Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[1muttsfan]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/739234/happy-birthday-opa

 

[Herducks]

So my chief of police stopped by today to talk to me. (nice guy I have met a few times) He just wanted to let me know my neighbors are very upset by my ducks. No one has ever said anything to me. Anyway he wanted me to know they are working on writing an ordinance against ducks and exoctic animals in town. He was very nice about it and wanted to give me a heads up and let me know I could come to a meeting and address it as well. I have 16 ducks right now and am trying to sell 8. (I have someoone coming next week to buy at least 6 of them) I have not decided if I want to fight to keep them or not yet. Something to think about. Anyway there don't seem to be any issues with my chickens and if there were I would fight for sure. They might get upset when I finish set up my new pens come spring!

 

[HooverHenHouse]

Herducks just my two cents...I would fight...im sure chickens wouldnt be to far behind ducks if they get banned. Maybe not an uproar fight but stand up.for the birds...maybe try to spread the word to any other bird owners you know.
That was nice of the chief to warn you about the meeting!

 

[gladahmae]

alright. I have a few questions about frostbite, being cooped up, and roosters hitting puberty.

First off: what does frostbite look like? anyone have any pictures? One of my destined-to-be-dinner roos has a REALLY tall comb, and the points are pale/white-ish but I don't know if that's possible frostbite, or just immaturity.

2nd: my mottled houdan and GLpolish were both getting pecked on a bit (houdan when she was in with all the boys, polish at the place I got her from) but when I put them all together in the big coop, their crests improved, grew back, and they were starting to look nice again! This morning I went out there and my houdan has a bald spot on her head AGAIN, and the polish is on her way to looking the same. Do you think this could be because I've kept them locked in the coop for a week and they're getting bored? Natural tendency when you have crested chickens in with non-crested ones?

3rd: I have 2 pullets and 5 cockerals in the small coop right now. They're 15-16wks old. Most of the boys are crowing. This morning when I was checking on them, one of the pullets looks like someone took a set of hair clippers to the back of her head and gave her a buzz cut, about the size of a quarter. It's not bare, but there's definately something going on with feather pulling or breaking. Is it time to get those pullets out of there for their own safety? I haven't seen any of the roos trying to mount any of the pullets, but there have been a few minor scuffles lately between the boys, probably related to establishing who's the boss in there. I'm hoping to give the boys another 4 weeks before getting 3 of them processed, and then figuring out what to do with the 3 I'm keeping until April when I'll set up breeding stuff to get fertile eggs.

I can get pictures of the feather issues and the combs if that would be helpful.

 

[HooverHenHouse]

Sounds like you need to remove the pullets...poor girls with so many hormonal teenagers. The boys pull those feathers when mounting them. Im sure they're all fighting over the girls and the girls probably dont get a break with that many roosters.

 

[ladyrsanti]

alright. I have a few questions about frostbite, being cooped up, and roosters hitting puberty.

First off: what does frostbite look like? anyone have any pictures? One of my destined-to-be-dinner roos has a REALLY tall comb, and the points are pale/white-ish but I don't know if that's possible frostbite, or just immaturity.

My rooster has frostbite pretty bad. He's got a HUGE comb and waddles (photo, before frostbite).



I'd go out and take a photo now, but it's frankly pretty nasty looking. He's past the blanched stage and it's starting to die off, but yes, that was the first sign, blanched, whitish comb and waddles that look like they have no blood in them... which is probably exactly what happens. But then it gets kind of funky-colored after that and scabby or black. I'd guess that at the whitish stage, it's still reversible if it's not too bad. One of my BO hens gets blanched tips on her large comb every morning but the color almost always comes back later in the day. Fritter, the roo, may lose nearly all of the tips and a large chunk of both waddles. I've done all I can do, put vaseline on him and made sure their coop was as ventilated as it could be without having a wind whip through it but the cold was just too much, especially that first night and second day. I've put some medicated ointment on it. Right now I'm just hoping that he gets through it without an infection and blood poisoning.


ETA: I de-wormed all eight remaining feral barn cats this morning. Talk about a chore, getting each one the proper dose. I sat out there with a squirt gun, eight little platters of medicated soft food, and a checklist of who got what. Took about an hour.

I had kind of expected that after a year, nature would have thinned the pride a little more than it has.

 

[chickflick]

I have Krisrose's rooster in my heated garage because his huge comb was getting frostbite, also. But, boy, he never stops crowing. She's gonna owe me big time!!

 

[kimmie6067]

Yes I will be at CS... Don't worry about it!
But I was just telling BF last week how good I remember it... then you said you were in AZ! LOL

That funny when that happens. I can't wait for CS this year now that I know better what I am doing.

 

[Opa]

This is picture of Welsummer rooster in the early stages of frostbite. Basically everything that is black will atrophy and fall off. This rooster lost over half his comb and wattles.


One of the biggest factors with frostbite is high humidity.

 

[chickenwalker]

Will any of the comb grow back?