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Velvet Sparrow posted:Yeah, this. Expect the hens to hand his rear end to him the first day or so, then they'll get over it (although their noses will be out of joint a bit at first). Your Head Hen should retain her spot, and expect HER to be the worst at teaching the new boy who she is. I expected Gloria to beat him up. I figured the head hen would test him while the others watched, and things would settle down after a bit. But the first one to go for him was Phil. Phil is really low on the pecking order--possibly even the bottom, it's hard to tell between her and Dolores which one is lower. Gloria was inside laying an egg and two are broody, so it was two mid level hens and Phil who were beating the crap out of him. After that I was afraid to get Gloria out (of course she came out and gave him an rear end-whooping too). I didn't take him away from them, but he scooted off and spent most of his first day hiding under a bush where the hens couldn't find him. That's why I put him in at the kiddie table last night--I didn't want the big girls to bloody him this morning when they woke up. The baby girls and he are all happy together this morning, so I think I made the right choice. I'll give the big girls some more time to get used to him through the bars. Hopefully he'll start crowing soon and they'll start seeing him more like a man, but at the moment they're all "GIRL POWER we don't need no boy here" and the poor kid doesn't know what to do. I've read and re-read your page, VS.  He seems so much more like a kid that the add-a-rooster tips seem like they're beyond his level. As he gets older, I want to keep picking him up and cuddling him and having him used to being held, but I don't want to overstep my chicken bounds and have him resent me. Is chasing him around the run to catch him for cuddles a bad thing to do? (Slowly of course, but pestering him until I can corner and catch him.) I don't want him to think that he can scurry away and not have me do things to him, because there will be times I need to check his feet or deal with another problem, but I don't want to terrorize the boy and make him hate me. I know bunny language and cat language, I'm adept at handling snakes and lizards, but I'm still learning the nuances of what's proper and improper in the bird world.
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Jul 27, 2015 16:27
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snakecharmer posted:I expected Gloria to beat him up. I figured the head hen would test him while the others watched, and things would settle down after a bit. But the first one to go for him was Phil. Phil is really low on the pecking order--possibly even the bottom, it's hard to tell between her and Dolores which one is lower. Gloria was inside laying an egg and two are broody, so it was two mid level hens and Phil who were beating the crap out of him. After that I was afraid to get Gloria out (of course she came out and gave him an rear end-whooping too). I didn't take him away from them, but he scooted off and spent most of his first day hiding under a bush where the hens couldn't find him. That's why I put him in at the kiddie table last night--I didn't want the big girls to bloody him this morning when they woke up. The baby girls and he are all happy together this morning, so I think I made the right choice. I'll give the big girls some more time to get used to him through the bars. Hopefully he'll start crowing soon and they'll start seeing him more like a man, but at the moment they're all "GIRL POWER we don't need no boy here" and the poor kid doesn't know what to do. As both a bunny and chicken owner you would be surprised how well it translates. The major difference is while he rabbits see you as the bottom of the totem pole bun who is supposed to groom them on demand the hens will consider you the top cock and circle you as the deliverer. They will both shy away but for different reasons. Chickens will be offended you snatched hem up but only because you are displaying your dominance and they already know heir place. Rabbits will glare at you for picking them up because HOW DARE YOU YOU RETARDED RABBIT UNDERLING!!! DONT YOU KNWO WHO I AM?!?,
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Jul 27, 2015 19:01
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Errant Gin Monks posted:As both a bunny and chicken owner you would be surprised how well it translates. The major difference is while he rabbits see you as the bottom of the totem pole bun who is supposed to groom them on demand the hens will consider you the top cock and circle you as the deliverer. They will both shy away but for different reasons. Chickens will be offended you snatched hem up but only because you are displaying your dominance and they already know heir place. Rabbits will glare at you for picking them up because HOW DARE YOU YOU RETARDED RABBIT UNDERLING!!! DONT YOU KNWO WHO I AM?!?, So rabbits are Trump. This all makes so much more sense now!
