The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Not sure if there is a better place to post a couple of questions but this is really the only thread I read regularly and trust the responses you all have to offer.

I have a hen that is molting. Since I've only had chickens for 3 weeks this is my first experience with molt. She looks so pitiful that I hurt for her. Also, she is a favorite of the rooster so the previous owner had put an apron on her. Now the apron is hanging on only one wing and it just looks so uncomfortable but she doesn't trust me enough to let me close to help it off of her. Should I leave it or should I try and force myself onto her to get it off? I don't want to traumatize her more but if it's not good to leave it on her during a molt or while it isn't on properly then I should get it off. She does seem to be tugging at it so I don't think she's really enjoying it. The temps are pretty cold but warming up over the next few days....will be below freezing at night but in the 40's during the day.

Also, the rooster is walking around w/ one eye closed! What's up with that? And he doesn't crow. I've heard him once and that's it. He acts fine. I am a little afraid of him so I can't honestly say if his eye has always been closed (always being the past 3 weeks...haha) or if this is new.

Thanks!

I promise handling your chickens will be better for them and necessary.
For your birds..(when it starts to get dark they *roost*). Go into the coop and place your hand under the belly..relax it will be OK. She has as much trust in you as you have in her..you are afraid she is going to bite you and she is afraid you are going to bite her. Talk to her softly. it is OK if she pecks you..hens usually are not peck serious unless they are broody. Do not pull your hand away..insert your hand fully under her belly, palm up..hooking your thump on her left leg and between your pinky and 4th finger her right leg...Your left hand ..flat on her back, and cover her wings so they don't flap. Pluck her off the roost and remove the apron..I would also look for bugs, examine her feet and legs, feel her breast bone. This is a weekly check that should be done. You need to know the health of your chickens since chicken hide any illness. An ill chicken can go from 5lb to 2lb with out you noticing. They do not complain like other animals. They can be in horrible pain and you will never know. I have never been pecked by an adult rooster..ever

As far as the eye..you need to pick the bird up and look at the eye..these animals are yours now..it sucks you are afraid of them, but buck up and do it anyway. Night time is a perfect time to do it. Chickens are not a dangerous animal. If you chose to get tigers and one had a eye that was closed and one had a shirt tangled in its leg it still would be your responsibility to address it. Find a way..I have faith you can do it..they are just chickens...

 

[trinoc]

I promise handling your chickens will be better for them and necessary.
For your birds..(when it starts to get dark they *roost*). Go into the coop and place your hand under the belly..relax it will be OK. She has as much trust in you as you have in her..you are afraid she is going to bite you and she is afraid you are going to bite her. Talk to her softly. it is OK if she pecks you..hens usually are not peck serious unless they are broody. Do not pull your hand away..insert your hand fully under her belly, palm up..hooking your thump on her left leg and between your pinky and 4th finger her right leg...Your left hand ..flat on her back, and cover her wings so they don't flap. Pluck her off the roost and remove the apron..I would also look for bugs, examine her feet and legs, feel her breast bone. This is a weekly check that should be done. You need to know the health of your chickens since chicken hide any illness. An ill chicken can go from 5lb to 2lb with out you noticing. They do not complain like other animals. They can be in horrible pain and you will never know. I have never been pecked by an adult rooster..ever

As far as the eye..you need to pick the bird up and look at the eye..these animals are yours now..it sucks you are afraid of them, but buck up and do it anyway. Night time is a perfect time to do it. Chickens are not a dangerous animal. If you chose to get tigers and one had a eye that was closed and one had a shirt tangled in its leg it still would be your responsibility to address it. Find a way..I have faith you can do it..they are just chickens...

Thanks for the tutorial! I am working tonight but will do this when I get home, before they wake up. I have held and checked all hens previously but this molt has her running from me. At least I'm attributing it to the molt. Also, thanks for the reassurance on the rooster. I wasn't planning on keeping him but the previous owner assured me he was not aggressive (and he hasn't proven otherwise) and that this is his flock and they just hated to separate them. Maybe I shouldn't have acquiessed but I did so now I do need to learn to be the a good keeper for him. Will I pick him up in the same way as I do the hens?

 

[ki4got]

Quote: i prefer the split ring bands, simply because they're reusable. any hen I can't tell easily from another (silver grey dorkings mostly) has a colored band on one leg. I have 11 colors of the rings (if I could find the bleeping things!) LOL I know they're around. just have to find where I stuck them.

the longer/wider zip ties work well for adults too, being wider it's easier to see from a distance. they also come in a wide variety of colors.

