NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

Rancher, I feel qualified to answer here so forgive me if you don't. Be sure that getting rid of your hobby is what you really want to do. Caregivers are lost in the shuffle. The person with the illness is usually getting the very best care and support while we sit by and wonder what more we can do for them. Everyone In our situation stood up and said they would do whatever they could but when they were really needed, they were unavailable. Not 1 of my mothers friends stopped by the hospital to visit for the 2 mo she was in there. My point, you are the one that will need a little alone time, or someone to talk to, 1 hr to do something that you enjoy. I hated getting up an extra hour early in the cold to care for my chickens before going to sit with my mother all day but now I'm glad I did. Plus, chickens are good listeners. You have to do what you feel is best for you, today I'm sending you a huge hug. Prayers, sue

I'm just wondering whether I should scale things back some and who to cut. That mean rooster has to go, cuz I have to be extra careful with him around. DW has a scratch on her leg from his father who has never attacked me and I worry he will attack someone else if I need someone to care for that coop.

DW of course would not tell me to do so. She says "they're you chickens you do what you want with them" .

Lord have mercy, what kind of person takes care of 50 chickens and ducks for their spouse when they themselves don't like animals at all? Never complained not even about the mean jerk rooster.

I know it's all in Gods hands and I know he knows what's going on. I'm drawing on all that I've been taught at church for nearly 40 years to get us through this.

 

[Lynzi777]

He's beautiful! How old is he? How much do want for him?

Sent you a PM

 

[huntin fool]

I lost 2 of my hens a couple of months back to a possum, some sparrows used my dead chickens feathers to make their nest. now that they have chicks, they go back and forth from their birdhouse to the chicken house, eating all my chicken feed. its kinda cool how even in death their can be life. i smile everytime i see those feathers sticking out of the birdhouse...

 

[Glasshen]

Rancher, I agree with the folks who say to be slow to make big changes. Personally, if I had a medical thing going on and my husband gave up one of his very favorite activities so he could take care of me, I would feel awful. I would feel horrible that I was that much of a burden. Plus, when we were building this house my husband gave up his normal exercise because he didn't have time. Exercise is how how manages stress, so to give that up at a stressful time, let's just say it was a mistake for him. Although he is excessive in it. A cut back would have been better.

This might be a time, however, to look at the stuff you do that is purely a pain. Things that take time and effort but you don't enjoy anymore. Sometimes we do things because we always have but would rather not, those are the things that you could get rid of to free up time and energy.

You clearly would do anything for DW, but the message you would send if you give up your favorite activities is that she wont be getting better. That she is a burden. Don't send that. Just trim out extra pain in the butt stuff that you can say, I wasn't enjoying doing that, so I thought this would be a good excuse to stop. Unless that is how you feel about chickens...

 

[rancher hicks]

I lost 2 of my hens a couple of months back to a possum, some sparrows used my dead chickens feathers to make their nest. now that they have chicks, they go back and forth from their birdhouse to the chicken house, eating all my chicken feed. its kinda cool how even in death their can be life. i smile everytime i see those feathers sticking out of the birdhouse...

I have seen birds taking feathers too. However keep in mind that wild birds can carry diseases that can be passed on to you chickens. Which is why I got rid of my bird feeders when I got chickens.

I am sorry for you loss of chickens just the same. Possums are not cute when they rear their ugly heads and hiss at you like one did to me one night. Hope you catch the bugger and dispose of him/her. If you decide to replace those hens and I can help let me know.

Turned out my neighbor was feeding them at her place. I think she stopped after I told her they can give rabies to her cats.

 

[armorfirelady]

Lynzi he looks like he has a toupe,on

 

[JLaw]

So Since I finished reading posts here I started reading the facebook BYC threads. Someone there posed this video.

what are all your thoughts on this?

Doesn't seem right to me but I know too little to judge.

PS: rancher - you rule =)

I haven't seen the straps for the neck before, but I have come a cross decrowing a rooster. There is/was someone on here who did the surgery. His first post has a video.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/705084/decrowing-roosters

I just came across a video that used a rubber band instead of strap which I think strap would be better so you can make sure it's set to the tightness you want.


As I'm jumping around watching chicken videos check out the spurs on this guy

 

[huntin fool]

Quote:
thanks rancher, i dont know how to keep the wild ones out of the run, and the possum was run over, so im good for now i hope, i might have to take you up on the offer, out of the 6 chicks we got, 5 of them are roos

 

[SunnysideupstateNY]

So Since I finished reading posts here I started reading the facebook BYC threads. Someone there posed this video.

what are all your thoughts on this?

Doesn't seem right to me but I know too little to judge.

PS: rancher - you rule =)

It sounds like he's choking...but seems normal. I hope that was blue kote on his head and comb otherwise I would assume that a blue comb like that would mean he's having trouble breathing.
I wonder how long you can leave that on for without having skin or feather issues around it.

On another note, I was coming up my road last night and there was a fox trotting down the shoulder....I swerved....for him. Unfortunately I missed, I didn't feel like putting my car in the ditch.

 

[Metella]

Huntin Fool - THANKS for sharing that! A few years ago - my favorite cuckoo Marans roo - sweetest thing ... fought off a fox while I was not at home - the fox got him and 4 hens - the rest of the flock had time to hide and I thought everyone was lost until hours later .... they started to trickle back to the coop. I found 8 EIGHT widely separated spots with my roo's feathers .... he did a hell of a job.

Weeks later I was in the barn and looked up .... there were some of his feathers in the barn swallow nest. Sigh... I felt good and bad at the same time.


Also - re: Rancher's Chickens ... Since I agree with the posts, I wanted to clarify mine a little .... I don't think Rancher should just go 'cold turkey' (yes, pun intended) and get rid of them all - and I also don't think he should do it for his DW !!!! He has a lot going on, had a difficult winter, had already thought about chucking it all in, and it would make sense to downsize if these things look like they are going to hold true .... I did mention he should keep all his favs .... But of course, any decision has to be best for you, Rancher. You know all the small details that we don't.