The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Fentress]

I got my first chickens around 50 years ago. Didn't know much back then. Had White Leghorns. I guess we live and learn. I had one of my RC RIW's hatch some of my Reese eggs and some RC RIW eggs. The chicks are now about 3 months old. They are loosing their peeps and getting their adult voices. I just love to watch them. Their legs are very yellow. Will get some pics tomorrow.

Please post pics of your when you build your tractor coops. We made 2 coops several years ago that we could move around with one of our tractors. We put them on skids. one was 8' by 8' and the other 6' by 8'. Now they are both in a permanent place. The chain on the back is what we towed it with. They aren't in this location anymore and the coops have been renovated since.


This coop is on wheels and moveable. Again we move it with a tractor.

I will be happy to post the pic's. Won't be till later in the year as a I start to prepare for my first year of breeding next spring. Is it my imagination or are more people getting interested in hatching with broody hens? I think it is great. I know, base on just one years experience, that broody raised are better conditioned. And others, like Walt, have said something similar. It will be a challenge to get a system going, that uses broodies and puts a lot of feet on the ground. I know it can be done because I have seen old pictures of poultry farmers doing it. They had the hen tethered to a small pasture shelter. I don't think I will be doing that.

 

[immyjay54]

Sally,
Just had to take a picture of these little babies. 3 days old and still have all 8 of them. I tell you one thing, these babies ought to be stronger then the ones we raise in brooders without momma's. I was watching them this morning and afternoon and boy that ole momma sure does knock them around when she is scratching. They just jump up and run right back to her. So funny. We had an awful thunder/lightning storm with lots of rain and that ole momma went running with them in her little hut and stayed in there until this morning. As soon as the sun came out she came out with them and they were having a ball jumping and fluttering their little wings. I'm so glad that I set her and that she did such a good job at hatching them. It has be many many years since I've seen this. By the way, that is rabbit fence that is around her and it is real small at the bottom. And that pen is inside another pen.




Also just wanted to let all know that I got flogged for the first time today with a HRIR Cock Bird. It was okay though because he was doing what he was supposed to do. I have some 7 week olds in a pen next to my SC Underwood's and one of them dug under the fence and went in with the big birds. I heard one chattering more then usual and so I went in and checked and there it was. When I got hold of the chick, it started yelling and the roo hit me. I was surprised but told him it was okay. Once the chick stopped yelling, he was fine and walked away. I went back in with him after I put the chick in it's pen and he was absolutely fine. Back to being normal. He is as protective as the ole broody hens. lol Guard your back side if you are messing with chicks with the old man around. He will get you but that is okay in my mind. They are supposed to protect their young.

Jim

 

[immyjay54]

I can assure you that yellow legs is not totally genetic. Genetics has some part in it but their diet is equally important. If they do not have the proper stuff to eat a chicken that has the genetics to have bright yellow legs will have legs as white as a sheet of paper.

Matt

Okay folks, I don't think my ole southern friend will mind me putting this here. I fully understand what Matt was saying in his post. As with any animals and humans, if the soil is poor in the area where you live, the food produced will not have the right nutrients. Even with free ranging, if the nutrients aren't in the ground, the chickens can't get it from there. In my area, we have very fertile soil and my almost all of my birds free range every day. I can understand both the posts of Red Ridge and Matt. Genetics without nutrition doesn't work neither wold nutrition without genetics. Makes a lot of sense to me. Guess I must have both in some of my birds because they sure do carry the good color and really deep horn on their legs. Thanks for the comments and enlightening my understanding. I have been a little confused about this for quite a while.
Thanks again
Jimmy

 

[cmom]

Quote:
Here are some of my older chicks. I think what they eat is important too.

 

[immyjay54]

Nice leg color cmom.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Jim, it's curious you should report on your male being protective of the young ones. I find that aspect to be admirable. I have certainly noticed it as well. This cockerel is young, but he has completely embraced his role as protector of the young and is always concerned about their well being. If I do have to mess with them, I prefer to do it while he's out in the yard.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Sally,
Just had to take a picture of these little babies. 3 days old and still have all 8 of them. I tell you one thing, these babies ought to be stronger then the ones we raise in brooders without momma's. I was watching them this morning and afternoon and boy that ole momma sure does knock them around when she is scratching. They just jump up and run right back to her. So funny. We had an awful thunder/lightning storm with lots of rain and that ole momma went running with them in her little hut and stayed in there until this morning. As soon as the sun came out she came out with them and they were having a ball jumping and fluttering their little wings. I'm so glad that I set her and that she did such a good job at hatching them. It has be many many years since I've seen this. By the way, that is rabbit fence that is around her and it is real small at the bottom. And that pen is inside another pen.




