The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[atmaclean]

HI Angela,

I am a total newb, have no experience with anything since July 23rd when the small flock arrived. I am a professional horse person, and have an instinct for reading animal behavior. This being said, it's funny when you leave your element, what a neophyte one can be reduced to. I had two issues with my surprise roo and reached out to the far more experienced people in this thread and another one. From the responses I got, the general consensus was to never retreat, and also calmly advance to his space, make him move, not with force and cruelty(unless of course the SOB still charges and floggs), but constant whenever you enter the pen. I had my situation when I stupidly like the newb I am, bent down in front of him to pet a pullet that had honored my presence with a submissive squat (of course she was just looking for food and trying to score points with me). Well, Duke obviously took it as a direct challenge, and came at me.. surprised the heck out of me, and I fell backwards and he did it a second time. That afternoon after reading here, i set out with my rooster stick, and did my first of many small "training" bouts with him. I kept walking towards him, making him move, move, move,,, when he tried to relax,, I wouldn't have it... just kept calmly walking around the pen, and the one time he turned as he viewed me too close to his girls, I gave him a good poke with the stick. I have done this every day on a smaller level, as he hasn't forgotten the poke. I make him move away from me at all times. This is a cockerel that used to let me pick him up all the time. I guess he is just becoming a man, but it's obvious he has to realize I am in charge, or at least that I am not going to be a challenge to him. I still bring the stick with me when tending or picking up one of the girls. Yesterday I sat with them for a bit with some meal worms. I have stopped feeding them out of my hand, as they became rather peckish. I do use it at times to just have them come near me and my dog and spread them out on the ground next to me. He did come pretty close, and give that ol sideways look. After my ignorance, I never lose track of where he is, and am still assessing whether he will be able to stay, as I have lots of small nieces and nephews visiting all the time, and they free range an awful lot, so if he can't submit,, he'll be somewhere else.


MB

Great info! Thanks so much. I do have a little rake (for cleaning the yard) and I tell my son to carry that when he goes out around the chickens. Just having the rake/stick seems to work for this rooster. I have tried to make sure I walk upright around him and also keep my eye on him always since he got me once.

Yes, horses are my comfort zone. I wouldn't call myself a "professional" because I am always learning new ideas and thoughts on horse behavior and care. I've been "doing horses" since I was 3 so I feel pretty comfortable in all aspects of horsemanship and horse management. I particularly like critical care rehab in equine and have a good bit of experience in that. I am an equine cruelty investigator as well, but just prefer doing the rehab part of that. I also have many years of experience working with wild mustangs so I feel pretty adept at "reading" horse behavior.

Anyway, the chickens are new to me the past 6 years or so (just as a hobby). Same with the guinea hens. I've hatched more guineas than anything else and also hatched a nest full of Canadian Geese (after there mother was killed by a fox down at our lake), poor baby. That is when I purchased my first incubator! LOL! I was so distraught over the mother being killed while defending her nest and the father mourning in the lake - the nest was totally untouched. Anyway, she had 12 eggs and every single one of those suckers hatched!!

I know what you mean about the dangers of having a rooster around the kids - my boys are 13 and 16 but my nephews are pre-school age and I have riding students that are always at the house. I won't have a mean rooster around either. I will just have to pen him up - we paid too much for him to give him away!

Thanks again for your help with this fellow!
Angela

 

[loanwizard]

I could use y'alls help, especially Stonykill. Started a new thread so as not to muddy this place where I can't keep up lol!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/739042/farm-marketing-and-profits-from-a-natural-perspective

Thanks,
Shawn

 

[aoxa]

Great info! Thanks so much. I do have a little rake (for cleaning the yard) and I tell my son to carry that when he goes out around the chickens. Just having the rake/stick seems to work for this rooster. I have tried to make sure I walk upright around him and also keep my eye on him always since he got me once.

Yes, horses are my comfort zone. I wouldn't call myself a "professional" because I am always learning new ideas and thoughts on horse behavior and care. I've been "doing horses" since I was 3 so I feel pretty comfortable in all aspects of horsemanship and horse management. I particularly like critical care rehab in equine and have a good bit of experience in that. I am an equine cruelty investigator as well, but just prefer doing the rehab part of that. I also have many years of experience working with wild mustangs so I feel pretty adept at "reading" horse behavior.

Anyway, the chickens are new to me the past 6 years or so (just as a hobby). Same with the guinea hens. I've hatched more guineas than anything else and also hatched a nest full of Canadian Geese (after there mother was killed by a fox down at our lake), poor baby. That is when I purchased my first incubator! LOL! I was so distraught over the mother being killed while defending her nest and the father mourning in the lake - the nest was totally untouched. Anyway, she had 12 eggs and every single one of those suckers hatched!!

