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Please do steal the name, I'd be honored. The only thing that kept my Inara in the coop was putting bird netting over the top, so she couldn't fly over the top. This was after she was flying over a seven foot fence.
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Aug 4, 2012 15:18
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Chido + Velvet Sparrow posted:More excellent advice!  Right now better fencing isn't really an option, cost-wise (their housing is all made of materials we've got laying around the property). I'll try running two staggered layers of fencing to reduce the hole size, but for the time being it seems to be mostly working. Once I save up some spending cash I'll revisit the fencing. Someone is home and keeping an eye/ear out for the chickens 95% of the time (the coop is right off the front porch), and when we're not they get locked up. There's also always a good amount of hustle and bustle around the property, so we don't have much in the way of predators during the day. We get hawks, but Wexter herds his girls under the coop whenever they're about. Nighttime predators include raccoons, coyotes, rats, and owls. (I realize these all sound like half-baked excuses, and the situation is a ticking time-bomb. I will be beefing the fence up - hopefully sooner rather than later) Hardware cloth is definitely my preference here - I'll just have to source some that is large enough scale for what I want. My eventual goal is to fence in ~1/4 acre around the house, and that's gonna get EXPENSIVE, especially if I buy it in little dainty rolls from Home Depot.  I'm so worried about doing the meet-n-greets properly, though I suspect it's probably less of a precise science than I'm imagining it to be. On the upside, the two younger birds are getting more tolerant of being held! They squirm a lot less now when I pick them up - progress! WrathofKhan posted:Please do steal the name, I'd be honored. The only thing that kept my Inara in the coop was putting bird netting over the top, so she couldn't fly over the top. This was after she was flying over a seven foot fence.  I'm hoping my Inara will be less ambitious than her namesake, but she can already easily fly on top of my head, so I suspect that hope's going to be short-lived. If I need bird netting, I'll just get bird netting. Lots and lots of it.  Oh yeah, and here's a photo of when they were little babies! From L to R: Orp, Ameraucana, Welsummer, BPR. I think they're just under a week old here. 
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Aug 5, 2012 06:22
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Muffy_the_Diver posted:I'm so worried about doing the meet-n-greets properly, though I suspect it's probably less of a precise science than I'm imagining it to be. On the upside, the two younger birds are getting more tolerant of being held! They squirm a lot less now when I pick them up - progress! Hey Muffy -- Not sure if this might help you but, a few months ago, I posted a couple of short videos of Velvet Sparrow's daughter doing some meet 'n' greets with VS's new flock of chicks who are two months old. In the two vids, the young chickens are meeting an older adult hen and a young adult rooster. You can observer how The Kid acts as chicken wrangler and closely watches over the chickens and breaks up potential aggression. Video 1: VS's baby chickens meet CM Cluck! CM's vocalizations and behavior meant that she was ready to go over and teach those uppity young chicks some manners. The Kid stayed right with CM and kept her from attacking the babies. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RAEjhuZzMQ Video 2: The babies meet Weedcat, a year old roo. Weedcat is a very sweet-natured rooster but had never been around young chicks before so he was very nervous. The braver chicks kept running in close to check out Weedcat but also some (like little brown rooster named Bloop) were challenging him. Weedcat was getting frustrated towards the end because the babies kept eating HIS cheese and were trying to steal the cheese out of his beak! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4ORifVaMtk
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Aug 5, 2012 06:46
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This is how we began introducing Roo to our frist 3 chick flock, and we'd had the chicks for a couple of months only. We had the coop outside the kitchen because it had been raining a lot during those days and we applied a sealant to the coop's wood yet. Roo was outside because 1) he was a big butt as you can see and 2) my three ghetto pullets went  on him, so for everybody's sake he'd hangout outside.  After a few days they'd lay down next to each other with only the coop's wire division between them.  We'd let them hangout together under supervision, and after the first or second night, I started to put Roo inside the coop at night.  Roo was so fluffy and big the pullets kept trying to get under Mommy Roo  So I'd say you shouldn't worry too much about the introduction. If you find a way to put some sort of division so they can see each other but can't hurt each other, they'll acccept each other faster .
