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ooooh, Vorwerks are so pretty! I had a Silver Lakenvelder, but she committed suicide by jumping into the yard of a (former) neighbor who owned a pitbull.
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May 7, 2012 03:27
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Glad to hear about the successful hatch Nettle Soup! I'm glad you stepped in since the second round ended up being such a dud  It's great to see Georgia B. get a hatchbuddy! You take such good care of your chickens VS and 12S, you set a great example for responsible pet owners everywhere. On a slightly different note, to all future rooster owners, we salute you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=A43JOxLa5MM Okay, so it's a rooster singing death metal instead of regular metal, but there's a reason I was somewhat relieved when my sister's rooster kicked the bucket.
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May 7, 2012 04:33
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DarkHorse posted:On a slightly different note, to all future rooster owners, we salute you! LOL. Here's the original video with just the rooster and no music. It's some breed from Turkey. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEiWoWoM4R0 Some people thought it was faked, but here's another video with a different rooster crowing the same odd way. It's at the 0:20 mark. This weird type of crowing must be unique to this breed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUenvKyards
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May 7, 2012 07:29
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Not much to update, but all of my little chicks are almost fully feathered now except for the tops of their heads. They are really sweet now, and when I hold them this is where they like to sit: Except for when they are being wild, when they like to sit like this:  (this is one of the more 'calm' pictures I could get of her that day) I planned on taking them out in the yard over the weekend, but we got surprise rain/slush and cold temperatures. So instead they were entertained by half an ear of corn. At first they hid in the corner of the box trying to get away from it, then once they figured out it was food it was a bare cob in less than an hour. No one in town sells chick grit so the only grinding mechanism they have is from the chunks of dirt/sand/rocks I give them from the yard. I worried about their little bulging crops all night This morning they were back to normal so I think they'll get the other half tonight. They also started dust bathing a few days ago which is absolutely adorable.
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May 7, 2012 23:09
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So a couple of our hens have rediscovered flight.  They were simply escaping the run and trying to get into the main yard because they'd run out of food (I dutifully refilled it after we got them down), but this is the second time recently that they've done this...clever girls.
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May 8, 2012 01:17
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CantDecideOnAName posted:So a couple of our hens have rediscovered flight. I foresee a wing trimming in their near future.
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May 8, 2012 01:44
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I'm purchasing a new house here soon, and I want to start keeping a few chickens for egg purposes. However, I'm obviously new to this, and while I have grand visions I could also really use the voice of someone who knows whats up. Is there anyone willing to say, exchange PM's or IM info so I can ask you a million small questions? Starting with which breed to get, because I want like..9 different breeds, but plan on at most 3 chickens. Bonus points if you're also familiar with keeping goats
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May 9, 2012 14:59
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I'm always up for talking about chickens, you can IM me at Lewis.K.E@hotmail.com. Or just ask your questions here! What breeds do you like?
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May 10, 2012 00:29
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US Foreign Policy posted:I'm purchasing a new house here soon, and I want to start keeping a few chickens for egg purposes. Make sure that your deed restrictions/city or county laws allow you to keep chickens. Many places will allow you to have a certain number of hens but not roosters (due to noise issues).
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May 10, 2012 04:39
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US Foreign Policy posted:I'm purchasing a new house here soon, and I want to start keeping a few chickens for egg purposes. However, I'm obviously new to this, and while I have grand visions I could also really use the voice of someone who knows whats up. Is there anyone willing to say, exchange PM's or IM info so I can ask you a million small questions? Starting with which breed to get, because I want like..9 different breeds, but plan on at most 3 chickens. Bonus points if you're also familiar with keeping goats A really good resource is backyardchickens.com, with coop designs, breed threads, etc. It might be good for the nitty gritty aspects, as I found it really helpful. As Inveigle said, check the local ordinances. This will save you untold headaches.
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May 10, 2012 23:33
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No doubt. I don't have chickens because our county ordinance is that you have to have 400 feet (over a football field!!) between any chicken coop and "inhabited structure"- including your own house. If they catch you with chickens you have 10 days to get rid of them, after that point the fine is $100 per chicken per day you are in violation. The ordinance was obviously written up with commercial farms in mind, but there's no leeway for the backyard enthusiast who just wants a handful of hens- and plenty of backyard enthusiasts have gotten hit by this, having to get rid of chickens that have been part of their family for months or even years just because some utility guy happened to spot them and rat them out. Lots of people have chickens here, and most of the time you'd never know it. But there's always that risk that some blabbermouth would turn them in and all would be for naught. So instead of keeping chickens I live vicariously through this thread, and support the local grassroots movement to change the ordinance. But I guarantee you, the day after the ordinance is changed is the day I build my coop.
