# Got chicks?



## Marsha Cassada (May 3, 2015)

We are down to just four hens so had to get some new chicks this spring. They've been in the house but were starting to fly out of the box so today we put them in the barn in an old tank. They are the calmest, mellowest chicks we've ever had. They are barred rocks.

Anyone else have spring chicks?


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## atotton (May 3, 2015)

Cute. I have some Speckled Sussex chicks coming later this month. I am hoping to get a hatch of bantam cochins too.


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## Debby - LB (May 4, 2015)

One of our pretty little dark hens hatched out 9 and I was so enjoying them but we lost them all and the hen to a Fox. I'm so sick of them, we thought we had gotten rid of them. A neighbor down the road killed 3 of them and we killed one a couple months ago that was coming up in the yard in the day time after our chickens. Poor thing needed killing her was bald with terrible mange and so skinny. I really felt sorry for him. It's heartbreaking when the fox or these darn hawks get after the chickens. I love to see the hens with their biddies.


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## amysue (May 4, 2015)

Both incubators are full, one with laying birds and the other with ducks and geese. Should hatch in the next day or so. Banties have hatched a bunch already, all mixes between mille fkeurs, black and mottled cochins. My peahen is sitting on a clutch of 3, so hope she hatches them out. We have a hawk problem at the moment. I have been swatting at it with a pool skimmer atop the barn roof. Makes hubby laugh uncontrollably.


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## Marsha Cassada (May 4, 2015)

Friends of mine who live on the edge of town are losing chickens to foxes and hawks. We lost a hatched baby to a bull snake a couple of years ago, and once to a road runner. But not the whole family. What a heartbreak.

None of our hens went broody this year, so we had to buy chicks.


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## dixie_belle (May 4, 2015)

Oh, I thought for a moment you said, "Got ticks" and I thought...duh, I live in rural Kentucky, of course I've got ticks. Then I reread the title and just had to say....nevermind. LOL


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## lkblazin (May 5, 2015)

Yup got bantys in the mail. Barred rocks and frizzels. Also got like 20 some odd eggs under two broodies. But I don't think they are OK. The hens keep sitting on the wrong eggs. I go out there and another hen lays an egg, and then they sit on that instead of the clutch. Urrfgfg so irritating. I even had some good ones I wanted to hatch.

Been working on olive egger bantams. I have a few hens first gen. Now I need to get to the second gen, then I'll be satisfied lol


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## Debby - LB (May 6, 2015)

we have a hen that's started sitting! yesterday in a nest we found in our green house. I hope she can raise them it hurts me so bad when something happens to them. All of our games are free range. The ones the fox got recently he got all but two little biddies I got up that morning and went out to 2 little chicks who ran around and screamed for their mama all day, I tried to catch them but no luck. By lunch only one was hollering and then nothing by the next day. Mother Nature is sure cruel sometimes.


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## Marsha Cassada (May 9, 2015)

That's terrible, Debby! They are so tiny and quick. We can't catch them but varmints can.

We had a bad storm here yesterday. The wind blew the big barn door up a little, we suppose, as the barn got a lot of water in it. The chicks were soaked. Power went off. We brought them in the house and got the generator going. They got under the light and are fine. I took a video of the storm and put it on youtube. Another round due any minute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-V09XxqlOQ


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## Debby - LB (May 10, 2015)

oh no a hail storm! I clicked on the video link not expecting that! good thing the chicks weren't out in that. I'm glad they are doing fine. Hope your next storm wasn't bad! We had a hen almost 2 years ago who had a huge hatching of biddies, one day husband and I were on the front porch and I heard a commotion and looked across the field and a huge hawk was after one of my chickens! I was hollering and husband went out there and started climbing the fence hollering get the gun! the hawks wings were huge and the hen was fighting it but it would grab her and try to fly off and grab at her again. It didn't take long for it to have her drug over by the next fence. Husband ran it off and was able to get it but he came back and said the hen was laying over on the other side of the fence and not responsive, he poked at her in the brambles and she was dead or close to it. Well it was the hen with all the biddies and they'd scattered in all different directions, as the day wore on we'd hear peeping and calling coming from this leaf pile or at the base of this tree, in this tall grass etc. so sad, the babies were hid but calling out. About 5 o'clock husband came running in with you've got to come see this! the supposedly dead hen was out there rounding up her biddies! It was so sweet and I was so happy. All were there but 2.


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## lkblazin (May 10, 2015)

I haven't seen many hawks this year...yet...shhhhh they are probably listening


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## Kendra (May 14, 2015)

I've had two hens hatch chicks so far this year - one hatched 4, the other 7, all Partridge Chanteclers but one, which is 3/4 Chantecler, 1/4 Ameraucana. Two more hens are sitting, one of them I put duck eggs under! My Grandad saw a lady on the news who had a hen raising ducklings, so we had to try it. I want a few more ducks for eggs anyway - loving my laying ducks!


