Quite Simply, Chook Chat

[RichmondHens]

It's fine, in fact I can't tell which one it was now. They are all running around together as normal. What a relief!

[petal]

I put a waterer on a chick once and didn't realise until the day after- it was an exchequer leghorn and the prettiest thing ever- one of the first chicks we hatched- I still cringe thinking about it. finding its little flat body.........

[jessmorris]

Eww, Petal! Still, I don't feel so bad now about finding Miss Buffy hanging upside down with her feet caught in fruit netting I'd covered the run with. It was about 10pm and she had worn the grass down flapping about trying to extricate herself all day. Oops. Still, she's fine now and raising her second brood.

[jessmorris]

BTW Petal, can you remind me of your sexing-chicks-by-the-tail technique? Was it tidy little folded tails mean girls and bigger curled feathers mean boys?....I think it was you who mentioned it last year. I have deffo two types of tail on the Orloffs...

[petal]

girls have more rounded tail and saddle feathers, boys pointed and long- same on neck/hackle feathers. shine a torch in the dark and boys gleam and shine. They tend to be more upright and obnoxious and their legs tend to be bigger.

[Hilary B]

BABY hens get their tails sooner than their brothers, but the boys end up with bigger tails once grown.

[petal]

true, they feather up quicker in general, the females. combs tend to be smaller and paler too.

[jessmorris]

Hmm, mine have wing and tail feathers and a couple have head/shoulder feathers. They're at that very ugly gawky stage, all quills, down and big feet! The tails are the most distinctive difference tho'...and some have ENORMOUS knees (those WILL be boys I think!).
Thankyou,
JM

[petal]

10 baby turkeys have hatched! my son is delighted - but not impressed by my comment about christmas dinner.....

[polo]

Ooh, exciting Petal!

How do you all contain yourselves - we are at day 12 and can hardly stand it!!!

[RichmondHens]

Ooh, exciting Petal!

How do you all contain yourselves - we are at day 12 and can hardly stand it!!!

I get just as excited with every hatch. The euphoria wears off quicker these days though. I go through a two day "aren't they cute" period then they just become an extra coop/pen to deal with and I start saying to myself (especially when it's pouring like recently), why did I do this?

Left my goslings outside all night for the first time last night as it is so mild. They have been outside in the day but coming inside under heat at night. They were the first lot I checked this morning and they were fine. Came out of their little house and went off happily to graze just like old timers. They are seriously cute - Petal you really need to get some if you have plenty of grass.

[BarleySugar]

Our ladies found their wings worked this week Calypso ended up right on the top of the greenhouse, higher than last time, and Roadie flew quite high when she got startled. With 4 dogs next door, I couldn't take any chances. I confined them to barracks until today, when Son No2 and I clipped their wings. We had a bit of a problem with Lilypad as she is the most timid and kept scooting back under the coop rather than being captivated by the corn we scattered. I am very proud of the very quick pounce I made .
I have to say, it was very quick and easy, and we did them all while we were out there. Afterwards they enjoyed a good roam around the whole garden, and I felt much more comfortable knowing they wouldn't be able to go anywhere.
We had evidence it worked when our cat Smokey came home to a garden full of chickens. She was as afraid of them as vice versa. They fluttered and squawked a bit, she hid under the garden seat until I herded the hens down the garden so she could get indoors.
Four of them are now laying, but we aren't too sure which ones. The two eggs looked normal size, but were double yolkers, we now get smaller pullet size ones, but even the tinyiest one had a very small yolk.

[jessmorris]

Hello there,
I learnt two interesting things today that I'd like to share, even one is slightly shameful:

1) my broody nest had fleas (eww) which I had never associated with hens before, and
2) on another poultry forum I visit there was a discussion about a specialist poultry food. Several folk complained about the pullet grower pellets bringing their girls into lay too early so they prolapsed when they started laying. Ring any bells with anyone, or is it just conjecture/folklore?

Back to my (chicken) curry.....

[jessmorris]

I put a waterer on a chick once and didn't realise until the day after- it was an exchequer leghorn and the prettiest thing ever- one of the first chicks we hatched- I still cringe thinking about it. finding its little flat body.........

What do these exchequer leghorns look like? They sound grand....

[petal]

it was really pretty but ask RH- she breeds them. dunno about the pellets- fleas ?in the nest box? wierd or what.