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May 11, 2012 13:56
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Remember Short Tail? Short Tail went off to live with a friend of mine at 6 weeks old (a month ago now). We were still not sure if it was a male or female at that point, but were leaning toward male. Here is Short Tail today (sorry I wasn't able to get more pics):  He's also at least 2 inches taller than the Easter Egger I gave them, which is impressive considering that all the SLWs were always smaller than all the Easter Eggers and the SLW I kept is still smaller than all of the Easter Eggers. I think he looks pretty roo-ish. What do you all think? They are currently 10 weeks old.
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May 14, 2012 05:40
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Its hard to be totally sure at that age, but he looks pretty drat rooish to me.
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May 15, 2012 06:20
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Zeta Taskforce posted:The average 14 year old doesn't raise 750 chickens. He is going to own us one day, and he will do it with a (creepy) smile. 
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May 17, 2012 02:43
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Short tail is quite handsome  I have a quick question for some more experienced chicken keepers. My little birds are about 5 weeks old now and almost completely feathered. The two youngest ones still have some little fluffs attached to the tips of their head feathers, but the feathers are fully out and unfurled. There is someone nearby selling a three-month old silver-laced cochin, which is a gorgeous bird, for $10 on craigslist. Could they all get along in the brooder for a few days? I have a wire chick run for them to run around in when it's warm enough out, and we are getting the coop this weekend. The information I'm finding online isn't very helpful for pullets. It says to quarantine adult birds for at least 30 days, but to throw young chicks in all together right away. What is best for teenager pullets?
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May 17, 2012 16:49
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I'd quarantine the 3 month pullet for a week or two to make sure she isn't sick and won't get your chicks sick. Then if possible, introduce her to your baby flock slowly, by letting your chicks and the pullet see each other through a division so the newcomer doesn't hurt them. Chickens will fight for a bit (or a lot) to reestablish their pecking order, so a 3 month pullet would be much bigger and stronger than your 5 week old chicks. Ideally you'd let then all together if they were about the same size to minimize any chance of injury.
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May 18, 2012 04:14
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My chickens refuse to eat the organic grain we bought them. It's like they're bored of it. Usually I would let them graze and find grubs, but they destroy too many plants and I have to supervise them while I let them out. So they don't really get out much. Is there another food I should be giving them?
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May 18, 2012 05:37
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From what VS and the people in BYC have told me, chickens pretty much eat everything humans can eat (except certain things like avocados and chocolate). You can give them cucumber, watermelon, broccoli, corn in the cob, or other veggies you would normally eat uncooked or steamed. You can also give them cheese as treat  .BTW, got some pics of Roo's babies! Look at the fluffballs     
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May 18, 2012 06:05
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Roostroyer had babies?! When did this happen?
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May 18, 2012 10:15
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Chido posted:BTW, got some pics of Roo's babies! Look at the fluffballs Fuzzy feet? Black hackles and tail? Yep, definitely Roo's kids. Not that there was any doubt.
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May 18, 2012 11:18
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SynthOrange posted:Roostroyer had babies?! When did this happen? Roostroyer impregnated one of the stray chicken hos. She disappeared for a few weeks and came back asking for child support. The arrival of the kids is announced on page 21, and Chido posts an update (with video ) on page 23.
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May 18, 2012 12:48
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luloo123 posted:Roostroyer impregnated one of the stray chicken hos. She disappeared for a few weeks and came back asking for child support. Yeah, Roostroyer has 7 kids. Chido took in the ho hen and gave the 7 chicks to some friends to raise. Sadly, 3 of the chicks turned out to be baby roosters so the friends are going to trade 2 of the roos in at the feed store. Thanks for posting the photos and the updates, Chido.