Also just wanted to let all know that I got flogged for the first time today with a HRIR Cock Bird. It was okay though because he was doing what he was supposed to do. I have some 7 week olds in a pen next to my SC Underwood's and one of them dug under the fence and went in with the big birds. I heard one chattering more then usual and so I went in and checked and there it was. When I got hold of the chick, it started yelling and the roo hit me. I was surprised but told him it was okay. Once the chick stopped yelling, he was fine and walked away. I went back in with him after I put the chick in it's pen and he was absolutely fine. Back to being normal. He is as protective as the ole broody hens. lol Guard your back side if you are messing with chicks with the old man around. He will get you but that is okay in my mind. They are supposed to protect their young.

Jim

I'll need to know this as I start to gradually mix in the younger birds with the older ones. I need to get over the possibility of a hawk and let more of my birds free range. Right now I have 8 "no big loss if taken" roosters free ranging.
It also explains why my RIR rooster in the breeding area has been crying alerts. every time a chick in the nearby broody pen comes out in the open my RIR roo sounds the alarm.

 

[immyjay54]

Hey folks,
Need some help here. I got an email from a poultry friend and I copied/pasted it to this to see if anyone knows anything about this. The only thing I could come up with was maybe she got bitten by something. Have any of you ever come across this. I did email back asking if the pullet is dead or alive but haven't gotten a reply yet. Will edit when I hear back from him.'

Hey Jim.I just found one of my pullets about 3 mnths old with her whole head swollen up and when I picked her up it felt like fluid under her skin all over her body.have you ever heard of this.I called dr hall there in PA and he said he never seen that before.I mowed around there pen the other day I wonder if she got some kinda allergic reaction..thanks
Got this back from him. She still alive eatin and drinkin water like nothins wrong.I put a little benadrly in her food and she ate all of it

Thanks everyone. The only suggestion I gave for now was to try Tylan 100
Jimmy

 

[3riverschick]

Hey folks,
Need some help here. I got an email from a poultry friend and I copied/pasted it to this to see if anyone knows anything about this. The only thing I could come up with was maybe she got bitten by something. Have any of you ever come across this. I did email back asking if the pullet is dead or alive but haven't gotten a reply yet. Will edit when I hear back from him.'

Hey Jim.I just found one of my pullets about 3 mnths old with her whole head swollen up and when I picked her up it felt like fluid under her skin all over her body.have you ever heard of this.I called dr hall there in PA and he said he never seen that before.I mowed around there pen the other day I wonder if she got some kinda allergic reaction..thanks
Got this back from him. She still alive eatin and drinkin water like nothins wrong.I put a little benadrly in her food and she ate all of it

Thanks everyone. The only suggestion I gave for now was to try Tylan 100
Jimmy

Here ya go: definition, results and cause:
http://thesciencedictionary.org/anasarca/
http://www.researchgate.net/publication/21225981_Anasarca_and_myopathy_in_ostrich_chicks
and more results and cause :
http://www.cahfs.ucdavis.edu/local-assets/pdfs/CAHFS_connection/CAHFS_Connection_Oct_2012_Final.pdf
scroll down to "Other Avian"

I know these folk are in India but looks like they have a solution??
http://www.indiamart.com/herbaltrends-gurgaon/medicines-for-poultry.html
Scroll down to: Poultry Medicine for Ascitis/Gout/Kidney Problems

After reading this I will never feed avocados to my birds. Wow!
Cardiomyopathy in ostriches (Struthio camelus) due to avocado (Persea americana var. guatemalensis) intoxication.
http://www.functionalps.com/blog/2011/01/30/another-look-at-avocado/

http://dir.indiamart.com/saharanpur/poultry-feed-supplements.html
Somewhere in this plethora of products is one associated with Anasarca .
Best Regards,
Karen

 

[immyjay54]

Jim, it's curious you should report on your male being protective of the young ones. I find that aspect to be admirable. I have certainly noticed it as well. This cockerel is young, but he has completely embraced his role as protector of the young and is always concerned about their well being. If I do have to mess with them, I prefer to do it while he's out in the yard.

Hey Fred, your setup is almost exactly the way mine is. I have the young like you show in your picture and the LF SC Underwood's are like where your cockerel is. When I fastened the wire at the bottom like your picture shows, the wire would be on the opposite side of the 2x4. I had one spot that I left a little to much space between fasteners and that is where the 7 week old found it's way through to be with the big birds. It was yelling to get back in with it's own and I went in and got it and Yes, I got it alright. lol Shocked me almost to death. That cock bird has never bothered me but he sure did protect that chick when I picked it up. He hit me twice so quick that it wasn't funny. I had to laugh though because he sure showed me that he was doing his job. Truthfully, I praised him for it. He is a good protector. That's all I can say. Glad there wasn't 4 or 5 of them big boys in there to get me. ha,ha
Take care my friend
Jim