INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[ellymayRans]

@Faraday40 I'm so sorry about cuddles. She was a beautiful girl!

 

[tmarsh83]

Integration started this weekend. We've been feeding treats at the run fence for a while now, and some limited free time for the littles, and inside run time for the bigs just to get them together. There's been some squabbles when the littles get to close to feed, but other than that it's been pretty tame. They all roosted together last night, and are runned together today. The bigs also need to get used to the new roll out boxes, so this could be interesting.

But while I was uncovering things sunday morning from the frost, the boss lady did this several times. She's such a mouthy thing. I need that cochin to grow up and put her in her place...

 

[Leahs Mom]

Hands on practice would be awesome. That's so cool that you guys do that. I'm not afraid of cleaning them...just that cut that ends their life. I've never killed anything. My family has no farming background and I've never pulled the trigger whenhunting. But It gives me so much pride to start a farm, so that my children grow up this way. We are starting with pigs in Spring and I'm really excited about that.

@Greenthumb83
When I grew up our animals were our friends - not our food. So I have the same challenge. I really encourage you to go see/do it in person. My husband and I got a lesson and each processed a bird but they were birds I didn't "know"...not my own. This year we will have meat birds if all goes as planned. Not sure yet if we're going to send them to the butcher or do it ourselves. But IT IS nice to know that we CAN do it if we want/need to.


Here's a post showing our experience:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...keeping-thread-ots-welcome/4490#post_10304325


Also - my favorite video on how to process. It's really clear and simple. If we process again, I'll get out this video and watch several times before proceeding.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@tmarsh83

You know what "they" say...

Whistling girls and crowing hens,
Both will come to no good ends.


[Always wondered who "they" are... "They" say a lot of things, it seems.]

 

[tmarsh83]

@tmarsh83 You know what "they" say... Whistling girls and crowing hens, Both will come to no good ends. [Always wondered who "they" are... "They" say a lot of things, it seems.]

That's a new one on me! Lol

 

[browncow15]

Hey guys! I need some help. I mail ordered chicks for the first time last week and all arrived happy. I took care of them like I usually do babies but they are dropping like flys. I don't know what's going on, I've lost 6 of the 24 now They seem fine then one will look a little slow and within an hour it'll be dead. I had sav a chick in their water for the first few days, but it's just plain now. They were on medicated chick starter by accident. But I switched them onto the ferminted all flock feed everyone else is eating yesterday. Any ideas?

 

[Leahs Mom]

@browncow15

It could be as simple as just having gotten some weak birds from shipping.

If they were mine, I'd try giving them some good brewers yeast. I have started doing that "free feed" even with the tiny babies. I just put it in a pile in their feed pan and they always go for that first.

The other thing I'd try is giving them some tiny pieces of grass-fed meat. Do not leave meat out. Once they get that it is food, give them just what they'll eat while you are there then remove anything not eaten.

Some poly-vi-sol in their water [NO ADDED IRON] or some Poultry Nutri-drench if you want to go the fast, synthetic way.

 

[Indyshent]

Integration started this weekend. We've been feeding treats at the run fence for a while now, and some limited free time for the littles, and inside run time for the bigs just to get them together. There's been some squabbles when the littles get to close to feed, but other than that it's been pretty tame. They all roosted together last night, and are runned together today. The bigs also need to get used to the new roll out boxes, so this could be interesting.

But while I was uncovering things sunday morning from the frost, the boss lady did this several times. She's such a mouthy thing. I need that cochin to grow up and put her in her place...

That's usually how it goes here. Littles are taught to wait until after the big kids eat. It's a pecking order thing.

You may have to wait awhile for your roo to "put her in her place" for a myriad of reasons.

1) Cochins are slow to mature. He's not going to be full size until his second birthday, but he'll be big enough by his first (more than likely) and will likely to be trying to get in their pants between 5 and 7 months.

2) Dominant hens are loathe to relinquish control to a boy.

3) Despite all the rape that can go on with roosters, hens have an acceptance threshold. They pick who they'll submit to and when they'll do it, to an extent. They can drive off unwanted boys and deny them nookie (even though it gets them beat up). This acceptance can take weeks to achieve, especially if a dominant hen doesn't like him (other girls will follow suit and beat him up).

4) No one makes love well at first. Boys often have terrible form when they're just getting started, and this doesn't bode well for their acceptance as dominant roo over the flock. Most hens will take a chivalrous, older, more experienced man every single time... rather than settle for some klutzy kid built like a fridge who has no idea how to wield what God gave him. Your boy's more likely to win a Heisman than to be stealing any hearts... at least for awhile.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@browncow15

It could be as simple as just having gotten some weak birds from shipping.

If they were mine, I'd try giving them some good brewers yeast. I have started doing that "free feed" even with the tiny babies. I just put it in a pile in their feed pan and they always go for that first.

The other thing I'd try is giving them some tiny pieces of grass-fed meat. Do not leave meat out. Once they get that it is food, give them just what they'll eat while you are there then remove anything not eaten.

Some poly-vi-sol in their water [NO ADDED IRON] or some Poultry Nutri-drench if you want to go the fast, synthetic way.

@browncow15
PS: Is the Save-a-Chick their electrolytes? If so it sounds like you've already tried that. If not, some electrolytes may be in order... are they all drinking well?

Also -
Have you noticed any issues in the droppings? Since these sound like they're very young chicks there probably won't be an issue there...

-Also check for any dampness in the litter that may be causing mold growth on their ground. Check around waterers, etc.

-Since you are feeding wet feed, be sure it isn't being dumped out and molding on the ground.

-And...unless you're ABSOLUTELY SURE that your fermented feed is lacto-fermented and there is little mold/yeast smell to the feed, I wouldn't use it until they are stabilized. A lot of folks have an unbalanced feed with overgrowth of yeast/molds and that IS NOT GOOD - especially when you're experiencing deaths. Smell your ferment. If it smells at all like yeast/mold...DO NOT FEED.

ETA: FF should have a "sour" or "tangy" smell rather than a yeast/mold smell. Similar to fermented pickles or sauerkarut.

 

[tmarsh83]

That's usually how it goes here. Littles are taught to wait until after the big kids eat. It's a pecking order thing. 

You may have to wait awhile for your roo to "put her in her place" for a myriad of reasons.

1) Cochins are slow to mature. He's not going to be full size until his second birthday, but he'll be big enough by his first (more than likely) and will likely to be trying to get in their pants between 5 and 7 months. 

2) Dominant hens are loathe to relinquish control to a boy. 

3) Despite all the rape that can go on with roosters, hens have an acceptance threshold. They pick who they'll submit to and when they'll do it, to an extent. They can drive off unwanted boys and deny them nookie (even though it gets them beat up). This acceptance can take weeks to achieve, especially if a dominant hen doesn't like him (other girls will follow suit and beat him up). 

4) No one makes love well at first. Boys often have terrible form when they're just getting started, and this doesn't bode well for their acceptance as dominant roo over the flock. Most hens will take a chivalrous, older, more experienced man every single time... rather than settle for some klutzy kid built like a fridge who has no idea how to wield what God gave him. Your boy's more likely to win a Heisman than to be stealing any hearts... at least for awhile. 

It was wistful thinking more than anything. I actually think he's what's bringing this on. He's the only one that has really tried to stand up to them, and I think it's forcing her hand. But I could be wrong.

They're really all doing pretty well.

The current more pressing problem is the girls don't want to use their new best boxes in coop 2.0. I've put them up in them several times and they look at me like "stupid human, this isn't my preference."

Tough cookies ladies. New program. Get on board.