New guy from Virginia

[cozwurth]

Hello, all!
I'm not completely new to chickens, but this is the first I've owned any. I was just given four chickens (two roosters, two hens), a small coop, feeders, and some feed by a co-worker's in-laws. They were selling their house and the person buying the house did not want them. I'm not sure what the breeds are, but all four are different. One of the roos is a bantam of some flavor. I'll have to post a couple of pics for the experts here to help identify them. They were mainly free-range in their back yard, and roosted in the garage at night.

One of the hens has lost almost all of her feathers on her back. Looks like she's at the bottom of the pecking order as all of the other three peck at her occasionally. Is there anything I can do about that?

I bought a dog kennel to keep them in, but they have no problem flying over the 6 foot high fence. They're roosting on top of the fence as I type. I guess I'll have to put a top over the kennel to keep them in until I open the gate to let them out. I've already done quite a bit of reading here on the forums, and I'm looking forward to doing a lot more.

Dave

 

[redsoxs]

Dave! Glad you joined us! Best of luck with your birds!!

 

[kidcody]

Hi dave

from WA. glad you joined us

 

[Lothiriel]

Dave! Glad you joined. This is a great place.

About your hen with the missing feathers on her back -- that's most likely because of the roosters mounting her to mate. You could get her (and maybe the other hen) a chicken saddle to help.

 

[Imp]

congrats on the chickens.

Imp

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC.

 

[smarquis86]

from yakima, wa

 

[cozwurth]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Lothiriel, I kinda laughed when I read your comment about the chicken saddles... I had a quick vision of a leather saddle and a cowboy the size of GI Joe riding into the sunset.

I had never heard of them before, but I googled it and it sounds like a good idea. I'm not sure that the mating is the whole story, though. I've seen all three of the others just peck at her, seemingly for no reason. They're all sleeping shoulder to shoulder on top of the fence, now, though. If I had known that they would roost on top of the fence rather than in the coop I would have just used some pipe to make a roost instead of buying the kennel.

I've got a lot to learn about these birds...

Dave

 

[jen5680]

and

from SW Ohio!!

 

[smarquis86]

from yakima, wa