INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[chick rookie]

The parrot documentary that recently upset me so much can now be watched online:
Video: Parrot Confidential | Watch Nature Online | PBS Video

thanks for this it has shed a whole new light on what these poor birds go through,

Here is my view on the whole Heritage thing. I don't exactly see it as endangered breed. I see it as the purest form of that breed, if that makes any sense. We will use Plymouth Rocks as an example. A rock from a hatchery, not heritage.Hatcheries throw a little bit of leghorn and such to make an overall "better" production type bird. They make them look like a rock, but in reality aren't. A breeder that breeds Rocks and works hard to preserve the breed,get everything right, follow the SOP, that is heritage. I view it as every breed has a heritage form and a commercial form. Some breeds are still around in abundance, but the "heritage" form is becoming scarce. Now that made sense in my head, not sure if it made sense when it typed it lol!

now I don't know if I ever want to buy from a hatchery, the ameraucana's aren't really Ameraucana's, they are EE's and now any breed they carry is going to have other breeds in them, guess I'll just keep looking for breeders, and saving my money. I still have 2 different breeds I want to complete my flock.

jchny ~ I don't mean to be an enabler -- BUT . . . that dog is adorable. It looks like it came from a good home and at 1.5 years old, I'd think she could be trained. Plus, you wouldn't have to deal with the downside of a puppy-- the constant care, potty-training, teething, jumping on your parents, etc. It looks like a nice size, too, not too big or too small. (photo from craigslist ad)

they are good dogs,

I'm so glad you said that.

I've long considered trying to find an adult dog that could run with the chickens and not attack them. I want it as a guardian/predator deterrent. Most people say you have to raise them with the livestock from birth.

I have never had any luck with adult dogs, have always had to get pups and raise them with my critters but that's just MO.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: Your opinion and experience is among the MAJORITY of opinions and experience that I've heard from other people.

 

[chick rookie]

sorry for tyhe 2nd post but this one is going to be long enough by itslef.. lol

First I was very happy to find 17 egg's yesterday, 2 OF THEM BLUE, so my other EE is now laying,

AND 17!!!!!!!!!!!



2nd My cochin Roo I got from ChickCrazed is being picked on BY THE HENS!!!!!! any one know why and how I can stop it, it started a couple days ago. It's bad enough that I have to stand next to him to let him eat cause all a hen has to do is walk close to him and he will run away. and he wont come back to eat. Both of these hens were chasing him and that aren't the only ones that do it.


3rd I have some Rooster Booster Poultry Cell, Vitamin supplement. I am out of my chick vitamins, and with DH being off work would it be ok to give them the Poultry Cell? trying to cut some corners but don't want to hurt anything doing it.



4th and last I have a hen that always acts cold she stays all puffed up and sits out in the wind..... I pick her up and put her back in the house.

Sorry about all the problems but it has been going on for a couple days and nothing I do seems to help any,

 

[ChickCrazed]

sorry for tyhe 2nd post but this one is going to be long enough by itslef.. lol

First I was very happy to find 17 egg's yesterday, 2 OF THEM BLUE, so my other EE is now laying,

AND 17!!!!!!!!!!!



2nd My cochin Roo I got from ChickCrazed is being picked on BY THE HENS!!!!!! any one know why and how I can stop it, it started a couple days ago. It's bad enough that I have to stand next to him to let him eat cause all a hen has to do is walk close to him and he will run away. and he wont come back to eat. Both of these hens were chasing him and that aren't the only ones that do it.


3rd I have some Rooster Booster Poultry Cell, Vitamin supplement. I am out of my chick vitamins, and with DH being off work would it be ok to give them the Poultry Cell? trying to cut some corners but don't want to hurt anything doing it.



4th and last I have a hen that always acts cold she stays all puffed up and sits out in the wind..... I pick her up and put her back in the house.

