November Chicken Chat Thread~~~Join in!~~~

[3lilbubs]

Well it would be interesting to say the least. LOL! The blinders are soft plastic, you pull on them to open the space between two little blunt prongs on either side and the prong part sits just inside their nostril like a clip on earring. It doesn't harm them and though they'll snort and shake their heads for a few minutes because it feels weird, they get used to it and go on like nothing's changed pretty quickly. It's been the saving grace in my flock when everyone was pecking the poor brahma bloody.

[Bumstoppers]

Originally Posted by 3lilbubs Well it would be interesting to say the least. LOL! The blinders are soft plastic, you pull on them to open the space between two little blunt prongs on either side and the prong part sits just inside their nostril like a clip on earring. It doesn't harm them and though they'll snort and shake their heads for a few minutes because it feels weird, they get used to it and go on like nothing's changed pretty quickly. It's been the saving grace in my flock when everyone was pecking the poor brahma bloody.

Interesting yes, good hens eh, not so much. I think that I would rather take my chances on something else.

Okay I found a blog post that explained those things really well. They did say that they all need them so no one is different, where I was only going I do the 3 RIR.

[3lilbubs]

Yeah, hard to explain until you actually see it on. Be careful not to pinch her nostril closed with the pin. It really is a 2 person job but quick when you get to it.

I think a cross between my Black sexlinks and EE roo would make a really good regular layer, possibly with some of the light body type and food needs of the EE. HMM... something I'm going to have to try out in spring.

[Resellmybelle]

New here!!

Want to report in about our new babes, sorry if something doesn't add up, long day.

We received our day old chicks order a week ago today from the hatchery. They arrived at the p.o. at 6:30am, we were there by 6:45. My dd (13) made the order up herself, I selected two types. These chicks will be pets, we are in the city and this kind of thing is a taste for us of life in the country which we yearn for. Any roo's will have to go.

We have raised chickens, even hatched them which was amazing (buff orpingtons, barred rock, frizzle bantams) previously, but rescued a hungry mini schnauzer 2 years ago who began picking them off, so we gave the remaining girls to country friends. He's well fed now and with training, I think we will be ok. If not, he will be on the leash when outdoors.

The hatchery sent six boys for warmth (labeled boys, but do not know how they could tell) in the box, turned out to be ee's and so cute, which we sold on Sunday, thru a local fb group.

We did not want standard EE's since we are going to have crested polish (feathers block their eyes) and only wanted mostly bantam so they would not get picked on. The one exception was the white Cochin standard, because I had to have her! She was the only one guaranteed to be pullet. Rest are straight run.

The polish are so athletic! They are already beginning to try to roost, we have bird perches in the brooder, lol just for fun.

Standard:
4 polish: 2 buff & 2 black
1 white Cochin pullet (ooooh she is sooo fluffy and pretty!)

The bantams are:
2 mille fleur
4 frizzle: 2 black & 2 red
2 silkies: 1 buff & 1 red
2 Buff seabright

One (think it is one of our 2 buff lace polish) has what appears to be a broken leg right at the elbow, which we have splinted, unsplinted (because it wasn't really helping) and have been trying to care for it as best we can. It is sad, this is not for the faint of heart, is it?

SOOOOO.......It has been a week, is it safe to begin handling, cuddling them a bit? Only two had pasty booties, which after a warm butt bath, seem to be doing better today.

[sarahannecloud9]

Huge ongrats Michelle! You can stat with holding hands in the bin and letting them perch on you. Them when they become more comfy holding them. Speaking of splints, I just wrote Gina of keeping chickens about this and she put the letter and pics in this months newsletter. I had never dealt with it before. I read everything i could find. What I found most amazeing is if caught early they rebound so well/fast! I had 1 that was severe and had to be put down. The other, I can't even tell which chick it was, lol. What amazeing little creatures! Welcome and feel free to chime in with anything at all! Be sure to share some pics too!

AFM-I let the broody out and I'll just have to see how she does today.

