The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Ashdoes]

I had a bit of oddness in the barn this morning. One of my Cochin boys decided he wanted one of the Cochin girls that isn't laying yet. So, he hopped on...I thought, cool I guess she'll be giving me eggs soon. Out of nowhere one of my RSLs and one of the Wyandottes, who both lay eggs, ran over and beat the crap outta Smoke, till he got off Boots. They ripped on his comb, and pulled out head feathers. Isn't that weird? Why would they do that?

 

[Melabella]

I had a bit of oddness in the barn this morning. One of my Cochin boys decided he wanted one of the Cochin girls that isn't laying yet. So, he hopped on...I thought, cool I guess she'll be giving me eggs soon. Out of nowhere one of my RSLs and one of the Wyandottes, who both lay eggs, ran over and beat the crap outta Smoke, till he got off Boots. They ripped on his comb, and pulled out head feathers. Isn't that weird? Why would they do that?

I have seen that, not to the extent that they were able to do damage, but I observed the same thing several times. As if to they are telling him... "come on now,, she is too young for that, you rough s. o. you know that!" I have also seen one chase and peck at him after getting mounted. Maybe they only sumbit when truly ready, they know better than him. I am sure someone one else with far more experience will let us know.!

Funny thing.

MB

 

[galefrances]

Quote: Yes, thanks. I did think of making more colors and I also think I need to tag them. I have two of each breed and it's really difficult to tell them apart. I have picked them up randomly to check for bugs, but it's been at night off the roost. Although now they're roosting on the highest board. Good thing my DH is tall. Bee always told me using ladder style roosts were going to be a problem some day. I had another egg in the poop box this morning. The sand is getting low so it cracked. I still think it's the weirdest thing for her to lay her egg from the roost. I'm thinking it's one of the wyandottes. Thanks again Mumsy.

 

[Judy]

Competing websites (other chicken websites) are against the rules. Facebook and blogs are handled on a case by case basis. There have been instances where these links are referenced so much that it becomes an issue, such as the links that needed to be removed from this thread.

ok, then I think we're ok with referencing the natural chicken blog because it links back to byc, is that correct?

Happy Chooks didn't say anything here about linking back to BYC. The issue here is the sheer quantity, and the repeated promoting of this blog by several people. We have no problem with any member putting a link to their own personal blog in their own signature, if it does not have a forum and they do not sell anything from it.

There are links all over BYC to specific articles on a blog, etc. which are directly relevant to the subject at hand, generally posted in response to a question. That is not what was happening in this case. What was happening was the repeated promotion of a blog by a number of members -- in other words, advertising the blog, which is what we determined was not appropriate..

 

[jockeyeba]

Pretty hen!

She is gorgeous, and the eggs are pretty too. 

Thank you Miss Lydia & Sally8 I just love her

 

[jockeyeba]

That's odd.  My hens have never squatted on their own.  I have seen the new ones, the PR's, squat for their roo.  The game hens never did squat.

They are so cute when they squat. I have a few that squat if I reach for them too.

I would think you have eggs starting any time now texasmomma.

Take a picture of a head shot and lets take a look at that color.

If you all remember my post about Duke's behavior yesterday, and after Delisha's great post, I seized the day with stick in hand whenever I changed out the water and checked for another egg (still only one a day, come on girls!).  Well, I did approach, approach, approach, and advance and advance advance.  He moved away from me, and one time, when I set down the plate of chopped up cherry tomatoes that had gone wrinkled, I got in his way, and when he showed the least sign of fluffing up, I made him move to the other end of the pen to wait.  Just let the girls eat for a moment. 

I've never seen a real squat, thought I had when Kate one of my BR let me pet her, but now realize that wasn't one.  As I turned to leave, with my eye on Duke of course, I leaned down to pet Matilda, one of my PRed's as she is the one giving me the lone egg.  She immediately dropped to the floor, wings out, and head bowed.  She looked like she was playing dead...lol.  I was like.. Aww.. thank you Kate..and gave her three nice strokes and she promptly stood up, and shook off, and I realized we had just had a moment....lol.. seriously though, I wondered if after the girls seeing me make Duke move all day, in their eyes, I was now dominant.  Very coincidental that the first squat for me came after I spent the day moving Duke around like he was my subject. 