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## Marsha Cassada (May 15, 2015)

Our chicks are outdoors for a few hours a day now in the garden. At first they did not want to come out of the box, but today they came right out and started scavenging. They have not figured out how to fly up into thr raised beds


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## Ryan Johnson (May 18, 2015)

I have wanted to get chickens for so long but we have so many foxes that live around us. We have talked about building a run for them but not sure I would want to see them locked up al the time. I also live very close to Inghams whom are probably the biggest supplier of chicken to most supermarkets in Australia. They have a massive creek that runs along the boundary of their property and from what we are told its a foxes paradise. I have seen them running through the back paddocks of a morning and even saw one very cunning one sitting in the middle of a paddock watching my thoroughbred eating his breakfast. I had to look twice as I thought it was my boxer who is a tan colour like most of the foxes here.

When we first brought in 2007 we had swans have babies but unfortunately they all didn't make it. Whats everyones thoughts and experiences on runs and having them locked up???. Ive seen some fairly horrendous photos over the years of chicken farms and the conditions that they are forced to live in and how little room they have to move around in.

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions


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## chandab (May 19, 2015)

My MIL has chickens, they have a pretty tight coop for night time and during the day they have a run with a gazebo, it's fenced with electrified mesh. She set flags down the center, so hawks and other such birds would find it less inviting (no clear path for swooping). I'm not sure, but her run is probably 10' wide and maybe 50' long (I'm horrible with distance, so just a guess on my part). She currently have about 18 chickens, maybe a few more.

Some people use chicken tractors for mobile coops to help keep them safe.

We do have fox and coyote around here, but perhaps hers are safer since they are practically in her backyard.


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## amysue (May 19, 2015)

My banties need to stay under cover because the hawks were just decimating the flock. I turned old car port frames into covered runs. The key is bird to square footage ratio, no difference really than horse per acre ratio when planning paddock sizes. The commercial birds are raised so inhumanely to maximize profits. The home owner special type coops offered at retail outlets tend to be too small, really only ideal for 1-2 birds. If you can dream it, you can build it. Plan on how many birds you want, then build a coop big enough to accommodate them.


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## chandab (May 19, 2015)

Oh, and when I said tight, I didn't mean space per bird, but rather safe for them. I'm not sure of the size, but all birds have plenty of room (it was tight when she had the whole lot she bought as chicks, raised them up with plans to make soup out of 2/3 of them, but then her help backed out of the dirty deed, so she sold them as laying hens, since they were all laying at the time, she had one rooster in the mix, and he did go in the pot).


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## Debby - LB (May 19, 2015)

I'm excited to see some new biddies, tomorrow will be day 15 she's been sitting.


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## Marsha Cassada (May 21, 2015)

I love it when they hatch out! Mother hen is so proud and the chicks so cute!


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## secuono (May 21, 2015)

No chicks, but I'm getting 8 Muscovy ducklings tomorrow! =)

Gonna keep the hens and rehome all but 1 drake.


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## Kendra (May 22, 2015)

Ryan Johnson said:


> I have wanted to get chickens for so long but we have so many foxes that live around us. We have talked about building a run for them but not sure I would want to see them locked up al the time. I also live very close to Inghams whom are probably the biggest supplier of chicken to most supermarkets in Australia. They have a massive creek that runs along the boundary of their property and from what we are told its a foxes paradise. I have seen them running through the back paddocks of a morning and even saw one very cunning one sitting in the middle of a paddock watching my thoroughbred eating his breakfast. I had to look twice as I thought it was my boxer who is a tan colour like most of the foxes here.
> 
> When we first brought in 2007 we had swans have babies but unfortunately they all didn't make it. Whats everyones thoughts and experiences on runs and having them locked up???. Ive seen some fairly horrendous photos over the years of chicken farms and the conditions that they are forced to live in and how little room they have to move around in.
> 
> Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions


My chickens never free range. It's my job to keep them safe, and their enclosed runs are how I do that. It's not "inhumane" to prevent them from being eaten by a predator.


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## Marsha Cassada (May 22, 2015)

There is actually a formula for how much space is needed per bird. It depends on the size of the bird, too. Chickens are well adapted to live in an enclosure. The game breeds may be less content, but most chickens are fine staying in a pen. A backyard situation is totally different than commercial production.

Mine are usually free range, but when the bird feeder is up for the winter we get predators. The "girls" have to stay enclosed then. They are fine either way. One can put some alfalfa for them to scratch in, scraps, corn on the cob, watermelon--lots of goodies to keep them satisfied and clucking. I bring home restaurant leftovers in a to-go cup. They love spicy rice, shrimp tails, gristle, spaghetti...


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## paintponylvr (May 23, 2015)

Ryan -

Here is a "larger" type chicken tractor that can be pulled if you are very strong by you or by a pair of ponies (haven't done it that way yet) or by a riding lawn mower.

