the sultan thread

[OlivesMama]

Ok...how do you trim their beaks?

 

[cluck-cluck]

I use a big nail clipper, the kind you use for your toes? You can see where the "quick" is, it's just like a nail, but you want to stay WELL away from that, and not make any mistakes! Thing is, they can't eat as well when it gets long, and the toes will deform and twist if the nails are not trimmed regularly, so it's important to take care of those things. If your birds are outside, they may do fine trimming everything themselves with use, but mine are always on shavings... not so good. I don't have this problem with my leghorns and crevecoeurs but do with my seramas as well, 'cause they're hardly ever outside either. I'm working on more outdoor pens for everyone.

 

[OlivesMama]

Thanks, Cluck-Cluck for the advice. Nugget's beat looks OK for now. My flock free ranges all day and this will hopefully keep beaks/nails in check.

Here are some updated pictures of Nugget, or Nuggie as I've been calling her. She's finally starting to come up and greet me when I visit the flocks during the day. She won't let me touch her, but circles me and peeps. She has been having trouble putting herself up in the coop at night. She's the only chicken that just hasn't got it down yet. A few nights ago, I turned the light on and let everyone go in on their own with no interventions from me. I came back out to check on them and all was quiet. I did a head count and discovered Nugget was missing. I called for her and she crawled out of the wood pile, peeping away. She was going to roost all by herself! Poor Nuggie. I picked her up and added her to the flock. Last night, she was frantically peeping under the coop and trying her hardest to figure out how to get in.

 

[hokankai]

Trimming around her eyes should solve that problem. She probably can't see well enough already and it being dark out she couldn't see the light to the coop

Thanks, Cluck-Cluck for the advice. Nugget's beat looks OK for now. My flock free ranges all day and this will hopefully keep beaks/nails in check.

Here are some updated pictures of Nugget, or Nuggie as I've been calling her. She's finally starting to come up and greet me when I visit the flocks during the day. She won't let me touch her, but circles me and peeps. She has been having trouble putting herself up in the coop at night. She's the only chicken that just hasn't got it down yet. A few nights ago, I turned the light on and let everyone go in on their own with no interventions from me. I came back out to check on them and all was quiet. I did a head count and discovered Nugget was missing. I called for her and she crawled out of the wood pile, peeping away. She was going to roost all by herself! Poor Nuggie. I picked her up and added her to the flock. Last night, she was frantically peeping under the coop and trying her hardest to figure out how to get in.

 

[Maligator]

Nugget is gorgeous! I used to trim my previous Polish's hairdos all the time so that they could range and roost with the other birds. I imagine it's probably the same with these guys too.

Raja got to meet her fellow Sultan buddies a few days ago and again yesterday. She is rather unimpressed, but because she often forgets what she was doing mid-way through doing it, she forgot about harassing them and, instead, became super interested in whatever they found so interesting. She dwarfs them in size, but not by much. The babies are so tiny! Hard to believe the rest of my flock was ever that small, lol! The baby Sultans got to have their first sunbaths and found a little pile of dirt to try and dust in. They enjoyed the large run with grass and other fun things. The rest of the birds seem either okay with them, like my RCR Polish pullet, Sherry, who follows them around and tends to them as they romp, or very un-ok with the strange-walking little munchkins, like my grumpy cross-beak silkie mix, Quasimodo.

I planned a photo shoot today to finally get some updated pictures of my babies but it's raining today! In May! Crazy! Everyone is stuffed in the coop where it is safe and warm, so no pics until this weather clears up.

 

[OlivesMama]

I think you're right. I need to trim her feathers. Olive needs a good trim too. She gets skittish when she can't see. Nugget jumps up in the air and squawks when I approach her from the wrong angle and she can't see me.

 

[OlivesMama]

Aww, thanks Maligator! I think she is too. I was so worried Nugget was a roo, but at this point I see no waddles or red comb. I am so relieved! I'd be sad if my little Nuggie was a rooster! She's so entertaining. I can't wait for pictures! I have taken a series of pictures every week since I got my chickens and it amazes me to see how fast they grow. It's raining here today too, but I let them out anyway. They don't seem to mind and just hide under my elevated coop if the rain picks up. Nugget is pretty muddy right now.

 

[fishnet1971]

I think you're right. I need to trim her feathers. Olive needs a good trim too. She gets skittish when she can't see. Nugget jumps up in the air and squawks when I approach her from the wrong angle and she can't see me.

Mine too, that's why I trimmed them pretty good and all is well. they look like they have a mohawk, but they can see at least! My 2 have started to perch on the food bin and seem happy. I think i will leave them be and let them have it if they want it.

 

[OlivesMama]

I trimmed Nugget's eye feathers today. She was so happy! She usually walks around funny, like she's got a stick up her behind with her legs out. She actually ran today! I'll have to take pictures tomorrow. It makes me so nervous to do it. I'm always afraid she'll flinch and I'll poke her with the scissors. I wrapped her in a towel and she took a nap while I did it. She's so sweet, when I make her lay in my lap. I just wish she didn't shriek when I pick her up.

 

[Maligator]

Go Nuggie!

Hopefully the shrieking will go down with being able to see what is coming. My sultans always run like there is something stuck up their rears. It's like this hobbling skip, lol!