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Aug 5, 2012 07:26
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WrathofKhan posted:Please do steal the name, I'd be honored. The only thing that kept my Inara in the coop was putting bird netting over the top, so she couldn't fly over the top. This was after she was flying over a seven foot fence. You named her after a Goddess of wild animals. She was only living up to her namesake! That is a beautiful name.
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Aug 5, 2012 22:48
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My chicks are being shipped today! I’m so excited and nervous. I’m going to set up my brooder tonight when I get home. They will be in my outdoor shed eventually, but I’m thinking it is better for the first couple weeks to set it up in my basement because the temperature will be more or less stable and I won’t be constantly needing to raise and lower the heat lamp with every change in temperature.
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Aug 6, 2012 22:08
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Congrats on the fluffy butts! How exciting. Getting baby chicks is the most awesome. Picesbobbie: Nah, I named her after the character on Firefly. Because she was very pretty, and surprisingly good at flying  I should clarify that she wasn't flying over the fence. She fly up about six feet, grab onto the wire, and then flap/climb up the last bit.
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Aug 6, 2012 22:34
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The babies got their first live grasshopper today. I found it while watering and after smacking it with a shovel two or three times (damned things are TOUGH) to stun it, I tossed it in with them. They all came running over... ...and stood on it. So I shooed them away a bit and flicked it around with a stick. They pecked excitedly... ...at the stick. By now I'm scolding them and the big chickens in the run next to them are yowling loudly and going INSANE because they know EXACTLY what to do with a damned grasshopper. The grasshopper, no fool, is being perfectly still. Finally the hopper made the ultimate mistake and opened his wings, trying to fly. Georgia thought he was yummy. VVVV Naw,he's still young. He ran off under the roosts and gobbled it down. Though grasshoppers being very spikey, I could tell it kinda stuck going down. 
Velvet Sparrow fucked around with this message at 11:03 on Aug 7, 2012 |
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Aug 7, 2012 03:01
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Velvet Sparrow posted:The babies got their first live grasshopper today. I found it while watering and after smacking it with a shovel two or three times (damned things are TOUGH) to stun it, I tossed it in with them. They all came running over... Did Georgia do the chicken thing of picking it up and running around, clucking loudly about the treat he has, while the others chase him?
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Aug 7, 2012 07:14
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Vaga42Bond posted:Did Georgia do the chicken thing of picking it up and running around, clucking loudly about the treat he has, while the others chase him? Amazing what goes into a free range egg, isn't it?
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Aug 7, 2012 10:11
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Zeta Taskforce posted:My chicks are being shipped today! I’m so excited and nervous. That was me two weeks ago!  I'm sure everything will turn out fine. Just make sure you have food and water waiting for them. Someone told me a trick that worked great, put a nickle in their water. It will make them try to peck it and quickly learn where to drink from. Also, here are some really crappy videos of my chicks having their first outdoor adventure. I was holding a cocktail in one hand and my cell phone in the other. I don't know any other way to spend the afternoon than sit outside with the chickens and have a drink.  Ignore my super pale goon feet and baby talk, and my mom being concerned a chick is going to choke to death on a feather. http://youtu.be/IhJ6M4NypAE http://youtu.be/nnPeogXU1pw UltraGrey fucked around with this message at 22:31 on Aug 7, 2012 |
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Aug 7, 2012 22:28
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Sad day. We just found one of our 3 year old hens from Chickam in 2009, Voodoo, dead with a prolapsed vent. She was in great health and had been fine minutes before, poor baby.  This is Voodoo in 2009, she is the chick in front. Moet, our Frizzle Cochin, was her foster mom. 
Velvet Sparrow fucked around with this message at 03:52 on Aug 8, 2012 |
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Aug 8, 2012 02:56
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Oh no I'm so sorry VS  She was such a cutie
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Aug 8, 2012 03:55
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So very sorry to hear about Voodoo, VS. I'm sure she had a lovely life with you and her flock. I love that photo of Moet with her foster chicks spending the night on your couch.