This one (the only one I currently have pics of) is heavier because I used 2x6's for the base. It's made about 8x10 square - 2 16' cattle/stock panels are hooped & then covered in chicken wire (you can use hardware cloth if you have serious predators). I made the "long sides" 10' long so that it could be used as a "skid". I am about 5'6" tall, and I can easily stand up in this coop - which I love. Currently we aren't using it and now I have 3 of them. We used them at the previous place and the birds stayed in them while at a friends place for 3 months while we were in the process of moving out/closing on new property-house/moving in. The new place has smaller chicken pens that we are currently working on getting hooped/wired and moving the birds around in so that I can stand up in the pens. They are about mid/back height and man do I hurt when I go in to feed the two pens right now... they aren't free ranging yet. They may not all free range at all. The larger pen/coop is free ranging - our older/full size chickens & my older hens are already laying where ever they want to and have taught the 5 younger ones to do the same. Hard to find their eggs that they lay everywhere. And since they were so used to roosting in our carport at the previous place - they have adopted the carport here rather than returning to to the pen/coop they have - hubby is MAD about that! We are now getting lots of flies in the house when we put the dogs in/out since the birds are right there too - making a mess.

The 2nd and the 3rd one have 2x4s for the base and are a little easier to move. Still heavy. You do want to figure out how to coop the birds off the ground OR move it while they are roosting - as I killed two birds that didn't want to move while we were pulling the "tractor" and the one made out of 2x6s pulled over those two hens. Kinda gruesome - couldn't process them at that point either (yuck)...





It took us about 2 weeks to put the 1st one together and by the time we got to the third - our SIL put it together in 1 long day. You can make them larger if you want, they can also be stationary instead of moving. I have pics of all sorts of configurations for the back and even for the roofs - you can attach green house panels or tin for the roof rather than a tarp! You can make a lighter/shorter "run" to attach to it and then maybe put the birds in that while moving the coop itself, then move the "run"? Thought about that myself - still thinking... I DO plan on using all 3 of them here - want to get heritage birds to use for meat to keep out in the pony pastures. They'll be able to go out in these - if I move them at dusk/night or early AM or do cages I can put the boys in, I can start using the ponies to pull them - so we'll just move them to new grass and let the birds fertilize and loosen the soil/sand. Haven't purchased the birds yet - haven't been able to work the logistics to pick them up when they come into the post office.

I actually have LOTS of file folders of pics of coops, pens, runs etc - put together while I was trying to decide what/how to build what I wanted. There are a lot of ways to put together coops - some can be built out of completely recycled products and/or for free - if you are clever and resourceful. I wanted in-expensive and easy (er) to move and I didn't want a stationary coop I had to go into to clean (hmm, now I have those...). I never realized there were so many different styles of "hoop coops"! Ours are still "works in progress" simply because I haven't finished putting the roosts in (didn't need @ at the time - 2 of these held chicks that we just used small bars across - now wouldn't support a full size bird) and nests in for layers... On our stationary pens now - I need to put "poop boards" under the roosts so that we can put in Sweet PDZ and scoop the poop a lot easier. Hopefully, by this winter we will have it all sorted out and working for us, LOL.

Have you thought about doing a lightweight moveable "run" (made from pvc/chicken wire) to put around/over your garden (I think you said you had raised beds)? You could also do smaller birds - as in Bantams. They are fun to watch, lay just as good an egg as the larger ones (so you use more), if processed - you peel them instead of plucking feathers (much easier to do!!) and have a smaller portioned bird. Take less room and some are much more suited to living in "captivity". There are larger birds that also do quite well in coops/pens w/o free range - no shame in that! You can even build covered sections that you can plant grass in - the cover keeps the birds from scratching dust bowls in and eating the seeds - when the grass grows tall enuf - they eat it thru the cover. I also now have an acquaintance that has her big birds on pastures. The fences are only 3 or 4' high and they go into stationary coops for the night. During the day - they have put out pallets that they have raised about 2' off the ground on posts. WHEN the hawks are out - the chickens have learned to dash "under cover" or return to their coops. She's lost fewer birds than we have and she's been doing this for YEARS.
















The bucket in the right hand front corner is to let birds in/out. The lid is attached via the blue braided haystring and doesn't get lost - you pop the lid off to let birds out in the AM and put it back on when the birds are back in for the night... Warning - baby goats can get thru the bucket and eat all your chicken feed!!

Sorry - for some reason I took no pics of the birds in the coop(s)...


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## paintponylvr (May 23, 2015)

Back yard chickens dot com is a great resource for pics of coops, types of birds for different situations and support for either cooping/no free range or totally free ranging (which some folks actually feel is wrong, LOL).

I know that several of our members here are also members on that forum.


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## Debby - LB (May 24, 2015)

I've got chicks! so far 5 of them and more hatching. They are so cute.




I give these hens wide berth! I leaned around the corner and snapped this one pic. The last time I crowded a Mother hen she like to have run me to death LOL and I had to put my new pocket book up between us to keep her from spurring me, she meant business...yes I said spurs, these hens have them.

Nine little biddies, 3 eggs unhatched. She did good.


