Texas

[Starfire669]

Sorry Daisy went broody on you.  The timing is bad, but it's good to know she'll most likely become broody again, and in time for you to provide her some hatching eggs to sit on.  Also glad to hear Ebony is doing better & has had some free-range time recently.  Looking forward to hear she's made a full recovery soon! 

Ebony is a little annoyed, the 2 goslings Gertrude and Jezzabelle, think she is their mother, as do the 4 Cayuga ducklings. She can't go anywhere without them following her! Unfortunately the goslings will not share "their" mother and attacked the ducklings, so I had to pen the ducklings in a playpen for their safety. Ebony, meanwhile took off to get away from everyone, she just wants peace and to forage, lol. I was thinking of seeing if Daisy would adopt them, since she went broody. But not sure how that would turn out. The ducklings are imprinted to Ebony and they were scared of Daisy when she tried to meet them. But getting fertile eggs or babies is not an option at this point. Too many repairs and modifications to be made to our house and coops after the storms.

But it is good to know that I do have a broody for next year. I just have to handle it right this year. Don't want to traumatize her now.

 

[Starfire669]

My family & I would like more chickens, but we're not set up for chicks.  So maybe we'll wait until we are set up for chicks...or maybe we'll find older pullets to bring into the flock.  No decision made yet...and really, no rush...just thinking "out loud". 

In Texas heat, chicks don't need as much as colder places. I had my last batch outside the day I purchased them, just fenced away from the older chickens and had a heat lamp at night only. Now, at 7 weeks old they have integrated into the main flock, took 2 weeks for a smooth integration, but all is peaceful now. An occasional squabble, but nothing serious. No matter which way you go, you will have to keep new additions away from your flock, but where they can see each other before putting them all together. Chickens pecking order is very serious to them, and any new chicken disrupts that. I would recommend getting more than 1 new chicken at a time though, more targets for the flock to chase during introductions. But I had 6 pullets being introduced to 19 older pullets, so 1 lone chicken would have been beaten up. With you having 5 ladies you don't need as many new additions to spread the hate around when you add, lol.

 

[winteree]

In Texas heat, chicks don't need as much as colder places. I had my last batch outside the day I purchased them, just fenced away from the older chickens and had a heat lamp at night only. Now, at 7 weeks old they have integrated into the main flock, took 2 weeks for a smooth integration, but all is peaceful now. An occasional squabble, but nothing serious. No matter which way you go, you will have to keep new additions away from your flock, but where they can see each other before putting them all together. Chickens pecking order is very serious to them, and any new chicken disrupts that. I would recommend getting more than 1 new chicken at a time though, more targets for the flock to chase during introductions. But I had 6 pullets being introduced to 19 older pullets, so 1 lone chicken would have been beaten up. With you having 5 ladies you don't need as many new additions to spread the hate around when you add, lol.

same here we put the ones from the feed store and the 4 day olds in the outside brooder and they are 4-5 weeks old today we have only lost one to a beak deformity so far

but it looks like i got at least 2 males in with the 12 chicks

 

[winteree]

i have a question to those in this thread I'm expecting a hatch of ducklings next week and i wanted to make them a outside brooder like the chicks i have now but the thing is we are supposed to be seeing the lower 90es next week. is that too hot for ducklings? The brooder is mostly going to be in the shade of my peach tree but the run in completely exposed to the sun 24/7 should i put some shingles over it or something?

 

[winteree]

Ebony is a little annoyed, the 2 goslings Gertrude and Jezzabelle, think she is their mother, as do the 4 Cayuga ducklings. She can't go anywhere without them following her! Unfortunately the goslings will not share "their" mother and attacked the ducklings, so I had to pen the ducklings in a playpen for their safety. Ebony, meanwhile took off to get away from everyone, she just wants peace and to forage, lol. I was thinking of seeing if Daisy would adopt them, since she went broody. But not sure how that would turn out. The ducklings are imprinted to Ebony and they were scared of Daisy when she tried to meet them. But getting fertile eggs or babies is not an option at this point. Too many repairs and modifications to be made to our house and coops after the storms.

But it is good to know that I do have a broody for next year. I just have to handle it right this year. Don't want to traumatize her now.

ouch talk about bad timing

i hope everything works out

 

[kenmlang]

Hello everyone!! Sorry, the man I manage this property for is in town this week. Not a lot of time to mess around. He has got me hopping. I am not complaining, he is a great guy, just wants things done when they need to be done. Anyway, what have I missed?? I guess I could read the last 5 days of threads. I may in the morning, but right now I just want to chill.

 

[lovingmyhens]

Here are some pics of my new chickens!! I think I've got a splash, 2 black copper and a cuckoo marans. They are about 5 weeks old and already eating, drinking and foraging like pros!! So proud of them.

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[lovingmyhens]

 

[lovingmyhens]

 

[lovingmyhens]