Moving day for the the flocks.

[LoneCowboy]

Well, today was the day. I got sick and tired of the Red Sex-links pecking the feathers off all my other girls. They've picked their backs and bottoms bare, and picked the beards off the EEers so today, the 6 that I've been waiting to start laying have gone into the big coop with their roo Tyrone. I've had them next door to the big coop for a long time and I've had them free range together so they are pretty familiar with each other. I figure that will go pretty smooth.

However, I moved the red meanies to the coop that the 6 were in and moved Slick my over sexed EE roo from the little coop (these have never met) to the coop with the Red Sexlinks. He and the girls both need to learn some manners so they get to teach each other.

So far the big girls are doing fine with the new six but the red heads and their new roo are having a time of it. This should be interesting to see how this will turn out. I've actually sold 2 of the reds, just waiting for the guy to come get them, but I couldn't wait to make the switch any longer. I've got to let these poor girls get their feathers back. Of course they should be molting before long.

I'm worried that the ones that were picked on so much will start picking the new girls though. I'd hate to have to get rid of all of them over this bad habit.

 

[speckledhen]

I feel for you, Deniece! I know how it is when a few insist on causing trouble for the rest of them.

 

[LoneCowboy]

Well, the move seems to have gone very smoothly, everybody is still laying and all is calm except for Slick who I've had to chase down a few times and now hides behind the nesting boxes to get away from Me, the big mean roo.

However, I sold 2 of my best layers today.

They are 11 months old and the worse pickers among the girls. I can't stop them so I'm going to get rid of some of them. It's still hard, because they were the friendliest toward me. Real sweet hearts. And I sold them to newbies.

I can't believe anybody ever sold chickens to me when I first started, it's scary to let your kids go to the great unknown. Is it wrong to ask for resume's and references?

 

[smom1976]

newbies can be the most loving people too..

I am a newbie.. (had birds for 2 months) but I sit with my babies every day several times a day.. they get treated like queens!

 

[LoneCowboy]

Yeah, I've been a newbie and I love my birds too. But I had to give them food and everything. They only bought cracked corn for them. It's way too hot to be feeding cracked corn here. I'm sure they will be good to them, but you worry about your babies in the hands of somebody who's just learning. You wonder, is their coop secure? Do they know how to feed them? Will they get all the treats they are used too? The truth of the matter is, I didn't want to let them go at all, but I can't stop the picking so I've got to do something.