hello everyone. Has been a while since I posted. I have been dealing with the loss of my nephew in a motorcycle accident. Has been tough. Sorry to hear of others heartaches and difficulties. I spent quite a bit of time reading posts to catch up with everyone! I do feel like you guys are part of my extended family!
I have a chicken behavior question for those with more experience than me. We have 2 RIR girls not sure of age but were given to us by someone that had too many to care for. One has never laid for us and the other is pretty regular with about 6 eggs per week. The layer "Billie" is the dominant one and quickly puts our 7 'babies' in place as well as the other grown hen. Tonight when I stepped outside to visit with my chicks (that's what I call my group of girls even though we purchased them on March 12 and the big girls were given to us March 13). Tonight I squatted down and started talking to the chicks and they surrounded me and waited patiently for me to talk to/pet them all. I as usual start with Billie and she wants just to gripe and no touching. She has her moods so I don't think anything of it. As she is griping at me, she suddenly jumps over to me and bites my hand. Not in the playful way they pick at my wedding ring but bites me as if she is trying to hurt me. I tap her beak and firmly and loudly tell her no. She puffs up a little but backs off. I finish with my chicks, spending a little time with each one then get up to walk to the back of the yard to check out the coop and tractor. Billie rushed me twice packing (hard) at my feet and trying to bite my ankles/legs. I bent over to be able to push her away and she puffs up and attacks! lol that is the only way I can describe it. I was able to grab her and put her in the tractor by herself (this has been where the younger chicks stay). I plan on keeping her in the tractor by herself for a couple of days and encourage the little ones to start using the big coop. Tonight we had to put 3 of the 7 in the big coop manually once they realized that the tractor was closed up. How long should I keep Billie in 'tractor time out' by herself to get her to calm down? We have not gotten an egg from her in several days so could this be a chicken menopause attitude? There is only an outside roost pole on the tractor but it is enclosed everywhere except bottom. Will this be ok for her or do I need to have a roost pole inside the tractor? What could this behavior mean?
Next question...silly to me but being a newbie, I must ask. Why do my chickens sound like ducks? The little ones are very ducky sounding when they make their noises. more of the quack or a honk than a cluck. Chicken puberty? lol when can I tell the sex of my little ones? I have 2 I think may be roosters one is a barred rock (Blackie Chan) and the other is a brahma (Big Boy) and beautiful! I can try to make some pics tomorrow if some of you more experienced can tell by looking.
And last for this go aroundis it normal for a Leghorn to be about twice the weight of the others of the same age? Dumplin is a very fat chicken and it is hilarious to watch her try to run. She will lay down on her belly to eat at the feeder and stay there. Another beautiful girl (actually I think ALL of my chicks are beautiful) but belly is always dirty because she lays down anywhere including on fresh poo.
My 12 year old has started calling me the crazy chicken lady because I go out and chat with my chicks (they were my peeps until they stopped 'peeping'. and sit and watch them frolic. We allow them to free range the yard most days that someone is home but keep them in the enclosed run/coop/tractor when no one will be home all day. I am still learning and respect your opinions on my chicken raising!
Thanks everyone for your support!
