Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[TaraBellaBirds]

@Happy Chooks how long have you had bees? I never went far enough into bee keeping to talk to someone who had them (only 1 person I know of close to my area anyway). As soon as I started researching it several years ago the challenges I hadn't thought of before, like mites and neighbors using pesticides, stoped me from investigating further

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We started our little homestead off with chickens since the house and property we bought had once been a chicken farm. All we had to do was some cleaning and a couple of updates!

My main cost thus far came from the birds themselves and this year (3rd year) they managed to start paying for themselves! Now of course I have to buy more chickens.........

I may add some hives in a couple of years, but I have a couple of other projects I want to start first. A family member is thinking about starting bees, so maybe I can learn a bit from his trail and errors!!!!

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Quote:
Have you checked it's pelvic bones? If nothing else, put some food coloring around it's vent, maybe it is already laying (comb sure is big and red!)

 

[Double Kindness]

I doubt it's laying gosh I can hope so though right? They don't get layer feed or calcium, they are on 18% ff all flock pellets and some scratch in the late afternoon for before bedtime. There are 7 of my dp meaties left including the 2 PR (1 capon.. the other??) But the wind tore off all the bird block netting so I only have those 7 in that huge area. The other 2 pens have the tops enclosed and are far smaller but much more secure.

I had thought to move the muscovies back out with the meaties, but Trouble keeps escaping and the meaties manage to get out several times a day to go exploring. I usually find out quickly though and herd them back into their pen.

I'm thinking of taking the br and slw pullets and sticking them with the layers. But for some reason my layers aren't very interested in their feed lately and I'm worried.

 

[chicken pickin]

I thought the second chicken in the picture you posted looked like a pullet.

 

[ronott1]

I doubt it's laying gosh I can hope so though right? They don't get layer feed or calcium, they are on 18% ff all flock pellets and some scratch in the late afternoon for before bedtime. There are 7 of my dp meaties left including the 2 PR (1 capon.. the other??) But the wind tore off all the bird block netting so I only have those 7 in that huge area. The other 2 pens have the tops enclosed and are far smaller but much more secure.

I had thought to move the muscovies back out with the meaties, but Trouble keeps escaping and the meaties manage to get out several times a day to go exploring. I usually find out quickly though and herd them back into their pen.

I'm thinking of taking the br and slw pullets and sticking them with the layers. But for some reason my layers aren't very interested in their feed lately and I'm worried.

They actually lay fine at first on all flock. Put out a feeder with calcium free choice and they will be good to go!

 

[Double Kindness]

I had kinda had thoughts that the one is a pullet not a roo, I keep going outside to look at them. It was sold to me as a roo.

I'm thinking of grabbing up the 2 pullets and suspected pr pullet and move them over to my laying flock.

Interesting if it ends up being a pullet.

 

[ronott1]

I had kinda had thoughts that the one is a pullet not a roo, I keep going outside to look at them. It was sold to me as a roo.

I'm thinking of grabbing up the 2 pullets and suspected pr pullet and move them over to my laying flock.

Interesting if it ends up being a pullet.

A lot of breeders do not really get sex link breeding correct. Also, Many breeds and lines are not feather sexable. Some, like Australorps can only use vent sexing for gender identification.

It does not stop people though from thinking they can pick gender. Heck, you will be correct 50% of the time by chance.

 

[Double Kindness]

I got the production reds as a 5-6 month old roosters back in October lol. As excess roosters off the guy I buy pumpkins, 4 muscovy ducks and a few speckled sussex roosters from.

If I move the 3 of them to the layer area, should I stay out there all day to make sure nothing bad happens?

 

[ronott1]

I got the production reds as a 5-6 month old roosters back in October lol. As excess roosters off the guy I buy pumpkins, 4 muscovy ducks and a few speckled sussex roosters from.

If I move the 3 of them to the layer area, should I stay out there all day to make sure nothing bad happens?

I move them at night and then watch them in the morning to see how they do. I will check on them throughout the day so I make the move the night before a day off.

They usually do fine but I have had one killed and several beaten up over time.

 

[chicken pickin]

I got the production reds as a 5-6 month old roosters back in October lol. As excess roosters off the guy I buy pumpkins, 4 muscovy ducks and a few speckled sussex roosters from.

If I move the 3 of them to the layer area, should I stay out there all day to make sure nothing bad happens?

If you bought them back in Oct and they were 5-6months old then I would say now at 7-8months old she is definitely a pullet