CalicoDozen1921
In the Brooder
- May 7, 2021
- 2
- 27
- 31
Howdy there from CalicoDozen1921!
I gotta admit, I have been reading posts on this website for too long NOT to have an account here. So here we go! Took me long enough XD
Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
No, but I am still learning about having chickens. I've had birds since I was 6 years old, and am just now getting back into them after a 4-5 year break. (I went to college and couldn't keep chickens)
How many chickens do you have right now? What breeds do you have?
My current laying adult flock is 12 strong. 6 Easter Eggers, and 7 Black Australorps. Not all of these hens have names just yet, as they were brought home November of 2020. The Easter Eggers are Rindy the Redhead, Little Girl AKA LG, Cocoa (darkest colors), Hershey (second darkest), No-Beard (lightly colored but lacks facial feathers), Arm-Sitter (pretty orange head, very friendly), Crooka AKA Crooked-Feet (toes curl back and up around her feet, but she gets around just fine and doesn't seem to be in pain at all or even bothered really), and Guino AKA Penguino (who I was convinced was going to be a rooster but she lays pretty brown speckled eggs now).
View attachment 2654412
(Above)
My original 13, sadly one of the Australorps didn't make it. (They had just been moved outside for a day or so and I was irresponsible and forgot to lock up their coop, like an idiot. We have lots of raccons, owls, and hawks in my area.)
My adolescent girls in the garage, I call my Punk Triplets. These three are interesting, brought home in mid-March 2021, so they are right in that awkward teenage stage. The first is a Barred Rock named PB (as she was rescued with Pasty Butt, and the initials stuck) who is huge now and very sassy and confident. The second is my boyfriend's chicken, a Sapphire Gem named Chonka, because she was a very fat chick. And last but not least, Jovi the Rhode Island Red. Curious, mischevious, friendly, and a little bossy, Jovi would only stop peeping on the car ride home whenever I sang her Bon Jovi songs.
(Pics of the Punks coming soon)
My last batch of girls is 4 little oddballs that I just fell in love with. The first came home ?? 2021, and her name is Princess Mello of the Marsh... AKA Marshmello, Shmello, Baby Shmel... she's the princess.
She's a white crested black polish chick that came from a not-so-great hatchery, and I have a suspicion that her mom was malnourished or had a vitamin deficiency when her egg was growing. Marshmello was then left in a box of chicks at my work by an irresponsible coworker of mine, as she was mistaken for dead-on-arrival. After my 7 hour shift, I was cleaning and heard the faintest, desperate peeping from a box on the chick care cart. I went over and opened the box with a few of the DOA chicks, and saw something that made my heart sink: movement.
I dug her out as fast as I could, taking her to the little medical place we have for struggling chicks, and got her to drink out of an eyedropper. After getting some fluids in her and massaging her legs and wings for a bit, I left her in a small bin with water, food, bedding, and a heat lamp, as I had to finish up my duties. After about an hour I returned with a little box with fresh bedding, scooped her up, and took her home.
I noticed that her left leg would stick out straight behind her and she seemed almost unable to control it. Since then I've done quite a bit of research on Splay Leg, Slipped Tendons and all sorts of leg problems that I can to try and help her. It looked the most like splay leg to me, so we did about a week with the vet-tape hobble (changed daily) and we straightened her leg out to where she was nearly standing normal without the hobble, and not benefiting from it too much. I did one day off the hobble, and BAM, now her RIGHT leg is facing almost 90 degrees out from her body, and she seems to struggle to walk. She mostly balanced on it, directs herself with her left leg, and flutter over to food and water and warmth, more than walk.
She can eat, drink, and move on her own and doesn't seem to be in pain, but she is quite exhausted most of the time. I imagine the bigger and heavier she gets as she grows will only make it harder for her. I plan on creating another thread dedicated just to her and her special needs, to get other's input on how I can best help her. She is an absolutely wonderful bird who is cuddly and vocal and all around just friendly.
Sophie is an Easter Egger who was originally brought home to keep Marshmello company. Sophie was picked up by my mother, after we had Marshmello for about a week, as Marshmello had started to get a bit lethargic and lonely, despite my best efforts to give her a stuffed animal and spend way too much time cross-legged on the bathroom floor. And so Sophie came home in mid-?? 2021 to be Shmello's roomie. Now they are absolute best friends, and anytime I take Marshmello out to change her bandages, do stretches, or just check on her and visit her, Sophie demands to be out of their little bin and in my lap, so she can make sure to be there for her sister. It's positively adorable!
(Pictures of Young Sophie, and Marshmello Coming Soon)
And finally, we have Waffles and Brownie. Waffles is supposed to be an Easter Egger, but is colored like an ISA Brown/Gold Sexlink chick. S/he isn't the brightest of birds, but she is cuddly and just enjoys sitting in your hand or lap. Brownie is... a bit of a mystery. I think she might be an Aquila, perhaps some kind of Chocolate Maran cross, or some kind of chocolatey chicken, as she is the color of Brownie batter. Very, very, very rich and deep chocolate color! I brought these two home simply because I want to know what they look like all grown up!
(Pictures of Waffles, Brownie, Sophie, and Marshmello Coming Soon)
What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
What are some of your other hobbies?
Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
I gotta admit, I have been reading posts on this website for too long NOT to have an account here. So here we go! Took me long enough XD
Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
No, but I am still learning about having chickens. I've had birds since I was 6 years old, and am just now getting back into them after a 4-5 year break. (I went to college and couldn't keep chickens)
How many chickens do you have right now? What breeds do you have?
My current laying adult flock is 12 strong. 6 Easter Eggers, and 7 Black Australorps. Not all of these hens have names just yet, as they were brought home November of 2020. The Easter Eggers are Rindy the Redhead, Little Girl AKA LG, Cocoa (darkest colors), Hershey (second darkest), No-Beard (lightly colored but lacks facial feathers), Arm-Sitter (pretty orange head, very friendly), Crooka AKA Crooked-Feet (toes curl back and up around her feet, but she gets around just fine and doesn't seem to be in pain at all or even bothered really), and Guino AKA Penguino (who I was convinced was going to be a rooster but she lays pretty brown speckled eggs now).
View attachment 2654412
(Above)
My original 13, sadly one of the Australorps didn't make it. (They had just been moved outside for a day or so and I was irresponsible and forgot to lock up their coop, like an idiot. We have lots of raccons, owls, and hawks in my area.)
My adolescent girls in the garage, I call my Punk Triplets. These three are interesting, brought home in mid-March 2021, so they are right in that awkward teenage stage. The first is a Barred Rock named PB (as she was rescued with Pasty Butt, and the initials stuck) who is huge now and very sassy and confident. The second is my boyfriend's chicken, a Sapphire Gem named Chonka, because she was a very fat chick. And last but not least, Jovi the Rhode Island Red. Curious, mischevious, friendly, and a little bossy, Jovi would only stop peeping on the car ride home whenever I sang her Bon Jovi songs.
(Pics of the Punks coming soon)
My last batch of girls is 4 little oddballs that I just fell in love with. The first came home ?? 2021, and her name is Princess Mello of the Marsh... AKA Marshmello, Shmello, Baby Shmel... she's the princess.
She's a white crested black polish chick that came from a not-so-great hatchery, and I have a suspicion that her mom was malnourished or had a vitamin deficiency when her egg was growing. Marshmello was then left in a box of chicks at my work by an irresponsible coworker of mine, as she was mistaken for dead-on-arrival. After my 7 hour shift, I was cleaning and heard the faintest, desperate peeping from a box on the chick care cart. I went over and opened the box with a few of the DOA chicks, and saw something that made my heart sink: movement.
I dug her out as fast as I could, taking her to the little medical place we have for struggling chicks, and got her to drink out of an eyedropper. After getting some fluids in her and massaging her legs and wings for a bit, I left her in a small bin with water, food, bedding, and a heat lamp, as I had to finish up my duties. After about an hour I returned with a little box with fresh bedding, scooped her up, and took her home.
I noticed that her left leg would stick out straight behind her and she seemed almost unable to control it. Since then I've done quite a bit of research on Splay Leg, Slipped Tendons and all sorts of leg problems that I can to try and help her. It looked the most like splay leg to me, so we did about a week with the vet-tape hobble (changed daily) and we straightened her leg out to where she was nearly standing normal without the hobble, and not benefiting from it too much. I did one day off the hobble, and BAM, now her RIGHT leg is facing almost 90 degrees out from her body, and she seems to struggle to walk. She mostly balanced on it, directs herself with her left leg, and flutter over to food and water and warmth, more than walk.
She can eat, drink, and move on her own and doesn't seem to be in pain, but she is quite exhausted most of the time. I imagine the bigger and heavier she gets as she grows will only make it harder for her. I plan on creating another thread dedicated just to her and her special needs, to get other's input on how I can best help her. She is an absolutely wonderful bird who is cuddly and vocal and all around just friendly.
Sophie is an Easter Egger who was originally brought home to keep Marshmello company. Sophie was picked up by my mother, after we had Marshmello for about a week, as Marshmello had started to get a bit lethargic and lonely, despite my best efforts to give her a stuffed animal and spend way too much time cross-legged on the bathroom floor. And so Sophie came home in mid-?? 2021 to be Shmello's roomie. Now they are absolute best friends, and anytime I take Marshmello out to change her bandages, do stretches, or just check on her and visit her, Sophie demands to be out of their little bin and in my lap, so she can make sure to be there for her sister. It's positively adorable!
(Pictures of Young Sophie, and Marshmello Coming Soon)
And finally, we have Waffles and Brownie. Waffles is supposed to be an Easter Egger, but is colored like an ISA Brown/Gold Sexlink chick. S/he isn't the brightest of birds, but she is cuddly and just enjoys sitting in your hand or lap. Brownie is... a bit of a mystery. I think she might be an Aquila, perhaps some kind of Chocolate Maran cross, or some kind of chocolatey chicken, as she is the color of Brownie batter. Very, very, very rich and deep chocolate color! I brought these two home simply because I want to know what they look like all grown up!
(Pictures of Waffles, Brownie, Sophie, and Marshmello Coming Soon)
What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
What are some of your other hobbies?
Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
Glad you joined. Everyone here is very kind and helpful 
Hello and welcome to BYC, You found an Awesome poultry Forum to be a part of with many great knowledgeable members who are more then willing to jump in and help you with any questions you may have. 
So glad you decided to join us
