Backyard Chickens?

[lady Dobie]

Lots of news from the coop! My rooster, Cluck Norris is a busy boy! He needed more hens! He was brutal on his initial harem was just not big enough. We now have 16 hens!
As you can see he is a much happier boy!
View attachment 146441

I also have a couple buff orpingtons of which one has gone broody. Hopefully that means we will have some baby chicks in a few days. Fingers crossed this works out. Should be just about perfect timing. My hens will be turning 2 soon so gotta keep up on the rotation!

oh beautiful fellow.. we called our Rhode Island Red .. red devil..lol

 

[lady Dobie]

We recently lost our Stumper and the girls miss him

 

[Ddski5]

We recently lost our Stumper and the girls miss himView attachment 146493

Those are beautiful chickens. What kind?

 

[lady Dobie]

Those are beautiful chickens. What kind?

thank you ..

BRAHMA CHICKENs​

 

[Ddski5]

Outside of the feathers on their feet, they look like Columbian Wyandottes.

 

[lady Dobie]

Outside of the feathers on their feet, they look like Columbian Wyandottes.

View attachment 146499

yes very much like mine

 

[MyBuddy]

The only difference was that those first two mean roosters were raised from chicks with no adult chickens to teach them manners.

Makes me think of orphaned baby elephants! They say the same thing about them. Raised without the mother or other mature elephants and they get like juvenile delinquents! Elephants are very structured and rule with an iron....trunk!

 

[GennyB]

I 'think' tomorrow marks day 21.
I say think because hubs erased my date from my garden bulletin board.

 

[Ddski5]

Ohhh
Boy…

Keep us posted.

 

[Ravenbird]

I 'think' tomorrow marks day 21.

Nothing beats baby chicks under a hen! Fingers crossed - how many eggs were there?

 

[GennyB]

Nothing beats baby chicks under a hen! Fingers crossed - how many eggs were there?

I think 6. I didn't want to stress her too much so I kinda did a half a** attempt at counting them.
I don't how many of those are fertilized so I guess we'll see.

 

[Ddski5]

Anybody deal with mites?
I have one that is missing feathers on her chest and around her head, another starting on the chest, another on her lower back. I have individually inspected three hens and cannot find anything. They are constantly preening, scratching and dust bathing but they are chickens, don’t they just do that.

I am really kinda confused. I have dry sand and they are always dust bathing (deterrent for lice/mites) but the coop/run is directly under two large trees full of birds/squirrels.

Either they have bugs or a closet feather pecker…I watched them all weekend and did not see anything happening.

Kinda thought it was a mini molt but this has been going on for 1month now. They all look good, no pale comb or weakened behaviors, all still laying eggs daily.

Will get picts when I get home.

How do you treat for mites/lice?

Elector PSP is suppose to be the best but damn that’s expensive- like $150

Ivermectin drops

Sevin dust

Permethrin

Diatomaceous Earth.

 

[Rits]

I do ivermectin drops, 3 drops under a wing. Takes care of them instantly. One bottle will last you forever.

Ivermectin for Chickens and Ducks

Ivermectin is a macrocyclic lactone anthelmintic used to treat a variety of internal and external parasites commonly found in pet poultry. Ivermectin is sold as a drench, injectable, or pour-on solution sold for use in cattle, goats, swine or horses. It is used off label in pet poultry, and...

poultrydvm.com

By the way, it hasn't been tested for poultry use so there is no known egg withdrawal time. Recommended not to eat any eggs for 7 days following.

The feathers missing on her head sounds like a bully! (or a rooster but you don't have one )

 

[Ravenbird]

When did they last molt? Not sure if I remember right, but seems like their first chick-to-chicken molt is when they feather out completely, then a full-out molt about a year later. Are yours a year old now?

I've never dealt with mites. For your sake I hope it's a summer molt!

 

[Ddski5]

Will be 1yr July 15th.
That’s why I was thinking of maybe a mini first molt.

I will have to find a camera and see if I can find the hen pecker.

 

[Ravenbird]

Where are the feathers that they've lost? When mine molt they are mostly under the roosts from over night and where they roost/preen in the daytime which is a different roost from night. Head feathers molt too, and many chickens begin their molt with head & neck feathers first. Mine were all different, but about half of them started with the head and they looked like Naked Necks (which I personally find to be too weird and don't know why anyone would want them). Haha, if they are doing their first true molt it's gonna look like a pillow fight from hell in your coop pretty soon.

 

[GennyB]

Anybody deal with mites?

No because I use diatomaceous earth. I highly recommend.
I put it in a Parmesan cheese container and sprinkle on them. I also use it all over the coop and nesting boxes.
I avoid chemicals because I eat what they do.
Molts usually happen when days start getting shorter or if the birds are stressed.

 

[GennyB]

I will have to find a camera and see if I can find the hen pecker

You will probably find your answer with a camera. They could be establishing a new pecking order.

 

[Ddski5]

The rest of the hensters

 

[Rits]

I use diatomaceous earth.

just be careful as its pretty hard on the respiratory system for both chickens and humans since its an irritant and incredibly fine.

Another option that is organic is Pyrethrin.

I am wondering if yours are molting @Ddski5 you'll know for sure over the next week or so. If you don't see any mites under their wings or around the vent, you are probably clear!