Texas

[bnjrob]

Are chickens cannibals? Will they kill and or eat another hen's chicks? Yesterday morning we had a new chick hatch. It looked good and healthy. We came back a couple hours later to check if their were any more and the chick was gone. We tore the brooder cage apart, searched the chicken house...nothing. No feathers or blood. The cage is chicken wire.

Yes they are cannibals, although I don't think they have enough brains to specifically intend to kill another chicken because they want to eat it. But they will peck at blood and wounds out of curiosity until they kill another chicken. And they will eat meat, like if you butcher chickens and then throw the pieces you aren't keeping to the chickens, they'll eat it.

If you only had chicken wire and not smaller spaced hard ware cloth - that is large enough for a snake to get in and eat a chick. They can push through small spaces just like mice.

 

[bnjrob]

But question, if I do use medicines when the chickens get sick or have mites or worms, are they still considered organic eggs if it's not a regular thing?

Technically no. If you were using the "approved" terms and conditions for the word "organic" then you can only give your chickens stuff that has been approved as natural by the "organic police" throughout the chicken's life span. The term "organic" is very misleading and there is a lot of crap that you have to follow when you're doing stuff like having a business based on "organic" eggs, meat, veggies, etc.

 

[Starfire669]

Thanks...do you recommend anything in particular for the job?   I guess the eggs would be no good also.  I'm getting 6-10 eggs a day, I hate the thought of wasting all those eggs, but if it's best for the birds then I'd do it.

Is there anything natural or does it have to be a "poison"?

I used Epernix pour on for de-worming and mite control on my chickens, ducks, and geese. There are threads about it here. There is no egg withdrawal and it gets rid of most internal and external parasites in 1 medicine. I love the stuff.

 

[Starfire669]

Technically no.  If you were using the "approved" terms and conditions for the word "organic" then you can only give your chickens stuff that has been approved as natural by the "organic police" throughout the chicken's life span.  The term "organic" is very misleading and there is a lot of crap that you have to follow when you're doing stuff like having a business based on "organic" eggs, meat, veggies, etc.

Then I will just advertise fresh eggs laid daily, lol. Because while I try not to medicate, there are times they need help getting rid of parasites or recovering from a wound.

Hopefully once my chickens start laying I can start selling the extra eggs. I am also going to sell duck and goose eggs, if anyone wants them. And since they should be fertile I can sell hatching eggs or actual hatchlings, lol. Though most of the eggs I set willbe for our personal use and freezer.

 

[magpiesing]

I used Epernix pour on for de-worming and mite control on my chickens, ducks, and geese. There are threads about it here. There is no egg withdrawal and it gets rid of most internal and external parasites in 1 medicine. I love the stuff.

Thanks...I'll check it out....I like the no egg loss part.

 

[bnjrob]

Then I will just advertise fresh eggs laid daily, lol. Because while I try not to medicate, there are times they need help getting rid of parasites or recovering from a wound.

Hopefully once my chickens start laying I can start selling the extra eggs. I am also going to sell duck and goose eggs, if anyone wants them. And since they should be fertile I can sell hatching eggs or actual hatchlings, lol. Though most of the eggs I set willbe for our personal use and freezer.

LOL - sounds like a good idea. Have looked into all the stuff that goes along with using the various terms like "organic" - lot of hassle, and money, inspections - not worth it really unless you're a big company that needs to use the term to try to get an edge over the competition.

 

[magpiesing]

We took the chicks away from Belle...she tried to kill them! Out of three chicks...one has a big raw sore (dime size) on it's head, another has a pecked spot on its head and the last one has a tiny peck above it's eye. When I checked her earlier all seemed fine, all were under her. Checked again a couple hours later and found them all pecked! I cleaned the wounds and treated them with neosporin. Don't know if the worst one is going to make it. DH wanted to take her away last night because he saw her peck the one that hatched last night, but she needed to keep the eggs warm overnight til they finished hatching.

We might have made a mistake moving her so close to hatch. Yesterday when the first chick turned up missing we thought it best to move her because I suspect it got too close to the wire and the other birds got a hold of it.

I don't know why she went broody again just a couple of months after hatching and raising Speedy but she did so we let her sit because she has always been a good nanny. She's a good brooder too, seldom leaves the eggs. Moving her was messed up because of timing. We waited too long to turn Becka and her 7 out of the grow pen and move Belle into it sooner so she had time to settle. Anyway...it is what it is...can't go back...live and learn I guess.

 

[winteree]

We took the chicks away from Belle...she tried to kill them! Out of three chicks...one has a big raw sore (dime size) on it's head, another has a pecked spot on its head and the last one has a tiny peck above it's eye. When I checked her earlier all seemed fine, all were under her. Checked again a couple hours later and found them all pecked! I cleaned the wounds and treated them with neosporin. Don't know if the worst one is going to make it. DH wanted to take her away last night because he saw her peck the one that hatched last night, but she needed to keep the eggs warm overnight til they finished hatching.

We might have made a mistake moving her so close to hatch. Yesterday when the first chick turned up missing we thought it best to move her because I suspect it got too close to the wire and the other birds got a hold of it.

I don't know why she went broody again just a couple of months after hatching and raising Speedy but she did so we let her sit because she has always been a good nanny. She's a good brooder too, seldom leaves the eggs. Moving her was messed up because of timing. We waited too long to turn Becka and her 7 out of the grow pen and move Belle into it sooner so she had time to settle. Anyway...it is what it is...can't go back...live and learn I guess.

goodness that really sucks. i just asked my grams about it and she said the hen was no good anymore that now she is most likey going to attack any chick that hatches as she sees them as food etc.

 

[winteree]

Sorry your turkey hatch did not go well. I have never attempted to hatch eggs. Sounds like a lot of attention to detail. No time in my life right now for that. I think if I ever do I will let a hen do it.

yeah it sucks but i'm adding a non lightbulb heating element to my incubator this time around so hopefully these new eggs will do better.

 

[winteree]

My father made a comment and my husband said that I had to down size. I wanted to sell extra eggs, but apparently that's not good enough for my hubby. If I have to downsize though, I'd rather my ladies go to someone here that loves their birds as more than just food producers. Most of the people around here that buy/sell at animal flea markets don't care for their birds. Mine are partially tame, de-wormed regularly, and I care for any injuries they get. I also spoil them with grapes, watermelon, blackberries, corn, cucumbers, squash, and other fruits and veggies from my garden.

lol's its so nice that you let you hubby get a say.