What did you do with your flock today?

kurby22

Free Ranging
Apr 12, 2021
3,358
9,930
636
Sacramento Area, California
Oh @kurby22 Idk how you have kept it all together! Enjoy your "friday" and get some rest knowing you are doing what's best for you...the flock will settle down as they adjust.

But how on earth do you handle that many roos? Are they separate from your girls?
They are not entirely separated! It's a huge balancing act haha. I have two big runs that are separated, one with all the big chickens that currently has 5 boys and 2 babies that are probably boys, and one with most all of the bantams and babies/teenagers that currently has 4 boys. I have another coop with an attached run that will hold only my Belgian d'Anvers when things are all said and done, but right now it's holding 4 teenage birds (3 young boys and 1 young girl) and my pair (boy and girl) of lavender d'Anvers. And then I have the giant dog crate full of chicks 4 weeks or younger that has 3 d'Anver boys, 1 Olandsk Dwarf boy, and probably one bantam wheaten Ameraucana boy. Everyone really does get along well, they are all really good chickens that just aren't real aggressive or assertive so the pecking order so far has remained in tact. But out of all the boys, only 4 of them are over 1 year old. The rest are under 4 months, so we haven't battled too much yet--thus the first round of thinning! The ladies are the ones that care about the number of boys, so I wanted to keep that issue to a minimum for them haha.

The d'Anvers will remain out of balance until I can show them in January at the Pacific Breeders show or May for the Sac County fair...then based on how they are judged I will rehome those that don't show well or are DQ'd. Figure that is the best way to train my eye...have judges judge them and tell me what is wrong and then I will know what to look for--since I'm a crazy visual learner! I think so far that they are a fun bird and seem to be nice and mostly friendly--they don't come close to as friendly as d'Uccles but showing clean legged birds is way way easier :D I may decide that in the long run I would prefer to do bantam Ameraucanas instead, because I LOVE them, but it's fun doing more than one breed because they require knowing different things and working towards different standards. :)

I will say that it is NOT fun rehoming the boys that I can't keep though, so I am going to be very selective in any breeding plans going forward to limit this misery. :( We just got back from the first two that I found a home for--I am happy with the home as the lady has three kids and LOTS of chickens and they have a small orchard, a garden and a huge coop to live in. Aria sobbed the whole drive there and the whole drive home and even seeing their new home didn't keep her from crying. I feel good about it though and cried a little, but not as attached to the young ones. It never gets easier for this soft hearted girl though 😢😫
 

Attachments

  • 72F65CC8-E91D-4BB6-9D15-928955D7B65B.jpeg
    72F65CC8-E91D-4BB6-9D15-928955D7B65B.jpeg
    378.2 KB · Views: 1

ChicksnMore

Crowing
9 Years
Jul 1, 2013
305
1,335
301
I did everyday chicken care stuff with my flock today. I also ordered chicks from Meyer Hatchery a number of months ago and they came today, so I picked them up from the post office this morning and got them settled in their brooder😁
Such fun! What kind did you get?
Good morning gang!
Oh wow, dog/chicken troubles. I don't envy you that one @racyfamily though it sounds like you are working hard and smart on some solutions. Glad your DH is working with you as teamwork is more effective. I hope you get the outcome you want and need. What a big beautiful juggle you have going on with kids and home ♡.

Oh boy babies! Would love photos of your new add ons @LabMomma what breeds & how many? Most exciting :jumpy:jumpy:ya:jumpy:ya:jumpy:jumpy and congratulations @ChicksnMore too! Awesome to be prepared and seamless! Got to love the no chicken drama.

Me.
I am enjoying the heck out of my "security cameras". Want another set up for Kokee but dh asked me to hold off for a bit. Too bad cuz still on sale @ amazon for 1/2 price. Honestly don't know how cave woman lived without these things. Brilliant.

