Maine

[ashandvine]

Yes, mine would have to. Find a kid in 4H? Maybe.

I am so darn sick of snow.

 

[CoopChick719]

Bird losses can randomly happen. I like the advice given about worrying when you see symptoms again or lose another one inexplicably. No one wants to wait around for that BUT it might the only way to save yourself some madness in the mean while. This winter has been very hard on all creatures.

Someone will laugh at this with me. I had to find a chick-sitter. No joke. These seven came just before my son's 13 birthday and dh works long late hours. I didn't trust 'nanna' dog here to give them the right kind of attention so I asked my neighbor. I was pretty sure with some hot potatoes in a styrfoam container they would have survived the four hour drive but I wasn't relishing the stress for them or me. So I asked my neighbor who got into chickens last year. She is so excited to do it. I am relieved someone so excited is going to be doing it.

A good chick sitter is a good find!! I'm lucky my sister & I take turns. When Sis was out of town, I asked my children's god-mother and my very dear friend for a favor. I told her she could say No. But she said "since the god-children have left for college and no longer need watching, I'll happily watch the animals." She did a great job!

 

[longgrove]

My cockerel has been rough with the hens. When the dominant roo mates, and the hen is pinned down, the cockerel runs over and viciously pecks the head of the hen. He also sneaks (the dominant roo doesn't like it) and mates with the bantams, esp the silkies, treading their backs way more than I've seen before with other roos and plucking out their neck feathers.

The 2 silkie hens became so afraid of him that they hid in the nest boxes to the point they became thin from not eating or drinking enough. I brought them into the chicken hospital. They nearly doubled their weight in a couple of weeks! He is a beautiful black Isbar, but if he does not start treating the hens better he may end up in the stew pot!

I have been locking up the cockerel and the dominant roo for a few hours, several days a week and this allows the subordinate roo (who stays up on the high roost shelf most of the time because the dominant roo attacks him) to come down and visit with the hens and exercise. He is gentle with the hens.

For the last few days, I have put the silkie hens in with the flock when the "bad boys" are confined. They come back in to the rabbit cage when I let the bad boys out. The nice, gentle roo goes back up to his roost (I keep water and food up there for him).

When the silkie hens are in the coop (which is on my back porch), they try to escape out the door of the coop into the attached utility room (which leads to my bedroom) every time the door is opened! They are plotting to be house chickens. In the warm with wonderful treats...why would they prefer that? (lol).

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm just wondering why you have a roo who is aggressive to the hens? Do you really want a mean boy playing in the gene pool, no matter how pretty he is??

 

[malcom]

I know this is a little off topic but does any one know or could you find out where to get fire clay in maine?

 

[buckabucka]

I know this is a little off topic but does any one know or could you find out where to get fire clay in maine?

Portland Pottery (unless you meant a place to dig it yourself!)

 

[Jazor]

I'm just wondering why you have a roo who is aggressive to the hens? Do you really want a mean boy playing in the gene pool, no matter how pretty he is??

Agreed. I have no place for an aggressive rooster, aside from a crock pot.

Not sure if I am just assuming chickens can be taught, but I think I've learned my roo a lesson or two when he was trying to mount the tiniest little silkie hen I've got. Took a few times of shoving him and saying "GIT!" but now when I yell to him he tends to back down no matter where he is or what he's doing. Well...to an extent. he still puffs up a bit and acts like he runs the coop but I think he's no longer trying to be so dominant.

My silkie roo was trying to be a sneaky bully too, but most the hens are his size or larger--so they don't take any business from him. He did go after the neck feathers of one of my Red Stars prety bad over the weekend (drew blood) but I did the same method of shove and "GIT!" with him. He doesn't seem to have learned it quite like the Barred Rock roo did, but for the most part the hens can handle him. It's pretty funny watching him puff up and (try to) crow and chase the hens. I've seen a few of them peck him and chase him off. Poor guy doesn't get it. Foolish roo.

 

[Tony K T]

In the pheasant world the more meaner males are they make excellent breeders.I would give him a chance at breeding and see how fertile he is.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[lazy gardener]

As of today, 2 of my girls have passed the age threshold, and are now hens! Happy birdday to them!

 

[Jazor]

As of today, 2 of my girls have passed the age threshold, and are now hens! Happy birdday to them!

haha congrats...I suppose?! I guess when I refer to mine as hens, I actually mean pullets. Hadn't put much thought into it...