Eastern Tennessee Thread

[tnchickenut]

Hey all... just checking in...

I have been working on getting birds consolidated for winter. Easier to do, thanks to my preditor... but life will be hard for said preditor soon because everyone (yes "everyone" not "every chicken") will be in my super coops. The dog lot coops are comming down and being put aside until spring when they will be reinforced and used as grow outs.

Anywho, I hope everyone is doing well. Anyone interested in a pair of bantam barnevelders, let me know... I have a young cockerel and pullet that are not merging well into the older flock. I'm willing to let them go for their own good. Sometimes they just don't get along.

On the Swedish Flower Hens.... it's my opinion that being a naturally selected breed, crested should be less desirable. In the wild, crests would only hinder eyesight... which would get you eatten easier. JMHO

They are on my "want" list, but I can't tell you how happy I am to be lowering the number of feeders and waterers... and clutter!!! The yard looks cleaner already! YAY!

 

[stanglover2001]

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He's looking very handsome! I'm glad he hardly crows. His brother crows from daybreak til dusk. When he's not crowing he's making this "whoooo-ooooo" noise that's like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.

Good news is that my silkie has acted fine all day. Maybe she just needed to get used to the cold. She's still pretty young so maybe she can tough it out. I put extra shavings in the coop and closes down almost all the vents. I guess we'll see how she does.

So, found a SLW laying hen dead this morning... looks like I may have a problem, which we hope we just got rid of... looks like they may have eaten some deadly mushrooms. Otherwise, I am clueless as to what it might be...

 

[tennesseeckn]

That's so sad. Is there any way to prevent them from doing that? I've got all sorts of stuff growing in the shade here.

 

[stanglover2001]

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Well, I didn't think they were touching it... and I couldn't fathom a disease since I havn't introduced any new birds to my flock... So I went looking for an answer and we knew the mushrooms were poisonous to us and shouldn't be touched by hand, and upon closer inspection looked to have peck marks in a few and one growing in the run.. so we removed them all to throw away... hopefully only those 2 chickens ate them... if not I don't know of anything I could do to stop them from becoming sick and dying... because it hits them suddenly, so far both looked fine the day before and then they just die... the SLW hen was found dead this morning and was still warm, but she was outside (whereas the silkie never left the coop, or even where she slept that night) so that tells me its something that hits them hard and fast...

so, we'll see in the next few days who all ate enough to become sick...

 

[Heathero617]

Another quick check in...i promise i'll have time to sit down one day soon!!!! I had to have hubby cull ole Hank today before he left to return to Maryland. I dont know if he had a heart attack or gapeworm or what but he got a little better for a few days then just down hill yesterday and this morning. Poor guy had it so good here with all his wimins! Looks like I might be able to keep my 2 sussex that hatched out >roos< they should be able to get along. We'll see.

 

[tennesseeckn]

I think Bob was nice enough to hatch out three girls. What do you all think? I don't see wattles or saddle feathers...

ETA: These are OEGB x Buff Brahma

 

[bairo]

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Nice going Bob!!!

Them look like girls to me.

 

[tnchickenut]

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Look like girls to me... CUTE girls!!! I have noticed that I hatch ALOT more females to males under broodies. Put it this way, I have hatched and kept 17 chicks under broodies... 3 were males. 5 different mothers and 5 different breeds. I LOVE broodies.


Ok, folks... I am about to go to CL and post some birds... just a heads up.


Stang, sorry for your loss. I hope it was the mushrooms, for you and your chicken's sake.... if not you are back to the drawing board.

 

[TNBarnQueen]

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Well, I didn't think they were touching it... and I couldn't fathom a disease since I havn't introduced any new birds to my flock... So I went looking for an answer and we knew the mushrooms were poisonous to us and shouldn't be touched by hand, and upon closer inspection looked to have peck marks in a few and one growing in the run.. so we removed them all to throw away... hopefully only those 2 chickens ate them... if not I don't know of anything I could do to stop them from becoming sick and dying... because it hits them suddenly, so far both looked fine the day before and then they just die... the SLW hen was found dead this morning and was still warm, but she was outside (whereas the silkie never left the coop, or even where she slept that night) so that tells me its something that hits them hard and fast...

so, we'll see in the next few days who all ate enough to become sick...

I was wondering about the mushrooms. I went out last Wed. and noticed part of the flock who where free ranging...where all huddled together and pecking something. I went out there and it was a huge mushroom. They had already eaten half of it. So far everyone looks OK. I still don't have a clue how one got in the middle of my yard.
Hope you find out what is going on Stanglover,,I know how frustrating it can be when there is no answer visible.

 

[tennesseeckn]

Yeah!

I was afraid to get my hopes up, cause what are the odds? Bob is definitely a keeper. She's back to laying an egg every day. If she hatches only girls, she can go broody any time she wants!