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## Ryan Johnson (May 24, 2015)

Excellent, Thanks so much for the Info everybody


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## paintponylvr (May 25, 2015)

OMG - that's a lot of chicks she hatched!! and they are soooooo cute (I love chicks!).

This makes me want to get more - but the brooder isn't set up here yet and ... kinda reluctant right now since I don't have any way to order my own from a shop. My hens didn't go broody this year - no chicks to hatch. FINALLY have eggs to eat, though.

Prices have gone way up on the feed store chicks and I've lost the last 15 I bought - after moving here and at an age when I would have expected them to be fine.

For right now, I'll enjoy everyone elses'...

**********

Ryan - let us know what/how you decide to do yours!


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## Marsha Cassada (May 27, 2015)

Debby, that is so wonderful that your hen successfully hatched her eggs!

My dad once told me that when he was a boy he settled a hen on 12 eggs. She hatched them all and he traded the chickens for a little pig!

I had to get my girls out of the barn, they were just too big to stay in the tank. The weather is settling a little and we've actually had sunshine, so I worked this morning to fence off a section of the chicken pen for them. I used hay bales to make a little shelter. Must keep the big girls apart for now, as I could tell at least one seemed aggressive. They are so cute to watch! Even though they have no mother to show them, they instinctively know to scratch. And they know what bugs are.

Our society is too far removed from nature, I think.


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## Marsha Cassada (May 27, 2015)

Went out to check on mine and they are quite content. Most of my photos did not turn out, as for some reason the focus was on the WIRE--the wire is nicely focused but the chicks were blurry!

I put the bales on pallets and used a tarp for the back. They were all inside earlier. If they don't get on their little roost tonight, I might enclose them in the bale shelter, just till they figure out where they are supposed to go after dark.


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## Debby - LB (May 28, 2015)

that's a good idea! makes a nice house for them. I'm worried about my hen. For the first two days she took the biddies back to the greenhouse for the night but the next day it started storming and she stopped at the barn and got in a corner outside one of the unused stalls. I hope a fox doesn't slip up there and get her.


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## Marsha Cassada (May 28, 2015)

Debby - LB said:


> that's a good idea! makes a nice house for them. I'm worried about my hen. For the first two days she took the biddies back to the greenhouse for the night but the next day it started storming and she stopped at the barn and got in a corner outside one of the unused stalls. I hope a fox doesn't slip up there and get her.


Gosh, I'm worried about her, too. We lost a chick to a snake once. They just slither up when mom's asleep.


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## Shari (May 31, 2015)

Lets see, so far this season I have hatched out....

11.. of my Lavender bantams for a project I plan to work on.

15... Belgian d'Anver Bantams, Quail, Blue Quail, Millie, Lavender and one little odd ball colored one.

Lavender Ameraucana bantams ( lady I was buying them from to replace the ones from last year, was having trouble hatching them out) So she added some White Ameraucana bantams. to make up a total

of 15 chicks. Two didn't make it.

13.... Ameraucana bantams... they should lay pretty blue eggs.

Not yet hatched...

17... Large Wheaten Ameraucana hatching eggs under a couple of hens, plan on having those hens raise what hatches, I hope any way.. From a well known line in MD. Due to start hatching

at the end of this coming week.

Last but not least... and because I am nuts...

16 .. Golden Neck d'Uccle bantams from show quality lines. Pretty much lucked into these. Have 15 more days in the incubator.

Think I over did it this year. LOL Will need another Hen house by Autumn. 

I expect, I will be culling about half of the Bantams, because I don't need tons of roosters, not fair to the Hens. Of the 39 running around now (Glad bantams don't take up much room)... will most likely end up with 19. There abouts

Not sure how many of the Golden Necks and LWA will hatch out, but my hatches have been running just shy of 50%. It should give me enough breeding stock to raise my own chicks next year.


Here are the newest batch.... Ameraucana bantams.







The first batch of bantams.... they are in the Bantam house already. Can pick out some of the Roosters already. d'Anvers (the darker ones) and my Lavenders.






Oh, wait before I forget. I bought 3 Welsummer pullets and another blue Marans for the Big hen house. Sold off a number of hens a few months ago, and not quite enough for tick remove-all duty.


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## Debby - LB (Jun 1, 2015)

those are some cute little chicks! love the colors!!


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## paintponylvr (Jun 1, 2015)

Shari - are these your first Ameraucana Bantams? Do you like them? I was thinking about getting some myself (day old hatchlings - straight run), but hadn't made up my mind yet... Would love info from someone who has them...


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## Shari (Jun 2, 2015)

Thank you Debby!

Paula, these are not my fist Ameraucana bantams. These are replacements for the few I sold a couple of months ago. Shouldn't of done that. LOL

I really love these bantams, super sweet, even the Roosters.

Have been told, as they get older they don't lay as much. OK with me... also have them around to eat ticks.

Here are some of the ones I had last year.