Sorry about all the problems but it has been going on for a couple days and nothing I do seems to help any,

Maybe try multiple feeding stations for the Cochin? I always have at least one for every five birds so the timid ones get enough to eat. I have a couple bossy oldies who guard the food otherwise. My guess (since I have seen it with my Cochin Roo of late) is that he tried to get "some benefits" from the wrong sassy ladies and they are now telling him who really wears the pants in the hen house. My Chewie found his hormones and decided to try going for a piggy back ride. Unfortunately for him, his first chosen victim was Margo (man she must be hot chicken stuff since she was Linus’ fav too). I heard her shrieking and went running to rescue her. I got there just in time to see him abandon his efforts and see her jump ON HIM. He tried high tailing it out of there with her clinging to his back yelling and pecking. She may be the smallest hen in the house, but she is certainly not the easiest game in town.

Chewie



Margo

 

[chick rookie]

Maybe try multiple feeding stations for the Cochin? I always have at least one for every five birds so the timid ones get enough to eat. I have a couple bossy oldies who guard the food otherwise. My guess (since I have seen it with my Cochin Roo of late) is that he tried to get "some benefits" from the wrong sassy ladies and they are now telling him who really wears the pants in the hen house. My Chewie found his hormones and decided to try going for a piggy back ride. Unfortunately for him, his first chosen victim was Margo (man she must be hot chicken stuff since she was Linus’ fav too). I heard her shrieking and went running to rescue her. I got there just in time to see him abandon his efforts and see her jump ON HIM. He tried high tailing it out of there with her clinging to his back yelling and pecking. She may be the smallest hen in the house, but she is certainly not the easiest game in town.

Chewie



Margo

Margo is pretty.
I have 2 feeding areas I will try putting out some more see if that works, he has been strutting his stuff, if I kick him out of the house. he dont like going through the pop door, needs to be bigger, spring thing, or at least warmer then 0... lol

 

[Leahs Mom]

2nd My cochin Roo I got from ChickCrazed is being picked on BY THE HENS!!!!!! any one know why and how I can stop it, it started a couple days ago. It's bad enough that I have to stand next to him to let him eat cause all a hen has to do is walk close to him and he will run away. and he wont come back to eat. Both of these hens were chasing him and that aren't the only ones that do it.

We were just talking about this in the Natural Chicken Keeping Thread. Here are a couple of quotes that I hope will be of interest:

I found my new junior rooster pecked to death this morning.
Separated the other new chickens; I could just see walking in to each of them dead the mornings in a row & there's no need of that.
I'm so ******!
I guess I have two separate flocks now. Wish I weren't. so nice and hast let them basically kill/starve for innocent chickens before I figured out that they're just....like this.
I'm just so ******!!!!!
Sorry.

This has happened to me TWICE. Once this year, and once last year. This year after they killed this rooster, they started to eat him. It was after morning chores and before 2pm. I don't think they do this unless something is just not right with the one killed.. It was a meat rooster they killed. He was 16 weeks old.

They killed a cowardly rooster last year before the fire too. He lost too much blood and he died 12 hours later.

So @aoxa

Can you elaborate on this statement?
What has been your experience with integrating new members to the flock?
Is it possible that the other roosters saw this one as a threat to their "kingdom" and just took him out?
Have you ever put a new cockerel / rooster into the flock when they were in somewhat restricted quarters (like winter) and had things go well?

For our information and education...

Quote: @aoxa
Elaboration: I had a cochin rooster last year around December that had developed mites after a show. I did not realize this until he was showing signs (so important to examine at least a couple bird a week). I treated him, they were gone, but left him in a bit of a weak state. He was the lowest on the pecking order. The turkeys attacked him while I was at work. His comb was almost gone and you know how combs can bleed.. well he lost a lot of blood, and in his already poor condition stress did him over.

The second one.. I have no clue what was wrong with him. He was just very timid and with any provocation would cower and take the beatings. I figured they'd tell him who was the boss and it would be done.. I'm not sure if this is what was going on, or if something was wrong with him on a deeper level that was making him such a coward. Anyway, they tortured him. There was blood ALL over the barn. It was really, really sad. I won't breed roosters low on the pecking order because of these things.

It is possible they saw him as a threat, but enough to kill him? Was it a rooster that did it, or hens? If a rooster was killed by a bunch of hens something MUST have been wrong..

