The New Flock 2021: Back to Basics

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Haha Cynthia, I've been cooking scrambled eggs daily for months now for both my dogs and younger birds. Too bad I get grossed out by eggs myself. I eat them seldom, and my husband too doesn't eat many eggs. We do give away a few dozen every few weeks. I guess too many eggs is a small problem to have.

I'm thinking about scooping up that Cochin rooster and adding him to my turkey pen where 4 other Bantam roosters are currently housed the summer, but I'm afraid they would beat him up, or he'd take a liking to the bigger turkey hens. It is very odd behavior. He wasn't raised with ducks, so I don't know what's going on in his little teenage brain. I think you are correct it's easier to mate a muscovy hen than to chase down the crazy polish hens, and the cochins.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, that boy is just "special", LOL. They do keep me laughing, I have to say.

 

[speckledhen]

At this point in time, it seems that my "back to basics" approach sort of backfired. I think the bantam Cochins are funny and sweet (well, some are crotchety like Wren, in the youngest group), but the EEs are mostly flighty and alarmists. They have influenced the others to be more loony than they normally would have been, IMO.

Just over three years later, I have already lost three of the Dirty Dozen Plus One originals. I have a few younger ones, their progeny, but I will not reproduce these birds any longer. They drive my husband nuts with all their caterwauling over nothing. I have never been able to rehome the extras because they are just too "common", I suppose. That is an issue with limited space, too many roosters, etc. So, we have lined up some hatching eggs from a superior quality Barred Plymouth Rock breeder, Jamie Duckworth in the next state from me, and will let these peter out through attrition.
I'm really fond of all the bantam Cochin roosters as well as most of the hens, but not enough to continue with this bunch. We are going to one breed with their rooster(s) and a breed that is not flighty or crazy is all we can handle in the future with my husband's health issues and me not being a spring chicken myself (though I'm in good health). If I hatch these BRs and get them grown out while the EEs are still alive and laying, I may put those EEs in with the BRs, but that's not for sure yet. I don't think I want the EE influence in my new flock! One exception is Rayna, who is ultra calm and friendly. Layla is next in the stable personality department, but she is a bully, always on Rayna's case. Shelby and Juliette are the nutty ones. I do love the bantam Cochin roosters except for Axel, who goes off like there is a 4 alarm fire every 15 minutes.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I look forward to seeing your new barred rocks when you get some Cynthia. The great thing about chicken keeping is there's always another breed if one doesn't work out. Going back to what you enjoyed most is always a good idea. I do miss seeing your gorgeous barred rocks. Those Orpingtons you had were gorgeous too.

 

[speckledhen]

I may have an issue with Juliette, the EE hen who looked a lot like our late Ripley. She was acting lethargic and on the floor first thing in the a.m. before the sun was even up. Her crop was doughy. Since I've already lost two EE hens from that group and she is 3 1/2 years old now, she may be on her way out. Why the girls? Why not one of my many bantam Cochin roosters? I don't want to be left with 6 roosters, 7 if you count Mace in with the BRs, and way too few hens. Dang it. I hope it was just a temporary thing with Julie.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So sorry Cynthia. I think the males live longer because they don't have the stress of egg laying. Hopefully it's just a passing thing.

Did that Hurricane impact you at all?

 

[speckledhen]

So sorry Cynthia. I think the males live longer because they don't have the stress of egg laying. Hopefully it's just a passing thing.

Did that Hurricane impact you at all?

Yes, that was what I always thought. On the other hand, the roosters have a different stress with always being on guard and sometimes just dropping dead of a heart attack. They just don't lay eggs or I'd have more of them. You know I am crazy about my roosters! I hope Julie is okay. She's a pretty thing and lays nice jumbo green eggs.
How are you doing up there, Lisa? Getting ready for winter? I'm about ready for some chilly weather so I can wear my Fall clothing more. What I am not ready for is actual snow!
We had 9 trees cut down today and the wooded side of the pasture lot bush hogged so I could walk down there. Those trees, all except for one, were very close to the house, huge oaks and most of them had a hollow tube about 5 ft up from the base. One of them would have fallen right on my house in a high wind like the storms that are marching up toward us after Hurricane Helene. One of the trees had already snapped in half in that storm and we had rain for a week. The tree guy said not only that, this one would have knocked my house right off the block foundation, that we were lucky. Now, we're poorer for it! But, the price was much better than in the 'burbs so can't complain. It really opened up the sky for our solar panels and the house garden and gave us years of future firewood because he bucked all those trees into stove-lengths, just have to split them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Definitely good to get any trees away from the house. You just never know. Glad you are okay otherwise beside a smaller wallet. It finally turned cooler here. So refreshing. I burn so hot all summer. Now I can be comfortable for a few months.

We have started some winter prep. Wish we knew what kind of winter that was coming our way. Last year was so very mild. I wasn't going to add anything, and ended up adding around 45 chickens, 4 geese, and 4 really dumb turkeys.

 

[speckledhen]

Four really dumb turkeys... Sounds like you have plenty of chickens! I hope we both get cooler weather soon and I need some dry weather! Stay safe, Lisa.

 

[speckledhen]

Axel is dying. I have no idea why, no specific symptoms. Three days ago, he was fine, then didn't want to go outside much the next. Then, he began staying under a little ceramic heat lamp on top of the nests all day long, though he did eat a few bites. Yesterday he did not eat until my husband brought him some scrambled eggs with plain yogurt and he did take a few bites, though a couple of times, it seemed he had trouble swallowing. Today, he is weak, gasping as he breathes and staggering. His neck bone protrudes too far forward, sort of an S-curve so that his beak basically sits on his chest, but he's been that way since he was hatched, I guess. I don't know if he's been injured or what is going on inside him. Three days ago, normal rooster. Tonight will likely be his last night and we may go ahead and put him down. Poor little guy. He finally learned to get along with the other roosters, including his brother he almost killed once and now, he's dying much too young. He's only two years old and finally found his place in life. I don't need him in the flock because there are five other roosters in that group, but I hate when a young bird dies for no apparent reason.