Good for you guys learning everything about guineas before getting them. Before getting a breed we would read up on it before getting them ~ & learned much more after experiencing a particular breedReading all the stuff on hierarchy has been interesting. So far only Red Leader has infiltrated the Empire. She seems to be relegated to the lower roost. The others remain in the small coop. The older girls seem to rule the roost, pun totally intended. They regularly wander in the small coop and eat the reds food. The rest of the red squadron rarely go into the main coop. Only if seeking cover because we're doing something that spooks them. They are about 12-13 weeks old now I believe.
We're hoping to get the coop finished this weekend...(again). Of course, it's going to be in the high 90s again, after a week on low 80s when hubs was sick and I was working.Bad for us, because it's miserable working outside when it's so hot. Bad for chooks, because they're still in the metal coops. I hate to move them when I can't keep them in the coop for a few days before letting them into the run. But IF we get done, we may move them and deal.
God help us, we're considering getting Guineas! I hate the thought of pesticides, and we watched a Homestead Rescue where they got guineas to control ticks and now he's reading about them. I had joked about it, but hubby's tired of ticks! Those nasty bugs love him. We're going to have a poultry farm before too long. We don't know the first thing about guineas!
. But seriously, it's great to have fore-knowledge to be fore-armed. Guineas are too noisy for our small backyard but I always thought they were adorable & useful.
I loathe blood sportsI find I don’t really have a linear hierarchy of who’s the boss. Penelope was queen and is still high up but I have found she mostly ignores everyone now. She is very elderly.
With the rest of the hens, it’s funny how one hen will boss someone of them but them in turn get bosses by someone else. And so forth. It’s rather circular. But the big ‘boss mares’ would be Raven, Penelope, Blanche and Fluffy one of my Silkies.
But again just because Raven lords it over some doesn’t mean she in turn isn’t bossed around. It’s very hilarious watching them all!
The Roos - Bert and Mr P do not get harassed by the hens, but the younger cockerels do (Rosario, Mr Little Chicken) - Clyde the silkie steers clear of the big birds and will run and hide with me if he is being picked on.
Shirley/Shorty has not crowed yet so not sure what to think there. I keep hoping he’s a shethose beautiful feathered legs are just too wonderful. Even the barred pattern is lovely
but I must face the fact I will have to deal with him, same as Rosario.
Not sure what to do with Bert; I have no takers for him - just a couple creeps who want ‘males’ - likley for cock fighting. I told them take a hike. If he is to go to freezer camp I will do it myself and bury him with Larry. He won’t be sent someplace we’re some one abuses him
Keep us updated on Guineas. I keep considering getting them for the same reason.Reading all the stuff on hierarchy has been interesting. So far only Red Leader has infiltrated the Empire. She seems to be relegated to the lower roost. The others remain in the small coop. The older girls seem to rule the roost, pun totally intended. They regularly wander in the small coop and eat the reds food. The rest of the red squadron rarely go into the main coop. Only if seeking cover because we're doing something that spooks them. They are about 12-13 weeks old now I believe.
We're hoping to get the coop finished this weekend...(again). Of course, it's going to be in the high 90s again, after a week on low 80s when hubs was sick and I was working.
God help us, we're considering getting Guineas! I hate the thought of pesticides, and we watched a Homestead Rescue where they got guineas to control ticks and now he's reading about them. I had joked about it, but hubby's tired of ticks! Those nasty bugs love him. We're going to have a poultry farm before too long. We don't know the first thing about guineas!
Once they start laying eggs they will integrate better. Meanwhile they will just have to deal with it.Reading all the stuff on hierarchy has been interesting. So far only Red Leader has infiltrated the Empire. She seems to be relegated to the lower roost. The others remain in the small coop. The older girls seem to rule the roost, pun totally intended. They regularly wander in the small coop and eat the reds food. The rest of the red squadron rarely go into the main coop. Only if seeking cover because we're doing something that spooks them. They are about 12-13 weeks old now I believe.
We're hoping to get the coop finished this weekend...(again). Of course, it's going to be in the high 90s again, after a week on low 80s when hubs was sick and I was working.
God help us, we're considering getting Guineas! I hate the thought of pesticides, and we watched a Homestead Rescue where they got guineas to control ticks and now he's reading about them. I had joked about it, but hubby's tired of ticks! Those nasty bugs love him. We're going to have a poultry farm before too long. We don't know the first thing about guineas!
It’s illegal here and I am sure in the UK also.
I have noted My P and Bert only get involved in big fights or if one of the youngsters is being attacked.Teehee!
It must be a chicken thing. Anytime we've added a bird to our existing flock the new bird (whether a hen or younger pullet) has tried taking over bullying or trying to become alpha ~ testing their position in an existing flock to bully first before an existing bird bullies her? exert power to avoid getting attacked? stress in a new environment? jealousy? dare we attach humanism to hens? Even the Silkie babies we recently added attempted challenging the adult hens. We threw up our hands to it's just a chicken thing & they sort it out!
6 Fluffies ~ butts are all we ever see!
We never had a roo to keep the peace between squabbling hormonal hens but one hen always took over an alpha role in a group. Our friends only had hens & their alpha hen would crow!
When we added 3 new Dom juveniles in 2017 they immediately acknowledged older Silkie Violet as alpha & chose out of the blue to protect her from a bigger 7.5-lb bully hen Char. Reminds me how your Marty chose to come to Mr P's defense. Or maybe distress screams automatically stirs heroism within a bird or two in the flock to protect?
If Violet screamed from one of Char's attacks the 3 Doms would put Char in her place! It was the first time we ever had birds that protected one another ~ so obviously we became partial to Dominiques for their heroism when called for as well as their calm temperaments & people-friendly outgoing unafraid demeanor.
In 13+ yrs every year seemed to change our backyard flock dynamics as birds were added, or died, or got rehomed. It's been an interesting roller coaster/circusride to say the least but fun!
Bab will be fine in no time. Once healed you will probably never know it was there. Raven as a teenager did something to skin the back of her neck. She had about a inch tear in the skin. It looked terrible. I kept it clean with Vetricyn and it healed in no time. Feathers never grew back over the wound, but the rest cover it so well that most times I forget it is there.
We have a problem. Bab has a massive wound on her neck.
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It explains her roosting issues and general lack of enthusiasm. It's healing??? But holy crap. She cuddled with me for an hour or so while I tried to figure out when it happened. Butterbird came to check on her and cuddle, even though she was scared of me.
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See the raised hackles? Yeah that's from the wound.
I finally found the culprit, the quick brooder we built. There are exposed screw points and she got skinned by one.
So everyone is in thw beige coop tonight. The momma birds gave concerned trills as I piled them onto the roosts but did not move. Butterbird squawked until I put Bab next to her then immediately smooshed into her.
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I wasn't going to start encouraging them to roost in here for another week or two, but oh well. Tomorrow I will keep this group seperate from the big hens just to keep things as safe as possible and after my market we will get the brooder out of there and cut off the screw ends.
I'm super upset. Not only did a chick get hurt from carelessness, but I'm having flashbacks to being a kid with my blind barred rock Peeps and then having to give her up for meat after all the special care I gave her...I don't think I'm ready for another black and white striped chicken. Maybe it's hormones or because my knee is hurting, but I am bawling over this poor chick.
Hubby says she's going to pull through, she'll have a wicked scar and her feathers will just stay poking out on her neck. I'm hoping he's right.
I so much wish we could have a roo. One old neighbor who has since passed was ok w/ a roo but other working neighborhood probably not so much ~ the silly higher pitched crow of a Silkie roo travels far teehee!
