NY chicken lover!!!!

[featherz]

No rain here, none coming.. but it is much cooler!!

 

[Adoravachick]

I about had a heart attack yesterday when I walked up on my RIR hen grabbing and shaking the head of one of my silkie chicks through the fence of the baby pen. The chick was screaming and the RIR would not let go until I literally grabbed her and darn near drop kicked her. The chick ran off still screaming, it is fine, but I thought for sure RIR would break its neck. She has never been nice with any new chicks, but never like that. Thank goodness my mother in law is taking her and my EE hens to lay eggs. My EE hens are not like that, they are gentle and sweet. I have bantam cochin hen that is also a little prickly when it comes to chicks too. Are RIR like that? Are Cochins like that? They are both wonderful with people, but flat out mean with chicks. I am certainly not keeping hens that feel the need to attack chicks. What are your thoughts on the breeds?

 

[Glasshen]

My RIR girls are not pleasant to others. I've had lots of pecking order problems, and Stewie the br has very few feathers on her head. Mean Irene was rehomed because she was intent upon killing Stewie.I too had to rescue a chick who was being shaken, and thrown. On the other hand, one of them, Momma has been broody twice and done a lovely job raising two broods this summer. I have decided to move in the direction of more docile breeds. They are good reliable layers, mine are from the feed store, so I am sure that there are many different temperaments in other lines.

 

[stonykill]

I about had a heart attack yesterday when I walked up on my RIR hen grabbing and shaking the head of one of my silkie chicks through the fence of the baby pen. The chick was screaming and the RIR would not let go until I literally grabbed her and darn near drop kicked her. The chick ran off still screaming, it is fine, but I thought for sure RIR would break its neck. She has never been nice with any new chicks, but never like that. Thank goodness my mother in law is taking her and my EE hens to lay eggs. My EE hens are not like that, they are gentle and sweet. I have bantam cochin hen that is also a little prickly when it comes to chicks too. Are RIR like that? Are Cochins like that? They are both wonderful with people, but flat out mean with chicks. I am certainly not keeping hens that feel the need to attack chicks. What are your thoughts on the breeds?

I don't have any issues with any of my RIR's. They are good girls. I hear others have mean ones, but in 7 years of owning RIR's I have never seen it

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

So far my reds have not shown any aggressiveness...at least not the pullets. They give way to the hens and dont bother with the silkies. None have ever been mean to me and they actually like to come and talk to me and follow me around. Could be just the line you got them from. Most of my boys are pretty good as well. Only two are somewhat aggressive and they will be going to freezer camp anyways. I do have barred rocks in with my reds as well as sexlinks and no pecking issues among them. Maybe I just got lucky and got good stock.

Sorry some of you are not getting this rain. I know we all need it bad and I hope that you do get some soon. Everyone but the terrorists (reds) left their coops this morning. The terrorists are chicken about rain. Silly birds.

 

[greymane]

pharmchickrnmom,

Glad the surgery went well. Hope you're up and about before long.

kamir

Ditto. Get better real soon!!

Nice steady rain last night and off and on this morning. I will take all we can get!

 

[rancher hicks]

Java - I paid $20 for them as chicks so I'd want at least that much. I'm not sure about the swap, I'll have to see how far it is.

Heni - I can not find a decent pair of clogs to wear to the coop. I know TSC has them and I did buy a pair but Lord have mercy if they didn't wear out in a couple of months. Not to mention they were expensive.

Pharm - I was at TSC this AM and Dumor is up $1 from the last time I bought it. Guess they're not waiting to raise prices. I did buy some cracked corn too. No more scratch it's to expensive for a few oats.
What breeds have you got. Keep in mind that non hybrids (the heritage breeds) need more protein and most feeds have only 16%. I had the Dels and some older girls on Dumor 16% but was dumping 20% crumbles on the ground for some chicks and my older frizzle started eating it and is laying now. Frenchy hadn't laid an egg in over a year. I was buying Agway Egg producer with 21% but stopped when it went up to $14.99. But my BR's production dropped off too. I hate to raise my price again.
Hope your still doing well.

Adora - maybe your RIR , felt it's brain being sucked out by the Silky. Even as chicks they are dangerous. I brought back Silky eggs in my carry on from AL and I was the only one not acting weird. I had a tin foil lining inside my ball cap. One good thing though was I got extra soda and peanuts from the Stewardess.

Glass where did you get your RIR's?

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Rancher--my hens have been on and off because of the heat I think. Some days I get 4 or 5 and others I get one. Just bought more grower/finisher for the reds and its 1499 a bag. I only get Poulan from the local feed store. I have rir, br, sexlinks and wyandottes (silkies too). My 3 silkie girls are back to giving me 3 eggs a day. I have been giving the reds extra protein as they are growing like weeds and putting a lot of energy into growing feathers. Shoprite has their cancan sale going on so I bought some saltfree veges for the wintertime as they were really cheap. I, too, am hoping I wont have to raise my prices.

Haha about the silkies!

 

[Glasshen]

The red girls came from Lee's Feeds. I don't know what hatchery they use. All the birds I have gotten from them are healthy, and they are fine to me, just way too interested in one-up-manship. I want them to be the Get Along Gang. Perhaps it is unrealistic. How about the Peaceable Kingdom?

 

[JayLyn07]

Hey Everyone! Had my first 2 eggs this am. One blue and one brown egg! Felt like I found a $100 on floor. My 3 1/2 year old was so happy but dropped the blue egg on floor was upset but she cant wait to go what she called "easter egg" hunting again!

Had to share this with people who would understand!