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Jul 27, 2015 20:39
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snakecharmer posted:I expected Gloria to beat him up. I figured the head hen would test him while the others watched, and things would settle down after a bit. But the first one to go for him was Phil. Phil is really low on the pecking order--possibly even the bottom, it's hard to tell between her and Dolores which one is lower. Gloria was inside laying an egg and two are broody, so it was two mid level hens and Phil who were beating the crap out of him. After that I was afraid to get Gloria out (of course she came out and gave him an rear end-whooping too). I didn't take him away from them, but he scooted off and spent most of his first day hiding under a bush where the hens couldn't find him. That's why I put him in at the kiddie table last night--I didn't want the big girls to bloody him this morning when they woke up. The baby girls and he are all happy together this morning, so I think I made the right choice. I'll give the big girls some more time to get used to him through the bars. Hopefully he'll start crowing soon and they'll start seeing him more like a man, but at the moment they're all "GIRL POWER we don't need no boy here" and the poor kid doesn't know what to do. When I want to pet my roos I approach them when they are already somewhere where they can't just run away--like in the coop, I'll slowly work them into a corner without really chasing them, then just lean in quickly and scoop them up. Sometimes I'll just lean over and stroke their chest/wing areas, front to back with both hands (while cooing at them what a pretty boy they are)--but without petting their backs (too dominating, they get uncomfortable and slide out from under your hand) or picking them up. Roosters seem to tolerate this kind of petting and will stand there like they are allowing you to worship them or something.  One of the best times to snoodle rooboys (and wild-rear end hens) is at dusk when they've gone to roost--you can just walk up and pet them to your heart's content, while they gripe and grump but can't see well enough to get away. They're kind of a captive audience. It really helps them to realize that getting petted is not the same as 'oh god he grabbed me, the ONLY reason for that is because he's gonna eat me!' I like to pet the bird and speak to it soothingly, then stop when they start to fidget but continue talking to them...once they are calm again pet them a bit more...it reinforces the 'petting by humans is good and won't hurt me' and builds their trust. The trick is to end the petting session on a high note and walk away when the bird is comfortable, keep at it a little at a time. Baby steps!
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Jul 27, 2015 22:39
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Velvet Sparrow posted:Sometimes I'll just lean over and stroke their chest/wing areas, front to back with both hands (while cooing at them what a pretty boy they are)--but without petting their backs (too dominating, they get uncomfortable and slide out from under your hand) or picking them up. OoooOoh this explains why my little (big ol') Bobby Corwin II gives me a look of total disgust when I try to pet him.
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Jul 28, 2015 03:58
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Rumble just up and died this morning. I was out feeding them, turned around, then turned back around and she was on the ground twitching. No idea of the cause. She was about 4 years old. Gold-laced Wyandotte. On the heavier/fluffier side, which I'm sure didn't help matters. At least it was quick and not due to a raccoon or fox.
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Jul 28, 2015 19:35
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The Rat posted:Rumble just up and died this morning. I was out feeding them, turned around, then turned back around and she was on the ground twitching. No idea of the cause. She was about 4 years old. Gold-laced Wyandotte. On the heavier/fluffier side, which I'm sure didn't help matters. At least it was quick and not due to a raccoon or fox. Well, poo poo.  I hate it when that happens. Sounds like she just had a heart attack and went, that's too bad.
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Jul 28, 2015 19:58
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The Rat posted:Rumble just up and died this morning. I was out feeding them, turned around, then turned back around and she was on the ground twitching. No idea of the cause. She was about 4 years old. Gold-laced Wyandotte. On the heavier/fluffier side, which I'm sure didn't help matters. At least it was quick and not due to a raccoon or fox. drat chickens just up and dying in here. Sorry about your hen head. Now you need 2-3 more chicks to make up for the loss.
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Jul 28, 2015 21:47
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Velvet Sparrow posted:When I want to pet my roos I approach them when they are already somewhere where they can't just run away--like in the coop, I'll slowly work them into a corner without really chasing them, then just lean in quickly and scoop them up. Sometimes I'll just lean over and stroke their chest/wing areas, front to back with both hands (while cooing at them what a pretty boy they are)--but without petting their backs (too dominating, they get uncomfortable and slide out from under your hand) or picking them up. Ooh. Yeah, this is my mistake too. I read all about petting a chicken all the way down their backs from head to tail, and letting them walk away from you while doing that. But there's nothing about back-petting being a no-no with roosters. Nigel has decided for the past two nights that his place at night is roosted on the gate in between the peeper run and the hen run. I built a temporary wall in my run to separate out the younguns, and there's about an 18-inch space between the top of the gate and the run roof. Apparently this is His Spot. I decided not to disturb him last night, and tonight he roosted when the gate was still open (I had the hens out free ranging and let the peepers take over the entire run). So I carefully rounded up the peeps around him, closed the gate slowly with him still on it, and petted him a bit while he clucked. I was petting down his back and he didn't seem to mind it, but he's young still so that may change. I'll change my petting habits to chest or wings. With that in mind, I'm assuming petting his head is the absolute worst insult you can give a roo? So maybe this is a dumb question, but how do you establish that you're the dominant roo but still be respectful of his boundaries? If I never touch his head or back at all, won't he start thinking he's top roo and I'm beneath him?