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## Shari (Jun 5, 2015)

I had 9 of the Large Wheaten Ameraucana chicks hatch so far... only 8 are alive right now.
Kat sent me 14 eggs. So not a bad hatch so far.

Maran hen kept loosing track of the chicks, so I just brought them into the house.
Not that I really have room with all the bantams, brooding in the house already...
Really did not want to take a chance loosing any more.

The SS hen, still has some eggs under her, and if more chicks hatch, will bring them into the house too.

Maybe when I am better set up, will try to have the broody hens raise them.

They are as big as the bantams that hatched in May, so they should do ok.
Have them in their own little box for a couple of days, then I will move them in with the bantams..


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## Marsha Cassada (Jun 5, 2015)

That's a lot of cute babies under your wing!

My girls are getting quite large now. Their voices are changing. Next week I will let them mix with the big girls. They have been next door for a couple of weeks, so hopefully they will blend without too much turmoil.


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## atotton (Jun 9, 2015)

I had 6 little bantam cochins hatch out. I also couldn't pass up 2 little call ducks at a bird show this past weekend. (Phil and Peach)


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## Shari (Jun 10, 2015)

Beautiful chicks and ducks!! Are call ducks really small?


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## paintponylvr (Jun 10, 2015)

Shari - those Bantam Ameraucanas are BREATH TAKING! WOW, just to look at them is ... calming. I've heard not so good things about bantams being really active and wild - so hadn't really gotten into them yet... I've lost a lot of birds lately - first 10 full size Easter Eggers at an age I thought they'd be OK at. Then recently, several more mature hens that have been free ranging. So, not so willing to invest in more birds right now until I am just a little more prepared...

But this makes me think I'll look into the bantam Ameraucanas some more. I have some barnyard bantams, still, and right now their eggs are very tasty!

I fell in love with the call ducks at the last show I went to.


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## atotton (Jun 10, 2015)

Yes they are quite small, about 1/3- 1/4 of the size of a regular duck.


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## secuono (Jun 10, 2015)

I ended up getting 3 Pekin hens!


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## Shari (Jun 11, 2015)

I would love a couple of ducks again,,, but most are too big for the room I have right now.

If I could find a couple of young female call ducks, that might work out. VBG

Beautiful ducks Secuono


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## Marsha Cassada (Jun 12, 2015)

I've been letting the baby girls out during the day. They are having so much fun running around looking for bugs. The big girls are getting used to them. So, this morning I let them out, do my chores, go into the house for half an hour and come out. Two babies are gone. Nothing but some feathers. My husband came out and saw a feral cat up in the mountain. I'm sure she is the culprit. People drop their unwanted animals off out here all the time.

So, the babies are penned up again until they grow out of being cat-sized.

So frustrating, to go through everything to get the chicks raised, and then lose them in a minute. One was so friendly; she would sit on my shoulder.


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## lucky seven (Jun 12, 2015)

I've been enjoying reading all of these posts, would love to have some hens and raise chicks. My next door neighbor has hens so next time we have that over the fence chat I'm going to ask her about her hen house and the best way to get started. Looks like lots of fun. Do you have problem with cats getting after the babies? My cat kills rodents and baby bunnies.


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## Marsha Cassada (Jun 12, 2015)

lucky seven said:


> I've been enjoying reading all of these posts, would love to have some hens and raise chicks. My next door neighbor has hens so next time we have that over the fence chat I'm going to ask her about her hen house and the best way to get started. Looks like lots of fun. Do you have problem with cats getting after the babies? My cat kills rodents and baby bunnies.


Yes. Cats kill chicks. They won't mess with a full grown chicken, but they would likely get bantys.

My rat terrier is trained to leave the chickens alone; I don't think you can train a cat.


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## lucky seven (Jun 12, 2015)

If I could train this cat, he wouldn't be killing the cute bunnies but the mice and moles. lol


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## Debby - LB (Jun 15, 2015)

My biddies born on May 24th are 3 weeks old now and as of Saturday she already has them roosting up in a tree. I loved watching her teach them and show them every day where they were to go. She still has all 9 of them too. I can't believe she still has all of them.


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## Marsha Cassada (Jun 17, 2015)

O my gosh that is a wonderful photo!

Someone once gave us one of their free range hens. Their chickens roosted in the trees around the property. The one they got for us was roosting in a hanging basket. When we brought her home, she had no idea what to do about a chicken house. We had to put her inside on the roost for a few nights before she figured it out.


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## lkblazin (Jun 17, 2015)

Awesome pictures Debby. I don't have any tree birds. So cool


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## Debby - LB (Jun 17, 2015)

Thank you both! It's amazing how the hens take all the chicks up to roost and they all get under her, it's so cute. I've seen hens with way more than 9 and the ones that don't fit under she'll stretch her wings out, like hugging them to her. Sometimes they'll be one or two on the hens back because there is just no room. During this process we generally lose some because sometimes not all the chicks are strong enough to make it up the tree the night she decides to not come back down.


