New Mommy Advice Please

[missnu01]

I have 4 roosters and only 4 hens that are adults right now and they don't fight...I mean the main rooster chases the lesser roosters away, but no like actual fighting

 

[missnu01]

That's crazy what happened to the first set of chickens. I haven't had anything like that. I had a couple of my first end up with defunct brain issues because at some point the feeder apparently got water in it so there was a bunch of mold. Only 2 chickens were afflicted. Have lost a lot to predators and lost a good number of hens due to vent blowouts. I just make sure to hatch a ton...that way once the raccoons and such are done I still have enough to make some money come winter time. The hardscrabble annual chicken sale. Lol. Chicken math gets me all spring. Then the feed bill gets me come winter. So off they go

 

[Aban]

I have 4 roosters and only 4 hens that are adults right now and they don't fight...I mean the main rooster chases the lesser roosters away, but no like actual fighting

wow really, we thought they would get to fighting and we wouldnt be able to keep them seperate....so we have been getting rid of them as soon as they crow. I cried when we took Simon back. I was so happy when she gave him back to me!! and I just LOVE watching him

 

[Aban]

That's crazy what happened to the first set of chickens. I haven't had anything like that. I had a couple of my first end up with defunct brain issues because at some point the feeder apparently got water in it so there was a bunch of mold. Only 2 chickens were afflicted. Have lost a lot to predators and lost a good number of hens due to vent blowouts. I just make sure to hatch a ton...that way once the raccoons and such are done I still have enough to make some money come winter time. The hardscrabble annual chicken sale. Lol. Chicken math gets me all spring. Then the feed bill gets me come winter. So off they go

we had to put the first set down. they had one of the top five and we were unable to keep them as pets or for my daughter SAE/CDE so we started over. I didnt know that about the water and the feed, i add water to our chickens feed almost everyday....i sure am glad you said something, I am on my way to get it out of the coop now!! thank for the heads up!!

 

[missnu01]

If you're adding water everyday that is fine I would assume, our issue was that at some point the food in the feeder got wet at he boom closest to where it comes out for the chickens. And I never let it get empty so I never saw the bottom of the feeder...anyway the feeder finally ran empty and then I saw that there was a bunch of moldy food caked on the bottom of the feeder...which mold can poison some chickens apparently, but not all. I had 2 really young chickens die of what I thought was mareks. They started off limping with their toes curled then it would get worse until they were scissor legged and couldn't control their head motions, but only one. I didn't figure it was anything they were getting into because I had 18 other chickens including some siblings of the 2 affected, and they were all fine. Anyway after those 2 were culled is when I found the mold and looked it up and in fact ingesting mold can cause all the same symptoms...and since I've probably had 100 chickens in and out of here since those 2 we have seen no more issues even close to the 2 that we had to cull. I've had 4 hens have blowouts where their insides became their outsides, and a lot get eaten by local creatures, buy no more flopping paralyzed chickens. Not a one. So it had to have been the mold and that for whatever reason only those 2 were affected. So just make sure you aren't harboring mold in your feeders because chicken feed will mold quick. A little drop of water in the bag will mold the whole bag in a hurry. Which seems like 8/10 times a little mold won't hurt them, but you might end up with one or 2 that it really affects hard

 

[missnu01]

I have 4 roosters and only 4 hens that are adults right now and they don't fight...I mean the main rooster chases the lesser roosters away, but no like actual fighting

wow really, we thought they would get to fighting and we wouldnt be able to keep them seperate....so we have been getting rid of them as soon as they crow. I cried when we took Simon back. I was so happy when she gave him back to me!! and I just LOVE watching him

all my roosters seem to know their place. Head rooster is the head rooster and everyone gets out of his way. Sometimes one of the lesser roosters will try to mate a hen but as soon as the hen squawks the big rooster comes running and the other roosters flee. It is the way of chickens. Although if we had them penned they surely would fight. But we have 4 wooded acres so everyone can spread out and find something else to do. They can all stay out of each others way.

 

[missnu01]

One of my friends keeps her chickens penned and she bought a couple of turkeys from us. Turkeys that grew up with my chickens,, and she penned them up with a rooster they had separated out and in the morning there was no reason to separate the rooster any longer. Seemed the turkeys had nearly made a meal of him...so penned poultrys are super different than wandering poultry. So another thing to keep in mind.

 

[Aban]

One of my friends keeps her chickens penned and she bought a couple of turkeys from us. Turkeys that grew up with my chickens,, and she penned them up with a rooster they had separated out and in the morning there was no reason to separate the rooster any longer. Seemed the turkeys had nearly made a meal of him...so penned poultrys are super different than wandering poultry. So another thing to keep in mind.

we can tell, we would rather have backyard chickens but are still in the process of what actually works best. we have had our set now for awhile and are loving it, and of course we have the 4 new lil chicks, we are going to try to get their "play pin" done this weekend. that way they can get out with the new momma and streach and scratch...we are so excited!!

 

[Aban]

all my roosters seem to know their place. Head rooster is the head rooster and everyone gets out of his way. Sometimes one of the lesser roosters will try to mate a hen but as soon as the hen squawks the big rooster comes running and the other roosters flee. It is the way of chickens. Although if we had them penned they surely would fight. But we have 4 wooded acres so everyone can spread out and find something else to do. They can all stay out of each other
hopefully my hubby will let us just keep all of the new babies even if we end up with a rooster or 2 and see how it works out. cause I am sure that Simon will remain the alpha rooster and we will see how they do, it would be alot funner to be able to watch them all grow up instead of getting attached and then having to get rid of them.

 

[Aban]

If you're adding water everyday that is fine I would assume, our issue was that at some point the food in the feeder got wet at he boom closest to where it comes out for the chickens. And I never let it get empty so I never saw the bottom of the feeder...anyway the feeder finally ran empty and then I saw that there was a bunch of moldy food caked on the bottom of the feeder...which mold can poison some chickens apparently, but not all. I had 2 really young chickens die of what I thought was mareks. They started off limping with their toes curled then it would get worse until they were scissor legged and couldn't control their head motions, but only one. I didn't figure it was anything they were getting into because I had 18 other chickens including some siblings of the 2 affected, and they were all fine. Anyway after those 2 were culled is when I found the mold and looked it up and in fact ingesting mold can cause all the same symptoms...and since I've probably had 100 chickens in and out of here since those 2 we have seen no more issues even close to the 2 that we had to cull. I've had 4 hens have blowouts where their insides became their outsides, and a lot get eaten by local creatures, buy no more flopping paralyzed chickens. Not a one. So it had to have been the mold and that for whatever reason only those 2 were affected. So just make sure you aren't harboring mold in your feeders because chicken feed will mold quick. A little drop of water in the bag will mold the whole bag in a hurry. Which seems like 8/10 times a little mold won't hurt them, but you might end up with one or 2 that it really affects hard

wow what a horrible experience, I am glad that didnt happen., It is harder to loose them when we started it with our daughter for her FFA project and with such a small amount. I am sure if she saw that she would never wanted chickens again. we only have a handfull, but are hoping to grow with the build of the larger coop. we will see how it goes. we didnt realize just how hard it can be to care for a chicken. honestly we thought it was a good idea for her. now i love having them and we have probly went overboard,but i feel the experience it worth it and it is enjoyment for the whole family (most of the time) )