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May 18, 2012 15:06
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Chido posted:I'd quarantine the 3 month pullet for a week or two to make sure she isn't sick and won't get your chicks sick. Then if possible, introduce her to your baby flock slowly, by letting your chicks and the pullet see each other through a division so the newcomer doesn't hurt them. Chickens will fight for a bit (or a lot) to reestablish their pecking order, so a 3 month pullet would be much bigger and stronger than your 5 week old chicks. Ideally you'd let then all together if they were about the same size to minimize any chance of injury. Thank you for the advice on this. Only problem is that I didn't see it until too late... I was planning on separating her for a day or two and then introduce them slowly like that. But she is tiny and sweet! Even though she's twice the age of the others, she is about the same size as our light brahma, just a little girthier. It's obvious she was handled a lot as a chick since she sat nicely in my hands & didn't make a peep or flap about on the half hour drive home. I put all five of them in a run outside so they would be on 'neutral ground' when meeting for the first time. They got along just fine. At first the new one chirped a bit and looked around (maybe looking for her old flock?) but then she got down to scratching the dirt like the others. If anything the two youngest ones were the aggressors. They were so excited to be outside in the grass that they flapped all around and chased everyone else They all roosted together last night too so I think they will be ok.I am still a bit concerned that she might pass something on to my girls since she came from close proximity with an adult flock. My SO says that I worry too much about them and they will be fine. I checked her out pretty thoroughly and she's got clear eyes, no weird marks or wounds, no discharge, and normal looking poop. Plus if she did get sick I don't know what to look for or how to treat it so I'm just hoping for the best. The only problem right now is that I am definitely allergic to them and sneeze like crazy after chicken cuddling time. Good thing they go out in the coop this weekend. Roostroyer's little illegitimate chicks are adorable. Why are fuzzy feet the best thing ever?
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May 18, 2012 18:38
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Well, it seems that Roo has bumble foot. I noticed a while ago that the skin in the ball of his foot was hard and callus-like, but I thought that it was because he's so big his weight would make his feet get hard like that. Today I checked his toe to make sure the woud from his missing claw wasn't infected, and I noticed that patch of hard skin was black and really hard. I didn't see any sign of infection, and Roo doesn't limp when he walk. His foot also doesn't look swollen. I did a google search to find out how to treat bumble foot and it seems most people treat that at home. I'm gonna buy the supplies I need to teat his foot tomorrow, I just hope it isn't bumble foot, because I'd like to avoid going to the vet if possible...  And here I was hoping I could buy a new computer this summer 
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May 19, 2012 08:31
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That's adorable, a pet owner thinking she can buy nice things for herself (I feel your pain. Goddamn cats always getting sick right when we're about to fix poo poo around the apartment) Hope Roo clears up soon!
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May 19, 2012 08:41
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I really hope it isn't bumblefoot, since from what I read it can get serious. Roo doesn't have that ugly swollen ball-like abscess that I've seen in the pictures I found in Google, so hopefully it's just something minor. It's gonna be fun to try and hold a 10 pound cock for like 10-15 mins to soak his feet in hot water with epsom salt and scrub his footies clean... Giving a cock a pedicure... I've truly become a crazy chicken lady 
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May 19, 2012 08:49
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Chido posted:It's gonna be fun to try and hold a 10 pound cock for like 10-15 mins to soak his feet in hot water with epsom salt and scrub his footies clean... Please be careful! Weedcat sent VS to the emergency room last night! These big roosters are so very very strong, especially if they freak out while you're holding them. Perhaps you need to wrap Roostroyer in a towel to keep the wing-flapping to a minimum? Roo seems really good about being handled but you never can tell when a chicken might just flip out during a medical treatment. Do you have someone who can help you? VS has a severely sprained shoulder and is on pain pills with her arm in a sling (Nadine hates that sling). Weedcat is fine -- he's just a big oaf who just doesn't know his strength!
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May 19, 2012 15:21
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Inveigle posted:These big roosters are so very very strong, especially if they freak out while you're holding them. Perhaps you need to wrap Roostroyer in a towel to keep the wing-flapping to a minimum? Roo seems really good about being handled but you never can tell when a chicken might just flip out during a medical treatment. Do you have someone who can help you? I think a better solution is to put him in more build-a-bear clothes.
