Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Wishing4Wings]

A three-headed chicken!!!

That is just too adorable. Made my day.

W4W, those little girls are beautiful! I've really developed an appreciation for the tiny chickens! I was wondering about your non-dust bathing fella... maybe he would like a different medium? have you tried sand? I think I might take him and dust him myself with some soft sand and a little massage to get him into it... my little Dutch is a great bather, but OEGB Brutus would just stand and watch, so I sprinkled dirt on him and rubbed it in... he took to it after a few times and does it himself now.

I did put a big basin of sand in their pen, but he just stands in it and calls her over so she can use it. He seems to always be on alert so maybe unwilling to let his guard down enough for a bath. I'll try your idea and try to show him what he's missing. I figure I'm going to have to poultry dust him every so often if he won't take care of himself. Found some mite eggs on the pullet today, but no living mites, so she seems to be keeping them at manageable levels, but I will make sure they are all gone before introducing them to the new girls.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Quote:
We've also heard to feed them chili pepper flakes, but my favorite idea is to get a big bucket of KFC and go out to the coop to eat it front of them. Think this was OK's idea. Now he's just refined that to the Meat Bird List.

Good day for us. We got 7 plus a tiny Serama egg.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Try some dog food or some turnip greens .it made mine start to lay.a old farmer told me to try it and two days later I had two eggs . Sounds funny but it works hope it will work for you.

Have also heard kitten food is a good boost in moderation.

Welcome to our thread and BYC

Quote: Oh brother! I guess you were supposed to alert everyone within a 5 mile radius that you have chickens so they would know to KEEP THEIR DOGS LOCKED UP!

Okay, sarcastic tantrum is over. On to happier things.

Finally got some new pictures of the Serama pullets. They are very sweet, except for Penelope, who still tries to bite when she's picked up. About as harmful as getting stepped on by a kitten, though, but still a bad chicken habit. Hopefully she will calm down after she starts laying.


Sister is the friendliest. Very sweet and likes to be pet.


Fudge almost has lacing. Pretty girl.

Fanny is getting white spots. She and Sister came from a mottled roo, so maybe they will be mottled also.

Penelope the biting scaredy cat, but so pretty!
They are just precious

You guys crack me up! Ok next she will want her beak pierced so she can wear nose rings.

Cheeka congrats on the new roo! You will love him I am sure. Doodle was always such a genltleman and was very sweet. He covered everyone well too.

I found the owners of the huskies and talked to them this morning. They ran into my yard and I headed at them them heard the owner calling them. So I walked up the road and talked to them. She says she will pen them up and pay for damages. We will see how it goes I guess. We are still going to build a pen this weekend though. Free-range only in the evening when I can be out there.

Good for you to keep your cool! Ugh, I have to admit I get a lil nuts over it. Mine weren't chickens, I lost a bottle baby goat (fenced!) from stray dogs. drug it thru gateposts and killed it, my dad saw it. The dog went after him next, he pelted it with rocks. Any stray I see gets shot if there is a hint of aggression.

 

[elmcc]

My BR Roxie seems to be the referee. It goes with the checked feathers I guess.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: We had a bad oops last fall, Mom went into the hospital, and I was hardly home for a couple weeks. My Oldest and youngest DD were doing feed, and one of them got the sweet feed (12% protein) confused with the layer. Oh my, it took 5 weeks or more, but the laying finally resumed. The alpaca were refusing to eat the feed, no wonder!
I was offering 24% chick feed the first week, live mealies and egg pies as treats. Their faces were almost white, no color. Am lucky I didn't lose any. Caused an early molt on 2 of the girls also.
I had to buy eggs a few weeks, ewww. Hope we don't ever have a mess up like that again.

W4W, those little girls are beautiful! I've really developed an appreciation for the tiny chickens! I was wondering about your non-dust bathing fella... maybe he would like a different medium? have you tried sand? I think I might take him and dust him myself with some soft sand and a little massage to get him into it... my little Dutch is a great bather, but OEGB Brutus would just stand and watch, so I sprinkled dirt on him and rubbed it in... he took to it after a few times and does it himself now.