I know what you mean about the dangers of having a rooster around the kids - my boys are 13 and 16 but my nephews are pre-school age and I have riding students that are always at the house. I won't have a mean rooster around either. I will just have to pen him up - we paid too much for him to give him away!

Thanks again for your help with this fellow!
Angela

I'm going to second MB's advice with the rooster. The stick method works wonders. I've only had one rooster who I had to use it with. I often just do it even without him threatening. Just so he knows that I am still king of the yard. He's compliant now.

Never, ever back away. That is the worst thing you can do. They get major ego boosts when that happens.

For the most part I would just eat aggressive roosters, but this rooster I worked with is a very rare and endangered breed. I tried other methods first... and it worked.

Shows how much courage they have when they only flog you when your back is turned.. little cowards.

Some people will tell you to pick him up and embarrass him in front of his ladies. I don't have time to carry him around.
Instead I just put his hair up and make him look a fool. That'll teach him. On top of all that embarrassment, his name is GiGi.


Putting his hair up to embarrass him is a joke
I put his hair up because he was paranoid other birds were following him, and acted a fool. I did it so he could see better, without having to give him a haircut - as I show him.

 

[Melabella]

Putting his hair up to embarrass him is a joke
I put his hair up because he was paranoid other birds were following him, and acted a fool. I did it so he could see better, without having to give him a haircut - as I show him.

Ha Ha HA HA

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Whew . . . finally caught up. Again. A few quick questions:

JANUARY MOLT? My girls are about a year old now. No one molted in the fall. Started finding feathers in the coop last week and noticed that one of the girls hadn't laid in about a week. Her comb has also reduced in size. She's a BSL and has so many feathers that I'm not seeing any bare spots on her, just a lot of feathers in the coop and run. She is also acting different, rather stand-offish. Now always last to the food, shying away from the other two girls, etc. Normal?

FEATHER EATING? So, while one is losing feathers, her sister is gobbling them down. Even hunting for them in the deep litter. Also caught sister actually pulling a feather from each of the other two. My first thought was she needed protein. They get FF that is made of layer feed, scratch, BOSS, and oats. I supplement with dinner scraps which often includes meats, cheeses, lots of protein stuff. They get crushed shells and oyster shell, too. So, why would she eat feathers to the point of picking them off the other hens? <me scratching head here> OH, I looked, don't see any sign of bugs, mites, etc. on them.

Am wondering if the feather eater is bullying/intimidating the molting girl which is why Miss Molt is being so stand-offish. They have plenty of room to get away from each other, the coop is 16 x 4.5 and there is a large extended run that they have access to during the day.

TRULY "CHICKEN" Now I understand why "chicken" is also a word for "afraid"! We got exactly 3/4 inch of snow and they will not put one foot out of the coop. I've tried luring them without any luck as I didn't want them all crammed together in the coop with Miss Feather Eater making a meal off of Miss Molt. Am guessing they will acclimate to the snow. They'd better as they're calling for more tomorrow.

Any insight on the molt/feather eating business much appreciated.

 

[aoxa]

Whew . . . finally caught up. Again. A few quick questions:

JANUARY MOLT? My girls are about a year old now. No one molted in the fall. Started finding feathers in the coop last week and noticed that one of the girls hadn't laid in about a week. Her comb has also reduced in size. She's a BSL and has so many feathers that I'm not seeing any bare spots on her, just a lot of feathers in the coop and run. She is also acting different, rather stand-offish. Now always last to the food, shying away from the other two girls, etc. Normal?

FEATHER EATING? So, while one is losing feathers, her sister is gobbling them down. Even hunting for them in the deep litter. Also caught sister actually pulling a feather from each of the other two. My first thought was she needed protein. They get FF that is made of layer feed, scratch, BOSS, and oats. I supplement with dinner scraps which often includes meats, cheeses, lots of protein stuff. They get crushed shells and oyster shell, too. So, why would she eat feathers to the point of picking them off the other hens? <me scratching head here> OH, I looked, don't see any sign of bugs, mites, etc. on them.

Am wondering if the feather eater is bullying/intimidating the molting girl which is why Miss Molt is being so stand-offish. They have plenty of room to get away from each other, the coop is 16 x 4.5 and there is a large extended run that they have access to during the day.

TRULY "CHICKEN" Now I understand why "chicken" is also a word for "afraid"! We got exactly 3/4 inch of snow and they will not put one foot out of the coop. I've tried luring them without any luck as I didn't want them all crammed together in the coop with Miss Feather Eater making a meal off of Miss Molt. Am guessing they will acclimate to the snow. They'd better as they're calling for more tomorrow.

Any insight on the molt/feather eating business much appreciated.

January molt - normal.

Feather eating - off the ground I'd say normal. Feather picking - not normal. They may need more room.

