The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[RedRidge]

 


combining the two, first generation you get a rose comb. second gen you'll get either single or rose.  more rose than single most likely.

but if you want nice clean distinct barring, you're better off using a barred rock not a Dominique, which is considered cuckoo (wider less distinct barring)

Sally in Indiana:  RIR roo over BR will give you a sex linked chick!  I think you'll also get sex linked chicks when using RIR roo over Dominique hens as well!  Nice advantage there.

Sex linked yes, but not autosexed. So just remember they won't breed true. But the first generation will be sex linked due to sex links and auto sexed are connected to the barring gene.

 

[mlowen]

I liked the idea of all the different kinds of seeds, fenugreek for example, in these mixes and am looking forward to trying them out.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Sprout-Ho...390350188&sr=8-13&keywords=seed+for+sprouting

sorry it was sprout house, not sprout world. Today I ate the lentil and garbanzo bean sprouts (ok, I did share them with the flock), very tasty! I haven't sprouted seeds since the 70's. yeah yeah, I know some of you weren't even born then!

Sprout People (online sprouting equipment & seed company) has some really good seeds & stuff.

 

[lalaland]

I am bummed.

Some of you know that a couple of years ago I took in a flock of one year old hens that had been raised their entire life in a bedroom. When I got them, they were certified feather pickers and all were sporting a funny sheared look. They don't eat the entire feather, just clip it off at the tip.

I never did break them of the habit, regardless of feed/activity/space/supplements etc.

After a molt, they look gorgeous and then.....in a few looks they look raggedy. Embarassing, but they are just egg layers and sweet girls at that. Just have a bad habit of grazing on each others backs.

Today, I noticed my icelandic sporting the sheared look on her back.

Shoot. I hope this doesn't spread throughout the flock.

 

[armorfirelady]

Ugh Lala......any chance you could keep the bedroom girls separate from the others? I know its frigid cold there but I would be afraid they would pick your others feathers and maybe get them all picking feathers?

 

[Kassaundra]

I am bummed.

Some of you know that a couple of years ago I took in a flock of one year old hens that had been raised their entire life in a bedroom. When I got them, they were certified feather pickers and all were sporting a funny sheared look. They don't eat the entire feather, just clip it off at the tip.

I never did break them of the habit, regardless of feed/activity/space/supplements etc.

After a molt, they look gorgeous and then.....in a few looks they look raggedy. Embarassing, but they are just egg layers and sweet girls at that. Just have a bad habit of grazing on each others backs.

Today, I noticed my icelandic sporting the sheared look on her back.

Shoot. I hope this doesn't spread throughout the flock.

I believe the behavior will spread if they are all together.

 

[aoxa]

I am bummed.

Some of you know that a couple of years ago I took in a flock of one year old hens that had been raised their entire life in a bedroom. When I got them, they were certified feather pickers and all were sporting a funny sheared look. They don't eat the entire feather, just clip it off at the tip.

I never did break them of the habit, regardless of feed/activity/space/supplements etc.

After a molt, they look gorgeous and then.....in a few looks they look raggedy. Embarassing, but they are just egg layers and sweet girls at that. Just have a bad habit of grazing on each others backs.

Today, I noticed my icelandic sporting the sheared look on her back.

Shoot. I hope this doesn't spread throughout the flock.

Are you sure it's not from rooster damage this time?

Especially if she is a favourite and is constantly mounted.. Damage will occur eventually.

 

[delisha]

LaLa..I would check for mice and rats..they take the tips of feathers at night to line nests when the chickens are sleeping.

 

[RedRidge]

LaLa..I would check for mice and rats..they take the tips of feathers at night to line nests when the chickens are sleeping.

Really? Wow I had never thought of that... Course I think most of mine roost, but still something to watch for.

 

[RedRidge]

First chick of the season hatched a few hours ago... Rhodebar pullet.

 

[lalaland]

I know there are mice in the coop, but I have watched the hens reach over and nibble on each others back. The hen that is nibbled on doesn't react, and I have 4 welsummers and 3 astrolorps from that bedroom flock - there is one astrolorp that objects and so isn't nibbled on. She might be the main nibbler, but she taught my 5 year old EE to nibble too. It is a roosting behavior, and I noticed a surge of it when they were locked in the coop for weeks on end with the bitter cold.

they do learn from each other.

funny thing is, they hardly ever eat feathers that have fallen out - down or otherwise.

Delisha that is a scary thought that mice and rats would eat the feathers off a hens back!

And it is totally different than rooster damage. It looks as if someone carefully clipped the tips of the feathers off.

I'll try to get a picture of it. I am just sorry - I can hardly be proud of their condition!