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Jul 29, 2015 01:40
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I pet the poo poo out of all my roosters all over and turn them upside down to clip their wings and everything else. But then I also don't care about their opinions of me either unless they decide to be shits and try to eat my face (which has only ever happened once).
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Jul 29, 2015 02:20
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snakecharmer posted:Ooh. Yeah, this is my mistake too. I read all about petting a chicken all the way down their backs from head to tail, and letting them walk away from you while doing that. But there's nothing about back-petting being a no-no with roosters. Food. With chickens it's all about food. When you pass out goodies, toss a just a tiny bit to the hens to distract them a bit, then if your roo hasn't come up to you already (once he learns this routine he will), approach him, lean over and hold out a bit of food to him in your fingers. If he doesn't take it from your hand, drop it at his feet so he can call his girls with his 'took-took-took' to take credit for it. Stay right there and tell him what a good boy he is (reinforcing the 'humans=food which is good' thing). Eventually he should start taking bits of food from your fingers, especially if you call his name when you go out to do this--chickens are pretty quick learners when food is involved. My roos have learned to come over and stand quietly next to me when I'm passing out goodies, they know I'm gonna tithe them right away so they can in turn pass it along to their girls. The girls learn it, too. Roos are big on respect, and you'll quickly earn the Food God position--your Head Roo will be accepting your position over him, just in a slightly different way. I advocate the roo petting and letting them walk out from under your hand when you are done petting them, it helps build their trust that sometimes they will briefly get petted but it's ok and won't hurt them. Not the same as being scooped up, flipped over and being dominated when it's warranted (like when the rear end in a top hat has flogged you) or being chased. Diplomacy and being disciplined are different. Love the new thread title. 
Velvet Sparrow fucked around with this message at 20:37 on Jul 29, 2015 |
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Jul 29, 2015 20:32
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One of our lady turkeys laid an ENORMOUS egg a couple days ago. Like, twice the size of what they've been laying (which have been about the size of a large chicken egg). I used it last night for fettucine carbonara, and it was a triple-yolker. God drat. I cringed sympathetically.
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Jul 30, 2015 22:30
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Lynza posted:One of our lady turkeys laid an ENORMOUS egg a couple days ago. Like, twice the size of what they've been laying (which have been about the size of a large chicken egg). 
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Jul 30, 2015 22:36
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Lynza posted:One of our lady turkeys laid an ENORMOUS egg a couple days ago. Like, twice the size of what they've been laying (which have been about the size of a large chicken egg). 
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Aug 1, 2015 06:16
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One of our new chicks, Pizza, just up and died this morning. She was fine yesterday running around being dumb. Last night she was in the chicken ball sleeping, this morning dead in the middle of the enclosure. No issue with water or food access and no marks on her little chick body. loving chickens.
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Aug 1, 2015 19:08
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Errant Gin Monks posted:One of our new chicks, Pizza, just up and died this morning. She was fine yesterday running around being dumb. Last night she was in the chicken ball sleeping, this morning dead in the middle of the enclosure. No issue with water or food access and no marks on her little chick body. But obviously you need to get at least 2 or 3 more chooks to make up for the loss! Chicken math!
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Aug 1, 2015 21:41
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Inveigle posted:
Probably!! But first we are going to see if these other 2 chooks make it to the next few months and get them integrated if they do. They see fine. They were vaccinated for coccidiosis and they aren't on medicated feed. I see no stool issues or activity level decrease in any of them. Even Pizza seemed fine and was scratching and doing her thing yesterday. Hopefully it was just one of those things that happen and we can get the other two big and healthy.
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Aug 2, 2015 00:12
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drat it's been a hard month or two for chickens... Something to cheer y'all up, though...#ChickenShaming is becoming a thing on Twitter.
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Aug 2, 2015 10:40
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Yeah, the "my owner had to buy eggs" picture has hit my facebook wall three times in the last two weeks. I still chuckle at it though so it's all good.
