The Moonshiner's Leghorns

[The Moonshiner]

These were from my 1st or 2nd hatch this year....

 

[The Moonshiner]

 

[The Moonshiner]

 

[KF0002]

You could always crack that one egg open to see if it's fertile.

I am going to set them once I have a big enough clutch so I will know within a few days of incubation if they are fertile.

 

[KF0002]

Somewhere back there there was the pulling tail feathers deal.
Really mostly my issue is with juveniles. They're on pretty decent protein % and always have feed in front of them. It's probably more of an overcrowded problem. I switch them around but group them as they're grow outs. Sometimes I'm sure there's more together then is ideal especially if a group is together a while and grow quite a bit.
The only time I see it is when one pecks another on the butt and it looks like a... hey, move it gesture.
Then come breeding season if a male has a scraggly tail without a lot of tail feathers the girls sometimes pull them out. I don't think it's a protein problem because they all eat the same and if a boy has a mostly full or full tail those hens don't bother him.

We deal with feather picking too and it happens even when the grow outs aren’t overcrowded. Its worse in the summer months when it’s hot. They don’t seem to feather pick as bad when brooded during the cooler months. I watch for the main culprit(s) and separate that bird or birds from the group and put it in with birds that are older and that makes them stop because they go from top of the pecking order in one group to the bottom in another. If an entire group is doing it, the best thing to do is turn the entire group loose to free range. I hate feather picking! My son’s Ameraucanas were doing it and I literally separated them out individually until they grow in the feathers so they arent tempted by newly growing in blood feathers. Hopefully that will break the cycle.

 

[KF0002]

These were from my 1st or 2nd hatch this year....
View attachment 4243059

I need this silver crele cockerel!

 

[The Moonshiner]

I need this silver crele cockerel!

I think I've got plenty of extras. Want me to take them to the county line, turn them loose and point them in your direction.
Never know a couple might make it by Spring.

 

[WallyG74]

I think I've got plenty of extras. Want me to take them to the county line, turn them loose and point them in your direction.
Never know a couple might make it by Spring.

Is the sheriff waiting for you to cross the county line?

 

[The Moonshiner]

Is the sheriff waiting for you to cross the county line?

I don't think so. I just don't like to stray far from home.

 

[BlueBaby]

Arizona doesn't have to do the time change thing, but since the rest of you do...