I say feather eating is normal because many of my flock hovered when I plucked those roosters early January. They would eat a few small feathers here and there. Chickens are opportunistic.

 

[stonykill]

I could use y'alls help, especially Stonykill. Started a new thread so as not to muddy this place where I can't keep up lol!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/739042/farm-marketing-and-profits-from-a-natural-perspective

Thanks,
Shawn

I subscribed. Not enough time now to get into it. I have a new article in my head. As to why I keep chickens. Kinda fits n nicely with your new thread.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

January molt - normal.

Feather eating - off the ground I'd say normal. Feather picking - not normal. They may need more room.

I say feather eating is normal because many of my flock hovered when I plucked those roosters early January. They would eat a few small feathers here and there. Chickens are opportunistic.

Thanks for your input. Good to know about the molt. I went outside and two of the girls have ventured into the snow. Miss Feather Eater was doing what I would call "grooming" [??] to Miss Molt and Miss Molt seemed to enjoy it. It was a gentle picking of snow flakes as they were falling on her back - no feathers. I was wondering about them needing more room but they've got a huge amount in the runs and then they all cram together. Silly girls!

 

[off-grid hen]

Hi guys! I do read through, but find only a few bits to comment on. First I want to vote for the flower welcome banner. Then I want to laugh at the underwear story. Already good advice (in my opinion) has been given regarding other stuff.

I have lost my first (and probably only) bird to frostbite today. He was an n correctly sexed easter egger. I am suspecting that his parents were of a pea comb and a single comb. He had a really weird comb that had the short base of a pea comb, but a tall fleshy comb like a single combed chicken. This caused the comb to flop over his right eye. He could see out the back n that side, and would flip his "beret" so he could see better.

It was so long, it flopped low enough to dip in the water every time he drank. We have had prolonged temps below 15 degrees, and temps in the single digits Fahrenheit during the day, and around -10 at night. The edge of his comb (it had no points) started to look inflamed and started to turn black last week. I have been keeping an eye on it. It seemed to stay the same, and not get worse. Last year I had a leghorn have frozen wattle tips and she was fine. I was hoping that would be the case for Mac. Then suddenly this morning, the comb itself was very swollen and black halfway up the comb, his whole face was puffy and he had foamy stuff in his eyes. We had to cull him. I am going to miss that bird, he had a wonderful personality and was very docile. Polite to the ladies, and a good protector. I had a bad feeling that his comb was going to be a problem, I briefly considered dubbing him. But everything I read on dubbing just seemed like it would have done him in to have the procedure done. I never thought I'd have comb issues with a Easter egger. Oh, well. At least he isn't suffering.

Every other bird in my coop is fine, no frostbite on anyone else. Tonight it's going to be about -20. There is no way I can add heat, I live off the grid. I just hope everyone else does ok. They have been fine with -16, then they'll be ok with -20 I hope.

 

[aoxa]

Hi guys! I do read through, but find only a few bits to comment on. First I want to vote for the flower welcome banner. Then I want to laugh at the underwear story. Already good advice (in my opinion) has been given regarding other stuff.

I have lost my first (and probably only) bird to frostbite today. He was an n correctly sexed easter egger. I am suspecting that his parents were of a pea comb and a single comb. He had a really weird comb that had the short base of a pea comb, but a tall fleshy comb like a single combed chicken. This caused the comb to flop over his right eye. He could see out the back n that side, and would flip his "beret" so he could see better.

It was so long, it flopped low enough to dip in the water every time he drank. We have had prolonged temps below 15 degrees, and temps in the single digits Fahrenheit during the day, and around -10 at night. The edge of his comb (it had no points) started to look inflamed and started to turn black last week. I have been keeping an eye on it. It seemed to stay the same, and not get worse. Last year I had a leghorn have frozen wattle tips and she was fine. I was hoping that would be the case for Mac. Then suddenly this morning, the comb itself was very swollen and black halfway up the comb, his whole face was puffy and he had foamy stuff in his eyes. We had to cull him. I am going to miss that bird, he had a wonderful personality and was very docile. Polite to the ladies, and a good protector. I had a bad feeling that his comb was going to be a problem, I briefly considered dubbing him. But everything I read on dubbing just seemed like it would have done him in to have the procedure done. I never thought I'd have comb issues with a Easter egger. Oh, well. At least he isn't suffering.

Every other bird in my coop is fine, no frostbite on anyone else. Tonight it's going to be about -20. There is no way I can add heat, I live off the grid. I just hope everyone else does ok. They have been fine with -16, then they'll be ok with -20 I hope. I have a photo of his weird comb (taken in the summer) if anyone wants to see what I'm talking about.

I'm very sorry to hear about that.

Also very interested to hear more about your off the grid stuff. If only!! *sigh*