First batch of eggs ever starting today!

[rlwt]

The chicks are doing well. One of them is definitely the queen of the flock. I was wondering what people do to get the chickens used to you. Whenever I make noise or move around they get nervous and run all over the place. The queen will sometimes jump at me but I flick my hand at her and scare her away. I'm used to working with dogs not chickens so I don't know what the best response is to their behaviors. Thanks all!

 

[Cynthia12]

The chicks are doing well. One of them is definitely the queen of the flock. I was wondering what people do to get the chickens used to you. Whenever I make noise or move around they get nervous and run all over the place. The queen will sometimes jump at me but I flick my hand at her and scare her away. I'm used to working with dogs not chickens so I don't know what the best response is to their behaviors. Thanks all!

You have a hen that jumps at you? Do you give treats? Maybe she is like one of mine, and will jump up to check my hand to see it I brought anything out for them. You are doing the right thing by waving your hand at her to put her in her place. I'm not sure what kind of chickens you have. My buff orpington will not run away from me, nor will my little bantam cochin, or will my Ameraucana, but my leghorns do, and my Andalusion. Different breeds act different..oh, and my Barred Rock and red sex link is fine being around me.

 

[The Breaker]

I'm going to mix two completely Cris breed frizzle bantams and see what I get I weal post pictures of the two hope fully soon to be parents tomorrow and I'm also planing on mixing my Americana/bared rock roo with my buff orpington and see what I get again last time it was a roo that looked like an Americana that was wight with buff strips.

2 out of 3 of the cros breed eggs are defiantly fertile!

 

[The Breaker]

One of my chicks some how got out of the pen and was killed by an unknown predator

 

[Cynthia12]

One of my chicks some how got out of the pen and was killed by an unknown predator

Oh no! So sorry..how old was the chick? Could it have been a neighbor's dog or even a cat? I'm so sorry.

 

[The Breaker]

It was around 5 weeks old

 

[vickifiveoh]

I have some Silkies hatching this week and I am so excited!! I started hatching last year....I will never forget my first hatch. I put in 24 japanese bantum eggs. Didn't think I would do to good for my first hatch and I had 19 hatch out. I was so excited. Right now I have Silkies, Easter eggers and Olive eggers in the incubator. All hatching at different times. Tomorrow I will get another dozen of Silkie eggs and I will put them in. So, I will be a hatch buddy with you all!!

 

[vickifiveoh]

I have some of mine in a coop with the small wire around it and my husband put it on the bottom too so that nothing could get in. I went out to the pen one morning about 3 weeks ago and something had torn of my maran's heads off. I was so upset. I still can't figure out how anything could get through that small wire.

 

[Cynthia12]

I have some of mine in a coop with the small wire around it and my husband put it on the bottom too so that nothing could get in. I went out to the pen one morning about 3 weeks ago and something had torn of my maran's heads off. I was so upset. I still can't figure out how anything could get through that small wire.

You're in NC..I live in Utah..a ferret can fit through chicken wire. Do you have snakes? But still..a head taken off would probably be a larger animal. I had a ferral cat get my heratige baby RIR. It was doing great out with the big girls, just free ranging in my back yard. Next thing I know, I can't find it. Then we knew where to look, caught the cat in the act of eating my baby! Got a trap..live trap. Got the cat. It went somewhere else! So, Chicken boy..maybe you should set a trap. Those live traps are great.

 

[Squawkbox]

Aw that sucks chicken boy! I'm glad the only predators I have to worry about are birds of prey and coyotes and cougars etc, but they stay away cause of the dogs. I trained my cats, and they are absolutely terrified of the chickens!

So I don't have to worry about them either.
Poor Chickie