Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[chickengr]

Things seem to be settling down a teeny bit, Tank and Apoc doing ok - though I think I will still try to give the girls a break from Snape once the coop is finished. He got the papoose hold again this evening - and the tough guy secretly likes being held and having his face stroked.

And yes, he has an AMAZING body type. Interestingly, I put Tank and Apoc to bed (still haven't taken on their digs as "home" yet), and Tank seems less blocky now - I haven't weighed them in a bit, but plan to next week. I need to check that he's eating - maybe it was just stressful with Snape there for a while, plus the move. Meanwhile, I think he misses the girls, as he keeps tid-bitting to nobody (poor guy) - though he also had a cackling contest with Paula the LOUD cream legbar (who aspires to a career in opera or punk rock) - you would have sworn he was a hen about to lay if you didn't know better. Crazy kids...

Before that, I took a look at Trinity's wound (it's a big 'un, so glad she has dark skin), and I tried putting a bunch of Peck-No-More on it to be safe (caught one of the other pullets pecking at it a little). Here's a tip: If you hold a bird in your lap and put Peck-No-More or Blu-Kote on the back of her head, SHE WILL SHAKE HER HEAD VIGOROUSLY. No matter how often you try. So, if you're having a problem with your friends and co-workers pecking at your face and neck, it might be a benefit as you will get a very nice coating, otherwise, not so much. Then again, it's a chance to try out that facial tattoo you always wanted. Too bad you can't pick the pattern...

Got a little done on the coop today, will do more tomorrow. I'm MOTIVATED now!!!!!

- Ant Farm

I use iodine for their wounds. it seems other chickens don't like the smell and don't peck.

good luck with your crazy kids!

 

[Skink]

Went to check in on all the chickens roosting and found Pork dead. We are not sure what happened, but she has a weirdly enlarged, swollen artery on one side of her neck and her comb was bluish grey, all deflated looking. Heart failure of some kind? We are absolutely devastated. She was my special girl.. we had decided to keep her indoors permanently because she was so sweet. Breeding plans were totally secondary, it was her personality and not her genes that were irreplaceable. I'm severely tempted to sell off my whole flock except for my other 3 house chickens for fear they all drop dead on me too. Poor Pork... she didn't deserve this. She never got to try fresh spring grass, or learn to cluck, or stretch out in a sunbeam. She was so young. We will miss her so...

RIP poor baby girl...

 

[magdelaine]

I used to do that...  it does work for the most part.  The coopers/sharpshins can be too sneaky if there are a lot of mature trees around, they just fly low and hunt by surprise-attack.  However when they do see one, they raise a huge ruckus and try their best to drive it away, especially when they have a nest or fledgings nearby.

Now with my birds not free ranging anymore, I don;'t bother with it anymore.

Attracting ravens can cause its own problems...as in when they chased this guy into one of my pens! The chicken wire wasn't sewn in one spot and he was desperate to get through. Luckily no chickens were harmed and I managed to release him.

 

[chickengr]

Went to check in on all the chickens roosting and found Pork dead. We are not sure what happened, but she has a weirdly enlarged, swollen artery on one side of her neck and her comb was bluish grey, all deflated looking. Heart failure of some kind? We are absolutely devastated. She was my special girl.. we had decided to keep her indoors permanently because she was so sweet. Breeding plans were totally secondary, it was her personality and not her genes that were irreplaceable. I'm severely tempted to sell off my whole flock except for my other 3 house chickens for fear they all drop dead on me too. Poor Pork... she didn't deserve this. She never got to try fresh spring grass, or learn to cluck, or stretch out in a sunbeam. She was so young. We will miss her so...

RIP poor baby girl...

sorry for your loss...

I have been warned not to love any of my chickens. it usually happens that the most beloved ones die. but who can control heart matters?