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Aug 8, 2012 04:32
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VS so sorry to hear about Voodoo. HUGS to you and your family. Vent problems, poor hens have to do everything with one exit. Hope you and your family are well and hope the chickens and chicks are all getting along.
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Aug 8, 2012 04:52
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What makes it worse is that I leave tomorrow for two days in southern California to pick up my car...so I'll worry about the rest of them the entire time. 
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Aug 8, 2012 07:06
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We had our first fox attack this evening. About 8:30 Boo started one of her 'egg dance' crowing and my other half went out to quiet her down and then shouted "Fox!" I'd, as luck had it had followed her into the kitchen with the teapot and that's what got thrown at the running fox which had a huge mass of feathers in its mouth. Three of the hens had bunched together, standing tall and then ran staight into the kitchen but we couldn't find Pip, just a trail of feathers, so many loose feathers. Then she appeared from behind some bins outside the kitchen door. She was the one attacked. All four safe though. Checked her over, while she stood trembling and slightly gasping. She has a large patch of feathers on her underside pulled out and at least three bite/tooth holes on her upper torso under the wing. No dripping blood, no skin tears. Seems the huge amount of feathers she grew meant the fox didn't get a good grip on her. The other three scoffed live meal worms while this was going on, so they weren't the ones the fox went for. Pip then had some meal worms (yay!) and a drink of water, I carried her back to the covered run and locked them all in. They all went into the nest shortly after. We will see how she is in the morning and if in any doubt book her a vet appointment. We were lucky this time. Is it the case once a fox has found livestock to go for it will return again & again?
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Aug 8, 2012 21:41
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spookygonk posted:Is it the case once a fox has found livestock to go for it will return again & again? Yup. Predators know when there's easy pickings and they'll keep returning until the food supply is exhausted and will also check back periodically to see if food has returned. If you have a run, you should put the chickens in it. If you don't have a run, perhaps consider building one? You could also try to trap the fox. Best thing to do is hire someone to trap the fox for you (if you want to be nice to the fox find someone who'll trap it and then take the captured fox and release it somewhere, rather than killing it). This can sometimes be expensive though, so inquire about costs first. You might also be able to rent a trap and do it yourself but do be careful when handling/releasing wild animals. Inveigle fucked around with this message at 22:02 on Aug 8, 2012 |
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Aug 8, 2012 21:59
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Inveigle posted:Yup. Predators know when there's easy pickings and they'll keep returning until the food supply is exhausted and will also check back periodically to see if food has returned.  And there's a further fence up setup circling the run which they stay in until midday:  but we were obviously lax in putting them back in the fenced off are and then the run as evening drew on, which was our (big) mistake. The fox caught Pip in the back of the fenced off area which she couldn't escape from. Inveigle posted:You could also try to trap the fox. Best thing to do is hire someone to trap the fox for you (if you want to be nice to the fox find someone who'll trap it and then take the captured fox and release it somewhere, rather than killing it).
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Aug 8, 2012 23:30
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spookygonk posted:And there's a further fence up setup circling the run which they stay in until midday: A fox could easily jump that fence -- they can jump 6 feet high if need be. They can also climb wire fences and trees.
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Aug 9, 2012 01:13
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Chickens arrived today! What am I getting myself into?  
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Aug 9, 2012 03:51
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Zeta Taskforce - CONGRATULATIONS! They are so adorable. I'm jealous! How was it, picking them up from the post office? Could you hear the massive peeping?
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Aug 9, 2012 04:32
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Zeta Taskforce posted:Chickens arrived today! What am I getting myself into? Oh god. Cuteness overload! Check out her eyeliner! What breed of chick is this? Love the stripe on her back and head.  Soooo...how can we convince you to put a webcam in the brooder box, Zeta Taskforce? 
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Aug 9, 2012 04:36
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Zeta, you won't truly be a chicken keeper until you tuck a couple of chicks inside a hoodie so they cuddle against your neck
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Aug 9, 2012 05:26
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Inveigle posted:Oh god. Cuteness overload! Check out her eyeliner! What breed of chick is this? Love the stripe on her back and head. The chick with the adorable eyes is an Americaunas, commonly called Easteregger because they lay blue or green eggs.
