Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[NotableNancy]

I think you could sell a few as chicks or as started pullets on Craig's list. That is definitely an option. So, I wouldn't worry about being stuck with too many. But, I would plan on being able to sell at least 2 because most people don't want just one chick. They do better in pairs.

Are you at all concerned about bringing anything back with you from the barn where you work? Do you change clothes and/or shoes before you go to your coop? Especially now that you have little ones that are just starting with medicated feed.

I'd be concerned to as MamaShell mentioned about cross contamination. That's great that you get to order more, I am getting jealous of all you people and those chick orders!

I'm pretty careful about contamination. The shoes I wear to the barn don't come in my house and never on my grounds, just near garage. I bought Oxine and spray the boots with that as well. I try to change my clothes before I go out to my coop but I haven't every single time. I guess I could spray myself with the Oxine too. I haven't been working there much this summer since my 2 boys work there and my nephew when he's home from college but come Sept. it will be just me and my youngest son so I will be so much more careful. I'm thinking I will start leaving my boots at the barn so they don't even come home with me or into my car. Always open to suggestions if you have any!

@NotableNancy Sorry to hear that Henrietta is the culprit, but it is such a relief to feel certain about what is happening. I think if it was my fav hen, I'd try removing her from the flock and hope that being reintroduced to them changes her behavior. It would be hard to give away my favorite, but if she was causing that kinda issue, she might not be my favorite anymore either. I hope it works out for you. It will be a tough decision to make.

I'm going to take a pic of Mamie's head ... you won't believe how bad it is. And yes, now that I know it's her it makes me both sad and mad. I'm thinking if I just get rid of they 2 she's picking on she'll start on my other girls and they will be tough to see too.
Funny, I watch my little ones go to sleep in their coop at night and not much drama in there but the the big girl coop is constant tension for about an hour. Always has been and I just thought that was normal but now I'm thinking it's not. I will find her a new home, and some others, before I move the younger ones in there to sleep.

I've been staking out our feed store the past week. Lol. They're getting some in today or tomorrow.
I'm going to sneak by after work, sans hubby.
Not that it matters, he told me I could a few weeks ago...I just think he forgot

I'm hoping they're from Meyer, (I think they have the prettiest EEs!) but I haven't asked.

I lost my favorite EE hen, Pearl, over the weekend

My first layer and friendliest girl.
@NotableNancy She was Izzy's twin, I swear...

Aww, Poor Pearl. I'm so sorry.

The little 8 x 4 extension is complete. Here is the before picture:


and the after:


We basically made a big box!

Awesome!! I hope your birds know how lucky they are!!!

Oh yeah, and the fermented feed is awesome. I don't think they are eating any less pellets than before, just the same PLUS the fermented ones. But it is the only thing that Peppy will come down off his perch for and risk getting pecked for. Even with mealworms he just waits for me to give him his own. I love the stuff!

Awww, poor Peppy... still getting picked on? How old is he and when do you think that will change?

 

[MamaShell]

We basically made a big box!

That is great! I didn't even think about making an addition at a lower height. You don't need to be able to stand in every bit of the run. That opens up a lot more possibilities for expansion!

 

[MamaShell]

Ok, so it was way too hot to get much done outside today. But my extension project is almost there. I'm second guessing the plan to close in the back wall with plywood just to save the money on hardware cloth. But I figure I could switch it out at a later date. I guess you can't really see it in the picture.

Just have to finish building the brooder area in the back. Then take down the existing hardware cloth between the two areas and move it to the new outside walls. And maybe take some better pics lol

Very cool! How big was the run before and how much did you add?

 

[trsturself]

The little 8 x 4 extension is complete. Here is the before picture: and the after: They now have a bath and spa area available to them whenever they need it. We basically made a big box!

That's awesome. Makes me consider adding a sandbox to our area. I definitely need to figure something out for them.

I'm pretty careful about contamination. The shoes I wear to the barn don't come in my house and never on my grounds, just near garage. I bought Oxine and spray the boots with that as well. I try to change my clothes before I go out to my coop but I haven't every single time. I guess I could spray myself with the Oxine too. I haven't been working there much this summer since my 2 boys work there and my nephew when he's home from college but come Sept. it will be just me and my youngest son so I will be so much more careful. I'm thinking I will start leaving my boots at the barn so they don't even come home with me or into my car. Always open to suggestions if you have any! I'm going to take a pic of Mamie's head ... you won't believe how bad it is. And yes, now that I know it's her it makes me both sad and mad. I'm thinking if I just get rid of they 2 she's picking on she'll start on my other girls and they will be tough to see too. Funny, I watch my little ones go to sleep in their coop at night and not much drama in there but the the big girl coop is constant tension for about an hour. Always has been and I just thought that was normal but now I'm thinking it's not. I will find her a new home, and some others, before I move the younger ones in there to sleep. Aww, Poor Pearl. I'm so sorry. Awesome!! I hope your birds know how lucky they are!!! Awww, poor Peppy... still getting picked on? How old is he and when do you think that will change?

