Farmyard Bizzaro- diary on a crazy farmyard's days (Geese and Chickens)

[ChickyChickens]

Sorry, forgot to say that @Broiluva (my Brother) will also be posting here, and updating, just like I am doing!!!!

 

[MsPoultry]

That flock you have is great I have only 11chickens 2 are not mine but I care for them.Most of mine are barnyard mixes I got from friends or hatched.None of my hens ever brood but I got an incubator which after a lot experimenting(about 6 times!)before I finally got the right humidity,air flow,temperature and candled correctly(to make sure their all alive and not just balls of bacteria just waiting overflow my healthy eggs with sickness).I can know after preparation hatch chicks or ducks.
I haven't successfully hatched ducks but I know I can now after lots of research.Sorry if that's to much info but I've got some things to tell you after seeing/reading about your flock.
I saw in one picture you were marking eggs with a marker which has chemicals that is not good for the health of baby poultry or really anyone else.So what I use is a pencil the graphite is much less harmful and won't block an eggs pores which breath in air and humidity.Also we had a rooster that looked just like big D he had a rosecomb though and some huge spurs which ended up making him lame and die but he lived for about 8/9 years his owners before us named him Dora we kept the name.Well I hope there was some good info that would be useful!

 

[ChickyChickens]

That flock you have is great I have only 11chickens 2 are not mine but I care for them.Most of mine are barnyard mixes I got from friends or hatched.None of my hens ever brood but I got an incubator which after a lot experimenting(about 6 times!)before I finally got the right humidity,air flow,temperature and candled correctly(to make sure their all alive and not just balls of bacteria just waiting overflow my healthy eggs with sickness).I can know after preparation hatch chicks or ducks.
I haven't successfully hatched ducks but I know I can now after lots of research.Sorry if that's to much info but I've got some things to tell you after seeing/reading about your flock.
I saw in one picture you were marking eggs with a marker which has chemicals that is not good for the health of baby poultry or really anyone else.So what I use is a pencil the graphite is much less harmful and won't block an eggs pores which breath in air and humidity.Also we had a rooster that looked just like big D he had a rosecomb though and some huge spurs which ended up making him lame and die but he lived for about 8/9 years his owners before us named him Dora we kept the name.Well I hope there was some good info that would be useful!

ok thanks you very much! Will try to change my markers with much healthier ones!!
Okay, can trim his spurs? And how????
And thanks!

 

[MsPoultry]

Your very welcome my pleasure and yes I could have trimmed his spurs but it's dangerous for the roo and I tried but broke my dogs nail clippers and his legs went bad quickly which led to his depression and he starved himself till death came. It was quite sad.Do you own Storey's guide to Raising Chickens?If not it's a must own it tells all about how to trim spurs and like everything else I read a lot so I've got a bunch of poultry books,glad I could help!

 

[Outpost JWB]

I have never heard of a rooster dying because of their spurs. Are you sure it wasn't just old age? 9 years is a really old rooster! We have had a rooster for 3 years now. He (Captain Hook) was an old man when we rescued him. We have no idea of his age, but we know he is not fertile. We have paired him with many hens, and none of their eggs hatch. But his spurs are massive! I thought about using a dremel tool and trimming them back, but didn't in the end because I know he will tear me to pieces.

Ended up to be a very wise choice. We had raccoons attack the flock in the spring & one night when DH went back to the coop after hearing commotion, Captain Hook had broke out of the crate, had blood all over him and was breathing really hard & growling. He had successfully fought off the raccoons. Many of our roosters are grown up & make it to the frying pan or crock pot, but Captain Hook has a place in our flock as long as he is alive.

Chickychick, also want to welcome your brother

. Looks like you two make a good team raising those chickens.

 

[MsPoultry]

Well he was having trouble walking which made him depressed and that made him starve himself he would eat almost nothing and I believe because of the spurs it led to his death and you have to be careful when using any tools to trim spurs because if you trim to far your rooster could bleed to death and Captain Hook sounds like a great rooster to have.

 

[Outpost JWB]

Wow. I learn something new about chickens everyday

. Sorry about your roo. Someday when I figure out how to move pics from my email box to byc, I will post pics of him. I am computer challenged!!

 

[MsPoultry]

Wow.  I learn something new about chickens everyday .  Sorry about your roo.  Someday when I figure out how to move pics from my email box to byc, I will post pics of him.  I am computer challenged!!

I would love to see pics of your roo and I have difficulties with computers too I always need help.

 

[Outpost JWB]

Hey Chickychickens,

New babies? What's going on with the farm?

 

[ChickyChickens]

Hey Chickychickens,

New babies? What's going on with the farm?

Hey, I haven't been able to post for a while as I have hurt my foot and had to go to another city to go to hospital

Luckily my foot is better now!
Anyway, Autumn, Summer and Pipsqueak went broody while I was gone! Winters eggs are hatching (there are some real nice chicks in her batch so far)!!!
Sorry, will post pics later!!!