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## Marsha Cassada (Jun 18, 2015)

A friend gave me two chicks yesterday. His flock is mixed, so the chicks are interesting. He has an incubator; I don't think any of his hens brood. These chicks are different ages, so I wasn't sure how they would mix with my two remaining girls. The red one looks mainly rhode island or sex link, but not sure about the black one. It has white on it. He does have astrolorps (sp) and this one has black legs.

Mine are scared of the red one but tend to persecute the little black one. But it seems to be working out all right.

My two are so tame now they are sitting on my shoulders. Today I was holding the little black one and my two jumped onto my head. I thought that was cute and tried to take their picture. I was so busy positioning the camera I forgot to watch my face and one tried to peck my eye out. No more head/shoulder sitting.


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## Debby - LB (Jun 18, 2015)

oh that is so cute! I kind of wish I had some friendly ones. I had a little bantam rooster years ago who was a pet. The Games we have now are so wild.


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## atotton (Jun 18, 2015)

My Speckled Sussex chicks finally arrived! I am so very pleased with them.


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## Marsha Cassada (Jun 19, 2015)

Speckled Sussex! They sound beautiful.

My beautiful Stripey, that was hit by a car on Sunday, was a game hen. She was our prettiest, and best layer.

I've been putting drops in my chicken-attacked eye. Maybe I should go to the eye doctor? It is still red and sore today. I went out last night and they tried to perch on me again but I have learned my lesson. Chicken owners beware! I've alerted some friends whose children play with their birds to be careful. I wear my sunglasses out there now.

One of the birds given to me, the red one, has no claws on two of her toes. I thought her feet looked odd, but today I really looked more closely. I hope it doesn't interfere with her ability to scratch. Otherwise, she is a pretty girl and has a nice personality. I should take a picture and maybe send it to backyard chickens so see if anyone has had a chicken missing toenails.


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## atotton (Jun 19, 2015)

Sorry for your loss.

I am new to speckled sussex but am already in love with the breed! They are so friendly and curious.

I tried uploading photos, but it won't allow me too at the moment.


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## paintponylvr (Jun 29, 2015)

I was a bit "sick" - I lost several more cuckoo Marans (hatchery type) last month. Just disappeared w/ no trace.

Well, then a freind came over the other day and saw a roo mount a hen and asked why I wasn't overrun w/ chicks - and I stated because we collect/eat most of the eggs (since they've been free ranging, we don't find them all - yesterday I found several abandoned nests w/ beautiful eggs - need to put in compost pile as they will prob be stinky?).

Hauled some dog pens I purchased and came around the front yard so could pull up in the drive way and back trailer closer to back yard (this place isn't completely thought out for ease of access w/ truck/trailer! May have to remove some trees ourselves...). Couldn't get all the way thru as debri from storms was in way, so I hopped out to move that and make pit stop in house. Heard all kinds of "bird screaming" and thought "wow, we don't have those types of birds, what is going on????" and stepped around the corner of house to see ....

A Marans hen w/ so many chix running around "screaming" because they were separated that I thought we had 20 chix!!! Didn't get the camera/phone out fast enough - she turned around and collected chix as she returned to the front yard - they quit "screaming" and all returned to the calm "cheep, cheep, brrr, click" that I'm used to. So funny. FINALLY got a count - fed them some chick starter and set up a waterer for them. They are sired by our super blue "layer" - Din-Din (1/2 Ameraucana/Leghorn). 5 are yellow - 2 w/ black spots (splash? or just leakage?), 1 looks "blue" right now, 1 looks to be a cuckoo...

Will post pics tonight. I got a couple that turned out. They are out in the open - hope they do ok!


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## paintponylvr (Jun 29, 2015)

Here's a couple pics of the new chickies!! We still have seven chicks. This will be fun to watch.











This hen has refused to take the chick to the coop/pen that she was in originally. How do chicks turn out when they are completely free ranging? I'm sure when they are older, they will roost either on the tops of the dog pens (as the mature ones are doing now) or in the trees...

This will be interesting... and the buff wyandotte hen is setting on a group of eggs. I'll see if she hatches any. Haven't gotten to see if they are different colors (different hens - could even be a different sire - one of the Marans is a roo and he has stayed with the flock).


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## paintponylvr (Jun 29, 2015)

Hmm, I still can't get a good pic of the "little blu"... Not sure what color that one will feather in as. Really shouldn't be a blue - well, maybe?? Would have to be "out of" one of the Marans hens (not necessarily the one shown here!) and then the white sire would have to carry genetics for blue...I think that one will end up feathering in some type of brown color. She's hiding up at the top w/ head behind the stalk.






Here's 6 of the 7.


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## Marsha Cassada (Jul 6, 2015)

Hope everyone's chicks are still present and accounted for! A chicken's life is so precarious.


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## AngC (Jul 7, 2015)

They are all so cute. I love looking at all the photos here.

I was at our local co-op last spring, looking at the baby chicks. They are too cute. I don't know that I would want to take on chickens, but ducks. oh-oh... little ducklings would be so fun; my husband could build them a little pool.

