Texas

[SlipsWife]

I'm sorry for everyone's lost pets. That's a sad day.

I'm super stoked today because we are going to pick up an old "dog house" for free off Craigslist. The whole back panel opens up and it has a hole in the front where a doggie door was. It's also just over 4ft by just over 3ft and 4 ft tall. I still want to make a bigger one but this will get me started and will allow me to get started sooner rather than later. Do y'all think I should start with 4 pullets? Also do y'all think of birds from Ideal?

For the most part, I've had good experiences with Ideal and I've ordered from them a number of times. I've also ordered from Cackle and Privett and bought Privett chicks from our local TSC and minus one bad Cackle experience, I don't have any complaints. I had a number of losses from one Ideal shipment but it was early in the year when we had horrible cold snaps, in the single digits, and I only ordered 10 assorted bantams and they had included EE cockerels for warmth. I had 4 losses before they arrived, all bantams, and 2 more with in 48 hrs and then 1 of the cockerels. It was definitely weather related. My Cackle experience was a little different, the weather wasn't as severe, there or here, but I had a HORRIBLE time keeping chicks alive and had a lot of losses. It was a hatchery surprise, so they don't handle losses the same as if it had been a normal order. I've had positive experiences with them before and since and will continue to order from them.

Are you starting with day old chicks or started/older/off heat pullets? I would suggest if you want 4 but are starting with day old chicks, to get twice that, or if ordering from a hatchery, whatever the minimum is. I've found its pretty simple to sell my 'extra' chicks, especially when off of heat. A good price point is to add about $1 a week over what they cost you (don't forget shipping/packaging cost) to sell the extras. If starting with older pullets all from the same place, then maybe a couple of extra. I like having extras because even though the pen was secure for the last group, a new group always seems to find a way out. Or a predator that I didn't know would be an issue, feral cats for example, took out a number of our chicks last year. Or the fact that they were running from a feral cat and jumped into the dog water container and drowned...All instances you 'know' could happen but you don't really think about until they do.

Hope this helps!

 

[SlipsWife]

When their hormones are racing, I have discovered they are like some dogs and are apt to hump anything. I've had them hump each other - usually these are the older cockerels that were separated from females at a young age - and I've had them hump the ground. I've got cocks that have not been with females for a couple of years and they will flat out hump the ground when they get agitated with a bunch of other cocks crowing and showing off. Thinking it is much like some dogs that hump to show domination.

x2

I was hoping the fact that 2 of our cockerels were mating my favorite 'pullet that has cockerel traits but is maturing slower than the other cockerels so maybe I'll get lucky' cockerel that he was a pullet. Obviously, no such luck!

 

[needlessjunk]

For the most part, I've had good experiences with Ideal and I've ordered from them a number of times.  I've also ordered from Cackle and Privett and bought Privett chicks from our local TSC and minus one bad Cackle experience, I don't have any complaints.  I had a number of losses from one Ideal shipment but it was early in the year when we had horrible cold snaps, in the single digits, and I only ordered 10 assorted bantams and they had included EE cockerels for warmth.  I had 4 losses before they arrived, all bantams, and 2 more with in 48 hrs and then 1 of the cockerels.  It was definitely weather related.  My Cackle experience was a little different, the weather wasn't as severe, there or here, but I had a HORRIBLE time keeping chicks alive and had a lot of losses.  It was a hatchery surprise, so they don't handle losses the same as if it had been a normal order.  I've had positive experiences with them before and since and will continue to order from them.

Are you starting with day old chicks or started/older/off heat pullets?  I would suggest if you want 4 but are starting with day old chicks, to get twice that, or if ordering from a hatchery, whatever the minimum is.  I've found its pretty simple to sell my 'extra' chicks, especially when off of heat.  A good price point is to add about $1 a week over what they cost you (don't forget shipping/packaging cost) to sell the extras.  If starting with older pullets all from the same place, then maybe a couple of extra.  I like having extras because even though the pen was secure for the last group, a new group always seems to find a way out.  Or a predator that I didn't know would be an issue, feral cats for example, took out a number of our chicks last year.  Or the fact that they were running from a feral cat and jumped into the dog water container and drowned...All instances you 'know' could happen but you don't really think about until they do.

Hope this helps!

That is helpful. Our local feed store has Ideal pullets and then I went on their site and rather have some different breeds than what the store has. I want pullets not chicks. I would like to be able to put them right outside. I think the min order is $20 or $25 so more than what I am looking for. Do you think it is best to start with more then thin it out as necessary? I would like no more than 6. That is the max that we can handle but we would need a bigger coop since the "dog house" will be a bit small for that many, don't you think?

 

[SlipsWife]

That is helpful. Our local feed store has Ideal pullets and then I went on their site and rather have some different breeds than what the store has. I want pullets not chicks. I would like to be able to put them right outside. I think the min order is $20 or $25 so more than what I am looking for. Do you think it is best to start with more then thin it out as necessary? I would like no more than 6. That is the max that we can handle but we would need a bigger coop since the "dog house" will be a bit small for that many, don't you think?

I think it might be a little snug for 6 full grown, standard size hens but if you pick smaller breeds, it might work without issue. It might help to make a cut out and have the nesting box as extra square footage by putting it on the outside. There are soooo many factors that play a part in how much space you need. Will they free range or have a large run/outside area? Are you willing to get rid of any bullies? We had one girl that could have had 10 acre to herself and would have gotten grumpy and found others to pick on.

