The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[zinia8]

Question for ya all. Bachelor pens do you keep them with in site of the girls or put them somewhere else. I have two cockerals that torment the living heck out of the pullets and now one of the older hens. They ganged up on her now she is totally terrified of them. I locked the boys up on one side of the run and left them there all day. When I got home from work and turned everyone out to free range she took off like a bat out of hell. I don't know where she is.

You kinda see the set up here. Main coop is the big one then there is another fenced in area with a small coop. There is a pop door in the fence to keep it separated.

 

[countrygirl74]

its quiet everywhere. is something going on that Im missing?

Well, here in my hometown, we were all at the memorial for our fallen firefighters... I think a lot of people were glued to their TV's or computers for the livestream. Tomorrow we begin the individual funerals. It's been a tough week around here but I love my community.

 

[delisha]

Quote: I sold all the pet quality..I have one white..one porcelain. I am going to show the brat in September. I am really stumped about this brat. I almot do not want to handle him in fear it will inforce the biting. If he was bigger I would kick his butt.
Quit candling..do not handle at all. I think they are too sensitive.

Quote: It puts weight on pretty good.
I actually have no idea about feeding larger food. I think your bird was temporary stuck with a long blade of grass and it worked its way out.
He was not pecking..He bit me hard enough to leave a bruse. My broody with 8 chicks pecks me when I mess with her chicks, it does not hurt. This little **it, hurt me.

Question for ya all. Bachelor pens do you keep them with in site of the girls or put them somewhere else. I have two cockerals that torment the living heck out of the pullets and now one of the older hens. They ganged up on her now she is totally terrified of them. I locked the boys up on one side of the run and left them there all day. When I got home from work and turned everyone out to free range she took off like a bat out of hell. I don't know where she is.

You kinda see the set up here. Main coop is the big one then there is another fenced in area with a small coop. There is a pop door in the fence to keep it separated.

Hope you find her. I do not use seperate quarters for naughty boys, I use a sharp knife. However i do have three Orpington Cockerels. Two of them are kept seperate. They fight threw the fence.

Quote: Good for you..many people are supporting from the sidelines with thoughts and prayers..

 

[TexasLisa]

Thank you for responding Justine. Mareks has a distinct kind of paralysis and does spread through a flock. My pullet sits around just like the image you posted. She seems to semi stand on her tippy toes to get from point A to point B. But not for far at any one time. I believe there must be chronic joint pain. Chickens can with stand a lot of pain without showing it. All of my research so far shows studies and tests are inconclusive as to cause but fast growth and nutrition seems to play a role as well as genetics. The hen and roo I used to breed this pullet were production stock. I have no idea what the genetics were used in them.
I will cull this pullet because she can't roost so she is dragging herself through the poo all the time. She is a target for predators. She can't get to the food and water dishes until the rest of the flock clears a path. I can't justify the feed to keep this bird alive. She will need constant supervision 24/7. It's only a matter of time before secondary causes take her. Better that she has an honorable end to feed my family rather than she waste away or be taken by a hawk.

Mumsy, I am fairly new so please bear with me. You talked about feeding your family with this chicken. How do you tell if it is safe to eat? My husband and I culled one of my sussex a couple of weeks ago because (we think) she was egg bound. He asked me if I wanted to eat her. I didn't trust my judgement and said 'no'.

Question for ya all. Bachelor pens do you keep them with in site of the girls or put them somewhere else. I have two cockerals that torment the living heck out of the pullets and now one of the older hens. They ganged up on her now she is totally terrified of them. I locked the boys up on one side of the run and left them there all day. When I got home from work and turned everyone out to free range she took off like a bat out of hell. I don't know where she is.

You kinda see the set up here. Main coop is the big one then there is another fenced in area with a small coop. There is a pop door in the fence to keep it separated.

Good question! I had just asked about the bachelor pad on the 'Texas' thread. I think I have 4 roos out of 7 chicks.

The chicks are 7 weeks old. Not sure what to do with 4 roosters. Never dealt with roosters except for one time and they were monsters. For sure I have 7 adult hens and maybe 3 female chicks. Why do people have bachelor pads? Why have more than one rooster? I am not into breeding, just egg laying and meat. My flock free ranges, if this makes a difference. I am not sure what to do at this point. I know eventually they will start fighting each other and 4 roosters with 10 girls is a bit much. If I do have a bachelor pad, what do I need for them. Advice greatly appreciated.

