The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[misbhaven]

Reminds me I need to check on some dorking eggs I have hatching anytime..it is going on day 22 the dorking seem to always take their sweet time (but not to hopeful my turner died without me realizing it for like 4 days day 7 to 11 ..swedish duck hatching on wend..The Duck eggs look good I could see them moving around when I candled when I put in hatcher

 

[subhanalah]

Do you have pictures of your dorkings, @misbehavin? Or are you just hatching them and don't have any of the birds yet?

 

[gevshiba]

Here's 3 of the 5 Silkies.

 

[misbhaven]

Do you have pictures of your dorkings, misbehavin? Or are you just hatching them and don't have any of the birds yet?

I do but not on my phone they are my own eggs I have hatched some before..I have 5 hens and a Roo

 

[Leahs Mom]

Why wouldn't this be for me?

I meant that my little pie pans and bread pans would be too small for your situation.

I guess I was unclear...what I was saying was that the wood ones you mentioned would be great for your situation. I'm hoping to see something that your son does soon. I need to beam him over here after he's done with yours.

Quote: Yep. I don't feed soy. Not even anything that contains soy oil.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Here's 3 of the 5 Silkies.

 

[gevshiba]

2 Lavender Orpingtons just hatched! Very exciting and none of the chicks are even mine!

 

[stonykill]

Pecking Order Wars
Well...I had almost given up on peace in this flock. Always seems like someone is chasing "Miss Gray" and attacking her not matter what the situation. She is a very peaceful soul and doesn't stand up for herself. Flock dynamics are very interesting over here right now after being in winter tight quarters.

So..
-2 in the "isolation" pen are staying in the garage with the doors open during the day in a pretty small pen. Since there are fumes in there from some spilled gas, they have to come into the house overnight, then back out in the day.

-So I yesterday I observed the flock without them. I wanted to see if Miss Gray could make peace w/the rooster without those 2. I put her and her friend together with only the rooster in the outdoor run. That bugger was chasing her around and she would always run as the 2 offenders would attack her while he was mating her. So...no offenders...let's see what happens. He goes after her, she submits and he actually just pecked her! Didn't want to mate...just being mean. She goes nuts every time he goes after her thereafter.

-So "Mister" gets locked into the brooding side of the shed. He can see everyone on the other side. He was fit to be tied.

-I let the remaining flock back together which is now 8 of the 11 total. One of Miss Gray's hatch-mates (Bandy...she wears a band because I have 2 little black girls that look quite alike) continues to be agressive toward Miss Gray. Just chasing and attacking for no reason in particular. I put Bandy in with the rooster.

-Now we're down to 7 running together. I let them roost together last night and hang out this morning. I go out to observe. Now Charlie (the lowest on pecking order of the "older girls") continues to be agressive toward Miss Gray...chasing for no reason at all. Nabbed Charlie and added her to the side with "Mister" and Bandy. So now "Mister" has a harem of 2. Still fit to be tied, but getting used to this.

-That leaves 6 girls in the general population with Miss Gray. 1 SFH (her buddy) 1 Red, 1 BR, Bandy's twin, and 1 Charlie Bird (AKA an EE who is Charlie's Sister...are you totally confused now?)

Observing. These 6 seem to be living quite peacefully together. No incidents; just peaceful coexistence.


If this continues, I'm going to have to figure out how to add the others back. I'm thinking 1 at a time later...I think I have a plan. Finally.

@stonykill

ok, that is just confusing

Sounds like they are having to figure it out for themselves. A pecking order war between the head hens and the rooster. PERHAPS if NONE of them could see the rooster at all, things might get better. But it isn't going to happen instantly.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Okay...so it boils down to just having 6 together that are getting along. 5 Others are separated into various places.

After a week, I'm going to add 1 of the banned ones back into the flock. Will do this and wait 3-5 days to see if things stay calm. Will do this until they all are back together. It will take a few weeks.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Do I win anything for confusing stony?