My first batch of chicks are growing too fast! I split them into 2 huge bins and they are already filling the space. Ray has already started in on me to put them out! Gah. I keep the bins cleaned out, he just hates any chicken smell. I think they would be fine in their coop/run I made. I just think they are still too small. Need to check the age on the calender again. I can't keep up.


Becky-How is the wounded girl healing? I actually ended up with one cross from my bantamXcochin cross boys. it's the cutest little thing. I have some pics of my 2 X boys we had. They were actually georgious. Med sized. This one looks like a wild bird. It's moma was a buckeye, whick is almost identical to a rir. It's all feathered out now so I'll get a pic.

Liz-What's the bator holding at this am?

[3lilbubs]

Michelle what a fun mix! I start handling them when they're a few days old. Like sarah said, just keep your hand in there and talk to them. It helps to have their brooder up on a table so that you are eye level with them and they aren't frightened by a big giant suddenly appearing over the box. Congrats!

AFM, I woke up this am to lovely drizzling rain. Just as I feared though, it set the bator out of whack and though the temp held fine apparently the rain outside and the heater running indoors messed with my humidity and it dropped all the way from 42% when I went to bed at 11 to 16% when I got up at 7am. I'm hoping with this only being day 1 and it probably wasn't below 20% for very long that it didn't cause any harm. BOO! I was afraid of that and I didn't know what to do. now I know. Turned the chicklets the first time this am. Have to say it was a little odd cracking a bunch of eggs for breakfast a mere 10 steps from where I'm hatching their siblings. LOL

[3lilbubs]

DP

[sarahannecloud9]

Liz. William is now calling all eggs babies. How will I explain if we were to order somewhere for b-fast and he asks for babies, hahaha!!!!??????? Wacky kids. I keep telling him only the eggs in the bators will be babies.

Wow, it dropped? Had to have been the heater? I have a humidifier in the bathroom to keep the air stable. Do you have one Liz? The bathroom is more climate controlled than you may think. Turn the fan/vent on while showering, keep the humidifier going and turn up and down as needed. It solved my issues along with opening the vent plugs. My humidifier has that humidity reader on it so I always know the humidity in and out of the bator in that room. It only reads as low as 20. With the heater running so much it's been stuck around that #. I'm keeping it on med-high and keeping the door shut. The kitchen was impossible to controll with the drafts and doors, ect.

So the weather was awsome today! Crappy day either way though. Spent it doing legs and coop. Also medicateing. I am sooooo worried though. I have treated in every way and their legs look like crap again. WHAT DO I DO!!??!!

The dumb broody is back stealing eggs. She sat in an empty nest all day. The girls fav nest. Started trouble in the coop so the girls sat on her to lay!!!! Of course I didn't take the camera out, of all days. I always have it. Then I had to fight her for them. She freezes up and I roller her like a log, stiff as a board. :scratchead: All the while growling like a coon. I locked her out after did her legs. I did it in the coop, well under, again. That way I can chum them in the one section, block the doorway, then put them out the top swing door and they can't get back in. All but Solomon, had to catch him. Poor fella. Anyways, she puffed up out side of the coop/run and started a fight with every single chicken. I had to keep the kids away from her in fear she would go on a real rampage. She was acting that mad! Cayden sid I should give her a bunch of golfballs. But she keeps getting in the nests with the most eggs and they lay on her. I have no solution.

What a cruddy day. My back is so stinkin shot. I don't know if I can do this again. But what if their legs don't start looking better. It takes time for them to heal and grow new scales so how do I know if the stupid mites are gone.

[3lilbubs]

Ha, cute! Mine are a little baffled too, Danny keeps asking if I'm cooking the ones in the bator. lol It must have been the heater, the vent is just a few feet from where the bator is sitting so tonight I may add a little water before I go to bed if I think it needs it. Our bathroom is so cold, and I don't have a humidifier so I can't really set up there. For the broody, do you have any cage that you can put her in like a dog crate or a small wire animal cage? I plan to use my wire bottomed rabbit hutch if I get a broody that needs breaking. I think at this point she needs some tough love. This is a good read:

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/201...-to-hatch.html

[sarahannecloud9]

Well, back in the chick coop she goes! All I have. Thanks Liz!