Have I ever put a new cockerel or rooster in? Yes. They do fight when introduced, but to the point of death, never. The two that were killed were long time flock members, not new roosters.

I've had them almost kill a hen that had been quite weak for a long time. It was two years ago, and they had almost pecked her eye out. We put her down, but she was off for a long time and it was getting worse and worse. Once she really showed weakness, they attempted to take her out. That is a big threat having a weak link in the flock.

 

[Leahs Mom]

CR -
When I had a young cockerel just coming of age the hens in my flock would grab him by the wattles and hang on while he was trying to get away yelling! He's the only male and once he was old enough to "do the deed" he was accepted with no problems.

So...my questions....

-How old is this roo?
-Is he being newly introduced to the flock or has he been w/the flock for awhile?

 

[chick rookie]

We were just talking about this in the Natural Chicken Keeping Thread. Here are a couple of quotes that I hope will be of interest:




This has happened to me TWICE. Once this year, and once last year. This year after they killed this rooster, they started to eat him. It was after morning chores and before 2pm. I don't think they do this unless something is just not right with the one killed.. It was a meat rooster they killed. He was 16 weeks old.

They killed a cowardly rooster last year before the fire too. He lost too much blood and he died 12 hours later.

I will go check the thread out, thanks

CR -
When I had a young cockerel just coming of age the hens in my flock would grab him by the wattles and hang on while he was trying to get away yelling! He's the only male and once he was old enough to "do the deed" he was accepted with no problems.

So...my questions....

-How old is this roo?
-Is he being newly introduced to the flock or has he been w/the flock for awhile?

I think ChickCrazed saiid he was 9 - 10 mths old ( I need to write all that stuff down ) he just started Crowing when I got him. I have seen him doing his thing well trying to do his thing a few times but not much with the hens beating him up, they are happy with just chasing him away right now. This Monday was 1 week in with the flock, and this just started a couple days ago. I just got in from putting out more feeding areas, hoping this will stop the fussing.

 

[ChickCrazed]

I will go check the thread out, thanks

I think ChickCrazed saiid he was 9 - 10 mths old ( I need to write all that stuff down ) he just started Crowing when I got him. I have seen him doing his thing well trying to do his thing a few times but not much with the hens beating him up, they are happy with just chasing him away right now. This Monday was 1 week in with the flock, and this just started a couple days ago. I just got in from putting out more feeding areas, hoping this will stop the fussing.

He is 9-10 months old, but Cochins develop slowly so in many ways he may act younger. He may be duping you into thinking it is worse than it is too. Both Cochin boys would come running up to me and crowd around because they wanted me to crouch down and let them eat right out of the feed scoop, rather than off the scattered food or out of the tubs They were a bit spoiled because I thought it was cute so I enabled the behavior. So he may prefer to have you right there, but when you aren't he may be fine with the girls. I'll obviously take any of mine back if they become trouble makers, so no worries there just let me know. I see one of the Barred Rocks in the pic. They are super sassy

 

[chick rookie]

He is 9-10 months old, but Cochins develop slowly so in many ways he may act younger. He may be duping you into thinking it is worse than it is too. Both Cochin boys would come running up to me and crowd around because they wanted me to crouch down and let them eat right out of the feed scoop, rather than off the scattered food or out of the tubs They were a bit spoiled because I thought it was cute so I enabled the behavior. So he may prefer to have you right there, but when you aren't he may be fine with the girls. I'll obviously take any of mine back if they become trouble makers, so no worries there just let me know. I see one of the Barred Rocks in the pic. They are super sassy

OH NO ...Are you trying to get me killed...... sorry but you are not getting him back... lol we love him and he is DH's pick and says he will build him his OWN house and get him some of his own ladies if he has to but forbids me to get rid him. said we will bring him in until he gets him his own place if we have to...

and he couldn't understand why I wanted chickens in the first place.... He is getting hooked now!!!!!!
He held him the other day so I could trim his but up a bit, he had dried poo in his feathers, think he was stressed after the move, cause he is fine now, but that was the day he started falling for Big Man's charms... lol