Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

Yesterday Branch decided he had waited long enough to visit with Chiquita and her chicks so he revolted. All afternoon he planted himself in front of the coup and crowed. He did not shut up. I love to hear my boys crow, but after a while I was ready to choke him. I do not know how he is able to crow this morning, he should have lost his voice. I finally gave up and went outside. I picked him up and went in with him and set him down. Chiquita gave a warning growl and I thought I would have to put him out. I had come armed with a bun and gave branch a piece of it. He stayed in place and called to the chicks and they came running. He fed them, and then went and sat down beside grumpy Chiquita and started grooming her while the chicks scampered about. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have never saw a rooster so good with babies. One even grabbed ahold of his comb and hung on. He just gently shook it off but did not peck it at all.

Branch is amazing!!!

 

[knoturavggrl]

Yesterday Branch decided he had waited long enough to visit with Chiquita and her chicks so he revolted. All afternoon he planted himself in front of the coup and crowed. He did not shut up. I love to hear my boys crow, but after a while I was ready to choke him. I do not know how he is able to crow this morning, he should have lost his voice. I finally gave up and went outside. I picked him up and went in with him and set him down. Chiquita gave a warning growl and I thought I would have to put him out. I had come armed with a bun and gave branch a piece of it. He stayed in place and called to the chicks and they came running. He fed them, and then went and sat down beside grumpy Chiquita and started grooming her while the chicks scampered about. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have never saw a rooster so good with babies. One even grabbed ahold of his comb and hung on. He just gently shook it off but did not peck it at all.

Awwlll that is one amazing Rooster. I am so telling Oreo this story!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Okay, so I have been looking for a online place to buy chicken feed and I have settled on Kalmbach, I really like to get their henhouse reserve and mix it with their all-flock but the henhouse has calcium in it.

Now, having read a few posts on BYC about calcium being unnecessary and potentially harmful to Roosters I have to date gone the route of all flock with free choice oyster shell. But I am having issues getting all flock consistently at rural king and TS here doesn’t carry it at all. So this is what spurred my search for an online supplier.

My question for you fine folks is this, what truth is there to this if any? Is layer feed actually bad for a roosters health?

I too have read everywhere and it says extra calcium is bad for roosters long term heath. What is one to do besides separate the boys from the girls so that they cannot share the same feed. I have chosen to cater to my hens needs as they are the majority of my flock and feed layer feed. The boys do eat it as well. Here is the thing though, they free range and really the chicken feed is not what makes up the majority of their diet. They have it available at all times, and they only eat it out of boredom. Bugs and grass, and whatever they find in the manure piles is what they prefer.

 

[ValarieF]

View attachment 3391067

 

[ValarieF]

Went to the drs. She changed my blood pressure medication and took some bloodwork to check vitamin deficiency. Heres a video

 

[ValarieF]

My hubby thought only roosters have large combs and thought all my Ancona hens were roosters! LOL

 

[knoturavggrl]

Went to the drs. She changed my blood pressure medication and took some bloodwork to check vitamin deficiency. Heres a video

So sweet love when they come and say hello! Zeus looks fabulous half chicken half comb. Adorable!

 

[featherhead007]

That was unexpected! It startled me.

 

[knoturavggrl]

I too have read everywhere and it says extra calcium is bad for roosters long term heath. What is one to do besides separate the boys from the girls so that they cannot share the same feed. I have chosen to cater to my hens needs as they are the majority of my flock and feed layer feed. The boys do eat it as well. Here is the thing though, they free range and really the chicken feed is not what makes up the majority of their diet. They have it available at all times, and they only eat it out of boredom. Bugs and grass, and whatever they find in the manure piles is what they prefer.

Thank you for sharing what you do. It really is tricky. I think Ill go with my plan then to split the difference. Half 20% All Flock and Half 17% Henhouse reserve this should ensure the pullets get some calcium in their food but hopefully reduce the harm to Oreos health. Oyster shell will always be available to supplement the hens needs.

 

[ManueB]

My question for you fine folks is this, what truth is there to this if any? Is layer feed actually bad for a roosters health?

I have tried all flock, but my ex-batts had laying issues.
I agree with @RebeccaBoyd , I also chose to give layer feed to everyone.
I also do something very unorthodox so I'm not necessarily recommending it, but here it is. I've doing this since last summer now. I buy a bag of organic wheat. In one feeder, I mix half layer feed, half organic wheat ; in the others I put only layer feed. So the chickens chose. It may be because they've always been used to it, but the ex-batts prefer the layer feed ; the roosters and the younger pullets prefer the mix, which has less protein and less calcium.