone... and the hens stop pecking at each other ... also spray the butts blue"

 

[speckledhen]

We did the BluKote route, too. No dice. These are some tough women, LOL! I think tomorrow I'll try the nasty soap on him and see what happens. The pecking is anywhere and everywhere; it's just that when they are running around outside the pen, he has more room to get away from them.

 

[WriterofWords]

I am enjoying this thread so much! I'm learning a lot and especially about candling which I really know nothing about. I'm looking forward to the birthing of the babies.
Kate

 

[speckledhen]

Kate, here is a good site with lots of candling pictures for you to check out!
http://www.minkhollow.ca/HatchingProgram/Candling/Week1/Week-1.html