What did you do with your flock today?

Made my trade of oegb spangles for Isabel. Their colors very pale, feathers are rough and the roosters dubbed. But they're lovely. They went through a 2 hour drive to get here so once they've recovered and groomed themselves they should look a little better. Most of the year my oegb's are all together so once quarantine is over, they'll go in with the group. Not the oegb porcelain I had wanted, but I'm pleased anyway. And no dead or unwanted chicks like what happened with my spring order.
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Made my trade of oegb spangles for Isabel. Their colors very pale, feathers are rough and the roosters dubbed. But they're lovely. They went through a 2 hour drive to get here so once they've recovered and groomed themselves they should look a little better. Most of the year my oegb's are all together so once quarantine is over, they'll go in with the group. Not the oegb porcelain I had wanted, but I'm pleased anyway. And no dead or unwanted chicks like what happened with my spring order. View attachment 3366895
They look pretty stoked on their new gig lol. BEAUTIFUL babies. Congratulations!
 
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getting to spend some quiet time at home b4 I go feed the big boys. After raking leaves I grabbed a few Starfruit for the flock.
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was fun watching the games. Took a few bad photos of up and coming cockerel so I can place an add today.
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I'm not in a hurry to separate him from his pullet pal yet. They are still very bonded.
My few standouts this morning.
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☝Hope, fully recovered ♡
And then Spider meeting feral roo at the fence. A few goes and done. Feral will not come in our yard.
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Spider is worth his weight in cheesecake and gold.
 
one day I decided to pull a hen n roo from his run
I always check in with Spider and Beetle when handling their girls. I count on them to keep my flock safe and well, I try not to undercut them. I worry about exactly what happened to you and Spider or Beetle seeing me as a threat.
When I treat my/his/their girls for whatever, Spider is usually right next to me and Beetle looks on or after the rest of the wandering flock. They have seen me bring a few girls back from near death and I have treated both. Spider after a beating by a roo, Beetle after sticktight fleas made him sick and I syringe fed him or would have lost him. I love checking in with them during the day.
 
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Maybe it is the boots??? 🤷‍♀️ I don’t know if wearing something new would cause it or if maybe he doesn’t like the colors??? I honestly have no idea. Just throwing something out there cause that would be my first thought.

I have seen where people will put food coloring on the vent so when the egg is laid some of the color is smeared on the shell. I had one girl who had blood in an egg but there wasn’t a shelless egg after. I think that if there was blood inside it is more from the development of the egg. Here is an article I have read about that happening
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bloody-egg
If she is a new layer like mine are, it might be the same thing as mine and they are just working some things out.
Yeah I've tried different boots, different shoes. It's like he's gung-ho against me being inside the run...and now even outside the run when I put him out too.
@TropicalBabies @PopoMyers @Shetland lover there are so many different things ya hear about how to treat/train a roo...what to do and not do etc. I've tried everything I've heard on BYC. I'm not sure in my haste if I'm not trying one thing long enough or what. I had gone back to giving him luvins when he got this bad before and more one on one time. That seemed to help for a while. Maybe I just need to stick with what worked for him specifically instead of what I read? Idk...I had started that last time with putting him in the bachelor coop for a time...then went back to the one-on-one time. Maybe I'll give that a try again. I just hate to do that and us having another cold weather bout to hit again.
That video was him being very mild...I can't record him when he's like he normally is when I'm standing up cuz I'd end up fallin or getting attacked worse than I am already.
I really thought I had found him a solo home but when I was honest bout how he's been doin she changed her mind. Can't blame her.
@TropicalBabies I'm sure letting them have open areas is much better. But the way hawks are here they would never survive a week. Do yall not have those type predators in Hawaii?
And Hope looks amazing by the way!!!
@Shetland lover i have been putting him inside the coop whenever im tidying up the run and what not or when grandkids are with me. It hasnt helped.

I checked most of em for lice n mites, vent issues, stuck eggs and what not...didn't see anything abnormal at all.
I did notice one that's about to be laying any day now acting constipated and puckered up back there somewhat. But she doesn't sleep on porch with others...she actually roost inside the coop.
 