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May 19, 2012 15:29
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How did Weedcat hurt VS? And yeah I'm aware of how strong Roo can be, I've been wingslapped by him more than once  , I'm gonna wrap him in a towel and cover his head to make sure he stays calm. For some reason my chickens go into a vegetative state when I cover their heads.
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May 19, 2012 16:31
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This is why:
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May 19, 2012 17:45
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Chido posted:How did Weedcat hurt VS? And yeah I'm aware of how strong Roo can be, I've been wingslapped by him more than once VS said that she was holding Weedcat in her arms and trying to do something to his beak (he was shedding outside of his upper beak). She pulled on the peeling part of the beak and it hurt Weedcat and he freaked out. He twisted in her arms and bent her right arm backwards. She tore the tendons in her right shoulder. VS was in a lot of pain so 12_String took her to the emergency room to make sure the arm wasn't broken (it was not) and they put the arm in a sling and gave VS some painkillers. WEEDCAT!!!! (shakes fist) The perils of backyard chicken keeping!
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May 19, 2012 18:45
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Ok, done with Roo's pedicure. I wrapped him up in a towel and put him inside a container with warm water plus epsom salts, and Roo was seemingly "falling asleep." The poopyhead was going down like a brick, so I had to improvise... This is post footscrubbing. You can see the scabs in his feet.    I noticed Roo has some small scratches and the skin on one of his toes is peeling. The poop doofus is clumsy as gently caress, because I checked the coop and there's nothing there that could have hurt his feet. The other hens have no issues, so I'm guessing it's his large size what makes him more prone to this kind of wounds. I also don't think it's bumblefoot, or at least if it is, it isn't too serious right now. There was no swelling around the scabs or any visible swelling on top of his foot.  I don't know if I should just keep rinsing the area, try to remove the scab myself, or take him to the vet, since the scab and his foot don't look nearly as bad as the pictures of bumble foot I've seen. I'm kinda thinking of just letting it be, and keep an eye on it. I don't want to make it worse if it isn't swollen, but I'll soak it every day and try to slowly peel that scab off. Hopefully that will fix it.
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May 19, 2012 20:19
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The huge Roo-monster falling asleep like that is utterly adorable for some reason.
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May 19, 2012 20:22
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I know in other news, it seems I only have one broody atm, everybody else is outside the coop on their own 
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May 19, 2012 20:30
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Happy you have only one broody! If I were having a pedicure I would fall asleep too!
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May 19, 2012 21:13
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Yeah that's bumbleoot, worse on one foot than the other but I've seen worse. You are going to have to keep it clean (like you have it) and keep him off dirt and off anything that might aggravate it, like a hard roost or wire cage bottom. It takes a while to heal and he'll be more susceptible to it throughout his lifetime so check his feet periodically. It can happen due to an injury or from big fellas like him jumping down off a roost, bacteria gets in and causes it. Big roos seem more susceptible to it. I'd suggest partitioning off a portion of the enclosure and getting some cheap indoor/outdoor carpet scraps for him to be on that you can swap out and hose off until his feet heal. Soak & scrub his feet every few days and keep the carpet as poop-free as you can. Some people make their roos little booties to wear if keeping him locked up and on a clean surface isn't doable. If you do booties you can pack the wounds with Neosporin (OTC human triple antibiotic gel) to help speed healing. We once got toddler sneakers for Phoenix and cut holes for his toes and had him wear them. Needless to say, chickens HATE THIS. And yeah, the score is Weedcat 1, my right shoulder 0. He is fine, though.
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May 19, 2012 22:05
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Chido posted:This is adorable. "Oh, it's dark? I better just go to sleep."
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May 19, 2012 23:02
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Chido posted: Velvet Sparrow posted:And yeah, the score is Weedcat 1, my right shoulder 0. He is fine, though. Yikes. The Wrath of Weedcat indeed. Hope your shoulder stops aching soon!
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May 19, 2012 23:53
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Velvet Sparrow posted:
Just a suggestion if you go the booties route.  I'm sure I'm on a list somewhere after googling 'toddler stilletoes"
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May 20, 2012 00:08
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I don't have ay crate big enough to keep him isolated during the day , and Roo never sleeps on a roost. I'm gonna try the booties, or at least wrap his feet in bandages with gauze covered in neosporin against the ball of his foot. Should I try to remove the scab, or just leave it like that to heal on its own?
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May 20, 2012 00:31
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