Surviving Minnesota!

[holm25]

Thanks guys. I am not one of the ones wearing the dress!!

 

[holm25]

BC I got asked by the one on tue end and said no and then was adked by the one next to me and said yes

 

[Bogtown Chick]

BC I got asked by the one on tue end and said no and then was adked by the one next to me and said yes

Lol holm. Looks like you all had a great time nonetheless. Good for you.

 

[Cluckies]

I'm always taken aback by the food/water fluctuation Kloppers...you know it. 

Cluckies.  You have all sorts of great tidbits on the feather picking.  I love it.  Minnesota Nice: If you have one place to get food and water for the girls that should suffice.  Those crazy nuts can go get their food and water...you'd think.  But I have inheritantly lazy feathered fluffy butts myself.  So...it could be a solution.  I love the idea of you out there having beers and watching for the first peck.  To be honest when I watched my friend's birds it was very subtle.  I saw her almost look like she was helping with a preen.  It also turned out she was the lead hen.  So that may be something to look at.  I think lead hens do eat more as well as have an overall dominant personality which would fit with the behavior.

There was also an article I read on here with another tactic--which would require more beer drinking and watching patiently.  But the writer suggested a behavioral therapy in which she would put coins in a tin can and rattle it obnoxiously everytime the picker would start to buffet on the flockmates' feathers.  She would stop, startled.  And if she started to peck again...got another rattle.  LOL.  It makes sense since chickens are fairly easy to condition.  But again would require time spent watching chicken TV on a haybale and probably several days in a row.  I thought it was interesting though.  What a pain for you Minnesota Nice.

Gosh ...I love chickens.  LOL. 

yeah, I've done the yelling therapy I think it does work, but you have to have time to stay out there and watch. I also mixed game bird feed in. Right now since they are not laying, and are molting, I have just game bird feed in there

 

[Chickenchick11]

Thanks guys. I am not one of the ones wearing the dress!!

I know your the guy, I just liked the dresses. That's all.

 

[Cebarmlds]

Holm that is a very nice picture, thank you for sharing it.

 

[ejb3810]

Holm, who would have thought that some poultry fanatic could also be so popular with the ladies? Perhaps Ralphie's mentoring has something to do with it?

 

[The BlanchRanch]

Yelling therapy. Hummmm.

 

[MinnesotaNice]

I'm always taken aback by the food/water fluctuation Kloppers...you know it.

Cluckies. You have all sorts of great tidbits on the feather picking. I love it. Minnesota Nice: If you have one place to get food and water for the girls that should suffice. Those crazy nuts can go get their food and water...you'd think. But I have inheritantly lazy feathered fluffy butts myself. So...it could be a solution. I love the idea of you out there having beers and watching for the first peck. To be honest when I watched my friend's birds it was very subtle. I saw her almost look like she was helping with a preen. It also turned out she was the lead hen. So that may be something to look at. I think lead hens do eat more as well as have an overall dominant personality which would fit with the behavior.

There was also an article I read on here with another tactic--which would require more beer drinking and watching patiently. But the writer suggested a behavioral therapy in which she would put coins in a tin can and rattle it obnoxiously everytime the picker would start to buffet on the flockmates' feathers. She would stop, startled. And if she started to peck again...got another rattle. LOL. It makes sense since chickens are fairly easy to condition. But again would require time spent watching chicken TV on a haybale and probably several days in a row. I thought it was interesting though. What a pain for you Minnesota Nice.

Gosh ...I love chickens. LOL.

Oh for increasing Protein: just look at what your layer feed (assuming you use layer feed) protein percentage and go to the Farm supply place and maybe compare the different feed bags. Perhaps Gamebird feed.... Then you can mix it in 1/2 and 1/2 with the layer or add it in at 30% of the feed. I've not done it before...but have read of people adjusting protein this way.

Great - thanks for the info! I did get some game bird feed and I'm going to mix 1:1 with the layer feed. I also picked up 50# of black oil sunflower seeds. Less scratch and more protein. Agreed about the food and water. When I thought more about it, more than 1 water fount and an additional feeder isn't necessary. DH made 4 feeders out of PVC pipe when we got the coop up and going - good enough ( notice how I gave DH some credit

). They're going to get eggs and oatmeal tomorrow.

So, I sat out there for 2 hours last night.....5 beers in beertime. Nothing exciting happened. A few "move over" pecks here and there, but nothing too aggressive. I definitely kept an eye on the lead hen. Sweet as can be to us, but feisty with the other ladies. My neighbors and DH probably think I'm nuts. Personally, I think it's important solo time to reflect on feather picking and increasing local beer sales. If I get a rattling tin can out there, I may be admitted to an asylum by DH. Good idea, though.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

LOL. Oh wouldn't you know it! She got some stage fright....

The sitting with beers although sounds totally lovely and decompressing...is maybe not practical since it's the holiday season (busy). I wonder if the saddle elimination trick will help and just save you a boatload of time.

The rattling of a can in a nice serene coop would rattle me after a while too. And DH would sign me up for a St. Peter Excursion.