I have a shortbed small truck cap set in the big coop, most of the birds love to dust bathe under it. I keep adding a lil DE and sevin dust and rake it out about once a week. I need to raise it with some straw bales, the turkey tom and some of the roos can't get in there. I discovered Red has the feather mites.

he never dust bathes. UGH! So now he is in jail with rebel, separate cages. So I have about 100 chickens to check the next few days, time for worming while I'm at it.

so... OK, this is for you... this is just a small example of what you will see within a few short weeks as RK's babies grow and she still tries to cover them all. Peach only has 4... RK has 11! I will need to see pics of that! Pardon the poop, her kennel was soaking wet from the rain, I emptied it and flipped it upside down, she moved in before I had a chance to right it... she always kicks the bedding out anyway.

Henry arrived this afternoon - he's glorious! he's just perfect for Peach... then he promptly got into a fight with Max... and now he looks a bit beat up - bloodied comb and wattles, both of them. I separated Max, put him with the hens and all is calm. I wish I could post the pic I have of Henry, but he looks rough... he'll look better in a day or two, should have taken pics right away...

On a happier note, we had a Perfect Day here - glorious weather, lots of free range and 18 Eggs! that's everyone, can't count Peach, she's not laying again yet, nor are her 3 older chicks...

lindz, I am so happy to hear that you know where those dogs are. too bad you have to wait 3 weeks to get reimbursed, hope she comes through with her promises!

Oh my, peach! What a treasure she is

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

My BR Roxie seems to be the referee. It goes with the checked feathers I guess.

Mabel is too, my only BR, she is laid back but jumps right in the middle of hen squabbles, pecking and jump kicking! She won't tolerate arguments in her coop

 

[Wishing4Wings]

My BR Roxie seems to be the referee. It goes with the checked feathers I guess.

I never thought about that.... referee stripes on the BRs! I just thought Spot was a nosy buttinsky. Maybe she can't help it.

I told you I'm changing my name to Mary Poppins. We are both practically perfect you know.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I have a shortbed small truck cap set in the big coop, most of the birds love to dust bathe under it. I keep adding a lil DE and sevin dust and rake it out about once a week. I need to raise it with some straw bales, the turkey tom and some of the roos can't get in there. I discovered Red has the feather mites.

he never dust bathes. UGH! So now he is in jail with rebel, separate cages. So I have about 100 chickens to check the next few days, time for worming while I'm at it.

Oh, what a bummer. And if Red is still the same don Juan loverboy, he's probably passing them around. Eeew , cooties. I'm getting itchy again! My guy has Northern Fowl Mites which shouldn't be too hard to get rid of since only two tiny birds are involved. I just need to stay on it.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Not sure what they are but theres patches of eggs at the base of some feathers matting the feathers together. I have seen a few pics of that, so I have to look them up.
Red has turned into a coward from Rebels temporary rise to main rooster, now dethroned as well.. Rebel attacked my turkey hen. not happening.
Then he BIT me, hard, the twist and pull bite! Grabbed his legs and paraded him upside down around ever animal i own.
Rebel went to the quarantine coop aka JAIL. He has been there over 3 weeks now.
That was fortunate with Red, he doesn't even enter the coop since I had to move the BAs in with the main flock.
He roosts in the utility area. I am still checking all the birds to be safe tho. I have the itchy creepy crawlies even thinking about it.
Red is miserable, even tho I don't much like him, I hate seeing him uncomfortable. I didn't even have a struggle dusting him.
He has a bad molt right now too, and a bare blukote butt and some of his neck.

 

[cheeka]

hi elmcc,

glad you already know a bit about the BR special-ness, now be prepared for the eventual take-over!


I could post that Peach pic in the Broody Hen thread too... but I'll put it on the Caption thread... (What is this chicken thinking)