The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[TeaChick]

I lost another jr. roo last night. I put Picard (SLW cockerel) and Marigold (SLW x BO pullet) in with the regular flock last night. (I've been housing them in the juvenile pen set up as a temporary coop for them.) This morning, I looked into the coop and couldn't see Picard; I looked through a different side and there he was lying in the corner. Both Picard and Will were minus their heads. Speckles (my first jr. roo) was starving when he got bit by the snake (the COD). Eddie has been chasing all three jr roos off of food every chance he gets, running from across the yard to do so.
I put Picard (and Marigold) in the coop last night b/c Speckles had died of a snake bite and I thought that Will was killed by a hen while protecting Marigold (and Picard at the time) and I had gotten rid of the aggressive hen I thought Marigold needed protecting from.
Now, I think that Eddie is the one who killed Will and Picard.
Any advice, input, info, experience, etc. would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

I lost another jr. roo last night. I put Picard (SLW cockerel) and Marigold (SLW x BO pullet) in with the regular flock last night. (I've been housing them in the juvenile pen set up as a temporary coop for them.) This morning, I looked into the coop and couldn't see Picard; I looked through a different side and there he was lying in the corner. Both Picard and Will were minus their heads. Speckles (my first jr. roo) was starving when he got bit by the snake (the COD). Eddie has been chasing all three jr roos off of food every chance he gets, running from across the yard to do so.
I put Picard (and Marigold) in the coop last night b/c Speckles had died of a snake bite and I thought that Will was killed by a hen while protecting Marigold (and Picard at the time) and I had gotten rid of the aggressive hen I thought Marigold needed protecting from.
Now, I think that Eddie is the one who killed Will and Picard.
Any advice, input, info, experience, etc. would be greatly appreciated!!!

Missing heads sounds like a weasel, mink, or raccoon attack.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Both Picard and Will were minus their heads.

Is it possible that you have a weasel?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Eggcessive and I must have been posting at the same time. Yes...head off doesn't sound like a chicken attack to me.

 

[RedRidge]

...

It's that time of year... had 12 of the 16 of these HRIR hatch night... another is pipping. I so LOVE the babies. In this second pic the bottom 2 are HRIR (they are fresh out of the bator)... Top chick with chipmunk stripes is an F1 who is a few days old - part of my Rhodebar improvement breeding (an Rhodebar cock over HRIR hens). Brooders are getting full... at least the temperatures are improving... spring is on the way...

What is the pink on the top chick's (in the bottom pic) leg? I wanted to tag the chicks I thought were pullets to see how good I was at feather sexing (I know it's inaccurate, this was before I knew that), but they basically walked out of the zip ties I used. The different color leg bands you see on my chicks are strips of different colored vet wrap. I have found I like it much better than any other form of identification for chicks. It's slightly stretchy so you don't have to worry about it getting too tight and while they stay on really well if you pinch them, they are easy to take off too.

 

[TeaChick]

What is the pink on the top chick's (in the bottom pic) leg?
I wanted to tag the chicks I thought were pullets to see how good I was at feather sexing (I know it's inaccurate, this was before I knew that), but they basically walked out of the zip ties I used.


The different color leg bands you see on my chicks are strips of different colored vet wrap. I have found I like it much better than any other form of identification for chicks. It's slightly stretchy so you don't have to worry about it getting too tight and while they stay on really well if you pinch them, they are easy to take off too.

Thank you. =)

I read about the vet wrap and zip tie conversation on the next page, after I'd posted this.

 

[TeaChick]

No, I don't think we have minks or weasels in the South.
We do have raccoons, though.
Thanks.

 

[aaggjg]

So this morning I noticed that Tank, my Black Orp, is limping..... and standing on one foot and then laying down and hobbling around. I looked at her foot and besides just stepping in a big wet poo before I picked her up I couldn't see and kind of cut or sore.... I rinsed her foot & felt her leg. She did not whine or squirm when I put pressure on any particular area... but the pad of the foot felt a little warm in comparison to the other foot. She is a heavy girl so I wonder if she hurt it jumping down from the roost?? I won't be able to look at her again until tomorrow morning .... I plan on trying to give her an epsom salt soak. Anything else I should look for or try??


Thanks!

 

[Scott H]

No, I don't think we have minks or weasels in the South.
We do have raccoons, though.
Thanks.

Teachick, weasel's are every where.

 

[RedRidge]

No, I don't think we have minks or weasels in the South.
We do have raccoons, though.
Thanks.

Tea chick I'm not sure where you are but here in TN we have LOTS of minks and weasels. And they can fit through kitty bitty places. ;-)