Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[fuzzybutt love]

I know I only jump in here when I have questions and I appreciate all the feedback but I have recently introduced 2 new chickens to my flock of 4.  They all seem to be getting along except for our hen who I think is the lowest in the pecking order.  She has not laid any eggs in about a week and now seems to be loosing feathers.  Is this all from stress?  Is there anything I can do to comfort her?  I don't think she is molting because they all molted last fall.  Any suggestions or comments are appreciated.  Thanks

Multiple food and water dishes! She will be sure to get some this way. Also do a crop check morning and night for a while. Needs to be empty in the morn, if it is not she has resorted to eating non edibles. In the eve if it is empty take her away from the flock and feed her. Pellets, people food- the object is to give her color in the comb and stamina until she establishes herself. The weaker and paler she gets the worse the picking will be!! Maybe do somd extra treat tosses to the others to distract them. Mine always look smug after stealing all the treats and it takes their edge off their jeolousy of the new ones.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Cat food is a good protein booster for moulting. I absolutely recommend manna pro conditioning pellets for pet flocks. Their feathers will be sooo silky and shiny! I hand feed each bird a Tb or two. Has extra stuff in it and repells lice (not stop, but does repel)

 

[mrcush]

Multiple food and water dishes! She will be sure to get some this way. Also do a crop check morning and night for a while. Needs to be empty in the morn, if it is not she has resorted to eating non edibles. In the eve if it is empty take her away from the flock and feed her. Pellets, people food- the object is to give her color in the comb and stamina until she establishes herself. The weaker and paler she gets the worse the picking will be!! Maybe do somd extra treat tosses to the others to distract them. Mine always look smug after stealing all the treats and it takes their edge off their jeolousy of the new ones.

Thanks, but what do you mean by a crop check?

 

[Stacykins]

I hope my girls start to molt soon. My adult Araucana hens for sale are looking rather rough! The rooster is normally a lot more gentle, but this year he's been a bit of a beast.

 

[Trefoil]

Glad to know they may eventually be happy in the run. I just have to find them more 'toys' to keep them occupied, I guess. And yes, I am very glad I have the run. I just wish I had made it a little bigger. Had originally planned on having it about 3 times as big as it is, so I could do a rotation through it with them. But it always comes down to money, and then I figured I'd just let them out for part of the day. Maybe I'll extend it next year, instead of the electric fence. Lot's of things to consider now. And chicks are the best. I wish they'd stay tiny and cute for just a little longer, really. Seems as though all babies grow up too fast.

I don't know if fox are the same, but my dog got 'zapped' by a one strand electric goat fence (weimeriner) and thought God had gotten her, she avoided that area forever. It seems to work the best if they don't see the fence that got them.

 

[SpidersHuman]

thank you Lisalouwho we love ET his personality is amazing

 

[LisaLouHoo]

thank you Lisalouwho we love ET his personality is amazing

Yay! Tell ET to call home, lol. Glad you like him.

 

[Amanda39]

I have asked this a few times before, and no response. I need a builder. Someone that can build me and all year round house and open area for 2 geese and a couple ducks. This would be under my deck for the house and some kind of enclosed area for my backyard connecting to the duck house.


Please, if you don't build yourself, than someone that can that you can refer. Please! An all Michigan weather house for night time, completely predator proof from raccoon, opossum, skunks, coyotes, fox and aerial attacks.

Thank you in advance!

 

[bigmrg74]

I don't know if fox are the same, but my dog got 'zapped' by a one strand electric goat fence (weimeriner) and thought God had gotten her, she avoided that area forever. It seems to work the best if they don't see the fence that got them.

Kinda sounds like my ex's Lab.

I had him out at my place babysitting him for a few days while she was on a trip and I had him out running around the barnyard, which he loved to do, as he's normally a city dog and at the time didn't really get off the leash that much. Anyways, we're out behind the barn with my brother and you could just see his little thought bubble over his head saying, "Oh This is So Much Fun! I'm So Fast!!! You Guys Can't Catch Me!!! WWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!"

Anyways, he bounces into one of the horse lots here, and we're calling him, not too worried about it, figuring he'll at least stay inside of the fence and he'll have to come back towards us to get out. He gets out to the far corner of the lot up against the fence and then he lets out this bloodcurdling yelp. He beats feet right back to us with his tail tucked between his legs and a look on his face that said that "Somthing just jumped up and bit me!!" He wasn't getting much sympathy from us as we're giggling too hard from him hitting the hot fence.

And you know what though, after that, he was a whole lot better about coming when his name was called, and paid attention to us when he was off the leash. Sometimes that "Fear of God" can be a good thing.

 

[1muttsfan]

Amanda, any good handyman could build you a coop. Find someone local.

Mrcush, it is quite possible that your birds are molting, this is the time of the year when that starts, and stress - such as adding new birds to the flock - can cause birds to stop laying and molt.