TeaChick's Chicks

[TeaChick]

Good Plan! Wait, what breed is he/she? Cochin, right?

The hatchling is half gold Comet and half white Leghorn x GLW.
My other pet chicken is Bantam Cochin Frizzle. =)

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Quote: Nice! =)

 

[Scott H]

Will be so fun to he/she grow up! I'm betting she.....

 

[TeaChick]

Thanks, gentlemen! =)
Yes, it looks like she's a girl. Depending on how accurate feather sexing is. I know I did it right, but I'm hearing that it's wildly inaccurate if you don't breed specifically for it. If I'm right about this baker's dozen, then I've got 9 pullets and 4 cockerels. That would be great!!!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Awesomeness!

 

[TeaChick]

I'm getting eggs right along. Fewer now, b/c I got rid of Sandy. A friend of mine thought that she might do better with a different flock; she said she's settling in well.
I'm feeding fermented feed. I tried fermenting some feed I got before, but it wasn't natural, so when I tried to ferment it, it just went bad. I got some "all natural" feed from a different store and it's fermenting nicely. I haven't started feeding it to the chicks yet.
I got some pine shavings for the juvenile pen, where Marigold is temporarily housed.
I lost Picard. Apparently, it wasn't Sandy pecking chickens to death in my coop. It would seem that it's been Eddie. I'm basing that assumption on the fact that Eddie was starving Speckles, that Eddie was always picking on both Will and Picard, and that only Will and Picard were killed, not Marigold.
Tonight was an interesting night. I was writing a discussion board post, so I didn't get out until after dark to take care of the chickens. When I got out there, Marigold was in the juvenile pen, Snoodle was on the juvenile pen, and Chocolate was up on some 2x4s near the juvenile pen. I guess they didn't want to sleep with the rest of the chickens tonight. IDK what I'm going to do with them though, b/c I'm going to need the juvenile pen for the chicks soon. Guess I'll just cross that bridge when I come to it.

Let me know what's going on with all of you!!! =)
Good night, all.

 

[Scott H]

Good morning, TC. Sounds like your flock dynamics are keeping you busy! So, do you think your losses were from inside the flock or a predator?
If you suspect weasels you can pick up a trap like this and set it in a box or a large pvc pipe so your chickens, dogs etc. can't get at it. They are cheap and easy to set and I have seen them catch weasels and even a pack rat!


http://zapthemcritters.com/snap-e-rat-trap-kness.html?gclid=CMGY1PDt37wCFa2t4godHjAA5w

Almost any hardware store has them now. I hate trapping things to save my chickens.

Just make sure to have an opening at each end.

 

[TeaChick]

Good morning, TC. Sounds like your flock dynamics are keeping you busy! So, do you think your losses were from inside the flock or a predator?
If you suspect weasels you can pick up a trap like this and set it in a box or a large pvc pipe so your chickens, dogs etc. can't get at it. They are cheap and easy to set and I have seen them catch weasels and even a pack rat!


http://zapthemcritters.com/snap-e-rat-trap-kness.html?gclid=CMGY1PDt37wCFa2t4godHjAA5w

Almost any hardware store has them now. I hate trapping things to save my chickens.

Just make sure to have an opening at each end.

Good morning. =D
Yeah, they are. I appreciate all the information and advice about predation, and I don't think I know more than anyone else (quite the opposite, I think I know less than everyone else lol). But I do think that these two roos are the victims of inner-flock relations. I can't conceive of any other reason that only the jr roos would be targeted. I leave eggs in the nesting boxes and they're untouched, so I hesitate to even think that it's just b/c they were sleeping on the floor of the coop.
I agree that, in general terms, it sounds like a predator (weasel or otherwise). It just doesn't feel like that's quite it.
I have some rat traps and a terricotta pipe I can use in the coop. I'll see if I can get DH to set that up sometime today. (I hope). We also have some wings, we can use the last section of one or two as bait, I guess. If there's a predator, then I guess that would get it, right?
Thanks for your help and advice.
=)

 

[Scott H]

I would set it up out side the coop....if it is a predator you don't need to lure it back in....

 

[TeaChick]

I would set it up out side the coop....if it is a predator you don't need to lure it back in....

Yeah, didn't think of that. Thanks.
My brain is in Lit mode. =( I'll be so much better at thinking in a couple of weeks!!! lol
Meanwhile, I appreciate your help greatly!!! =D