Wow, I'm glad I don't have that drama. We'll have a peck or two at night if the younger girls get too close to a couple of the older ones, and the rosters are starting to try to do their thing which can look rough, but overall everyone gets along and we have at least 5 different groups. I think after the first merge they just got used to it and didn't fight it too much unless a young one didn't get the hint.

 

[MamaShell]

I'm pretty careful about contamination. The shoes I wear to the barn don't come in my house and never on my grounds, just near garage. I bought Oxine and spray the boots with that as well. I try to change my clothes before I go out to my coop but I haven't every single time. I guess I could spray myself with the Oxine too.  I haven't been working there much this summer since my 2 boys work there and my nephew when he's home from college but come Sept. it will be just me and my youngest son so I will be so much more careful. I'm thinking I will start leaving my boots at the barn so they don't even come home with me or into my car.  Always open to suggestions if you have any!

It sounds like you're on it! I should have known that I didn't need to ask!
I hope your GB gets stronger and starts eating and drinking more.

 

[NotableNancy]

That's awesome. Makes me consider adding a sandbox to our area. I definitely need to figure something out for them.
Wow, I'm glad I don't have that drama. We'll have a peck or two at night if the younger girls get too close to a couple of the older ones, and the rosters are starting to try to do their thing which can look rough, but overall everyone gets along and we have at least 5 different groups. I think after the first merge they just got used to it and didn't fight it too much unless a young one didn't get the hint.

And this was my original flock, all raised together, that fight like that at night. And they have tons of room... used to be 13 in there and now just ten so IDK. Just pushy I guess. They're fine all day... just the usual peck here or there when the treats come out but nothing major at all. I just really got an eye opener watching the group of 15 week olds in their own coop and how nice they get along. Duh... I guess I should have asked and done something sooner. Well, after I get rid of most the bullies I hope they integrate well in the coop.

It sounds like you're on it! I should have known that I didn't need to ask!
I hope your GB gets stronger and starts eating and drinking more.

Thanks!

 

[christine9]

Very cool! How big was the run before and how much did you add?

It was 12 x 6, now 12 x 10. I was hoping to go bigger but my darn tree line is in the way! Great shade there though.

Awww, poor Peppy... still getting picked on?  How old is he and when do you think that will change?

He doesn't get picked on too much. He is really good at avoiding the girls. I figure this will go on for a while. I'm pretty sure he will mature late. He is 4 1/2 months old, so maybe another 2? I guess we'll wait and see.

 

[NotableNancy]

Here's some pics of Mamie's head and the culprit!

She just started to grow a few feathers above her eyes... normally it's bald there too.
I spray with blu-kote but it wears off, or pecked off I guess, in a few days. And poor Mamie hates getting it put on her. It's quite the ordeal so I don't
get it in her eyes. AND it doesn't even work cause she still must be pecking at her.

 

[COChix]

@NotableNancy Sorry to hear that Henrietta is the culprit, but it is such a relief to feel certain about what is happening. I think if it was my fav hen, I'd try removing her from the flock and hope that being reintroduced to them changes her behavior. It would be hard to give away my favorite, but if she was causing that kinda issue, she might not be my favorite anymore either. I hope it works out for you. It will be a tough decision to make.

Sorry to hear that your favorite is indeed the culprit, that make it hard. However, like you said there is a lot of tension in the flock, something that IMO takes precedence over one being a favorite. I feel for you it is a hard thing to do, to get rid off a favorite.

I lost my favorite EE hen, Pearl, over the weekend My first layer and friendliest girl. @NotableNancy She was Izzy's twin, I swear...

sorry about Pearl.

Summer (welsummer) and Snowball (frizzle bantam cochin) have started laying. Here is the bantam cochin egg next to a "regular" size egg. The camera really makes the colors off. It's sitting next to our EE egg which is a green/blue and it's not as dark as this pic looks. Clockwise starting at 12... Welsummer, BA, BR, SLP, EE, Cochin, PR, and in the middle D'Uccle. Snowball's egg is longer and pointier than the one in the middle. We also got a little dark one today that I don't know who laid. I think it was the LF cochin but not sure. I need to do the food dye again to see for sure who's laying what.

beautiful eggs,I can't wait for the EE eggs they are so pretty.

They now have a bath and spa area available to them whenever they need it. We basically made a big box!

Love it! I need to come up with contained area for their bathing. Might just talk bf into making something like this. Thanks

Oh yeah, and the fermented feed is awesome. I don't think they are eating any less pellets than before, just the same PLUS the fermented ones. But it is the only thing that Peppy will come down off his perch for and risk getting pecked for. Even with mealworms he just waits for me to give him his own. I love the stuff!

