The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[jtn42248]

Mediterranean breeds are more aggressive than non-Mediterranean breeds so their males are also. Breeds closely related to original game breeds were originally developed to be fighting birds and can be very very aggressive. Breed has a lot to do with it as far a roosters go.

 

[COChix]

Thank you all for input. The flock is all the same age, they were all raised together, roost in the same coop and free range together. One thing that might have tipped the tables for them is the alpha lost some weight after having his wattles get frostbite and wonder if second in command started to challenge him. I am pretty certain they would have fought to the death if I had not stopped them. We still have them separate until we decide.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Had to do some test photos today so I thought I'd update the "BAD MOLT" girl. I had to bring her into the house for almost 3 weeks. Never had a bird molt so bad and right when it went into the single digits here.

She is a hatchery red girl from Townline that they sell as "Rhode island Red". She will be 3 yo in March. BTW...she started laying this week.



Here she is November 21, 2014:



Today: Feb. 10, 2015

 

[mlowen]

Had to do some test photos today so I thought I'd update the "BAD MOLT" girl. I had to bring her into the house for almost 3 weeks. Never had a bird molt so bad and right when it went into the single digits here.

She is a hatchery red girl from Townline that they sell as "Rhode island Red". She will be 3 yo in March. BTW...she started laying this week.



Here she is November 21, 2014:



Today: Feb. 10, 2015

Wow! What a difference. She's quite beautiful, now.

 

[COChix]

Thank you all for input. The flock is all the same age, they were all raised together, roost in the same coop and free range together. One thing that might have tipped the tables for them is the alpha lost some weight after having his wattles get frostbite and wonder if second in command started to challenge him. I am pretty certain they would have fought to the death if I had not stopped them. We still have them separate until we decide.

I watched the video playback of the boys and their fight was at least 40 minutes, could not tell what provoked it or who started it. It was a bloody brutal battle of 40 minutes of non stop fighting, which I believe believe would have been to death. We will be culling the second in command, probably tomorrow, just can't make it logistically work with two roo's right now. I have just got through wrist surgery, the last thing i need be doing is breaking up more rooster fights.

 

[CoopChick719]

Had to do some test photos today so I thought I'd update the "BAD MOLT" girl. I had to bring her into the house for almost 3 weeks. Never had a bird molt so bad and right when it went into the single digits here. She is a hatchery red girl from Townline that they sell as "Rhode island Red". She will be 3 yo in March. BTW...she started laying this week. Here she is November 21, 2014: Today: Feb. 10, 2015

She's beautiful, LM!! My moulter was in the garage for about 3 weeks. Just when I was ready to put her out, our temps plummeted into negative numbers. She's back out and had little problem reintegrating. Just a spat or two the first 2 days.

 

[armorfirelady]

Had to do some test photos today so I thought I'd update the "BAD MOLT" girl. I had to bring her into the house for almost 3 weeks. Never had a bird molt so bad and right when it went into the single digits here.

She is a hatchery red girl from Townline that they sell as "Rhode island Red". She will be 3 yo in March. BTW...she started laying this week.

Welcome back Leah- Glad to see she feathered out so well. I have noticed this year that my hens also took longer to feather out and most of them molted later than they have in the past. I wonder if they know something we dont? Perhaps its going to be a long cold spring (I hope not tho)


I wish I had my camera yesterday morning. One of my old hens was trying to walk through about 6 inches of snow to make it to the old. It was up past her belly. She had made it 3/4 of the way........Edie was apparently her cheering squad......she was slowly following her. Girls are def sick of the arctic temps in the single digits and we haver over 3 ft of snow on the ground again and more on the way.

On a good note I did sift a large garbage can of wood ash the other day. Filled a whole large tote. With the amount of wood we are burning to stay warm I will probably have enough to get me thru the summer by the time winter is done.

 

[chicalot]

My leghorn rooster will try to kill my silkie rooster, so I keep the silkies put up and alternate free range. The LH is younger and as he aged he took control of the flock. However, I still have a younger silkie roo that stays with the LH flock. He's safe as long as he doesn't get caught fooling with the ladies and remains content not to dominate. I have several silkie roosters together and they do fine other than an occasional squabble, but they're all family so I think it helps that they were raised together and not outsiders put together. My LH was quick to decide to dominate from very young. He definitely goes for the kill and holds the silkie down while ripping at him with beak, claw, and wing slapping.

 

[chicalot]

Welcome back Leah-   Glad to see she feathered out so well.  I have noticed this year that my hens also took longer to feather out and most of them molted later than they have in the past.  I wonder if they know something we dont?  Perhaps its going to be a long cold spring (I hope not tho)


I wish I had my camera yesterday morning. One of my old hens was trying to walk through about 6 inches of snow to make it to the old.  It was up past her belly.  She had made it 3/4 of the way........Edie was apparently her cheering squad......she was slowly following her.   Girls are def sick of the arctic temps in the single digits and we haver over 3 ft of snow on the ground again and more on the way.   

On a good note I did sift a large garbage can of wood ash the other day. Filled a whole large tote.  With the amount of wood we are burning to stay warm I will probably have enough to get me thru the summer by the time winter is done.  

I am so over winter. Can't imagine having to deal with all that snow!

She's beautiful, LM!! My moulter was in the garage for about 3 weeks. Just when I was ready to put her out, our temps plummeted into negative numbers. She's back out and had little problem reintegrating. Just a spat or two the first 2 days.

and she's beautiful again. I love how beautiful they are after molting.

My chics I'm brooding are just rotten. They were having a fit this evening so i put my hand in and they all cuddled up under my hand to sleep. I've never had a bunch so friendly. I usually have scared runners. I might just have to keep them all, lol

 

[armorfirelady]

Hope everyone is surviving this arctic blast............. it was -8 this am when I went out at 7 this morning. The girls were very quiet & the peepers bedded down in the DL. I ran to the feed store & got a bale of hay for them. Half is in the coop. Besides giving them something warm to nest in they will keep warm scratching thru it to look for the scratch underneath

The sun is finally out................its very deceiving. But the girls did venture out to their old run. The proved they are hearty since they get no heat and the window is open about 6 inches all the time. Some warm oatmeal & a fried egg with left over turkey was quickly devoured & at least I felt better they had something warm in their crop.

Tonight and tomorrow is suppose to be even colder with the high of -1 & wind chills -30. If I didn't have to work tomorrow I would be permanently next to the wood stove all weekend lol

I sure am ready for spring to be here