One more observation on this.. after I left the pen, closed up, I was almost back to the horse barn and heard the sound of one of the girls being covered, and sure enough,,, Duke was on top of Matilda...as if to say.. oh yeah, you bow to her.. well watch this.  Love triangle in my chicken run!

MB

 

[lalaland]

Happy Chooks didn't say anything here about linking back to BYC. The issue here is the sheer quantity, and the repeated promoting of this blog by several people. We have no problem with any member putting a link to their own personal blog in their own signature, if it does not have a forum and they do not sell anything from it.

There are links all over BYC to specific articles on a blog, etc. which are directly relevant to the subject at hand, generally posted in response to a question. That is not what was happening in this case. What was happening was the repeated promotion of a blog by a number of members -- in other words, advertising the blog, which is what we determined was not appropriate..

thanks for the clarification - that was helpful. I was just confused when reading some of the rules posted, and misread something.

 

[jockeyeba]

Do you have an egg sicky in it? I am awful I do not remember every thing that is in there
What each stage looks like?
What a developing fetus looks like etc?
Before and after pics?
How about pullet size eggs as they progressively get bigger? We have tons of new people who have brand new laying pullets and it might be a great project for someone to do.

 

Since I have the 5 eggs my BLRW pullet just started laying I'd be glad to keep a picture record, I already put her 1st 2 days egg pictures on here anyway

I also have different sized pullet eggs pics also. Out of 4 hens each one is different size & color. Makes for a pretty egg carton full of eggs

 

[delisha]

Quote: I want everyone to please not worry

We are working on finding a solution.

This is BYC and a wonderful community, we want to follow the rules.

As soon as we figure out a way to get all the copious amount of information that BDM has worked so diligently on to BYC members with out breaking rules we will let everyone know.

Thank you for your patience while it is worked out. It is best if this is simply dropped and not brought up. Please use PMs only when speaking about this from now on.

 

[NickyPick]

I posted this in another section and didn't get much response. Any suggestions?


Ok, I need some reassurance that this is just the season and not something else. I have a flock of 8 almost 2 year old hens and 5 almost 1 year old pullets and 1 2 year old rooster. Most of the hens quit laying completely around the first of December, but it was ok, because all the pullets were still laying pretty regularly. This last week, even they have stopped laying and we're only getting 2 - 4 eggs a day. I checked my charts from last winter and the 12 pullets I had then (part of the 8 hens I have now) had dropped to a low of 6, but never quit completely and by the first week of January, they were starting back up in numbers. This is really frustrating because we supply the restaurant around the corner with 3 dozen a week, but it's getting hard to make the quota and there's nothing left for us to eat.

So, I feed FF, and I'm starting to wonder that I'm not keeping enough layer feed in the mixture. Would that be a cause? Right now the break down is 1/4 layena, 1/4 oats, 1/4 barley and 1/4 scratch, with either alfalfa, BOSS or cabbage tossed in. Would upping the layena really make a difference? (It was suggested that my protein levels are too low?)

We've been having a lot of dips in temperature - one night 60, the next 30, then back up to 55, then back down to 30. I've been closing the blinds over the windows to cut the draft and it makes the coop pretty dark, even in the morning. Could it be the extra darkness that they're getting that's telling most of them not to lay?

They free range in my barn. I have considered that there may be a hidden nest, but the barn is pretty open. We check the stalls daily. They only place I could possibly see as a "hidden" place is in between the stacks of shavings. We've got about 30 bags in two rows, but they're pretty close together. I can't see how a hen could get in between there to nest. Guess we should pull them apart and look anyway. There's also an open staircase up to the loft. Can chickens climb stairs? Would they actually come down the stairs? I can't see them flying/gliding down and not breaking a leg or something. It's 16 feet high.

So, the hens, all Ideal hatchery stock. 2 Buff Orpingtons, 3 Wyandottes and 3 EE's. The pullets I got at POL, but I believe they are also Ideal: 2 New Hampshires (I think they're prod. reds, tho, they have white instead of black around the edges), 2 Black Australorp/NHR crosses and 1 Barred Plymoth Rock.

Any ideas?