The Chicken Thread

[ChickenLady]

Alrighty then. Here is an updated picture of the meaties. They are so big they dwarf out all the other chickens in the picture pretty much...

[irishrob]

Got my 1st egg today from the chickens I got from Rachel. Small pink with a soft shell. Hope to have some real eggs soom. Also both roosters are now crowing. Just have to let my daughters decide who needs to go. Can only keep 1 Roo.

[ChickenLady]

Got my 1st egg today from the chickens I got from Rachel. Small pink with a soft shell. Hope to have some real eggs soom. Also both roosters are now crowing. Just have to let my daughters decide who needs to go. Can only keep 1 Roo.

make sure they are on layer pellets and you might want to add in some oyster shell to the mix as well to help harden up the shells Good luck!

[irishrob]

make sure they are on layer pellets and you might want to add in some oyster shell to the mix as well to help harden up the shells Good luck!

Been using a 15% protein layer pellet & they have access to oyster shell also. Might get a feed with higher protein. I was just using what they sell at the place closest to me.

[ChickenLady]

make sure they are on layer pellets and you might want to add in some oyster shell to the mix as well to help harden up the shells Good luck!

Been using a 15% protein layer pellet & they have access to oyster shell also. Might get a feed with higher protein. I was just using what they sell at the place closest to me.

The protein you're feeding is fine. The higher protein contents are more geared towards meat chickens rather than layers. As long as its a layer pellet and access to oyster shell you should be fine. You might get a few funky eggs until all the internals in the chickens get jump started and flowing.

I always hate the surprise rooster!!!

[ChickenLady]

Tuesday night is a kill night for some roosters I have. If any of you want to come over to watch the process or if you want to bring your roosters to kill with instructions come on over. I'll be doing this again in August but with meat chickens instead of heritage.

Also.. I can show you how to make a mean coq au vin out of said rooster...

[irishrob]

I have an extra rooster I need to bring to you if you want it. The oops bird I got from you. Starting to get real eggs now. 2 today.LOL

[Tyler]

Bad week for the flock. We found out one she was a he and another hurt herself, breaking her wing. Not sure what her fate will be.

[son of liberty]

Bad week for the flock. We found out one she was a he and another hurt herself, breaking her wing. Not sure what her fate will be.

Leave her be, she may be gimp for a bit but she should heal up. I had one that had a broken wing and a laceration across its back that you could loose bic lighter in and she healed up pretty well. We got 25 babies in the house now that are about a week from getting booted outside.

[Tyler]

Bad week for the flock. We found out one she was a he and another hurt herself, breaking her wing. Not sure what her fate will be.

Leave her be, she may be gimp for a bit but she should heal up. I had one that had a broken wing and a laceration across its back that you could loose bic lighter in and she healed up pretty well. We got 25 babies in the house now that are about a week from getting booted outside.

Hopefully she'll heal up, but the wing is bloody, hanging limp and I can smell the meat. She may not make it through the night since she won't go in the coop on her own, the other two are hanging by her and they're holed up in an evergreen and I can't catch them in there. The local skunk or coon may have a nice meal tonight.


ETA: I went back out and finally caught her and put her in the coop.

[ChickenLady]

Bad week for the flock. We found out one she was a he and another hurt herself, breaking her wing. Not sure what her fate will be.

Leave her be, she may be gimp for a bit but she should heal up. I had one that had a broken wing and a laceration across its back that you could loose bic lighter in and she healed up pretty well. We got 25 babies in the house now that are about a week from getting booted outside.

Hopefully she'll heal up, but the wing is bloody, hanging limp and I can smell the meat. She may not make it through the night since she won't go in the coop on her own, the other two are hanging by her and they're holed up in an evergreen and I can't catch them in there. The local skunk or coon may have a nice meal tonight.


ETA: I went back out and finally caught her and put her in the coop.

She might still be ok. Leave the wing alone but I would put some wonder dust or some livestock antibiotic on it. I would also give her a shot of antibiotics to help keep infection off. Outside of that its a crapshoot. If its a mess, the wing that is, you might try just removing it but I would not recommend that, usually they heal up on their own pretty well. I've had some real messes before.

[JustShootIt]

[ChickenLady]

awwwwww CCL spreads chicken happiness EVERYWHERE

[Tyler]

What brand is the wonder dust and who sells it?

[ChickenLady]

What brand is the wonder dust and who sells it?

Wonder Dust is the name of the product. There are a few knock off versions that would be just as well. You can find it at TS but its overpriced. I usually buy it online as its cheaper.

When you come by to drop that rooster off I can give you a baggy of it if you want me too, that'll get you by until you can get some ordered. I would also order some antibiotics ointment.

I keep a bottle of this:

http://www.jefferspet.com/tri-care/cami ... /cn/25615/

and this:

http://www.jefferspet.com/product.asp?p ... 0CB3CABB11

TS sells penicillin the cheapest and they sell syringes. I would buy both.. a small bottle of penicillin is about 7-10 bucks and will last a long time in the fridge.

The three of these are my "chicken first aid kit" Chicken's for the most part are pretty resilient little things. Remember, i fyou do treat with the penicillin, you can't eat the eggs until two weeks after the last dosing.

[Tyler]

Well, the rooster is at my wife's aunt's place in Indiana and will have a good life there. The injured hen is dead. I found her in the coop when I got home today. I think an infection killed her as I didn't see any new wounds on her or blood on the other hens. Pretty shitty end to a shitty day.

So now we're down to two, but I did get my first full-sized egg today and made dinner with the other tiny ones I've gotten. I may be in the market for a young laying hen if you've got one to part with.

[ChickenLady]

Well, the rooster is at my wife's aunt's place in Indiana and will have a good life there. The injured hen is dead. I found her in the coop when I got home today. I think an infection killed her as I didn't see any new wounds on her or blood on the other hens. Pretty shitty end to a shitty day.

So now we're down to two, but I did get my first full-sized egg today and made dinner with the other tiny ones I've gotten. I may be in the market for a young laying hen if you've got one to part with.

How did you get down to just two?

I have no younger laying hens to part with but in a few weeks I can sell you a few week olds if that works? I've got about 3 extra babies right now I wouldn't mind parting with, but they need another 2-3 weeks on em before they are ready to "fly the coop".

Sorry couldn't help myself lol

[ChickenLady]

Have to go get another bag of feed today. I have been feeding them twice a day since it is recommended that you do 12 hours on and then 12 hours off of feed. So they get fed before I go to work and when I come home. They have a dog dish that I've been using and they have been eating about 7lbs of food a day. This weekend I'm going to separate the run from the coop and move it into the shade a little and then move the meaties into that. That way the big chicks can still get into the coop and the meaties can be safely contained in the run at night.

Then I have another order of 35 that I need to get placed. On top of the 5 turkeys I ordered yesterday and I've got 9 little baby egg layers in the shed as well.

Lost my damn mind.

[Tyler]

I started with just the 4 I got from you and one was a rooster, other is dead.

[ChickenLady]

I started with just the 4 I got from you and one was a rooster, other is dead.

I thought you bought 5 from me

Just let me know what you want to do and we can figure it out from there.

[ChickenLady]

Week 5

[ChickenLady]

Right on track. Males are average 2.5lbs and females are just a hair over two. The next 3 weeks I fully expect them to eat 100lbs of feed. Right now they have finished off about 100lbs . They will also grow another 4 to 7 lbs the nexg three weeks as well...

[ChickenLady]

meat chickens are now outside. roosters go into confinement tomm for slaughter. Fuck roosters

[ChickenLady]

rooster one in confinement. big boy. he'll be tasty

[JustShootIt]

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