A pullet is a female chicken, under a year old. Even a day old chick will be referred to as a pullet if it's been sexed. Straight run are chicks that haven't been sexed and could be pullets or cockerels (a male chicken under a year old). A hen/rooster are over a year. Just a heads up for when you go looking. Just because you know what to call them doesn't mean the person you are buying them from does too so make sure to ask. You might be sold a 'hen' that's actually a 6 month old pullet and be disappointed in her egg size and how often she's laying, when in a few months, she'll be in full swing and egg size should be larger.

There's a place in Burnet called Hill Country Poultry that sells started pullets, I know the breed I got were from Ideal, not sure if all of them are or not. I do have one chick that appears to be a cockerel, not a pullet, but they were really nice when I called and the next time we are down there we will switch him out. Just make sure to hang onto your receipt.

ETA:
At Hill Country you can't go back and pick out your chicks, you can pick the breeds you want though. Its nice since they don't have a minimum but you will pay a little more because they are older and most off of heat.

 

[Starfire669]

When their hormones are racing, I have discovered they are like some dogs and are apt to hump anything.  I've had them hump each other - usually these are the older cockerels that were separated from females at a young age - and I've had them hump the ground.  I've got cocks that have not been with females for a couple of years and they will flat out hump the ground when they get agitated with a bunch of other cocks crowing and showing off.  Thinking it is much like some dogs that hump to show domination.

So my next questions have to be, will Screwball stop trying to mate the younger cockerel when the hens reach laying/breeding age? And can the 2 coexist with 24 ladies to split between them withouth needing a 2nd coop?

 

[bnjrob]

So my next questions have to be, will Screwball stop trying to mate the younger cockerel when the hens reach laying/breeding age? And can the 2 coexist with 24 ladies to split between them withouth needing a 2nd coop?

Maybe. To both questions.

Most of my cocks cannot be with another male no matter whether there are females involved or if they are living in bachelor quarters.

 

[SlipsWife]

So frustrated...One of our DB bronze turkeys, about 8 weeks old and the size of our CL rooster, got ahold of an EE chick that I had JUST brought home and I don't think the chick will make it. The chick snuck out of the grow out pen, it looks so much bigger than it is because of the fluff, and the turkey got to it before I could get over there. I seriously saw it, started walking that way and the turkey came out of no where. He picked up the pullet and shook her, dropped her, picked her up again and shook her again.

Is this normal behavior for turkey? This is our first time with them. I'm thinking he thought the chick was a small rodent? We have all of our older group, that the turkey are also with, out free ranging. My concern now is if it wasn't just 'curious' behavior and something more along the lines of being a dominant tom, he might turn on the chickens. The 2 DBB and BR turkeys are now in their own separate pen, at least for the rest of the day. The BR's are small and I'm not worried about them doing anything but they started stressing out and pacing the outside of the pen when we put the DBB in it and I didn't want them to stress out.

I think I've finally hit my limit on birds. I'm excited at how quickly the turkeys are growing, I like the fact that they come up to us but I don't know if they are worth the extra stress.

 

[needlessjunk]

I think it might be a little snug for 6 full grown, standard size hens but if you pick smaller breeds, it might work without issue.  It might help to make a cut out and have the nesting box as extra square footage by putting it on the outside.  There are soooo many factors that play a part in how much space you need.  Will they free range or have a large run/outside area?  Are you willing to get rid of any bullies?  We had one girl that could have had 10 acre to herself and would have gotten grumpy and found others to pick on.

A pullet is a female chicken, under a year old.  Even a day old chick will be referred to as a pullet if it's been sexed.  Straight run are chicks that haven't been sexed and could be pullets or cockerels (a male chicken under a year old).  A hen/rooster are over a year.  Just a heads up for when you go looking.  Just because you know what to call them doesn't mean the person you are buying them from does too so make sure to ask.  You might be sold a 'hen' that's actually a 6 month old pullet and be disappointed in her egg size and how often she's laying, when in a few months, she'll be in full swing and egg size should be larger.

There's a place in Burnet called Hill Country Poultry that sells started pullets, I know the breed I got were from Ideal, not sure if all of them are or not.  I do have one chick that appears to be a cockerel, not a pullet, but they were really nice when I called and the next time we are down there we will switch him out.  Just make sure to hang onto your receipt.

ETA:
At Hill Country you can't go back and pick out your chicks, you can pick the breeds you want though.  Its nice since they don't have a minimum but you will pay a little more because they are older and most off of heat.

Thanks! I saw them on Craigslist and their web site was down. They might be the better way to go. I'll ask more at the feed store too since the last time I went a few batches were off the heat.

 

[TherryChicken]

My hens are sick again thanks to the weather. I am trying to hold off for 1 1/2 more days so I can get 24 eggs from them. I want to get as many more chicks as I can from my rooster that had to be euthanized. their coop smells like death and rotting flesh. It's venilated, but doesn't get a whole lot of sun due to the tarp. Man this new coop isn't being built fast enough. 2 more weeks and their section should be done.. I pray and hope. I have put almost a whole bale of straw out there in their pen so they can get off the muck.

 

[TherryChicken]

Leme refrase. When it rained and poured those couple of days. It turned it into puddles of water and slippery 1-2inches of mud and watered down poop. Thats why it stinks so bad. We are trying to hurry and finish the cops so we can get them out of there, but can only work on it during the weekend. This weekend we are hoping to put down the concrete and then let that dry for the week then put up the coop. The concrete will only be below their housing, not the bottom of the housing, under neith it. We will also be puttining in a draining system so when it rains or I have to clean off the concrete, I can and it'll draian instead of sit in the coop causing this issue again.