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Aug 3, 2015 04:20
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So I'm not the only one? I'm the chicken guy, so anything chicken related gets sent/posted my way? Not that I'm complaining of course. 
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Aug 3, 2015 06:13
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I feel like roosters are just not worth the effort/heartache. We have two roosters - they were part of a big run of what was supposed to be pullets, so they weren't intentional roosters. One of them has been extremely rough with the ladies, to the point where yesterday we noticed one of the hens had a nasty infection on her scalp/comb area from where the rear end in a top hat grabs her to mount up. Several of the hens have little nicks and a bald spot. We took her in the house to check it out, and there's a giant abcess. Gross poo poo follows - My husband felt around to see how big the abcess was, and gave the area (quite large, probably 1/2") a squeeze, and a HUGE, SIZE OF THE PAD OF MY PINKY, DISC-SHAPED PUCK OF GOD KNOWS WHAT popped out. It was actually the first time in my life I've seen something that made me gag. And I've seen some terrible stuff. We cleaned out the hole and put a bracelet on her so we can keep an eye on it. She was fine this morning, and it looks clean, so here's hoping. I think we're going to cull one of the roosters this weekend. He's the secondary, and he seems like the biggest rear end in a top hat of the two, so we'll see if the head wounds decrease.
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Aug 3, 2015 18:44
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Photo from Imgur of baby chicks hugging a coffee cup to keep warm.  The second photo is the same group of chicks all grown up. Open image in new window to see it larger. 
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Aug 3, 2015 20:26
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Lynza posted:I feel like roosters are just not worth the effort/heartache. We went through this just last week. Fifteen chickens, which included three bantam hens and one bantam rooster. Stupid rooster kept pecking the oldest banty hen's head (who is the sweetest bird you'll ever meet) to the point of hamburger as well as terrorizing my SO (er, wife. She's my wife now, legally. Thanks, Supremes!) Neither of us had the balls to snap the neck of the rooster who also occasionally slept in my arms so we took him to a meat processor on a farm about ten miles north of here. We didn't want or need him processed; hell, ain't nuthin to eat on a bantam, anyway, but the butcher/executioner was very kind and understood, doing the deed for us some time after we left. Therefore I can honestly say we took him to a farm to live out the rest of his life...probably about two hours. It's been really quiet and stress-free around here since then.
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Aug 3, 2015 23:12
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Yep. The last rooster we had was an rear end in a top hat. He thought he was the boss of me and nothing I did seemed to dissuade him. He was also super rapey with the hens, violently so, and I personally ended him (with emotional support from my husband because I'm not really good at killing stuff). If I never have to see an abcess like the one that poor hen had/has, I will be very happy. I'm hoping the current head roo will be chill and we won't have to cull him, too.
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Aug 4, 2015 00:36
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So even though I'm not 100% on hether the chick died from cocci another one started acting down and lethargic. Nothing in her stool but just in case I brought them inside and started the last two on Sulmet (no Corid at the feed stores right now). We started them on it yesterday and this morning we had a poop with just a little bit of blood in it and nothing but regular stuff since. The sick one is still acting odd and hunched but is eating and drinking vigorously when the mood strikes her. Hopefully she will come out of it but time will tell I suppose. Right now they are fighting over space on the box acting as s perch and cheeping up a storm. Much more noise than last night.
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Aug 5, 2015 02:30
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Errant Gin Monks posted:So even though I'm not 100% on hether the chick died from cocci another one started acting down and lethargic. Nothing in her stool but just in case I brought them inside and started the last two on Sulmet (no Corid at the feed stores right now). We started them on it yesterday and this morning we had a poop with just a little bit of blood in it and nothing but regular stuff since. The sick one is still acting odd and hunched but is eating and drinking vigorously when the mood strikes her. Hopefully she will come out of it but time will tell I suppose. Keep up with the Sulmet and supportive therapy like giving them electrolytes to drink (I like to mix meds I'm giving, like Sulmet or Corid, into electrolyte solution). Also you might offer them live mealworms, scrambled eggs, etc. to keep them eating. I know you can get Corid online if your local stores don't have it. Are they doing that constant, distressed peeping? If your sick one won't drink the medicated water voluntarily I'd handfeed her to make sure she's getting medicated...I hate it when little ones get sick. Good luck with the chicks!