BUT, poultry are chum. ...in my opinion. Chum, for the predators that might want to attack our little horses. sigh. Perhaps I'm too paranoid, but I've heard the coyotes taking out chickens.


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## atotton (Jul 7, 2015)

I just got 4 more chicks yesterday. 2 are blue standard cochin mixes, and 2 are brahma mixes. I'll add pictures later this week.


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## paintponylvr (Jul 27, 2015)

I haven't had any more chicks hatch out - several batches of eggs were put in our compost pile due to the hens leaving them. And one set - I was watching the hen set on them and I'd sit on the bench along the bushes and just spend some time watching her. Went a couple of days where I wasn't feeling well and didn't set out there, nor give her any feed around her - but she knew where the feeders were by the chicken pens & would go eat. Then, when I returned from work I went to check on the nest figuring they'd be due to hatch soon and not only was the hen not setting but ALL of her eggs were gone (they weren't part of a batch that I'd collected for eating or pitching)...






The 7 other live chicks are starting to feather in nicely! I have to get some more pics - haven't done any in a while.

NC is closed down for all chicken shows and all chicken sales (there's some ?s as to weather a "private" home breeder can sell their chickens) in public places starting August 15 thru next spring - March 15? (can't remember which month now). No bird sales at feed stores or flock swaps - last Friday was the last shipment of chicks for our feed store and the 75 chicks that were brought in were sold in a few hours. The next morning I went to get between 6-10 and they were already gone!

I've lost a lot chickens here on this property since we moved in. Don't think it had anything to do with the Avian Flu - just stress from the move, new qtrs and freezing weather during/after the chickens were moved, heat this "spring" and MAYBE predatory hawks. I did have a neighbor's dog get out of their house 2 weeks ago and he managed to corner and pull out a hens' tail before I caught him and she got away... Took a while before I could get any where near her after that. We also lost a young rooster that had a leg injury. He'd been doing quite well, but then I think he got down in the dog pen we'd just finished putting together, our SIL had closed the gate and we hadn't yet put water in tubs out yet. He was dead on the ground in the pen when I got home - not a mark on him. the same day we also lost several kits from a meat rabbit - Really think it was the heat (115 was heat index that day and over 100 for reg temp). I have turned our 4 yr old stallion out with the 2 yr old stallion and the geldings - so that he has access to shade as we don't have a cover or shelter built in his pen yet and he's the only one w/ no way to get out of the sun...

I'm still looking around - I want things in place next year to be able to bring in more chickens - to replace the ones I've lost, the older ones who are still here but aren't producing the egg numbers anymore, and to have more eggs/meat. We seem to be supplying our family now w/ lots of eggs - and never have enough. I just wish I could decide what kinds I want.

Has anyone here ever dealt with Cackle Hatchery? I'm thinking about doing thier frying pan special... Just not sure.

Want to do ducks next year as well. We've got our little "baby pond" plus will get as many little kiddie pools as we'd need. Any recommendations as to type of ducks? I don't want Mallards at all. Kinda looking at Cayuga's (they r BEAUTIFUL), Saxony, Magpies or Anconas? and some bantam ducks - silver appleyards and East Indies????


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## Ryan Johnson (Jul 27, 2015)

Sorry to hear that you have lost a few this year Paula, Can I ask what is a meat rabbit ?


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## paintponylvr (Jul 27, 2015)

Ryan -

I bought some grade, meat type rabbits - a New Zealand Red - broken pattern & a smaller Rex but not a mini Rex - a blue broken coat (my two girls are "painted"!!). They aren't meant to be pets but are larger and intended to be processed for meat. I'll fix the two pics I took earlier in a minute... The rabbit that had had 11 kits eventually lost all of them - we may end up processing her as she seems to like to cannibalize them (the ones that didn't pass due to heat of which were only 3. This is her 2nd litter)... I was looking forward to keeping some of those rabbits to use for breeding in the future - the rest would have gone on to "freezer camp" w/ their gorgeous coats going into my freezer until I had enough to tan/fix for using . The sire is our pet boy - Galifrey. The resulting kits would be smaller than a commercial set up of meat rabbits as our pet guy was supposed to be a dwarf (lion head/netherland dwarf) but he is pretty good sized at 6-7 lbs - pretty sure he's full grown at 1-1/2 years. He comes inside and watches TV with us. The two girls are now named (Trensalor & Splat) and have been handled, but they aren't truly pets and have to be handled carefully - they will scratch and could bite. " 'Frey" will walk/hop on a harness/leash and LOVES his yogurt treats! Have a good pic of him except that I cut off his nose so I didn't do the adjustment & post it in my albums.











Got some pics of the chicks!

Think the Cuckoo next to the "mom" is a cockerel - he's already got a comb popping up big (not red yet, but they are only 5 weeks old). But then the other cockerel I had, had much more white, sooo? The whites - who knows? Had 2 roosters out with 10 hens originally - now have 7 hens including this one when she returned w/ the chicks. I didn't get a pic of the beautiful Cuckoo Maran roo that we had before he passed... He was purchased as a pullet w/ this mamma one.