Had THE feral hen show up just over the fence line with her new brood. Ya know the one who's sick chicks I just rescued, raised and then rehomed at pasture? Yep. She came straight here. Poor girl has no options but to keep making babies. She looks tired and stressed with a back to back. The tree is still dropping mangoes but I will leave food for her again in hopes she can keep them healthy and happy. View attachment 3184891
Bonus! View attachment 3184895

Neighbors have a new dog who is eyeballing my chooks. I also have a few fence hoppers so this morning I find myself writing on the front lanai waiting for and... oops, there is one now... Ginger Mint!! Bad chicken... View attachment 3184868 Get home bad chicken! The grass is NOT greener on the other side, never has been. View attachment 3184869 Spider keeping an eye on feral's man who's visiting us. Good thing there is a 2.5' high mini partition to hold him back 🙄🐓 View attachment 3184870
Hopefully this is the days only drama lol
Happy Wednesday all!!
The ferals look like so much fun...I'd never thought of how much trouble they could cause!
Morning-ish all...I haven't caught up yet on everyone's posts, but it sounds like everyone is keeping busy with their chicken drama and related dog problems!

I'm feeling really bummed today...July has been a rough month for me in chicken land. Since returning from vacation I lost two tiny chicks, then I lost a 2 week old chick to the dog, then I lost Oscar. The day Oscar died, another one of my Polish started wobble walking like the other three that died--I am definitely certain there is a genetic issue with them. NONE of the other chickens have this issue or show any signs at all of any issues, it's so bizarre. And I finally bit the proverbial bullet and posted up a bunch of cockerels and my beloved Puff Puff for rehoming. I found someone willing to pay for Puff and my pure bred bantam Brahma Ruby...and little weirdo Ferdinand and a couple of the sneaky broody hatched boys for freebies. I'm also finally selling the 4 OD grow outs to the woman who wanted them. So by Sunday I will be down 13 chickens, maybe 14 if I can't catch Axel's decline in time. It's hard to address what you can't see...everything points to some sort of vitamin deficiency or issue retaining food as they all seem to get super thin super fast as well. I am thinking I will send him in to UC Davis for a necropsy when he does pass. If it’s possible.

Anyway, I just needed to vent. I knew this time was coming, I’ve known it was coming since Puff crowed if I’m honest…but it hurts and I’ve been crying over him since yesterday when he bit me while I gave him treats. :-( I just can’t anymore—I spend a lot of time worrying about being around him and enjoy my flock a lot less now due to the worries. The biting was the last straw. The lady who wants him has all hens and no boys, so he will be very happy I’m sure. I just worry that this will have a cascading affect on the flock dynamics that gets messy and forces my hand again. I know Fluff and Emilio have been at each other for awhile to be number 2 and finally resolved their disagreements but not before Emilio got his butt kicked and blood was everywhere. I have several other boys to manage and move around, so maybe now is the time to do a bunch of swapping around of birds. Nohope and Roxy are too big to stay in the bantam run, some of the other baby boys are getting too big to be with my lavender d’Anvers, and my black d’Anver babies are ready to move up to a big kid pen. Will be round two of who will settle in and who needs to go.

Blah, just needed to talk all this out so I feel better about the decision. I will still have 13 roosters after Sunday, so it will happen again…but for now I think it resolves the worst offenders. I’m guessing the next one to break my heart will be Puff’s baby boy Cocopuff. He’s just so pretty and should have a nice temperament since his Mom is Coco and she’s just the sweetest girl.

View attachment 3185044

Anyway, thanks for listening. Hoping August will be less depressing! happy Wednesday (my Friday) 🎉
Hope August is an easier month and so sorry about your polish troubles! I'm glad it looks more like a genetic issue to you then disease though. I know it's not much, but it's something to be grateful for. You have some lucky chickens...you and Arias love for them gave them all a precious start that a lot of chickens never get.
They are not entirely separated! It's a huge balancing act haha. I have two big runs that are separated, one with all the big chickens that currently has 5 boys and 2 babies that are probably boys, and one with most all of the bantams and babies/teenagers that currently has 4 boys. I have another coop with an attached run that will hold only my Belgian d'Anvers when things are all said and done, but right now it's holding 4 teenage birds (3 young boys and 1 young girl) and my pair (boy and girl) of lavender d'Anvers. And then I have the giant dog crate full of chicks 4 weeks or younger that has 3 d'Anver boys, 1 Olandsk Dwarf boy, and probably one bantam wheaten Ameraucana boy. Everyone really does get along well, they are all really good chickens that just aren't real aggressive or assertive so the pecking order so far has remained in tact. But out of all the boys, only 4 of them are over 1 year old. The rest are under 4 months, so we haven't battled too much yet--thus the first round of thinning! The ladies are the ones that care about the number of boys, so I wanted to keep that issue to a minimum for them haha.