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Aug 5, 2015 09:26
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Velvet Sparrow posted:Keep up with the Sulmet and supportive therapy like giving them electrolytes to drink (I like to mix meds I'm giving, like Sulmet or Corid, into electrolyte solution). Also you might offer them live mealworms, scrambled eggs, etc. to keep them eating. I know you can get Corid online if your local stores don't have it. Yeah I'm mixing yogurt, and egg yolk with their feed right now and dumping pedialyte into their water as well. Same thing I used to do for my rabbits when they were sick. They aren't doing the loud ear splitting "HELP IM ALOME AMD GONNA DIE!!!" peep. Just the bitchy "peep peep peepidy peep peep PEEP PEEP chirrrrrrrrrup." And shoving each other around kind of thing. She still isn't 100%, I'd say she's about 50% at the max but she is still eat and drinking. No odd or diseased looking feces last night or today so far.
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Aug 5, 2015 19:51
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One of our barred rock hens frequently has her beak open and seems to be panting. Now it's summer, and sometimes the other hens do that too, but she seems to be doing it more. Even when the others act cool. She also roosts a little apart from the others. Otherwise she doesn't act distressed. She is three years old. Counting eggs, I'm thinking she stopped laying about a half year ago, but I can't be positive. Do the symptoms sound familiar to anyone? My hypochondriac wife thinks the hen has "lung worms" or somesuch and wants to feed her goat dewormer. This freaks me out so I thought I'd ask here. Brew day: 
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Aug 6, 2015 02:17
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It's not like deworming her is gonna hurt her.
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Aug 6, 2015 02:38
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Mine pant incessantly right now since its like 100 degrees. My Maran's did it more than the other two because they were big and fat. They would also find shade, sit there sprawled out with their wings lifted away from their bodies and pant. Oh and also attack any other fool chicken who got too close to their drat shady spot under the blackberry bushes. At night they were all further apart with wings slightly spread even though there is a big rear end fan above them blowing air in the summer.
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Aug 6, 2015 02:59
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My EE pants t too; I always figured she was just big and fluffy and a little over-warm although she does it (less) on cool days too. She lays an egg a day and doesn't seem to be bothered by anything, eats and drinks with great appetite, follows the flock around, scratches and dust bathes... is the panting, just on its own, a sign of something wrong? 
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Aug 6, 2015 03:39
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Aug 6, 2015 15:20
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Fluffy Bunnies posted:It's not like deworming her is gonna hurt her. Fair enough, but all things being equal I'd rather not medicate for a specific issue if there's no indication of that specific issue. There seem to be many different deworming products out there with different active ingredients, for different kinds of worms. Reading up on the symptoms, the one that fits at least in principle is gape worm. So I'm reluctant to use some all purpose dewormer. I probably should call a vet for a recommendation since the wikipedia page lists API's but no brands that I could go out and buy. I hear everybody else saying chickens pant when it's hot, but this one really does it a lot more than all the others. And they do free range a lot of the time, so parasites are not out of the question. Thanks for the replies guys.
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Aug 6, 2015 15:27
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That ones broken.
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Aug 6, 2015 17:48
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POP! goes the chicken. Just like one of those old-fashioned wind-up toys!
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Aug 6, 2015 19:19
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I like how the other one is just like "UH, WTF"
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Aug 6, 2015 19:20
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Well the sick chick started fading fast today. Perfectly normal poops, she eats and drinks when placed by the food and water but she is limping around suddenly and for the most part is just laying there. I do not have high hopes for her at this point.
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Aug 6, 2015 19:46
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Something more uplifting: How hens project is helping beat people's loneliness. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28206215
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Aug 7, 2015 01:43
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Errant Gin Monks posted:Well the sick chick started fading fast today. Perfectly normal poops, she eats and drinks when placed by the food and water but she is limping around suddenly and for the most part is just laying there. Limping? Have they been vacinated for Marek's? santa baby, have you held that hen up to your ear to listen for any rattling, gurgling, wheezing, etc? Is that spent brewing grain they are eating, and if so, I'd ask your vet about the safety of it in hot weather--the crop on a chicken is basically a holding bag for food and provides a warm, moist environment for things to grow!
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Aug 7, 2015 02:29
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Velvet Sparrow posted:Limping? Have they been vacinated for Marek's? Yes. Mareks CRD and Cocci
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Aug 7, 2015 03:38
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