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Aug 9, 2012 07:11
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12_String posted:The chick with the adorable eyes is an Americaunas, commonly called Easteregger because they lay blue or green eggs. I'm glad you know because I can't begin to tell them apart. I was looking at pics of baby chicks and trying to guess. I have 4 each of Barred Plymouth Rock, Aconda, Welsummer, and Easter Eggers. One thing I didn't realize until seeing them first hand was how much they move and how fast they can run .
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Aug 9, 2012 12:08
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Zeta Taskforce posted:Chickens arrived today! What am I getting myself into?  They are too cute!I love those chicks with the cream coloring and black all down their backs.
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Aug 9, 2012 12:16
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Are the tan with black stripe down the back Welsummer?
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Aug 9, 2012 17:06
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piscesbobbie posted:Are the tan with black stripe down the back Welsummer? 12_String said those were Americaunas, commonly called Eastereggers because they lay blue or green eggs. So adorable!
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Aug 9, 2012 17:26
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My chicks are all out of the enclosed run today, mingling with the big hens. I haven't put them all in the run together, just given them the run of the garden, which is a sort of neutral zone. Flora came and sat on my lap earlier!
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Aug 9, 2012 17:29
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Nettle Soup posted:My chicks are all out of the enclosed run today, mingling with the big hens. I haven't put them all in the run together, just given them the run of the garden, which is a sort of neutral zone. Flora came and sat on my lap earlier! Nettle Soup - post a new video soon? Please, pretty please!
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Aug 10, 2012 04:24
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Inveigle posted:12_String said those were Americaunas, commonly called Eastereggers because they lay blue or green eggs. So adorable! Actually both breeds can have that pattern. The cute chick with eyeliner and puffy cheeks in the last pic is probably an easter egger, which come in lots of colors and patterns but the cheeks are the real giveaway. The two chicks by the waterer in the first picture look like Welsummers to me. They seem to have more 'defined' markings and a longer stripe of brown eyeliner than the EE's do. I have one of each and it was a bit hard to tell them apart when once they started feathering out. Zeta you may want to use this website to guess what they will look like as adults: http://www.plumjam.com/poultry/breeds/ee-colors.cfm I also have good news - my girls laid their first egg today! I think it was either the barred rock or the cochin. The cochin has been squatting for me all week so my money's on her, even though they are supposed to be slow to lay. The barred rock did sing an egg song a few weeks ago so I won't know for sure until I catch her in the act. Chico I was so sorry to hear about Spaghetti. I decided on a barred rock and light brahma partly because I liked yours so much and I know how much they mean to you 
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Aug 10, 2012 05:22
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Awww thank you My chick order arrives in mid september, but we haven't had the time to buy the material and start building the coop expansion. I'm thinking about cancelling the order and wait until next year... but chickies...
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Aug 10, 2012 06:06
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Alright, one of my chickens (95% sure it's Maeby) has started pecking at eggs. Not eating them (yet) but just pecking a hole in them. So far it's happened two days in a row. Anyone have suggestions for how to stop this before it gets out of control?
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Aug 10, 2012 06:12
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Ceridwen posted:Alright, one of my chickens (95% sure it's Maeby) has started pecking at eggs. Not eating them (yet) but just pecking a hole in them. So far it's happened two days in a row. Either build an egg eater-proof nestbox, or limit the access the suspect hen has to the coop XD. This video has a nice, simple design for egg eating hens. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWuAz0NsE9Y
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Aug 10, 2012 06:27
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Hey Spookygonk, how is Pip doing since the attack. Is all well?
