San Diego Chicken meetup and Chat thread

[Knock Kneed Hen]

I'm having a hard time visualizing this, do people have birds that are tame enough to actually let run around and not worry they will spook and take off?

If my schedule allows I would like to come.  What time does it start at?

What are the pros and cons of removing a roosters spurs?  What age is it done at?  I have a 1.5 year old with some prettyg good spurs on him, the rest of my roosters are about 8 months and just barely have nubs right now.

Yes, a few people bring their little birds. Mostly the Serama folks. Starts at 10am.

I recently removed spurs from my roos. One had them growing upwards. They were in his way when he roosted. The second rooster I removed for the sake of the hens. I usually like to leave them on since my birds free range and it's their defense. However, when they get so long that they could hurt the girls I remove them. My large fowl rooster I de-spurred at about 1.5 yrs. old.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Just out of interest, have you ever lost a banty to cold temps?

Back when I was a lad in Oz, we routinely had night temps of 32-34F with a few nights getting down to 22F. Our coop had 3 sides of GI sheet and the front was wire. We never lost a bird to exposure.

I did not have banties though.

I haven't, but I know someone up here in the mountains that has (also a BYC'er). Last year I had one little D'Uccle that didn't make it into the coop. Even though the run is covered & quite sheltered, the bird was shivering. I brought her up to the garage and put her on heat. I don't think she would have gotten chilled if she had been able to snuggle with someone in the coop. I've brought my bantam frizzles in when it's been cold and they're molting.

 

[alisar]

Brooder cleaning time Box-o-chicks!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Most people bring cages or big wire playpens depending on how docile their birds are... Plus there are LOTS Of people running around to lend a hand in catch an escapee.

I cant go.... too far for me.... sigh but I believe the time has been posted a while back.

If I remember correctly the process only reduces the size of the spur not remove it completely it just removes the hard outer layer. That hard outer layer does grow back, so you will have to do it again eventually but it take quite a while.. The whole process also makes the spur grow smaller over time.

deb

 

[SoCalChicky]

Well as of yesterday we're missing one of our BCMs and my RIR is acting strange. I did a count the night before last and thought I was coming up one short but just assumed I counted wrong b/c they are always all in the coop at dusk. My assumption is I closed up too early and maybe she got locked out and was taken in the night. Or maybe she was taken during the day before by a hawk and I just didn't notice until yesterday. We are so bummed as we only had 4 BCM girls...

Then yesterday I threw out the daily black oil sunflower seeds and one of our RIRs just stood there...it's like crack for them but she just didn't even move. I picked her up and she let me...which never happens. Her comb is floppy and she barely moves. She isn't fluffed up and doesn't have any signs of cocci, I don't think she displays signs of egg binding, no injuries except she look like she's seen a ghost. I gave her a warm bath with epsom salt jic it was a stuck egg and she seemed to enjoy it for a half hour, then drank a ton of water and pooped a nice normal poop. She stayed in the dog crate last night in the garage and this am she's just standing there...there are no signs of poop or that she ate. No egg. I know this post goes in another forum, and I'll move it there, but I just wanted to vent. thanks for reading

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Well as of yesterday we're missing one of our BCMs and my RIR is acting strange. I did a count the night before last and thought I was coming up one short but just assumed I counted wrong b/c they are always all in the coop at dusk. My assumption is I closed up too early and maybe she got locked out and was taken in the night. Or maybe she was taken during the day before by a hawk and I just didn't notice until yesterday. We are so bummed as we only had 4 BCM girls...

Then yesterday I threw out the daily black oil sunflower seeds and one of our RIRs just stood there...it's like crack for them but she just didn't even move. I picked her up and she let me...which never happens. Her comb is floppy and she barely moves. She isn't fluffed up and doesn't have any signs of cocci, I don't think she displays signs of egg binding, no injuries except she look like she's seen a ghost. I gave her a warm bath with epsom salt jic it was a stuck egg and she seemed to enjoy it for a half hour, then drank a ton of water and pooped a nice normal poop. She stayed in the dog crate last night in the garage and this am she's just standing there...there are no signs of poop or that she ate. No egg. I know this post goes in another forum, and I'll move it there, but I just wanted to vent. thanks for reading

I know that after one of my birds was taken by a coyote, a couple of my hens acted like you described. I think it's traumatic for them. She could be in a little shock, especially if it got a hold of her and she was lucky to escape. You might not see injuries on her. She could have something else going on. It's often a guessing game.

 

[SoCalChicky]

I know that after one of my birds was taken by a coyote, a couple of my hens acted like you described. I think it's traumatic for them. She could be in a little shock, especially if it got a hold of her and she was lucky to escape. You might not see injuries on her. She could have something else going on. It's often a guessing game.

Well it's no that...5 minutes after I posted this my DH ran in and said he found Simone. She is hiding under a bush threatening to attack if we come close. We've got a broody! She hadn't even started laying yet!! Poor baby has been out in the freezing cold for the last two nights guarding her egg. What the heck do I do? Move her and her egg at night into the nesting box? She is acting possessed and I am actually scared of her! I loved the saying in someone's signature, "hell hath no fury like a broody hen"...it's so true...

 

[perchie.girl]

Well it's no that...5 minutes after I posted this my DH ran in and said he found Simone. She is hiding under a bush threatening to attack if we come close. We've got a broody! She hadn't even started laying yet!! Poor baby has been out in the freezing cold for the last two nights guarding her egg. What the heck do I do? Move her and her egg at night into the nesting box? She is acting possessed and I am actually scared of her! I loved the saying in someone's signature, "hell hath no fury like a broody hen"...it's so true..

If you have a dog crate You can make her a nest up in that and move her egg first then her into it.... Then if you can build a little run for it out of chicken wire..... Inside the coop if there is room or out in the run to the coop. This way you can give her food and water and a place to dust bathe for those times when she will get off the nest to eat and drink.

Chickens are well insulated for cold and if you just throw a blanket or tarp over the dog crate to protect against wind and rain she will be nice and warm. I have a friend here on BYC who is in New York State. He has had Chickens Brood in his workshop which isnt heated through the winter. In a drawer of all places LOL. Once the chiks hatched momma hen took them to the floor and out side in the snow.....

Congrats on the broody.... WEar gloves when you catch her.... LOL.

deb

 

[lisa760]

Thanks Deb, I'm checking it out right now!!

 

[QueenofKings]

Hey everyone!
Greetings from college. ><;;
Anyway, once I moved up to Orange County, the place where I've been staying does not have internet connection, so I haven't had time to come and post. Apparently, I have two AmeracaunaxSilkie Roos instead of JGxSilkies. (Major disappointment, I thought I snagged the JGs.) I'll post pictures up over the weekend, once I get to see them again. Anyway, any ideas on how to deal with spiders? I have a smallish one in the coop but it makes those odd cobwebs, the ones that look like cotton candy and it looks like a brown black widow. I'm not sure whether I should risk killing it myself (it's at the top of the inside of the coop, right where we have a small tower) or if I can interest one of the pullets or cocks to munch on it, or you know, spray it down with some chemical.

All the other spiders I killed and none of them returned, so I'm concerned about this one.

Also, I have bantam pullets! Oh no. >< They're tiny compared to our roos, two are gold sex links, one is a golden wyandotte and the last is an RIR. We're at week 21 btw, and no signs of eggs. /sigh/