Flock Under New Management

[Puck-Puck]

Thank you all for your encouragement. I'm going to give them a chance to "sleep on it", and see if that helps them settle down a bit. (They've only been here 6 hours.) I'll report on progress when there's progress to report on!

Good night.

 

[Kittymomma]

It sounds like you have quite a project on your hands. I was thinking about the feather picking. Protien is a great start and given the shape they've been allowed to get into, probably the root of the problem. However it can be a tough habit to break and it takes a little time to get the levels back up. I think I'd give them some "toys" in the meantime. Hang a head of cabbage or pumpkin quarters (or anything else that you have and is good for them) around the coop so they have something besides each other to peck at. Good luck with them and keep the updates coming!

It happened like this:
Neighbour 1: I'm getting rid of a lot of my flock...too much work, too much of my time. Want some birds?
Me: Oh, wow, if you'd asked me a year ago, I'd have jumped at the chance! But I have lots of my own, now. [logical voice]
Neighbour 2: I'd love some, but I can't get a coop built before spring; too much on my plate.
Me: Oh, I need to build a new coop anyhow because I want to do meat birds next summer. How about I chicken-sit the birds you want over winter, and you take them when you have your coop ready in spring? [chicken-addicted voice].

You cracked me up!

It all sounds familiar somehow.........​