Great, have you noticed a difference in their feathers? Also in their demeanor? I notice that I am feeding about 3-4 quarts a day of feed, the rest is free range and scraps. I have also noticed if I feed them in the run in the am they eat all of the food by 10 and I feed at 8am. If I feed in their free range area, there food lasts until early afternoon.

Here's some pics of Mamie's head and the culprit! She just started to grow a few feathers above her eyes... normally it's bald there too. I spray with blu-kote but it wears off, or pecked off I guess, in a few days. And poor Mamie hates getting it put on her. It's quite the ordeal so I don't get it in her eyes. AND it doesn't even work cause she still must be pecking at her.

Poor girl, hate the feather pulling. Our boys are starting to try and mate with the girls and I have to say, I don't like it, lol! I don't like the way our RIR roo is with the girls, he is brutal and always has feathers in his beak! So I am leaning more and more about culling him. Our coming of age boys, Rocco & Bruno the Buff's and Rojo the giant Rhode. Both Rocco and Rojo are crowing more and more. The alpha male is Rocco, then Rojo and Bruno seem to be fighting for the next in line.

On a side note, I CANT WAIT FOR SOME EGGS! Lol.

 

[autumnhearth]

Trsturself congrats on the new eggs!

Brookshire sorry to hear about Pearl

NotableNancy, Glad your chicks are so comfortable with you, that's so sweet! That stinks about your hen situation though, I would agree about taking out the culprit. While this doesn't really solve any of your major problems, you mentioned spraying Blu-Kote, have you considered buying the bottle with the dubber? A week ago Victoria our Dorking got a nick at the top of her beak that was showing a bit of blood and flesh, after cleaning it I sprayed with Vetericyn the dabbed with Blue Kote. I had to reapply a few hours later and used corn starch before applying the Blu-Kote but that time it stayed covered. She was the perfect patient, though she clearly didn't care for the Blu-Kote I can't imagine spraying it in her face.

On a related note I witnessed some pecking going on at bedtime last night in our coop. Elizabeth aka Baby Buff, my snuggly BO who has always seemed lower in the hierarchy has started challenging the others during the day again and trying to attack some of her sisters when I give them attention. I've warded her off when this happens, but the look and sound of rage coming from her, my goodness is she jealous! It makes me reconsider the possibility of letting her raise chicks if she goes broody in the future (plus reading a thread on here about murderous broody hens (infanticide) and the comments that several were Orps, yikes! Sadly I could she her getting pecky with them if I gave them attention).

I don't really have any idea what is going on with our pecking order and the girls are always changing their order on the roost. Morgaine the BCM is bossy when it comes to treats and to a lesser extent the feed. She will ward off her sisters with vocal warnings, pecks and chasing, especially Amelia the GB, who will cower and scurry away, (she's very timid and quiet despite having been the boldest as a chick) and Baby Buff (super human friendly but at odds with her sisters), sometimes Clara the EE (who is timid of humans and hangs back when I'm around but seems to stand her ground with her sisters) but not Victoria so much (who is also quiet and sweet and human friendly). I can't tell who is submitting when Baby goes after them though. Amelia usually raises her neck high but takes a step back. Clara usually flaps her wings. I don't think Baby ever challenges Morgaine so that tells me something.

But back to last night, Baby took the spot next to the window, Amelia perched next to her, then Victoria squeezed in between Amelia and Clara as she was late to roost and Morgaine on the end/middle (they tend to only use half the perch, though sometimes I see from the droppings board that one has been sleeping by the other window). So they are all shuffling and stepping on each other's feet but Baby keeps pecking at Amelia right next to her, who stays stiff as a statue, taller than her and Victoria one over who is settled down and just flinches a bit. Before I closed the door I tapped Baby on the beak and told her no. Then I watched from the window and blew at her when I saw her peck again. Sigh. Often one or two of them will face the other way which probably decreases the head pecking. I hope it doesn't escalate to feather pulling though. Hopefully they settle down and order is fully established once they start laying.

Baby and Morgaine are also the only two that sing "the egg song" if it is that They aren't laying yet and usually they only bock bock bagawk when they hear a loud sound, like this morning when there was tree trimming on our street while the girls were free ranging. Baby started clucking up a storm and for awhile the others didn't care, then they moved behind her and when the sound got louder they all went back into the run on their own. But other times it's Morgaine being the more alert one and sounding off, Baby joined in once and the others added some minor clucking but they are mostly quiet, that was last week when there was a garage band playing on the street behind us.

Sorry to ramble on. Here have a sweet picture of yesterday morning's free ranging. They turned 4 months