***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[RetiredArmyWife]

Hi Everyone; I'm new to BYC but have been lurking awhile. We are in Norman OK out by the lake and our baby chicks are now 1 1/2 weeks old. 2 EE's, 3 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Light Brahmas and 2 Cuckoo Marans. I'm simply in love! They are doing great and lots of fun but I'm wondering when/if I should let them have greens and if so, what kind. I put chick grit in their brooder yesterday just in case they should begin eating greens. Any thoughts? My grandmother had close to 5000 chickens -- all free to move about and lay at will back in the early 70's and so I grew up with chicks. Now continuing the tradition on a much smaller scale.

!

Welcome!

 

[Ksane]

Woooo Hooooo!!!!! Just got awesome news. My niece was born w/ a heart valve problem that was going to result in open heart surgery, but the Dr's have been letting her get older and bigger for the surgery for the best possible outcome, and been keeping an eye on it so it didn't get to bad to do the surgery. Anyway she had a cardiology appt today and we found out it is self correcting. She is just at 1 year old now, and they need to do some more testing to make sure just how much it is going to self correct, but it is looking like open heart surgery is not going to be needed.

This must be about the best day her parents ever had, what great news!

 

[RetiredArmyWife]

Anybody have any ideas on how to keep my dogs away from my chickens. I have a toy Poodle and a Weimaraner Pit Bull mix that just wont leave them alone. The Weimaraner mix will stand there by the fence and stare, and the Poodle barks and tries to get in there. I've tried yelling at them and hitting them whenever they're eyeballing them. So far they still do it no matter what I try.

 

[Kassaundra]

This must be about the best day her parents ever had, what great news!

They are over the moon.

 

[Okla-doodle-doo]

Evening everyone! A big WELCOME to all you new folks. Jump right in tells all about yourself and your birds. We try to be one big happy family here.

Rainy morning but finally cleared some this afternoon. It was nice to be able to have some time to work outside after supper.
I set up my old hand cranked meat grinder and ground up some of the turnips that have wintered over. Did roots and greens all together. The chickens enjoyed them! I tried just pulling up the plants and giving them to them but they wouldn't touch them that way. Glad I was able to find this at an auction and it only cost $5 ,so I will be grinding up all the garden waste for the birds this year.
Got me a new pair of bantams today,I think they are very nice.They are Columbian Rocks.

 

[Ksane]

Anybody have any ideas on how to keep my dogs away from my chickens. I have a toy Poodle and a Weimaraner Pit Bull mix that just wont leave them alone. The Weimaraner mix will stand there by the fence and stare, and the Poodle barks and tries to get in there. I've tried yelling at them and hitting them whenever they're eyeballing them. So far they still do it no matter what I try.

If I had just 1 dog I might give "training" them away from birds a shot. But as it stands with multiple dogs I depend on strong fences, clipping wings and hot wire.
Wayne, I think you did such a wonderful job on those A-Frames. I think I'll model a few after yours to put in the bachelor yards.

 

[Cjarvis]

Evening everyone! A big WELCOME to all you new folks. Jump right in tells all about yourself and your birds. We try to be one big happy family here.

Rainy morning but finally cleared some this afternoon. It was nice to be able to have some time to work outside after supper.
I set up my old hand cranked meat grinder and ground up some of the turnips that have wintered over. Did roots and greens all together. The chickens enjoyed them! I tried just pulling up the plants and giving them to them but they wouldn't touch them that way. Glad I was able to find this at an auction and it only cost $5 ,so I will be grinding up all the garden waste for the birds this year.
Got me a new pair of bantams today,I think they are very nice.They are Columbian Rocks.

Good looking Rocks wayne.. That is my all time favorite variety of bird.. breed doesn't matter when that color is on them.

 

[Kassaundra]

If I had just 1 dog I might give "training" them away from birds a shot. But as it stands with multiple dogs I depend on strong fences, clipping wings and hot wire.
Wayne, I think you did such a wonderful job on those A-Frames. I think I'll model a few after yours to put in the bachelor yards.

Definately good fence and hot wire.

 

[Kassaundra]

Evening everyone! A big WELCOME to all you new folks. Jump right in tells all about yourself and your birds. We try to be one big happy family here.

Rainy morning but finally cleared some this afternoon. It was nice to be able to have some time to work outside after supper.
I set up my old hand cranked meat grinder and ground up some of the turnips that have wintered over. Did roots and greens all together. The chickens enjoyed them! I tried just pulling up the plants and giving them to them but they wouldn't touch them that way. Glad I was able to find this at an auction and it only cost $5 ,so I will be grinding up all the garden waste for the birds this year.
Got me a new pair of bantams today,I think they are very nice.They are Columbian Rocks.

Awesome idea, I have been needing an idea for that.

 

[Cjarvis]

Anybody have any ideas on how to keep my dogs away from my chickens. I have a toy Poodle and a Weimaraner Pit Bull mix that just wont leave them alone. The Weimaraner mix will stand there by the fence and stare, and the Poodle barks and tries to get in there. I've tried yelling at them and hitting them whenever they're eyeballing them. So far they still do it no matter what I try.

We have never had any luck with a Pit or Pit x around the birds.. The weimaraner is a bird dog and may be even more challenging especially as a Pit x. Poodles are a terrier and may also prove to be very challenging. We worked with out Rotts using a bird, making the dog lay down on his side and place the bird on the dog looking down at him, everytime the dog showed much interest in the bird make him lay his head back down. This estabilshes dominance and teh bird will be in the dominant position, with you enforcing that. This technique has worked for us but we have never tried with the breeds you spefically have.