Sunflower Chickens

[Katy]

Quote:
I'd say try and get him some girls his own size. Drakes can drown the hens if the hens are small. I only have calls and even some of the call drakes can be pretty unrelenting with the hens. What breed are your hens? I can't imagine keeping the larger breed with the smaller ones, but I honestly don't have any experience housing them together.

 

[CarolAnn]

A friend of mine found a listing on Craig's list for someone in Pomona with ducks for sale, including Pekings. She wants $8 each for them. I don't know her or anything about her or her place. I called her. She's getting ready to go on vacation on the 16th and her family wants her to thin down her flock of ducks and chickens so they have less to care for while she's gone. Her ducks are about 2 yrs old. My drake is right at 5 months old. I would feel better about buying a couple of Peking hens from someone on BYC, or referred by someone on BYC. I know next to nothing about this business, but I do believe I need to get this guys a couple of girls. What do you say? I need a clue, please. I am concerned also about bringing sickness here by way of new ducks from another place. What to do.

Would it be alright to get hen ducks a couple years old when he is so young, or does that even matter?

 

[tazcat70]

I honestly don't know about ducks, but I liked having a younger rooster. The hens taught him some manners.

 

[Kansaseq]

Unfortunately, there is always risk when bringing home new birds. The safest thing to do would be to quarantine the new birds, in a different 'air' space, for 2 months, and care for them after you do your original birds. It's a huge pain,but the safest way. Honestly, even a very reputable breeder or BYC'er could unknowingly have an undetected illness in their flock.

Age wouldn't bother me too much, unless you are wanting eggs. The older girls may not lay as well as younger hens, but aside from that, shouldn't really matter. Anyone please step in and correct me if I'm missing something

 

[HEChicken]

I must admit, this is the first time I've heard of a 2-month quarantine period. I'm sure longer is always safer but I've only ever heard of a 30-day quarantine period being necessary in the past. What disease has a 2-month incubation that the longer period of time would be necessary?

 

[Kansaseq]

I'm sure you are right; just couldn't remember exactly the time frame, and I'm one to be a bit paranoid

 

[CarolAnn]

For right now I guess I'll keep the water level low in their pool so the girls can't be held under so easily. Shoot! I 'm not set up to isolate grown birds. I have a coop in my shop/barn, but it's not just not big enough to keep a grown duck happy for a month let alone two. I may have to consider selling my him because the cost of the alternative may just be too high. ~sigh~


However, if I did get another shed moved in could they be housed nearby as long as they couldn't intermingle for say a month? I have a shed to move from a friends place, but it's going to go near my existing chicken and duck houses and runs.

 

[schellie69]

Hello all Kansas people life has just gotten really crazy around here these last few months. I hope everyone survived the heat. My girls have gone into molt has any one's else chickens going into molt this early. I got eggs all summer from my girls but then while we were in Colorado over labor day they stopped but we did have the cool weather come in and when I got home they were all in molt thought it was a early but I guess it could happen.

 

[HEChicken]

Wow that does seem early - and for them all to go at the same time too??? Mine are all different ages so they don't molt at the same time. It was late fall/early winter last year when one of my BO's had a really hard molt. I felt bad for her as she was bald in places and the weather was quite cold. She is actually the only one I've ever been aware of molting at all though. I guess the others must do such a soft, slow molt that its never been apparent to me.

 

[schellie69]

Most of mine are the same age and they all molted about the same time last year which I think was late sept/early oct. Well if they molt now at least then they should have their feathers before winter hits.