Michigan

[fifelakelooper]

Quote:
I know, I just didn't want to do that to them. But when I let everyone out to graze tonight after the guy left, they were SO much better. I still have 4 drakes left but they are good boys. They have normal drake behavior. The Swedish constantly chased every girl they could, but the worst part was when all 3 of the drakes would wait til a female was in the water and they'd tag-team her. One would hold her head, another her neck and the other would do the duty. They would do this all day long!!!

Now, the roosters I have are another story. They're not mean like the drakes were, but I have a lot hens with bare backs. One of my BR hens is almost completely naked. She still lays and acts normal but she has sores on her wings and she's bare on her back and butt.

In fact, if someone wants her, she's free too. Like I said, she still lays and I wouldn't get rid of her, but she has no way to heal because I have nowhere else to put the roosters. I feel SO bad for her!! She's small for a BR but she loves to free range, she stays right near me and she loves to roll in the dirt. She never causes trouble, I just want her to heal and she never will as long as I have these roosters!!

Keyt have you seen the chicken saddles with additional wing covers?? I bought two for the two fav's of my rooster. They had bald spots at each wing top that were real red and the "blue kote" I put on them couldn't really work since the roo would not leave them alone. It takes a while for them to get use to wearing it (one walked like a russian dancer getting ready to do the squat kicks...

0 but now they are fine.

 

[babigyrl22]

I had a lot of catching up to do. Just one day gone and I am pages behind.

When I got home yesterday my DH was super excited and told me to go to the fridge. The girls gave us NINE EGGS yesterday!!!!!

But wait there is more! I went to say good night to the girls and shut them in for the evening and whatdoyaknow??????.....there was a little torpedo bantam egg laying on the floor!! (top egg) THAT MAKES 10 EGGS FOR YESTERDAY!

Now whoooo laid THAT egg? Could it have been a silkie???!!!! OHMIGOSH....I hope it was one of my silkies!!!

(I have 2 other bantams but i don't think their combs are developed enough yet for them to have started to lay)

Question: Everytime I go into the coop my strategically placed golf balls are spread out over the coop floor. WHO IS PLAYING WITH MY FAKE EGGS??!!

 

[taprock]

Quote:
I only have two grown roosters for 20 laying hens and their favorite girls were looking bare so I did the saddles. I've never seen ones with wing protectors. fiflakelooper if you have a picture I'd love to see. Two of my hens have the very red wing tops that the saddles don't cover.

keyt1969 - I cried after I sent 3 roos to be butchered. They were aggressive and I didn't think I could safely rehome them but felt so guilty about it. It made the coop so much nicer!

 

[chikkaboomboom]

Quote:
I have one little d'uccle hen who is 2 years old. She has always been a sneezer. I don't think my 9 other chickens ever sneezed, but she has always sneezed a couple times a week. It is very cute. She makes a 'squeak', shakes her head, her body gives a little shake and then off she goes.... just a sneeze. I usually say 'bless you!' to her. She has never been ill.

this gives me relief, I always fear Im going to hear a sneeze and then worry myself to death.

Thank you!,

 

[1muttsfan]

Good morning fellow michiganders, another lovely summer day.

Spent some time with my chickens this morning, first chance in a long time, and realized that one of the four Delaware pullets is actually a cockerel, managed to camoflage himself long enough to make it into the henhouse. If anyone wants him let me know, otherwise he will be heading out to a farm that will eat him once he is grown. The dels came from a farm in southeast michigan, they are really lovely birds, came from extra large eggs and all are very sweet.

Mom no one can hurt you like the people you love, but tell your mom not to give up hope, if that woman is that bad she may slip up sometime and show your brother what she is really like. Keep the door open a crack and maybe someday you will all be able to reconcile.

"Faith, hope and love, these three abide, but the greatest of these is Love"

 

[eeyore75]

Quote:
this gives me relief, I always fear Im going to hear a sneeze and then worry myself to death.

Thank you!, I was very concerned about her.
About everyone's Roo's, I know what you meen I have 19 laying hens and 3 roo's, its 2 to many I'll keep the gentlest one, who also seems to be the prettiest, but the tag team rape is making me so angry. I listed them on GL and on here for free homes for a month now, no takers so looks like I'l process my first birds this weekend. Hens don't even want to come out of the coop when the gang of boys goes out.
Only part i am nervous about is cutting the throat, I have a large orange cone I am going to use to hang them and bleed them, O well gotta learn sometime, sure do miss my Papaw he would pick them up and give a wrist snap and it was over.

They are chickens- they have differant rules than people on breeding. Most all farm animals are aggressive breeders- got to catch the girls to keep the line going. The As far as multiple roos in the pen- if the girls are not getting clawed up from the boys- they are fine.

 

[fifelakelooper]

Quote:
I only have two grown roosters for 20 laying hens and their favorite girls were looking bare so I did the saddles. I've never seen ones with wing protectors. fiflakelooper if you have a picture I'd love to see. Two of my hens have the very red wing tops that the saddles don't cover.

keyt1969 - I cried after I sent 3 roos to be butchered. They were aggressive and I didn't think I could safely rehome them but felt so guilty about it. It made the coop so much nicer!

Will do!

 

[Olive Hill]

Quote:
Thank you!, I was very concerned about her.
About everyone's Roo's, I know what you meen I have 19 laying hens and 3 roo's, its 2 to many I'll keep the gentlest one, who also seems to be the prettiest, but the tag team rape is making me so angry. I listed them on GL and on here for free homes for a month now, no takers so looks like I'l process my first birds this weekend. Hens don't even want to come out of the coop when the gang of boys goes out.
Only part i am nervous about is cutting the throat, I have a large orange cone I am going to use to hang them and bleed them, O well gotta learn sometime, sure do miss my Papaw he would pick them up and give a wrist snap and it was over.

They are chickens- they have differant rules than people on breeding. Most all farm animals are aggressive breeders- got to catch the girls to keep the line going. The As far as multiple roos in the pen- if the girls are not getting clawed up from the boys- they are fine.

This! It's important not to let the anthropomorphism get out of control here. It serves neither owners nor chickens well. Chickens are not humans. Roosters are not rapists. In livestock an aggressive sexual appetite -- not to be confused with general aggression -- is a GOOD thing.

 

[fifelakelooper]

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/1011/old047.jpg
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/2497/onstrike004.jpg
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/7536/onstrike003.jpg


I'll see if this works. IF the pictures come out...it will show DH cutting door in RV mobile coop for eggs, his "on strike" sign and a picture of one of my barnyard layers with the saddle plus wing covers for roo protection.

Beautiful day out there...hope you all enjoy it. Special thoughts for ChickwannaB and Mom2!

 

[fifelakelooper]

It worked...just click on the imageshacks for the images. Shows the chicken saddle with wing cover good!
Happy day...I'm catching on to techy stuff!!