NY chicken lover!!!!

[chickenychicken]

Hi!
Anyone know the answer to this question from another thread?
Thanks!
Okay folks so I hear that giving vitamin B complex is a lot better than the soluble multi vitamin/electrolytes. I have just purchase of durvet maxi-B 1000 but not quite sure how many CC/ML to give per bird. I was thinking of giving .5CC per bird since I have large fowl but thought I would check with everyone else's opinions.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

The cockerels are going to be processed, but they are quite some time out yet. They are still quite small.

I'm not sure of this particular hen's place in the pecking order...actually, I haven't had a dominant hen or a low hen since I increased my flock from 4 birds to 12.

Can't use the dog's crate...the cats use it...lol. And I can't separate our grow-out area any further. Do you think the young cockerels will pick on the chicks?

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

[COLOR=0000FF]Yes I remembered you because you were so nice to us and explained about the feathering. It was the first Silkie we had ever seen or touched. Thank You.[/COLOR]

I'm glad you enjoyed the experience. I always try to educate when people see my silkies. I also like to have them interact with my birds so they can enjoy them as much as I do. I spend lots of time handling the boys so they get used to it and allow me to do what I need to do without fuss. My large fowl I don't handle unless I must and my current roo is good about it when I catch him.

 

[Metella]

Well- last year Mrs. Millie - a Bantam d'Uccle - hatched out 4 or 5 eggs (LF eggs) - when they were all dry - I put the whole family down from the next box ... and little Mrs. Millie raised them .... in a full flock of about 15 full sized hens and 3 roos at that time .... also 3 guinea hens ... no issues at all ..... she would puff up and get her point right across ...

but I had a good head roo (Colo) and he didn't let the hens fight each other - so they already knew their places and not that I saw ever tried to even cross momma's line of safety except when going after food just put down....

Now that Colo is gone - I have had 2 hens injured - I think by the guineas who are now gone as of yesterday .... so I'm waiting to see if any more injuries show up. Nothing beats a really good rooster. Current roo is ok - but not great ....

I am letting all my broodys go from nest full into the flock so much easier on me - the momma chickies love it that way - and cheaper too. but I'm not raising them up for sale or raising show quality where I have lots of money invested.

All ways are ok - you do what is best for you, your land set up and for your flock's temperament.

 

[Metella]

Oh - and last year I had two hens in the same nest - co-hatch and co-parent - they were full sized hens - and went right from next to full flock - and all babies grew up just fine.


But again - that was with a really good head roo who had all the hens calm and orderly.

So I am not contradicting what anyone else said - as each flock is different - even my flock this year is different from my flock this time last year ....

 

[Sweetpea3829]

My head rooster seems pretty good...which might be why my hens don't fight. They bicker from time to time over the nest boxes but I never see anybody picking on anybody outside of that. Although the three silkie roosters are still fighting it out, even after I moved them into the main flock. And sometimes, one of those silkie boys tries his hand with a full size hen.

Maybe I'll leave her in the lower nest box and see how she does with protecting them. She's been a pretty good defender of the nest, though I do occasionally have to remove a stubborn EE that is intent on hopping onto the nest as soon as the broody BCM hops off for a moment's respite. The thing is...that stupid EE will sit for a few hours on a clutch of eggs but then abandon the nest.

 

[Pyxis]

This darn rain Everything is a muddy mess over here, and the chickens are not happy. Nor was Lacie impressed with my umbrella when I went out to feed everyone. Also, strange happenings over here. Some bird or critter bit the back of one of my orpington's combs right before I left for chickenstock on Friday. Figured it was normal squabbling that got a little out of hand, so I cleaned her up and she's fine. Now today the same thing has happened to my California white. Either it's fighting over nesting boxes, which shouldn't be happening because I have plenty, someone is becoming a bully, or some weird animal is somehow getting into my coop, nipping the back of my birds' combs, and then leaving. It's bizarre.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

This darn rain Everything is a muddy mess over here, and the chickens are not happy. Nor was Lacie impressed with my umbrella when I went out to feed everyone. Also, strange happenings over here. Some bird or critter bit the back of one of my orpington's combs right before I left for chickenstock on Friday. Figured it was normal squabbling that got a little out of hand, so I cleaned her up and she's fine. Now today the same thing has happened to my California white. Either it's fighting over nesting boxes, which shouldn't be happening because I have plenty, someone is becoming a bully, or some weird animal is somehow getting into my coop, nipping the back of my birds' combs, and then leaving. It's bizarre.

That's really weird!!!! What does the bite look like?

 

[Pyxis]

That's really weird!!!! What does the bite look like?

I'll have to get a good look at it, I haven't been able to because she won't let me catch her until she's roosting. I can't even tell what orpington it was that got injured anymore, she's all healed up. It's just odd that it's the same thing on both birds.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

If

I'll have to get a good look at it, I haven't been able to because she won't let me catch her until she's roosting. I can't even tell what orpington it was that got injured anymore, she's all healed up. It's just odd that it's the same thing on both birds.

The fact that it healed up fast is promising - a rat or other predator would leave a slower healing puncture. Sounds like someone in the coop is cranky!!