The New Flock 2021: Back to Basics

[speckledhen]

Bodie is still hanging in there. I think if he could have continued to be outside in warm sunshine (none of that here now), he might have done better. He still eats and drinks on his own, stands and watches his peeps go in and out of the barn on sunny days. His comb is still laying down-that is what I keep watching for, the comb to have some life in it. He only crowed that one great day, not since.
As far as the hens, Juliette is dying from reproductive issues, as I mentioned. She won't really eat, weighs almost nothing, but she is still on her feet, but soon will be joining Ripley and Scarlett in the Easter Egger Hereafter. Nothing to be done except let her be with her friends until she quits breathing. So out of the original Dirty Dozen Plus One, Ripley, Scarlett, Luna are already gone with Juliette soon to follow. The last generation of that group is now missing Axel and, of course, his sire, Bodie, will likely be gone soon. The originals will turn 4 years old the first week of April. Not great longevity.
Why did I think that this hatchery bunch would be any different than any others I have had? The only way they're different is that the buff bantam Cochins are crazy broody, as is little blue Iris. I cannot break up Cricket and Dove now for anything. Did they hear that i was getting fertile eggs shipped to me next week??

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We had to cull our little hen here. Just too cold for unwell birds. Glad Bodies is hanging in there. Sorry the batch hasn't been long lived. I always had said most of mine live 4-8 years. Occasionally longer, so losing yours at 4 wouldn't be unusual here, especially for hatchery stock. Now those that I bought years ago from the 4H breeder they all lived longer with an average of 8-10. Breeding does matter for longevity.

Here I would make those broody hens hatch and raise my chicks. Will you let them hatch this year? I already have a broody too here. Getting to be that time of year.

 

[speckledhen]

Sorry about your hen, Lisa. That is never easy even when it's the right thing to do. Bodie's position in the hospital cage has a ceramic reptile bulb over him so he isn't really suffering much from the cold, but when it hits single digits tomorrow night, nothing more I can do other than pack hay in with him. My big birds will do fine, of course. Juliette is skin and bones and she may be gone tomorrow. She spent some time in Bodie's cage with him, a couple of hours. She wanted out at that point and though my husband said he thinks Bodie liked the company, he was unable to relax with her there, probably wanting to stand tall and watch out for her; that is so ingrained in these roosters, to protect the hens. She won't be difficult to put down, being so weak at this juncture. Sweet Julie, I really hate losing her at such a young age, but of course, I hate losing any.

As I previously mentioned, my lavender bantam Cochin hen lived to 4.5 yrs, as did the little rooster I raised a couple of years later, same exact age at death, both Ideal Hatchery. Breeding surely does have a huge impact on longevity; no one can convince me otherwise.

 

[1muttsfan]

If you get any extra eggs have you considered putting them under a broody? Not sure how reliable your girls are.

 

[speckledhen]

If you get any extra eggs have you considered putting them under a broody? Not sure how reliable your girls are.

I thought about it for a hot minute, but my only current broodies are already into their 2nd month of refusing to give up. i'd not want to make them continue any longer than they have to. They've already lost weight just sitting on nothing. And I'd have to put her in a separate area and manage her so likely won't do it.

 

[speckledhen]

Bodie had time in the sunshine today. The sun was really warm and he had fun talking to his hens though the day started with him being unable to lift his head from the tucked under position. And as my husband was offering him his breakfast, he tucked his head so far that he flipped onto his back; that has happened before, though I didn't see it myself. It seems worse if it's chilly. But, later he was on his feet and his head just slightly tilted left, looking out the door.
This has been the weirdest thing with this rooster. He acts like a lunatic, yelling and flopped around, if I try to pick him up, never was like that in the past. When I put the others back in the barn and opened the dog cage he was corralled in, he ran out of it, tried to escape me carrying him back inside, was able to outrun me, ran as if he was sliding on his left side, about to do a somersault, and I eventually caught him when he ran into the gutter that surrounds the barn and couldn't hop onto the bridge/ramp that goes across that and into the barn. He is still rather strong, which surprises me. Tuesday and Wednesday are supposed to be even warmer so he'll likely enjoy more outdoor time. What good it will do, I have no idea, but he's still eating and drinking and though I try to keep hinting that the poor guy has a very limited life, almost no life, my husband is not ready to do the deed. Good grief.
Juliette is skin and bones, but she still goes outside with the flock. She's becoming noticeably weaker so I don't expect her to be around another week. I've seen a couple of egg yolk puddles in her wake, which is not a shock at all, having been through this so many times in the past, most lately with her late coop mates, Ripley and Scarlett. Bless her heart, she's so pretty and was a good layer to boot and she doesn't deserve this. None of them do.

 

[1muttsfan]

When things affect the brain they can short-circuit some processes, often at random, leaving the victim prone to episodes of confusion and alarm for no good reason. And when the adrenaline gets flowing during panic attacks they can be quite strong, for very short periods of time.

 

[speckledhen]

When things affect the brain they can short-circuit some processes, often at random, leaving the victim prone to episodes of confusion and alarm for no good reason. And when the adrenaline gets flowing during panic attacks they can be quite strong, for very short periods of time.

I can certainly see that in Bodie. Today he got to spend a ton of time out in the sunshine, got up to 70*. It was glorious. He was out with his own flock, then with big old Bash. Bash pays no attention to the little guys and Bodie seems to be very unafraid of that giant rooster standing next to the dog cage. It takes five Bodies to make one Bash, LOL. Bodie talked a lot and seems to be energized by the fresh air and sunshine, though it does tire him out a lot after being outside for a long time.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm glad Bodies is enjoying at least part of his days.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm glad Bodies is enjoying at least part of his days.

Thanks, Lisa, me too. I am at the point that I may just have a handicapped rooster. I've done it in the past, but I really never wanted to do that again. My BR cockerel, Zane, was hurt at 18 weeks old, lost the use of one leg to tendon damage, but he lived to 4 1/2 yrs, always a cheerful fellow. He was really special, but he was very young. Bodie will be 4 years old in a month, so obviously didn't have that much life ahead of him anyway, even if this hadn't happened. I hope he has another couple of days in the sun before the temps drop and rain moves in.