Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[kimmie6067]

Help my hen is getting beat up by my rooster. He wants to kill her she has some blood on her head he just keep attacking her. I put her and two other hens in with him and he is fine with the other two but her he keeps chasing her. So I took her out of there put her in another one of my pens and they are doing the same thing but only the hens ganging up on her. So I put her in a pen with a hen and chicks of course you know what happened so now she is by herself in a rabbit.hutch. What to do now?

 

[Lisa and girls]

Help my hen is getting beat up by my rooster. He wants to kill her she has some blood on her head he just keep attacking her. I put her and two other hens in with him and he is fine with the other two but her he keeps chasing her. So I took her out of there put her in another one of my pens and they are doing the same thing but only the hens ganging up on her. So I put her in a pen with a hen and chicks of course you know what happened so now she is by herself in a rabbit.hutch. What to do now?

If there is blood they will peck. Try and let her heal up, get some trace minerals or topical antibiotics to help her heal. My flocks pretty peaceful right now but this sounds like pecking order gone wild? So need advice from someone with more knowledge. Good luck! I hate to see one get picked on. Stupid pecking order

 

[cuppycake]

This morning has been so nice. Let the 9 week olds free range again (though I think I'm about to put them up, looks like rain), got some spring cleaning done and opened up the windows to let the house air out. Our silkies are just over 4 weeks old now and I let them and their buddy from my Easter hatch (the only survivor) wander around in the fenced in part of the yard. They didn't know what to do at first, just stood huddled together near the door for a good long while. While I was dusting in my bedroom I peeked out and saw them picking around and doing what chickens do though. I didn't leave them out very long though because there are a couple of spots in the fence where they could get out if they wanted to and I didn't want them to run off.

I need to get some updated pictures of them and ask your opinions on their sexes. I know silkies are notoriously difficult to sex. Two of the four definitely look like they are getting streamers in their topknots though so I'm guessing those two are boys. If I end up having extra boys they'll be available to new homes if anyone here wants them. Nothing special, just white silkies from the assorted bantam bin at FFaH, but they are cute.

 

[Opa]

Anytime you have a chicken getting pecked to where blood is flowing, the injured bird needs to be removed, wounds treated with an anti-biotic, and the any bloody areas daubed with Blue Kote is hide the blood. When returning the injured bird to the flock closely observe to see if pecking continues. If so remove injured bird to another cage until healed.

While the entire flock will participate in the pecking, usually one bird will be the dominant bird. Removing that bird will change the flock dynamics. After a week or two hiatitus the offending hen can be returned to the flock and she will no longer be the dominant bird.

 

[NovaAman]

My Lake front property...

mine... I know. it's a mess, but I have kids, they drag toys, buckets, themselves all over...

I fully expect that basket ball to be on the other side by morning.

I am tempted to figure out how I could possibly turn that cube into a coop....lol. I know. I am so sad.

The buildings are the neighbors coops and rabbit hutches.

 

[minniefarm]

Ladyrsanti- I am new to chickens. How can you tell that yours are roosters? They look an awful lot like my pullets. I always suspected one was a roo, it's tail developed much slower and it still not as big as the others.

Sillychicken- I see dog kennel panels on Craigslist all the time. We decided to use our panels for the run. cheapest for us as we already had a large kennel.

 

[10ducks]

Hey NovaAman,
I have one of those cubes and I have been trying to figure out how to turn it into a coop, too! I was thinking maybe a solid door (but how to do the hinges?), hardware cloth over the other openings, those plastic panels (Suntuf?) for the roof, and the shelf can be the nesting area? I was thinking of putting a couple of branches across for roosts. It might work for some banties, for the summer at least! Do you you have other ideas?

 

[10ducks]

Hello Michiganders,

There's someone in Columbiaville, MI who has a lot of poultry posted on Craigslist. Chicks and laying hens and some ducks and turkeys as well. I wondered if anyone has bought birds from there and what they were like? Would appreciate hearing about anyone's experiences. Thanks!

PS--I just posted some free OEG bantam cockerels in the BST area if anyone is interested. They are my extras from an order from Ideal Hatchery. If I don't get rid of them earlier I will bring them to Chickenstock.

 

[cuppycake]

Hey guys, I think I just found a redwood incubator. I emailed the guy just now after seeing his ad and I'll give him a call first thing in the morning. Hope he didn't already sell it because I've really been wanting one and this one seems to be a good price. DH likes to tinker and do "man things" so I'm sure restoring it will be a fun project for him.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Ladyrsanti- I am new to chickens. How can you tell that yours are roosters? They look an awful lot like my pullets. I always suspected one was a roo, it's tail developed much slower and it still not as big as the others.

I'd have to take a picture of both. It's obvious, trust me. The girls have no comb or waddle development AT ALL. Yellow and flat. You can't even tell what kind of comb they have it's so underdeveloped. These guys stand out like sore thumbs. Plus they're always chest bumping each other while the girls tend not to be excitable.


Aaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnd, it's a deluge here. Our ditch is full, lake forming out back, basement leaking. NOAA says 2" so far and it just keeps coming, training over our area. Worried about the animals out back.