 

[Mrs Rebecca]

Also, in my very limited experience, I have found that once I have a good comfortable hold on my chickens they don't seem to mind me handling them. Sometimes my rooster tries to intimidate me, and he does not want me to hold him. I buck up and catch him. I usually tuck him under my elbow, like a football hold, holding his wings between my side and my arm. This allows me to hold him in one hand and manipulate his head or feet so that I can see, or look down between his feathers. Handling your rooster will help you to build a respectful relationship with him. He needs to know that you're his leader and it's your job to take care of him. If you need to, ask someone to go out to the coop with you, just to stand behind you while you gain confidence in yourself. It can be comforting to have someone encourage you. Also, keep in mind that if you are afraid, they will be afraid of you. They will react to you defensively.

 

[trinoc]

Quote:
Good idea. My 15 yr old has been my "right hand man" as we learn to take care of these animals. She is really loving it. I'll have her come with me for the moral support and also so she can learn and become familiar with how we need to handle them. Thanks!

 

[Pozees]

Quote:
What part of the country are you in? Perhaps someone is near enough to you to show you how they handle chickens. Yes you will pick up the rooster the same way. If you are not sure you can contain the wings you can wrap the bird in a towel, but once you practice a few times you'll get it. If you handle the hen first it will give you confidence. They do not mind being handled, what usually spooks them about being picked up during the day is the similarity to being scooped up by a predator - their instincts tell them to run from overhead threats, they can't help themselves. Become the treat bringer and they will calm down more and even come to you when you approach - apples, corn, plain yogurt, meal worms, all sorts of things will entice them near you. My DH now gets mobbed when he goes outside midafternoon because he almost always brings and apple and tosses pieces to them. Give yourself a break, this is all new to you and you are trying to do right by them, you will get it.

 

[trinoc]

I live in middle Tennessee. I'm sure there are plenty of chicken owners around here but I don't know how to find them. I know some sell eggs at the farmer's market. Maybe I'll try there on Saturday. Thanks for the suggestion and the reassurance!

 

[armorfirelady]

I wish it could kill more than 1 a night.  I have seen signs of  mice in our small coop and we caught 1 in a standard trap.  But something like this would be great since I would not need to see the mouse.

That's a great trap. I know I have mice around here but I don't see their tracks during the winter. I think they hide out all winter in the garage in the firewood. Thankfully rats are not around either !!

I do have a bunny I see in the girls area. It seems he is helping eat the hay bale under the a frame and perhaps to ff left in heated dog bowl. I see tracks near it but with the hay I can't tell if he is going in there. Perhaps he is using them both for shelter at night?

I am hoping for above 0 tomorrow..I am already tired of winter and the cold..I am happy for the deep freeze..we need it.


I am on a stop smoking program...I really want and need to stop smoking..I am delighted I have not injured any animals or humans so far..My wonderful DH is doing the program with me.

Good luck!!! I didn't have one my entire cruise. I've been taking chantix. Even others smoking didn't bother me. But I got that cruise and had a stressful day and bought a pack. Smoking more than half than I did. My problem is I like smoking when I just want to sit and relax for a little while. But I don't smoke in my house so you would thing the bitter temps & blizzard would of helped me not want to smoke. I just dressed warmer :/. Ah well I am still trying lol

@armorfirelady


Regarding using the mini-zip ties for banding your kiddos...  Do you have them on your adults?  I'm thinking about putting one on one of the ladies tomorrow and wondering how they're working out for your adult size birds.

Big girls have them on and I only changed a few on them because the new ones were wider with so I could see who was who from afar. I just kept them really loose so as they grew they wouldn't get tight. I haven't had any problems at all. I don't have to use them on the tots since they are all different and I can tell who is who

 

[Leahs Mom]

Isn't RedRidge in Tn? (Of course, may not be in the same area...)

 

[lazy gardener]

Delisha, I wish you and DH the best of luck with your stop smoking program. I both started and quit smoking at the tender age of 5. It was both blessing and a curse, b/c after that first deep drag, and the horror of it's effect on me, I never wanted to touch a cigarette again! (All b/c I caught my older brother smoking behind the chicken coop.) There, now this post is chicken related!