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Went to check in on all the chickens roosting and found Pork dead. We are not sure what happened, but she has a weirdly enlarged, swollen artery on one side of her neck and her comb was bluish grey, all deflated looking. Heart failure of some kind? We are absolutely devastated. She was my special girl.. we had decided to keep her indoors permanently because she was so sweet. Breeding plans were totally secondary, it was her personality and not her genes that were irreplaceable. I'm severely tempted to sell off my whole flock except for my other 3 house chickens for fear they all drop dead on me too. Poor Pork... she didn't deserve this. She never got to try fresh spring grass, or learn to cluck, or stretch out in a sunbeam. She was so young. We will miss her so...

RIP poor baby girl...

Oh, no!!! That makes me so sad.

I'm so sorry for your loss - I know how special she was.

- Ant Farm

 

[Kassaundra]

Went to check in on all the chickens roosting and found Pork dead. We are not sure what happened, but she has a weirdly enlarged, swollen artery on one side of her neck and her comb was bluish grey, all deflated looking. Heart failure of some kind? We are absolutely devastated. She was my special girl.. we had decided to keep her indoors permanently because she was so sweet. Breeding plans were totally secondary, it was her personality and not her genes that were irreplaceable. I'm severely tempted to sell off my whole flock except for my other 3 house chickens for fear they all drop dead on me too. Poor Pork... she didn't deserve this. She never got to try fresh spring grass, or learn to cluck, or stretch out in a sunbeam. She was so young. We will miss her so...

RIP poor baby girl...

So sorry for your loss

I've only had one naked to go like that, suddenly about her age w/ not s/sx before hand. It was Frick I didn't do a necropsy on him and never figured it out. He would have been like a second cousin to your Pork.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Hawks out hunting this AM. The surveyor tape is still working well, but heard a ruckus and ran out to find a small hawk perched low in a tree right beside the NN paddock, watching them - probably after trying to dive but discovering the tape. All the girls were huddled around Severus and he was looking very protective - I suspect if the hawk got in and tried to get one, Severus would flog him. Hawk flew away frustrated and they started ranging again, but sticking close to Snape. Currently they are napping under their favorite scraggly sapling, with Snape walking around them on patrol, crowing. I went a little bananas with the amount of tape I used, but maybe it's a good time to add even more. Of note, the main reason I and all the other chickens immediately knew something was up was because of the Cream Legbar girls, who have a VERY loud alarm call (even louder than the CL rooster's) and are very smart about finding cover quickly. They also are very mindful/sensitive to other chickens being threatened and will warn when they themselves are not at risk. I continue to be very impressed with these birds for egg production and foraging/self-preservation. They are on the small side, but I may find myself crossing them with NNs one day...

As one of the reasons I want roosters is for protection and flock leadership, I think I will leave Snape with them for now (again, maybe with a short break while they are confined to the new coop before ranging again). Interestingly, as you guys had indicated, his peak interest in the girls is indeed morning and evening. But in the morning, he dances for them, and is accepting if they are not interested - never grabs at them against their will. It's only in the evening that he turns into a caveman...

- Ant Farm

Edit to add: Found fresh entrails on the ground near the NN and CL paddocks. Too little left to guess what it was (intestine diameter small so small animal or bird), but I suspect the hawk got his breakfast after all...

 

[turtlelady627]

Awww Im sorry you lost her. Know you gave her the best life possible!! Don't you stop, that would be biggest tragedy here.

 

[PiecesofAmber]

Here is lady Godiva a couple of months ago.

 

[draye]

Well got out this afternoon and fixed up a run that has been unused for awhile. Got the 16 week old pullets moved there and tomorrow I'll clean up the brooder room and ready it for the new hatch due Friday the 15th.

I have 11 eggs in there from my NN's. According to the chatters these all ( if all hatch) should be Naked Necks.

I have a total of 37 eggs on but the rest are mixed breeds with a very slim chance of a few being NN. Just trying to add pullets right now to get some eggs. I'll cull them later when I get more NN' s going.

Yesterday I started them in a new feed. Everything is the same in the feed except it's ramped up to 22% protein. The guy I got the feed from said his hens started laying much better.