We'll see what this one does - hoping this is a pullet (girl) and that she's an EE (easter egger - lay blue eggs) or an OE (Olive Egger - laying olive green eggs)...











Will post some more pics in a minute...


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## paintponylvr (Jul 27, 2015)

and here is a pic of 3 of the girls (out of 6) that could have been moms to the chicks - 2 are EEs and 1 is a Production Red (xbred between RIR/? - brown egg layers).






& one of the possible sires - probably IS the sire of the 5 yellow feathered chicks...

"Din-Din" was meant for the stew pot - but I've liked his kids so far (not a lot- 4 roosters from last fall, 1 sold; 3 hens & then these 7 or at least 5)... Have 3 of his sons to process - meant to do it this weekend - but I'm waiting. It's been sooooo hot that I've been "chickening out", LOL. When I do it, this will be my first time doing so alone and we didn't do any birds last year, for some reason...






I have 2 buff Wyandottes that I can't get decent pics of. They are now laying, too - pretty, medium sized, light brown eggs. Broody girls - they both spend lots of time sitting on the eggs. I was sooo hoping that the one would hatch the batch she had under her - would have been up to 12 chicks! Several were from the buff girls, 4 were blue eggs from the 2 EEs & the rest were darker brown from PRs.


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## Ryan Johnson (Jul 27, 2015)

LOL and Im blonde just in case anyone hadn't worked that out ( no offence to anyone else that's blonde)

Whilst trying to answer a phone call at work and reading through your post ( and I must say your post was much more interesting), guess I should concentrate on one thing at once so my brain actually takes in the information instead of part thereof.

We have a big problem at home with wild rabbits , im forever filling in burrows in the back paddock due to them wanting to move in.


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## paintponylvr (Jul 28, 2015)

I was, but you'd never know it now (not grey and not colored)...

Sounds like the prairie dog "habitats" we had in MT and in some areas of CO. Woe betide the rider who found those at speed on horseback! There was more than one reason to carry a gun.

I've seen some wild rabbits here, too... AT one point, years ago when we leased a pasture I went out to feed our ponies later in the evening and there were so many rabbits hopping around I thought that we would be stepping on them while trying to catch and feed ponies.


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 3, 2015)

Well, one of the new chicks is a rooster, Rusty. He is still very young, but has begun figuring out his role in life. He has decided he does NOT like one of the old Buff hens. Her name is Pinky and she is, um, not all there. I do not know if he senses that she is not suitable for his harem, or if Pinky tried to bully the baby girl Blackie that came with him, but Rusty pursues Pinky and terrifies her. She has been hiding in the chicken house in a nest for two days (she has never laid an egg in three years).

The other new girls and the other old girls go around fine together with Rusty. But Pinky is not welcome.

It does not look like it will resolve naturally.

Someone just stopped and chased Pinky off the road. She is out there all alone; maybe she is trying to run away from home.


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## paintponylvr (Aug 4, 2015)

Marsha Cassada said:


> She is out there all alone; maybe she is trying to run away from home.


ooooo, that makes me sad...

I'm sorry.


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 4, 2015)

paintponylvr said:


> ooooo, that makes me sad...
> 
> I'm sorry.


I put Pinky in the fenced garden today away from the others while deciding what to do. We are basically raising the chickens for eggs and grasshopper control, not slaughter, so things are different than in a real flock. Rusty pounced on one of the little girls this morning. Feathers flew and she yelled. So, when he went back to the chicken pen to terrorize Pinky, I caught him and caged him. He is not welcome in our little flock. I do not have good memories of roosters anyway, but had planned to give him the benefit of the doubt. But he is just causing too much turmoil. Hopefully the people I got him from will take him back.


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## chandab (Aug 4, 2015)

You don't need a rooster for eggs, so either back to where he came from or in the stew pot. [My MIL put her rooster in the stew pot, but he had chased her a couple times, so that was enough for her. Hers were ordered from one of the big chicken hatcheries, so no returning to seller.]


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 4, 2015)

He was given to me as a chick. We did not know he was a cockerel. I was willing to give him a chance. I am returning him today; he will likely go into their pot.


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 4, 2015)

When I caught Rusty I had to use the chicken catcher. I handled those chicks several times a day, but no way was he going to let me catch him. I tucked him in my arm to keep him from flapping and all the old fear of roosters sort of came over me. Put him in the chicken house until I left for town. It was funny to see Pinky come over and stare at him in the cage. Then she jumped up on the roost and just sat there, staring at him. It was as though she knew he couldn't get her; maybe she was gloating.

Blackie will miss him for a while. But I am glad he is gone. I don't think I can ever have a rooster.


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## chandab (Aug 4, 2015)

Don't need a rooster for eggs and bug control, so shouldn't be a regrettable decision and you'll be happier with your flock.


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