INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

What age is this boy? It might be a "b" vitamin issue which is very common in leg issues. Chopped up raw liver is one of the best sources. For a quick, "not so natural" way, get some poly-vi-sol children's vitamins NO IRON ADDED and put in the water.
Thank you! I will try adding supplements to water tonight and go get some liver tomorrow. I didn't raise him from a chick, but he just started to crow this winter, so my guess is that he's less than a year old. Really appreciate the advice!! :)
 
I'm having the same trouble! Chewie is just so big and Cochins are not graceful! Let me know what you figure out! I'll order some onesies from you :) Maybe a nice chicken chastity belt to give them a few weeks off!
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Aww I know what you mean our Blueberry is just adorable, but he is a late bloomer at a year old and is just now figuring things out, and thinks the way to a hens heart is by grabbing her by the butt feathers as she runs screaming away from him. He tries to buy them dinner first, buy dropping a piece of kale, or a worm, or the occasional alpaca turd , but they just don't pay attention, so he has resorted to lying in wait for one to get close enough to snag. His bedroom manners could use a little work. I need sleeves on said onsies also, since my girls shoulders are also getting ripped up.

I'm honestly not sure how they could resist this floofy butt.


The real damage inflictor.... He's a wonderful protector though. Ironically enough
 
Thank you! I will try adding supplements to water tonight and go get some liver tomorrow. I didn't raise him from a chick, but he just started to crow this winter, so my guess is that he's less than a year old. Really appreciate the advice!! :)
Leahsmom is right. I always have polyvisol on hand. Something about silkies just makes them very prone to vitamin deficiencies. So far I have never had issues with mine, and it has to be the vitamins. I hope your little guys gets better. Also Suki is doing really well on her 9 eggs. It's amazing what they can hoard under themselves. Like little Mary Poppins bottoms. (her purse was bottomless for the younger blood on this thread
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Where did you get your isbars from?

I was considering some cream legbars but have almost decided against it because of the crests. (Don't like crests for ranging and wanting to move away from them as much as possible in my SFH too.)

Anyhow, liked the idea of self-sexing cream legbars as I want colored egg layers and would really like to breed my own rather than purchasing hatchery EE's regularly. Perhaps the Isbars would be a good option. (Just thinking out loud here.)

Omega Hills Farm. They are a super cute little breed and is supposed to lay really well. I am really excited for green eggs! Mine are all blue but I am looking forward to hatching some black and splash out as well!
 
A bit OT, but I'm having a mommy-panic-attack moment - this evening my dear, sweet, "baby" girl informed me that there are only 38 days until her graduation.............when did this happen, who gave her permission to grow up?
Anyone been through this with your own kids? Just hoping someone can tell me that you do live through it..........
 
Aww I know what you mean our Blueberry is just adorable, but he is a late bloomer at a year old and is just now figuring things out, and thinks the way to a hens heart is by grabbing her by the butt feathers as she runs screaming away from him. He tries to buy them dinner first, buy dropping a piece of kale, or a worm, or the occasional alpaca turd , but they just don't pay attention, so he has resorted to lying in wait for one to get close enough to snag. His bedroom manners could use a little work. I need sleeves on said onsies also, since my girls shoulders are also getting ripped up.

I'm honestly not sure how they could resist this floofy butt.


The real damage inflictor.... He's a wonderful protector though. Ironically enough

Super handsome fellas! Chewie has also been to the school of caveman romance but he has started dancing for them (as well as a clumsy cochin CAN dance, he mostly looks like he is tripping all over the place). They are less than impressed so he pretty much chases them down and then throws down. It is stressing me out seeing the hens stress out! He is so cute though and is such a nice boy to me!!! Chewie is also a little over a year old, but he has had "it" figured out since about Feb and isn't getting any better at it! I have thought about re-homing him but worry that my Marans youngin might not be any better and he will then take over the flock.

Sir Chewie!!
 
Super handsome fellas! Chewie has also been to the school of caveman romance but he has started dancing for them (as well as a clumsy cochin CAN dance, he mostly looks like he is tripping all over the place). They are less than impressed so he pretty much chases them down and then throws down. It is stressing me out seeing the hens stress out! He is so cute though and is such a nice boy to me!!! Chewie is also a little over a year old, but he has had "it" figured out since about Feb and isn't getting any better at it! I have thought about re-homing him but worry that my Marans youngin might not be any better and he will then take over the flock.

Sir Chewie!!
I'm sure he will get more graceful. Gus was terribly clumbsy for about 5 months. They just squat for him now and its over quickly. But they still get feathers torn from his feet so aside of making him wear rooster reeboks, I will have to try the trimming idea. I just added 7 pullets to the flock, and will have 2 large fowl black cochin pullets and two cockerels joining the party in a few weeks. I have about a year to decide on the black cochin boys what I'm doing with them since they mature slowly. Don't stress out. Find them stuff to keep them busy and they won't mount the hens so much.
 
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Okay, little news update!

All six of the EE's are enjoying there new place outside, my dad and I built a red neck architecture coop/grow out pen for them on Saturday and I'm very proud of it. I'll have to post some pics of the coop and the chicks and some funky eggs I've been getting
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Also, thanks for all the advice, Mother2hens about my injured hen. She is looking relatively better, I'm gonna have to keep spraying her with that stuff. Lol I will admit I felt mildly foolish when you pointed out how chickens hide their injuries. I completely forgot about that and felt so dumb
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I guess one can know a lot and still not know enough. Anyway I appreciate it thanks a lot!

I heard someone say something about a chicken fest? Id love to go if its set in stone. Now I just need a date to set down with my parents so we can clear a calender and come/go to it! But its a great idea!

Also, my Dad is bugging me about a turkey. Does anyone have any turkey hens or poults they could be willing to sell? Only trick is my dad wants 'wild looking turkey'.
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FlockMaster ~ I'm glad to hear that your hen is doing better!
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And don't feel dumb because we all tend to miss the obvious when there's a sudden emergency and our heads start spinning. LIke the other night when my son pointed out that one of my chickens was jerking its head and then resting it forward-- I had a million "what ifs" running through my head and then I realized that it occurred right before they went in the coop for the night, so she was just a sleepy chicken!
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(atrueb00~ you were correct!)
About turkeys~ Our Rural KIng stores have a bunch of turkeys-- reduced, so you might check RK or other farm stores near you.

My simplest solution is that this shed came with a wood ladder that I don't plan on using; it's too old and rickety. If I lean it on the roost, it's a good gentle angle, but the rungs are a foot apart - would that serve the birds who don't want to just fly up and down?
hoosiercheetah ~ I know that you've had replies saying that yes, the birds can fly to and from their perches, but I want to point out that if you did lean an old ladder on the roost, they're likely to roost on the ladder instead of using as steps. Chickens are good at repurposing things!
My chickens (breeds listed in my signature) free range in a fenced in backyard and have never tried flying out. From what I've read on this thread, I don't think many members clip wings unless they have to. As far as
pginsber's comment about not clipping their wings would help them fly from predators-- I'm sure that's true, but in the case of my weird chickens, the two times they've been chased by a loose dog, they've RUN! Luckily, both times my deranged screaming scared the dogs off.
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Originally Posted by bradselig bradselig ~ Exciting! And you finally got Jubilee Orps and a bantam Chocolate Orp! I am no longer exclusive---lol. I can't wait to see photos. I got mine when they were old enough to know they were pullets-- 2 months old, so I missed the baby stages.
Lonely Page~ Glad to hear that your chicks arrived and that your son's b-day was a happy one.
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alliejean ~ Congrats on your huge accomplishment of getting a coop ready for your chicks!
 

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