The d'Anvers will remain out of balance until I can show them in January at the Pacific Breeders show or May for the Sac County fair...then based on how they are judged I will rehome those that don't show well or are DQ'd. Figure that is the best way to train my eye...have judges judge them and tell me what is wrong and then I will know what to look for--since I'm a crazy visual learner! I think so far that they are a fun bird and seem to be nice and mostly friendly--they don't come close to as friendly as d'Uccles but showing clean legged birds is way way easier :D I may decide that in the long run I would prefer to do bantam Ameraucanas instead, because I LOVE them, but it's fun doing more than one breed because they require knowing different things and working towards different standards. :)

I will say that it is NOT fun rehoming the boys that I can't keep though, so I am going to be very selective in any breeding plans going forward to limit this misery. :( We just got back from the first two that I found a home for--I am happy with the home as the lady has three kids and LOTS of chickens and they have a small orchard, a garden and a huge coop to live in. Aria sobbed the whole drive there and the whole drive home and even seeing their new home didn't keep her from crying. I feel good about it though and cried a little, but not as attached to the young ones. It never gets easier for this soft hearted girl though 😢😫
Bantam Americanas sound delightful!

Poor Aria...her face says it all! Huge hugs to both of you! :hugs
 

Gammas Bearded Babies

Free Ranging
May 24, 2021
2,483
11,677
636
Clarksville Tennessee
They are not entirely separated! It's a huge balancing act haha. I have two big runs that are separated, one with all the big chickens that currently has 5 boys and 2 babies that are probably boys, and one with most all of the bantams and babies/teenagers that currently has 4 boys. I have another coop with an attached run that will hold only my Belgian d'Anvers when things are all said and done, but right now it's holding 4 teenage birds (3 young boys and 1 young girl) and my pair (boy and girl) of lavender d'Anvers. And then I have the giant dog crate full of chicks 4 weeks or younger that has 3 d'Anver boys, 1 Olandsk Dwarf boy, and probably one bantam wheaten Ameraucana boy. Everyone really does get along well, they are all really good chickens that just aren't real aggressive or assertive so the pecking order so far has remained in tact. But out of all the boys, only 4 of them are over 1 year old. The rest are under 4 months, so we haven't battled too much yet--thus the first round of thinning! The ladies are the ones that care about the number of boys, so I wanted to keep that issue to a minimum for them haha.

The d'Anvers will remain out of balance until I can show them in January at the Pacific Breeders show or May for the Sac County fair...then based on how they are judged I will rehome those that don't show well or are DQ'd. Figure that is the best way to train my eye...have judges judge them and tell me what is wrong and then I will know what to look for--since I'm a crazy visual learner! I think so far that they are a fun bird and seem to be nice and mostly friendly--they don't come close to as friendly as d'Uccles but showing clean legged birds is way way easier :D I may decide that in the long run I would prefer to do bantam Ameraucanas instead, because I LOVE them, but it's fun doing more than one breed because they require knowing different things and working towards different standards. :)

I will say that it is NOT fun rehoming the boys that I can't keep though, so I am going to be very selective in any breeding plans going forward to limit this misery. :( We just got back from the first two that I found a home for--I am happy with the home as the lady has three kids and LOTS of chickens and they have a small orchard, a garden and a huge coop to live in. Aria sobbed the whole drive there and the whole drive home and even seeing their new home didn't keep her from crying. I feel good about it though and cried a little, but not as attached to the young ones. It never gets easier for this soft hearted girl though 😢😫
Ah so they aren't all hormonal yet.
I cannot imagine!!!
Your poor girl...it is so hard to let em go!
I just don't understand the design God had in mind for 1 roo to so many girls...yet there are still soooo many roos born!
Top of my list of questions or Him one day! Lol
They’re absolutely adorable
They truly are!!! Congratulations
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Top Bottom