Texas

[hensfortherapy]

Lost my best girl today she was like a dog, followed me around, clucked with delight when I came out to the coop, and if I sat down would run and jump into my lap to be held. She was a blue silkie hen a little over 1 year old named Scarlett, my best chicken in over 8 years of raising chickens, I balled and am balling my eyes out just thinking of her. I found her under the coop(the coop is on little legs) all sprawled out with no obvious signs like blood, feather loss, foam at the mouth, or any sign of injury; which makes this harder not knowing what happened to her, if she was in pain, or if I was at fault . any ideas of what happened to my baby girl? (her in the blue towel) (her in the back)

So sorry for your loss. It is hard when you don't know what happened to them.

 

[David1998]

Hi to people in Texas,

specifically the more south eastern part and Houston area.... I have a question for chicken people:

Anyone planning on attending the Poultry show for the FFA Alumni at Klein ISD on December 6th.?? And on Dec. 10th in College Station the Brazos Valley Poultry Club is a pretty big show--- anyone planning to attend ? Participate??

That sounds interesting. Would you provide more info/links?

 

[ChicKat]

That sounds interesting. Would you provide more info/links?

This one shows you all the shows in TX for the year...
http://www.poultryshowcentral.com/Texas.html

and this one is the brochure for the Klein FFA alumni First Annual show -
http://www.poultryshowcentral.com/Texas.html

I'm trying to determine if there is enough interest in the egg show portion for our breed club to sponsor a contest... (and who knows if their hens will be laying right around December 6th... I know, I know.... Cream Legbars...

If anyone with Cream Legbars is planning to be at the show and has an interest in an egg contest (basically bring in egg or eggs for judging - it's in the brochure there...) Please send me a PM

 

[micheleag2010]

I recently added to my flock. I had 3 Brahma mix females that haven't started laying yet and a Easter egger too. I added 1 Easter egger hen that was laying and she was laying pretty regularly for a week. Then I added 7 new laying hens that were older (1.5 to 3 years of age). Since I've added the last batch of hens I haven't gotten any Easter egger eggs and I have gotten max 3 eggs from the new Rhode island reds. All appear healthy. When the new batch came to me I was told they were all actively laying but they all looked a little ragged. I am putting out lots of feed. I even have to put some feed in the coop because I have 2 hens that will not leave the coop. I just cant figure out why the laying is so irregular. I haven't noticed any molting and we haven't had any crazy cold snaps yet. Just wondering what could be happening. My roooster is in heaven!

 

[ChicKat]

I recently added to my flock. I had 3 Brahma mix females that haven't started laying yet and a Easter egger too. I added 1 Easter egger hen that was laying and she was laying pretty regularly for a week. Then I added 7 new laying hens that were older (1.5 to 3 years of age). Since I've added the last batch of hens I haven't gotten any Easter egger eggs and I have gotten max 3 eggs from the new Rhode island reds. All appear healthy. When the new batch came to me I was told they were all actively laying but they all looked a little ragged. I am putting out lots of feed. I even have to put some feed in the coop because I have 2 hens that will not leave the coop. I just cant figure out why the laying is so irregular. I haven't noticed any molting and we haven't had any crazy cold snaps yet. Just wondering what could be happening. My roooster is in heaven!

You didn't say just how recently, recently was, but you do have to give them time a couple weeks, to adjust to change. Do you have a regular worming schedule for your chickens? Another factor in egg production is that the chickens have plenty of water. You will probably get egg production restored once everyone is settled into their new situation.

 

[micheleag2010]

I added them a little over a week ago. I don't know anything about worming. Can you suggest any reference materials for worming? I figured things would be crazy for a little while. I just didn't know what to expect.

 

[ChicKat]

Here is one view---
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/864923/how-to-worm-chickens-is-dawg-still-here

and you may find as many viewpoints and approaches as you have chicken owners....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/120261/what-do-you-use-to-worm-chickens

PM me if you want me to tell you my own personal approach for my flock. :O)

 

[Bazy]

Quote:
Once my new hens have served their quarantine they are usually laying again. It takes maybe two weeks, sometimes less before they get back into the pattern. THEN when I put them in the 'big coop' it takes them up to a week to lay regularly again, and upsets the original flock and disrupts their laying. Stress and change is definitely a factor. I did have one laying machine Marans hen that laid the first day I got her and only missed three of the next 15 days! That has to be some kind of record... Sorry chickat, I meant to quote the original author.

 

[ChicKat]

Once my new hens have served their quarantine they are usually laying again. It takes maybe two weeks, sometimes less before they get back into the pattern. THEN when I put them in the 'big coop' it takes them up to a week to lay regularly again, and upsets the original flock and disrupts their laying. Stress and change is definitely a factor. I did have one laying machine Marans hen that laid the first day I got her and only missed three of the next 15 days! That has to be some kind of record...

Sorry chickat, I meant to quote the original author.

Quite the Marans!!!

Lately I have been thinking more and more about the stress that we casually impose on chickens -- not realizing the effects -- You have the awareness...but I suspect that it is more disruptive to split up the 'families' than we long ago thought that it was. This is a really valuable insight!

 

[Brookshire11]

S this is my first winter having littles outside...
They are 7 weeks tomorrow and have been outside full time about...2 weeks?
It was only in the low 50s last night/this morning. I know it will get colder though and some still have little bits of chick fuzz.
I also have a scissor beak Salmon Fav who is a little slower growing.
Is there anything special (besides a lamp, they cant have one in there) that I should put in there to keep them extra cozy?
There's 8 of them and they still dogpile to sleep.
The coop doesn't have a wood floor or anything. It's directly on the ground.
They have a roost but don't like it yet.

My big girls sleep separate. They're cranky ladies and haven't been fully integrated with the littles yet.

Thanks!