NY chicken lover!!!!

[Chicken girl 15]

I know several of you have horses so I have a quick question. At what age is best to start halter training? IMO immediately would be best and safest but a friend of mine who breeds said 3-4 months is best.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

We have 5 1 gallon freezer bags of garden peas in the freezer. They did great, until the monster chicken know as Bertha attacked a bumble bee that was flying around them. She destroyed the entire crop in 3 minutes flat over a bee.


Same with peas, get them going REAL early, I've had snow on them and done great! Peas did great, I'm glad I wasn't the only one (not really) that our spinach did the same thing, came up about 2" and bolted! I usually do great with spinach. Planted some this fall also, about 2", hasn't bolted, but isn't growing.. Always done good with swiss chard, didn't grow enough to eat, bout the same as the spinach??? Planted a ton of beets for greens and beets, not great either! (love beet greens with little baby beets thinning them out) did get some edible beets, not many for what we planted. I think it was the weather, weird yr??. Thankfully I tried kale this yr, tons of it!! Did real good on the cabbage also this yr, 36 big heads, enough for boiling, sauerkraut, and the chickens, chickens will have their fill of kale also.

 

[Glasshen]

My gardens were not good this year. Last year we had great kale, Swiss chard, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. This year none of that. I put it down to soil fertility, and rabbits. So have been dumping the gleanings from the poop board into the gardens and will continue to do so until Feb first, when I will revert to composting. Till it in and plant in the spring, hoping for a better year. The rabbits, are still under consideration.

 

[boskelli1571]

My gardens were not good this year. Last year we had great kale, Swiss chard, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. This year none of that. I put it down to soil fertility, and rabbits. So have been dumping the gleanings from the poop board into the gardens and will continue to do so until Feb first, when I will revert to composting. Till it in and plant in the spring, hoping for a better year. The rabbits, are still under consideration.

I hear you with varmits! Except ours are deer! I was so proud of my heightened fencing - pah!! they looked upon it as a challenge - and won!

The kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli was eaten overnight - they have missed the chard thankfully.
Back to the drawing board for next year.....

 

[Lapeerian]

I know several of you have horses so I have a quick question. At what age is best to start halter training? IMO immediately would be best and safest but a friend of mine who breeds said 3-4 months is best.

Depends on what your definition of halter training is. Handling the foal regularly and putting a leather foal halter on and off is acceptable. Expecting to pull on a lead rope and have the foal follow is not. They will fight and can potentially injure themselves. And you will upset mama mare, who range in temperment from mildly annoyed to attempting to kill you. That is why people grab young foals around the body (around chest and rump with arms) to direct them, rather than attempt to lead.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

I know several of you have horses so I have a quick question. At what age is best to start halter training? IMO immediately would be best and safest but a friend of mine who breeds said 3-4 months is best.

Now for full disclosure I have never "owned" my own horse, but Foaling and Foal management was my career of choice. I had delivered close to 150 foals and halter broke almost twice that many. I personally believe that imprinting is crucial from the time the foal hits the ground. Now like Lapeerian said you can't expect them to walk with you right away. I think that a good foal halter is important for them to get used to, but they MUST not be left on all the time. Foals grow fast and I can't even begin to describe the sights of seeing a young foal with an embedded halter and the care that takes to bring them back both physically and mentally. In my experience It is good to have a few people for walking the first time. I always had someone walk the mare then I would almost wrap my arms around the foal the first few times till they could walk on their own. Then with a helper we would carefully add the halter and lead rope. Mostly letting the foal walk with them mom, trying to almost have it like you aren't even leading them. Then after a few weeks I would start "leading" them by just giving them a little pressure. The main things it so make sure to take baby steps and take it slow. It only takes one bad time to set you way back. In my personal experience I try to have them walking on a lead before 3 months.

Take it from personal experience...It is much easier to start when they are little and easier to handle then when they get bigger. I have had to halter break older foals and yearlings and it is much more difficult. Do the work when they are younger and it will save you the pain and trouble of doing it later in their life.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

@[@]LuvMyChicks1491[/@] the foal of concern was born July 14 and the only time it has had a halter on was after much loving attention from me, about 2 hours. He is a big boy and has decided following momma is no fun. So in turn getting him from the stall in the barn to the paddock outside has become dangerous. He gets exposed to his grandfather (still intact stallion at 24) as well as 2 geldings (his cousins ) 2 mare's (his aunts) and his 3 year old sister, who is not happy momma has been away from her . They are all behind fences however they can reach over no problem. I am very aware of the danger and time it takes to train a foal, they are after all babies. I just feel for the safety of horse and human alike they should be slowly introduced to the process early. That's why I asked I have never actually trained a horse. The farm next door we help at almost daily and I love it but the foal is a danger IMO. I may be wrong.

 

[Pyxis]

Well, I just about give up. The seller reshipped me chicks yesterday, express overnight guaranteed again, and guess what? They aren't here today. Again.

 

[shodack]

Well, I just about give up. The seller reshipped me chicks yesterday, express overnight guaranteed again, and guess what? They aren't here today. Again.

Omg that's insane. Ahhhhhhhhhh!! What on earth is that place doing??? I'm so frustrated for you- I hope you can get a hold of someone

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

<a href="/u/226813/LuvMyChicks1491" data-huddler-embed="href" data-huddler-embed-layout="inline">@LuvMyChicks1491</a> the foal of concern was born July 14 and the only time it has had a halter on was after much loving attention from me, about 2 hours. He is a big boy and has decided following momma is no fun. So in turn getting him from the stall in the barn to the paddock outside has become dangerous. He gets exposed to his grandfather (still intact stallion at 24) as well as 2 geldings (his cousins ) 2 mare's (his aunts) and his 3 year old sister, who is not happy momma has been away from her . They are all behind fences however they can reach over no problem. I am very aware of the danger and time it takes to train a foal, they are after all babies. I just feel for the safety of horse and human alike they should be slowly introduced to the process early. That's why I asked I have never actually trained a horse. The farm next door we help at almost daily and I love it but the foal is a danger IMO. I may be wrong.

That is a prime example why it is so important to halter break them early cause it s harder when you don't have the added benefit of their desire to follow their mom. I don't think that the foal would be in too much danger from the others as long as there is a fence between them. Where the problem lies is the trouble that the foal can get into by himself. He can get himself caught up somewhere and panic and get himself hurt. He can be trained, but it will be a little harder now.