Hello!
I'm pretty new to chickens and have 5 hens. I raised a barred rock roo with the hens, but when I moved them into the barn for winter, the roo's crowing became ear-splitting and he began attacking my daughter and myself. Not a huge deal, but my neighbor several farms down-the-way, has some BO's and RIRs and said he'd take my roo off my hands. So he picked him up.
He said his roo did not crow or do his "Job" and I could have him if I wanted him. A RIR. Perfect - I thought.
So I went over to have a look.
I think his chickens are sick. He said he got them at an auction. His roo that he was offering was making a gurgling sound. I heard several hens sort of .....sneeze. The hens also looked thin, one was missing some of her feathers on her back (a bare spot about 2.5 - 3 inches around with bloody spots) and I noticed he was feeding only cracked corn and some grass or hay. My roo looked like a shiny, fat, alien amongst them. I did not take his roo for fear of spreading respiratory illness, despite my urge to take him and the little hen with the missing feathers to nurse back to health.
Since mine are still laying without a roo and his had stopped (he thought he needed a new roo that would do the "job"), he asked what I was feeding. I told him Layena in addition to sunflower seeds, fruits and veggies, occasional oatmeal, etc. He told me his don't like the pelleted laying feed and his neighbor doesn't feed his chickens at all. I said, "well those chickens are loose and eating bugs and vegetation all over the 5 acre property, not caged in a 20x10 coop".
I got all my "Do's" and "donts" from this site, my gardening club, and the feathered site, but I am still learning myself. So I am not up on any high horse, but I did quite a bit of research before I even purchased my chicks.
My questions are:
How can I go about suggesting better feed? Or should I? Am I wrong that corn and fescue cuttings are not a complete diet? I don't see how they could get enough protein or calcium to lay, much less the nutrition to be healthy.....
And - should I try suggesting anything for the colds/respiratory issues his flock seems to have? When I mentioned their sneezing he stated they were clearing stuff from their noses - which I suppose is true - but I feel as if he does not realize they may be ill. I do not want to offend - and it may sound silly - but I can't sleep thinking my roo will get sick as well as his flock may suffer. I just don't know enough to know if they'll be fine with out some help, or.....am I worrying over nothing?
I'm pretty new to chickens and have 5 hens. I raised a barred rock roo with the hens, but when I moved them into the barn for winter, the roo's crowing became ear-splitting and he began attacking my daughter and myself. Not a huge deal, but my neighbor several farms down-the-way, has some BO's and RIRs and said he'd take my roo off my hands. So he picked him up.
He said his roo did not crow or do his "Job" and I could have him if I wanted him. A RIR. Perfect - I thought.
So I went over to have a look.
I think his chickens are sick. He said he got them at an auction. His roo that he was offering was making a gurgling sound. I heard several hens sort of .....sneeze. The hens also looked thin, one was missing some of her feathers on her back (a bare spot about 2.5 - 3 inches around with bloody spots) and I noticed he was feeding only cracked corn and some grass or hay. My roo looked like a shiny, fat, alien amongst them. I did not take his roo for fear of spreading respiratory illness, despite my urge to take him and the little hen with the missing feathers to nurse back to health.
Since mine are still laying without a roo and his had stopped (he thought he needed a new roo that would do the "job"), he asked what I was feeding. I told him Layena in addition to sunflower seeds, fruits and veggies, occasional oatmeal, etc. He told me his don't like the pelleted laying feed and his neighbor doesn't feed his chickens at all. I said, "well those chickens are loose and eating bugs and vegetation all over the 5 acre property, not caged in a 20x10 coop".
I got all my "Do's" and "donts" from this site, my gardening club, and the feathered site, but I am still learning myself. So I am not up on any high horse, but I did quite a bit of research before I even purchased my chicks.
My questions are:
How can I go about suggesting better feed? Or should I? Am I wrong that corn and fescue cuttings are not a complete diet? I don't see how they could get enough protein or calcium to lay, much less the nutrition to be healthy.....
And - should I try suggesting anything for the colds/respiratory issues his flock seems to have? When I mentioned their sneezing he stated they were clearing stuff from their noses - which I suppose is true - but I feel as if he does not realize they may be ill. I do not want to offend - and it may sound silly - but I can't sleep thinking my roo will get sick as well as his flock may suffer. I just don't know enough to know if they'll be fine with out some help, or.....am I worrying over nothing?