Yeah I've tried different boots, different shoes. It's like he's gung-ho against me being inside the run...and now even outside the run when I put him out too.
@TropicalBabies @PopoMyers @Shetland lover there are so many different things ya hear about how to treat/train a roo...what to do and not do etc. I've tried everything I've heard on BYC. I'm not sure in my haste if I'm not trying one thing long enough or what. I had gone back to giving him luvins when he got this bad before and more one on one time. That seemed to help for a while. Maybe I just need to stick with what worked for him specifically instead of what I read? Idk...I had started that last time with putting him in the bachelor coop for a time...then went back to the one-on-one time. Maybe I'll give that a try again. I just hate to do that and us having another cold weather bout to hit again.
That video was him being very mild...I can't record him when he's like he normally is when I'm standing up cuz I'd end up fallin or getting attacked worse than I am already.
I really thought I had found him a solo home but when I was honest bout how he's been doin she changed her mind. Can't blame her.
@TropicalBabies I'm sure letting them have open areas is much better. But the way hawks are here they would never survive a week. Do yall not have those type predators in Hawaii?
And Hope looks amazing by the way!!!
@Shetland lover i have been putting him inside the coop whenever im tidying up the run and what not or when grandkids are with me. It hasnt helped.

I checked most of em for lice n mites, vent issues, stuck eggs and what not...didn't see anything abnormal at all.
I did notice one that's about to be laying any day now acting constipated and puckered up back there somewhat. But she doesn't sleep on porch with others...she actually roost inside the coop.
Welp. If it was me... and I do because it is. I treat them as a prey animal. And stick with that because they are. Treat them with dignity and respect, not dolls or toys, give them their space and be aware of how they see the world- it wants to eat them- and behave accordingly. I step aside for my chooks, wait, don't plow through them. I don't take a predator stance or approach like a predator. I use pressure to get them to do what I want. That is just a step in the right direction weather to the left, right, forward or back.

No predators here except dogs. Owls and feral cats for the young and vulnerable. Lucky us.
 
View attachment 3366937getting to spend some quiet time at home b4 I go feed the big boys. After raking leaves I grabbed a few Starfruit for the flock.View attachment 3366938was fun watching the games. Took a few bad photos of up and coming cockerel so I can place an add today.View attachment 3366939
I'm not in a hurry to separate him from his pullet pal yet. They are still very bonded.
My few standouts this morning.View attachment 3366941View attachment 3366942
☝Hope, fully recovered ♡
And then Spider meeting feral roo at the fence. A few goes and done. Feral will not come in our yard.View attachment 3366943View attachment 3366945Spider is worth his weight in cheesecake and gold.
Such an abundance of fruit! That all white pullet almost glows 😍
I always check in with Spider and Beetle when handling their girls. I count on them to keep my flock safe and well, I try not to undercut them. I worry about exactly what happened to you and Spider or Beetle seeing me as a threat.
When I treat my/his/their girls for whatever, Spider is usually right next to me and Beetle looks on or after the rest of the wandering flock. They have seen me bring a few girls back from near death and I have treated both. Spider after a beating by a roo, Beetle after sticktight fleas made him sick and I syringe fed him or would have lost him. I love checking in with them during the day.
Ya...I'm usually good at not scaring them. I had a friend over who joined me in the coop to help. She saw them jumping up on me and me petting them, and she reached out and grabbed one by the back to pick it up. Instant craziness from the whole flock. They'd never been handled that way.

What's funny though is that at her house I see birds jump up on her, she picks em up exactly that way, smashes them flat to her chest and starts petting away. They don't go sleepy eyed, but they don't panic either. There's only a few like that, but those ones get extra treats from her 😂
 
I have started the first coop build that I planned to do back in August…and didn’t get the kit until Thanksgiving! So since the weather is NOT allowing me to work on the other ones that need more outdoor time so I opted to do this one. If you are interested in following along as I struggle to build it myself 😆

Thread 'EZ Frame Chicken Coop Build'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ez-frame-chicken-coop-build.1559028/
 

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