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Aug 10, 2012 14:40
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jenelle posted:Actually both breeds can have that pattern. The cute chick with eyeliner and puffy cheeks in the last pic is probably an easter egger, which come in lots of colors and patterns but the cheeks are the real giveaway. The two chicks by the waterer in the first picture look like Welsummers to me. They seem to have more 'defined' markings and a longer stripe of brown eyeliner than the EE's do. I have one of each and it was a bit hard to tell them apart when once they started feathering out. Zeta you may want to use this website to guess what they will look like as adults: http://www.plumjam.com/poultry/breeds/ee-colors.cfm Congrats on the egg! I'm going to check that site out and spend more time this weekend with them. I think you are right about the Welsummer. They have the dark thick triangle mohawk thing going on. The aconda are the cream colored with the dark patches.
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Aug 10, 2012 14:45
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Zeta Taskforce posted:I'm glad you know because I can't begin to tell them apart. I was looking at pics of baby chicks and trying to guess. I have 4 each of Barred Plymouth Rock, Aconda, Welsummer, and Easter Eggers. One thing I didn't realize until seeing them first hand was how much they move and how fast they can run . The ones that look mostly black with the white spots on the head are the barred rocks, the ones that are even split black and white are the Anconas, Welsummers are the darker ones with the chipmunk stripes and dark brown V on top of the head, and the Ameraucanas are the ones that are left over (with puffy cheeks).
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Aug 10, 2012 16:06
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Who wants to see some pictures of my cocks? (and hens too) Here's my golden laced Wyandotte roo, he's the lowest on the totem pole since he's so sweet. His name is Goku thanks to my little brothers.  This is the head roo, Grubby. He's 3 years old and a Maran. He is exceedingly selfish, and will even peck his ladies if they've got a treat he wants.  This is my dark Cornish hen, she was an extra in a chick order. She's surprisingly heavy and muscular. She doesn't have a name, we just call her the meatie, as she our only non-layer.  This is Red, the oldest chicken I have and the first chicken I ever raised. She's about five, and I bought her at the auction barn around here for  as a started pullet. She's starting to show her age as she only lays 2-3 eggs per week as opposed to the others who lay everyday (minus the Cornish). I'll keep her around even if she stops laying all together though, because she's my favourite. This is my light Brahma. Her name is Rosemary and she's my second favourite because she rides on my shoulder like a parrot.  This is Lucy, a roo, though he doesn't look like it currently as he lost his tail feathers to a dog while protecting the rest of the flock. He walks with a limp now but is just as fast as all the others. I currently have ten babies separated from the older chickens in a chicken tractor that I built myself.  It took forever to build, but it's useful whenever I have a injured or picked on chicken. Lucy lived in it for a month after the dog attack.   Easter Eggers!  My Cochin, who bonded to me and now thinks I'm it's mother. I ordered a black Cochin but she's definitely barred.  My white Leghorn, AKA the flightiest chicken ever. She is scared of everything and was terrified of my phone when I was taking her picture.  My buff Orphington and Ancona roo. The Ancona is already crowing, though it really sounds like someone's strangling a chick.
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Aug 10, 2012 20:06
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Well poo poo, the chickens gave me a heart attack today, specially Roo. I just got home and went to check on the chickens. It's been really hot here so I'm worried about how they are handling it. There's nobody home so I have no idea when Roo injured himself, but dammit chickens, can't you just stop trying to be so  and leave pieces of you everywhere?As I went outside I see a few of the hens with blood on their beaks. My first reaction was: holy poo poo did Megatron break her beak, why is she bleeing? WTF more hens have bloody faces, what did they kill? Well, they didn't kill anything, but they sure had fn pecking at Roo's brken footfeathers. Pretty much all the feathers on his ourter right foot are gone, all the feathers broke at their base so I can see the hollow quills. Most have stopped bleeding, only one was dripping a bit of blood. Cute to me grabbing him, wrapping him on a t-shirt, and rinsing his foot while he's screaming bloody murder. I put some flour on the quills since I forgot I have kiwk-stop, so I'll apply that once he calms down and I clean his foot again. Dumb Roo also got bumblefoot again because he's an idiot who doesn't want where he steps when he chases his hens, so I gotta bandage his feet again. At least the footpads don' feel hard like before, so I seems the infection is only on the skin. Seriously Princess Roo gets more pedicures than me 
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Aug 10, 2012 23:30
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