Langshan Thread!!!

[PetRock]

Now I'm afraid its my line. Cheryl got eggs from me too. I haven't had any problems besides over breeding the girls.

Jim, 4 out of the 6 black cockerels are from your line.

They are definitely big and healthy! I have yet to actually catch them doing the deed but the 2 injured cockerels came out of the pen that they are in and the bloody beaks showed that all but 1 joined in the blood bath. I keep enlarging their living quarters to see if that's the problem but yesterday and today they were in a 6 ft x 6 ft outdoor pen and it still happened. I may need to spend more time sitting there watching so I can figure out who are the prime offenders. Or maybe I just need to beg my DH to build some more pens!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

When the D'Uccles pecked my Langshans, I smothered the picked areas in Vaseline. They didn't like the texture of te Vaseline. When I say put on Vaseline I mean slather it on there.

 

[PetRock]

When the D'Uccles pecked my Langshans, I smothered the picked areas in Vaseline. They didn't like the texture of te Vaseline. When I say put on Vaseline I mean slather it on there.

Thanks for the advice! I wouldn't have thought of using Vaseline and I always have it on hand. I know that it is a petrochemical and I would rather not use it but it is the only thing that helps with the eczema I get on my hands. I have spent lots of money on different kinds of natural oils that don't work half as well as Vaseline. It really keeps the moisture in. And, it doesn't smell bad so that's a big plus! That Rooster Booster stuff is nasty smelling and stains fingers brown!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I've never used rooster booster? If you're really worried you may be able to color the Vaseline with a blue food coloring?

Yes...my line is full of lovers. They would rather avoid fighting if possible. I personally love that about them. It is nice to put any bird in a coop and not have to worry about walkin in I find a bird mutilated.

Could you file down the point of the beaks of the offenders to make it less pointy until they grow up a bit?

 

[PetRock]

I've never used rooster booster? If you're really worried you may be able to color the Vaseline with a blue food coloring?
Yes...my line is full of lovers. They would rather avoid fighting if possible. I personally love that about them. It is nice to put any bird in a coop and not have to worry about walkin in I find a bird mutilated.
Could you file down the point of the beaks of the offenders to make it less pointy until they grow up a bit?

I'm going to have to give the filing a try. I came home from going to the city to see Les Miserables to find another one pecked and bloody. I've got to find out which ones are the instigators of this bad behavior. I'm running out of pens.

 

[cherylcohen]

I'm going to have to give the filing a try. I came home from going to the city to see Les Miserables to find another one pecked and bloody. I've got to find out which ones are the instigators of this bad behavior. I'm running out of pens.

Debi let's split them up - how about when I get back from vacation you bring some over. We can convert a spot in my layer pen and put them in with a bunch of other breeds that I'm growing out (jubilee orps, speckled sussex, Tolbunts) to sort of mix it up a bit.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I'm going to have to give the filing a try. I came home from going to the city to see Les Miserables to find another one pecked and bloody. I've got to find out which ones are the instigators of this bad behavior. I'm running out of pens.

Dang! Bloodthirsty aren't they? I have all of mine in with Silkies, day old chicks...they couldn't care less! Can you mark the males to remember which ones are which and see how they all pass it on to their chicks?

 

[Lacy Blues]

Please tell me that is not my line doing that.

I've never had birds mutilate each other. Even grown birds with youngsters?

One thing you can do, Put Vaseline on the injured male's wing bows. On the males that are doing the offense, BARELY clip the tip of the beak. this will ruin the "point" on the beak that is causing the issues. The only mutilation I have had was when I had put some D'Uccle bantams in the pens with my Langshans. Pecked out each and every leg feather my 6 week old birds had. The D'Uccles were the same age.

Clipping is what I do.

On occasion I have trouble with feather pulling which of course leads to blood and then the feast is on! If you hold the chick in very bright light you can clip the end of the beak off square. The bright light will help you see the beak's "quick?" (where it bleeds if you cut it). I cut top AND bottom beaks off square. Then, when their beak is closed, you can look into the tip and see that they won't be pulling any feathers because they can't.

Every once in a while, though not intended, I clip a little short and it makes them bleed. I've never seen a problem develop from this. I try to not to do that but sometimes... what can I say? Plus, I figure maybe they get their fill of blood for a little while. Their own blood!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

One good thing!

The beak WILL grow back!!!!! It will not ruin them forever.

 

[cherylcohen]

Dang! Bloodthirsty aren't they? I have all of mine in with Silkies, day old chicks...they couldn't care less! Can you mark the males to remember which ones are which and see how they all pass it on to their chicks?

We banded them all, but we won't be breeding any with those traits