Minnesota!

[Drea07]

Thank you Ralphie.

Don't know what it is with big dogs and vacuums. My dog hides in the garage under my truck whenever the vacuum descends upon the house, or any other big bad scary power tool turned on, compressors too, runs and hides behind my husband from the cat, takes off running if the hose is turned on. He's a 115lb English yellow Lab.....I keep telling him he's not being a very good ambassador for his breed as a hunting dog.

 

[bantiesrule]

OK I have a question!! How cold is to cold for a broody with chicks?? Can they go outside in 27 degree weather??

If it's a good old broody, she'll take care of them just fine. If it's a younger one or kinda flighty, you might be better to leave them in a little longer.

 

[holm25]

If it's a good old broody, she'll take care of them just fine. If it's a younger one or kinda flighty, you might be better to leave them in a little longer.

This is her first time but if u met her u would think this is her millionth time. They r out at the moment and they r fine so I might just leave them.

So sorry about ur little duckling!!!

 

[holm25]

Momma sure was happy to get out. She went crazy over the grass. When she went broody there was still snow on the ground!! And now there is nice green grass. She isn't even feeding the babies starter only grass and other thing they find.

The little chick that I put in the bator thinks I am its mother/father... Every time I look in the window she freaks out!!

 

[Drea07]

This is her first time but if u met her u would think this is her millionth time. They r out at the moment and they r fine so I might just leave them.

So sorry about ur little duckling!!!

Thank you Holm.

 

[Cearbhael]

Trying to remember it all..

Lala he is fertile, I had a nearly developed chick in one egg and a starter in the other. I will break these tomorrow night, I know they will have nearly or fully developed chicks.

I have ordered 4 more thermometers, so I can have two in each incubator. I am also going to get the fan kit for the hatcher. I have found the variation in temperature unacceptable. (variation within different areas in the incubator)

I am not going to do much more for Bert, except make him comfortable. My DW and I have decided it is nearly the end for him, he started breathing hard and sounds like he has pneumonia. Tonight his whole body is "shaking" for lack of a better turn. We are hoping for a miracle, but are realistic too. The sad part is his foot looked better tonight. The swelling was down a tad and the redness was gone, but then his comb was not the bright red it normally is either. I will miss him, I tired CX's are just hard to keep alive for a long time.  He was a cool bird.

Guineas are Guineas, that is all you can say about them, they are entertaining , aggressive and eat ticks...

BogtownChick, maybe you should try a Guinea Creamette hybrid.

My chickens ate so much pumpkin last fall they will be wormless for years. I am actually planting pumpkins for them this spring. If I plant enough my grandkids will ge jack-o-laterns, if the shed door stays closed. I have Cayenne pepper, I got 20 pounds from Amazon for the birds.  I am not adverse to using drugs if need be in the CL's as I have no intention of eating them or their eggs.  The others I want to keep it out of because they are food and pets at the same time.

Caerbhael  Chickens are not democratic, do not believe in equal rights, or justice. If you pass out and fall down cutting your arm so it bleeds on the way down in the chicken pen they will eat you in a matter of minutes. Leaving bones, unless they can get the marrow out of them, in which case you would simply disappear. They are all mini-T-rex's.

Ha ha, yes they could be miniature T Rex's, however I prefer to think of them as miniature raptors myself... raptors are flocking vs T-Rex being solo. Smart, quick to adapt etc., raptors always seemed to me like 6 ft chickens.

 

[Drea07]

Crazy roo or normal chicken behavior?

I was hanging out with all my birds for about an hour after work and making sure everyone had food and water. All the birds were acting perfectly "normal" for chickens and ducks.

Went down a few hours later to put everyone to bed. My BR roo had dug a hole and was laying on his side in the middle of it, one of the pullets was standing over him and would "poke" him in the belly and he would start kicking like he couldn't get up. The two of them repeated this a few times. My first thought was that they had gotten into a fight and she hurt him, but she was gently poking him like she was checking to see if he was okay. (kind of a "hey you! Get up!) Then I thought something else was going on and he was dying on me. I took the top off the brooder to take him out.
The pullet ran to the other side, the roo jumped up, tripped over himself, fell down, got up (looked like he was drunk) and gave me a very indigent confused look. I took him out and laid him down outside of the brooder, he stood right up, looked around peeping, turned towards me, stood up taller and then started peeping very loudly at me walking perfectly fine in my direction. (I was feeling very scolded...)

He was not very happy with me for taking him out. So I put him back, he kicked some of the bedding in my direction and went right back to the pullet that was poking him.

So is this something normal or is it a sign of something I need to be worrying about??

 

[FoxyChicken]

Drea07- It sounds like he was dust bathing. It can be alarming the first time you see it, with all the kicking and flailing it can look like some sort of seizure!

My hens peck at each other when they're rolling around like that too.

 

[duluthralphie]

Crazy roo or normal chicken behavior?

I was hanging out with all my birds for about an hour after work and making sure everyone had food and water. All the birds were acting perfectly "normal" for chickens and ducks.

Went down a few hours later to put everyone to bed. My BR roo had dug a hole and was laying on his side in the middle of it, one of the pullets was standing over him and would "poke" him in the belly and he would start kicking like he couldn't get up. The two of them repeated this a few times. My first thought was that they had gotten into a fight and she hurt him, but she was gently poking him like she was checking to see if he was okay. (kind of a "hey you! Get up!) Then I thought something else was going on and he was dying on me. I took the top off the brooder to take him out.
The pullet ran to the other side, the roo jumped up, tripped over himself, fell down, got up (looked like he was drunk) and gave me a very indigent confused look. I took him out and laid him down outside of the brooder, he stood right up, looked around peeping, turned towards me, stood up taller and then started peeping very loudly at me walking perfectly fine in my direction. (I was feeling very scolded...)

He was not very happy with me for taking him out. So I put him back, he kicked some of the bedding in my direction and went right back to the pullet that was poking him.

So is this something normal or is it a sign of something I need to be worrying about??

Maybe they had just read "50 shades of Grey"...?

 

[Drea07]

Drea07- It sounds like he was dust bathing. It can be alarming the first time you see it, with all the kicking and flailing it can look like some sort of seizure!

My hens peck at each other when they're rolling around like that too.

Oh good! It was pretty funny to watch.