Hi Folks,
I'm trying my hand at chickens this year. I grew up on a farm, but we had gotten rid of our chickens before I came along. I got my chickens for manure, pest control, and of course eggs.
So far everything has been going really well. We have two 1yr+ Buffed Orphingtons, 3-4 month old Plymoth Barred Rock and a Black Australorp, then 2 Amuricana and 2 Silver-Laced Wyandottes about 10 days old. So we're getting eggs from my older buff gals and they were the first ones we had in our coop. The one is very much in charge, but not mean. She the friendliest to us and not really scared of the dog, cats, or anything that I can tell. She is our mama hen, Beatrice. The other Buffy is Louise and she's very shy and timid. We just introduced the two 4 month old gals this week. Beatrice pecked them each on the head when they came in (removing a feather), but has sense shown little interest in them. But she's always the first to eat..
I have a few questions..
1.Our mama, Beatrice still hasn't grown her back feathers in from where we got her off the farm (the rooster pulled them out). She was broody when we got her, could that have something to do with it? Also, her friend Louise (from the same farm) has grown her feathers back.
2. Beatrice woke me up this morning doing her scowl as I like to call it.. she was pacing back and forth at 7am scowling? I gave her some corn, which quieted her a few moments, but then she started back up. Any reason why she would be like this?
3. The new littles ones are eating, but we don't feel like they're eating enough. They won't even eat meal worms out of hands.. which the Buff will devoure in seconds. Should we be concerned?
4. Of my 4 baby chicks, all are growing super fast and getting their feathers, except one. She seems as little as the day we got her. I watched her and she does eat and drink. When I hold her in my hands (when they're warm) she falls asleep... very cute, but concerns me.
Any comments would be greatly appreciated. I want my girls to be happy and healthy!
Thanks,
Tomi Bergstrom
I'm trying my hand at chickens this year. I grew up on a farm, but we had gotten rid of our chickens before I came along. I got my chickens for manure, pest control, and of course eggs.
So far everything has been going really well. We have two 1yr+ Buffed Orphingtons, 3-4 month old Plymoth Barred Rock and a Black Australorp, then 2 Amuricana and 2 Silver-Laced Wyandottes about 10 days old. So we're getting eggs from my older buff gals and they were the first ones we had in our coop. The one is very much in charge, but not mean. She the friendliest to us and not really scared of the dog, cats, or anything that I can tell. She is our mama hen, Beatrice. The other Buffy is Louise and she's very shy and timid. We just introduced the two 4 month old gals this week. Beatrice pecked them each on the head when they came in (removing a feather), but has sense shown little interest in them. But she's always the first to eat..
I have a few questions..
1.Our mama, Beatrice still hasn't grown her back feathers in from where we got her off the farm (the rooster pulled them out). She was broody when we got her, could that have something to do with it? Also, her friend Louise (from the same farm) has grown her feathers back.
2. Beatrice woke me up this morning doing her scowl as I like to call it.. she was pacing back and forth at 7am scowling? I gave her some corn, which quieted her a few moments, but then she started back up. Any reason why she would be like this?
3. The new littles ones are eating, but we don't feel like they're eating enough. They won't even eat meal worms out of hands.. which the Buff will devoure in seconds. Should we be concerned?
4. Of my 4 baby chicks, all are growing super fast and getting their feathers, except one. She seems as little as the day we got her. I watched her and she does eat and drink. When I hold her in my hands (when they're warm) she falls asleep... very cute, but concerns me.
Any comments would be greatly appreciated. I want my girls to be happy and healthy!
Thanks,
Tomi Bergstrom
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