Maine

[lazy gardener]

Oh, and hers are very healthy and vigerous, my daughter called to tell me they were catching bugs in the garden and putting them in the brooder and the chicks were tearing right into them and just going crazy! Mum was impressed with how healthy they seemed.

Stop the torture already!!!

My electric poultry net arrived today, got the deep cycle battery, and am all ready to play with it tomorrow!! The girls and guys will be so happy to finally be able to be out of the coop.

 

[hoppy]

it may have aspirated, usually not much you can do. try warming it up, stimulating it with massage but if it aspirated, it has stuff in it's lungs and that's never a good thing.

Need advice! Can I do anything for a newly hatched chick that has yellow liquid dripping from it's beak? It is non-responsive.

 

[buckabucka]

We lost a hen today. No predator, and no sign of disease this morning. It could have been the heat, although I'm tempted to blame my rooster. He was totally obsessed with this hen. She hatched him, and raised him alone. The rooster loves both of the buff Chanteclers, but especially this one.

She sometimes hid in the community nest box (he doesn't go in there) and then whenever she came outside, the roo would run across the yard at her like a bull to mate with her. DH found her in the community nest box this afternoon very close to death and she died a half-hour later. It is possible she had an illness that was not apparent, but I think either the rooster injured her, or she felt forced to hide when it was way too hot. The broody that was in the coop all day is fine, though. Anyway, although I feel badly, this hen was one of the older girls that was headed for the freezer this fall, I just wish I knew exactly what happened.

 

[buckabucka]

Forgot to say sorry about your chick, Coopchick.

And gracejr, my 6 cockerels are also 11 weeks and in with 6 pullets the same age. Once in a while, I hear some squealing, but every time I've been there to look, it has been one rooster going after another. I do plan to separate them fairly soon. I have mine processed at 24 weeks, but you don't necessarily have to wait that long.

SCG, the photo in the bee suit was very funny, especially knowing it was 90 degrees out there! Congratulations on getting them in.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

And I'm sorry about your hen. I've found a few like that and I have no idea what causes it but I've considered the rooster, too.

I have an internal layer that's getting bad, and I just noticed she has a giant bumble on one of her feet. 'Tis the season for bumble around these parts. I know she's terminal from internal laying but I usually let them tell me when they're ready to go. Now I'm wondering if I should operate on the bumble (but that's so traumatic for them, and then they have to be in solitary) or just euthanize. Leaning towards euthanizing.

 

[lazy gardener]

SCG, did they go in? The pic I saw with them swarming over the outside of the nest didn't look anything like what I imagined starting a new hive to look like. But, now that I think of it, it makes sense... Did you put a new queen in the box?? I have a friend who's big into hives, and he keeps hinting that I should let him park one of his hives at my house.

 

[lazy gardener]

Nice idea.

The time banking model might work. I know I like the idea of helping and being helped. It used to be that was what real communities were for. Forums and internet communities are nice until you need real world help. I was reading about chicken trains. Apparently in other state people will help get folks their chickens. Its like the chicken hitchhikes its way to its owners but without the thumb. Its all preplanned. I thought, geez, what about biosecurity... but then I also thought, wow, how nice. I was also wondering why we don't have a plant swap in here. Well, maybe BYC does but I know that when my neighbors clean out or thing their perennials I am right there with open arms and open spots in the lawn. Remember that forsythia?? lol

So, quick story that is not related to chickens in any way but cute enough to want to share with strangers:
I put piggy tails in my 1yo daughter's hair today. She took the ties out. When I asked her to go get them (so I could put them in again) she thought about it, then sat down, pulled up her dress and took them off her legs. IDK why I thought this was so funny but it made me laugh.

gotta love the innocence and logic of youth. My 6 y.o. goes out with a book every day and makes up a story for the chickens. It looks so funny to see her pacing back and forth in front of their coop with them all lined up and following her every move.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

SCG, did they go in? The pic I saw with them swarming over the outside of the nest didn't look anything like what I imagined starting a new hive to look like. But, now that I think of it, it makes sense... Did you put a new queen in the box?? I have a friend who's big into hives, and he keeps hinting that I should let him park one of his hives at my house.

Indulge me here... yes, they went in.

You take 3 lbs of bees...



Pour them into the hive and attach the queen in her box to one of the frames and then close up the hive.



Then for some reason the entire hive comes out and stands on the outside of the box. Then after about 15 minutes of this a bee finally realizes "HEY OUR QUEEN IS IN THAT BOX" and starts doing the buttwave thing to release phermones to tell the rest of the bees to get in the hive. Then they march in. It was odd. This is them marching in.




I have no idea if this is what's SUPPOSED to happen, but it's what happened to me.

 

[Widget]

That is what mine did when I installed them a couple years ago. Doesn't take them too long to get acclimated and figure out that the big box is now their home. Mine made it through last winter and are now very active with all this warm weather.

Indulge me here... yes, they went in.

You take 3 lbs of bees...



Pour them into the hive and attach the queen in her box to one of the frames and then close up the hive.



Then for some reason the entire hive comes out and stands on the outside of the box. Then after about 15 minutes of this a bee finally realizes "HEY OUR QUEEN IS IN THAT BOX" and starts doing the buttwave thing to release phermones to tell the rest of the bees to get in the hive. Then they march in. It was odd. This is them marching in.




I have no idea if this is what's SUPPOSED to happen, but it's what happened to me.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

That is what mine did when I installed them a couple years ago. Doesn't take them too long to get acclimated and figure out that the big box is now their home. Mine made it through last winter and are now very active with all this warm weather.

Thanks for the reassurance. I was a bit worried they'd just say "no thanks, lady" after all the work I've done and fly off. But they're still out there.

What do you use for mite control?