Lisa

 

[Kassaundra]

Mumsy, I am fairly new so please bear with me. You talked about feeding your family with this chicken. How do you tell if it is safe to eat? My husband and I culled one of my sussex a couple of weeks ago because (we think) she was egg bound. He asked me if I wanted to eat her. I didn't trust my judgement and said 'no'.
Good question! I had just asked about the bachelor pad on the 'Texas' thread. I think I have 4 roos out of 7 chicks.

The chicks are 7 weeks old. Not sure what to do with 4 roosters. Never dealt with roosters except for one time and they were monsters. For sure I have 7 adult hens and maybe 3 female chicks. Why do people have bachelor pads? Why have more than one rooster? I am not into breeding, just egg laying and meat. My flock free ranges, if this makes a difference. I am not sure what to do at this point. I know eventually they will start fighting each other and 4 roosters with 10 girls is a bit much. If I do have a bachelor pad, what do I need for them. Advice greatly appreciated.

Lisa

I do not have a bachelor pad personally. The reasons people would have them is if they are attatched to their roos and want to keep them, if you keep them seperate (not even able to see the girls) they can sometimes live in peace w/ each other. The other reason I can think of is to grow them big enough to butcher. I personally have been learning the lost art of chicken neutering (called caponizing) that is why I do not have a bachelor pen. (I also do not have the space to keep them truly seperated)

 

[chickensnewtome]

Right now we have two bantam roosters with 7 hens and 2 NHR roosters with 10 hens when they start producing we will have a bachelor pad. We will have the coop separate from the hens so they dont see them or fight for them until they are eating size.

 

[lalaland]

Figured it was mixed, lol. Each to their own, I guess. I'd never use soap, and almost never use bandaids for anything.

In the case of vaseline, it has its uses when mixed with something or used as a covering, but obviously isn't much use otherwise. With the hens with leg mites, I'd think the healed leg is smooth because it's healed, rather than because it's soaked the new mite-free scales with vaseline... Since leg mites cause rough legs and normal healthy legs are smoother. Actually 'soft' scales, however, is something I would consider an issue. Not sure if that's what you meant though.

But I haven't used vaseline for leg mites, just pine tar, and once you put that on the entire lot of bad scales come off and are replaced as soon as the body can grow them.

chooks, is the pine tar you use a thick tarry substance that is definitely not liquid? I worry about their feathers sticking to it and pulling off. wonder if it is the same stuff?

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: I am curious as well. I honestly wouldnt know where to buy any locally either. Well besides using my good friend Google.

 

[lalaland]

What is the earliest age you have put chicks in with hens, assuming there was no broody involved?

I usually wait until the chicks are almost as big as the hens, but this batch seems to be doing so well with the hens. I've been feeding hens and chicks treats side by side, separated by a mesh fence. The hens have been able to check out the chicks at eye level for about 3 weeks, and I've had two escapees who have been unharmed by the hens - I know the hens saw the little chicks being free - alhough I just scooped the chicks up and returned them to their enclosure. The hens have access to three sides of the outdoor enclosure and seem to have lost their curiosity about the chicks.

Now, the chicks are 5-6 weeks old.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

its quiet everywhere. is something going on that Im missing?

there are lots of county fairs going on this month in Indiana. Maybe everyone is spending the day at their fair.

Question for ya all. Bachelor pens do you keep them with in site of the girls or put them somewhere else. I have two cockerals that torment the living heck out of the pullets and now one of the older hens. They ganged up on her now she is totally terrified of them. I locked the boys up on one side of the run and left them there all day. When I got home from work and turned everyone out to free range she took off like a bat out of hell. I don't know where she is.

You kinda see the set up here. Main coop is the big one then there is another fenced in area with a small coop. There is a pop door in the fence to keep it separated.

if the rooster can see the girl, he will begin to try to get to the girl in my experience. The longer he can see the girl and not get to her, the more he takes it out on her when or if he does get to her.

You might want a boy pen for when the boys get to week 12 or when they begin to try to crow. Too many teenage roos can kill the young pellets. Why keep more than what you need to breed? Well it is hard to pick a breeder quality roo until they are past the teenager stage. Also things happen and you might lose a roo. We did and others on here have too. Sickness, animals, even car accidents can take away that perfect roo. It is nice to have an extra.
For meat it is nice to have roos at different ages if you want to butcher in small numbers.
Hatching eggs to maintain your flock even if not specifically setting up breeding pens, is a fun thing to learn. You can't hatch without a rooster. A rooster can only mate so many hens. Some people on here have lots of hens and need multiple rooster to get lots of fertile eggs.
If your flock is free ranging together having a boy pen won't accomplish the goal of keeping the peace unless you confine either the hens or the roos to their own run.