Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
11:29 pm
February 4, 2011
Offline
HERE'S ELMO! I'm not sure if he is a thumbnail now, so hope this will be ok for the CITR format. Hopefully, I will improve at this. Thanks for the hanger hook idea, Jersey Lady and Ross, I really like the catalog link. Have saved it for future reference.
11:36 pm
December 14, 2010
Offline
Somehow I think Elmo is destined to die of old age. I couldn't cook a chicken with that good a wardrobe! lol
11:44 pm
February 4, 2011
Offline
OK! Now I'm getting cocky(excuse the pun)! Here are the Buff Rocks on the gangplank and Elmo right behind them. Gives you an idea of how sad a state his tail feathers are in! I think he's showing signs of recovery though. I've been letting the girls into my high tunnel/hoophouse and it seems to keep everybody busy digging holes and dusting their feathers. Maybe it takes their mind off of pecking each other too. When the sun is out, it gets nice and warm in there and they seem to love it. Kind of a chicken spa!
11:45 pm
February 4, 2011
Offline
No, he definitely would not make a good roast chicken or fricasee either! He is a lovable little bugger though. Not a warm and cozy lovable, but a funny, irascible character!
7:45 am
November 20, 2009
Offline
When we have to treat or dust one of our birds it seems to be easiest for us to go to the chicken house after dark . Just use a pen light or very small flashlight as you do not want to create a disturbance. Try and keep the light aimed at the floor, then gently lift the bird you need to treat off the roost, it helps to wear gloves. If you are clipping wings or dusting just set them back on the roost afterwards. If you need to check for lice or a wound put the chicken in some sort of box till morning when it will be easier to see, a cardboard box will do. It goes easier with two people if possible, one to hold the flashlight, medication etc and one for the chickens. Hope this helps 
9:47 am
January 21, 2011
Offline
Joyce, that is very good ideas, and oh I love your chickens and ELMO!!!!! What a character he must be. Thank you for posting those Helen!
11:00 am
February 4, 2011
Offline
Thanks for the nightime Ninja approach! I tend to forget they are comatose when they are asleep! I am watching Elmo carefully and I think I see small teeny tiny tufts starting to emerge. I'll give him a day or two before I try anything. This morning I had grapes to scatter in their yard. They disappeared fast!
11:03 am
February 4, 2011
Offline
Thank you Pete for the picture info. That was very helpful. I printed it out and I was amazed how that worked well too.
1:14 pm
Elmo, I love your hairdo!! Are you sure Elmo isn't beginning a molt?? When my last bunch of hens molted, they lost all their tail feathers…looked just like Elmo. Don't they molt in spring and late fall? Anyway, some of my girls completely lost all their rear feathers. One hen kept just one real long tailfeather that looked like an antenna welded to her butt. It eventually came out. Maybe Elmo is beginning to molt??
Reason I suggest this is some of my hens molted in early Spring and the rest molted in late Fall. Depends on the breed, I guess. Anyway, I like Elmo's topknot!! 
3:42 pm
February 4, 2011
Offline
No, I am certain that he isn't molting yet He never really got all of his tail feathers grown and they had started pecking them out. I'll give him until Monday before I do anything. Today I could actually see the fluff starting to peek through. Feathers start so slowly sometimes it's hard to tell what you're seeing, but his skin just isn't as pink and raw as it was before. I appreciate your thoughts though. You never know what might help someone in need.
7:24 pm
Hdown,
He's such a cutey. Standing there with his topknot all gelled and blowdryed out and looking spiffy!! He will just have to put his spurs down and make those hens behave and quit pecking him! After all, HE is the alpha male! Now if only those females would appreciate him for what he is…the George Clooney of the Avian set! You go, Elmo!!! 
3:48 am
January 21, 2011
Offline
ELMO is a celebrity! :) We all love him!
9:29 am
December 14, 2010
Offline
I guess that means that clothes make the man or chicken as the case may be. Underneath it all they ain't all that pretty. lol
4:42 pm
March 26, 2010
Offline
I have three chickens — New Hampshire Red, Plymouth Rock, and an Araucana. The New Hampshire Red and Plymouth Rock are attacking the Araucana for no reason. I separated her the first time and allowed her legs to heal up. Just today, I noticed her legs were all bloodied again–this time one of the bites is really deep.
Is this normal for chickens to be so agressive to another more docile one. I love them all but the Araucana is my favorite because she is so dog-like. I can't keep her separated forever. What should I do?
JoJo
9:53 am
February 10, 2009
Offline
JoJo
If you can tell which hen is the most aggressive of the three, pull her out of the mix and leave the Americauna in her normal housing with the friend. That gives those two time to bond a little bit and for the injured one to heal up, and by pulling the meaner one out, it puts her back on a lower level of the group when she gets back… usually. No guarantee of course, but it sounds like the best way.
This only works in small groups like yours, or a few more. In a larger flock, when pulling out injured hens for things like this, you can either pull two or three meek ones together with the injured one and let them have some peace, or two or three of the most aggressive ones. It's not easy to see who is the biggest troublemaker though and sometimes they all join in all too eagerly. Flocks don't want an injured hen around to attract predators (or that's the theory of some).
I don't know the temperament of Plymouth Rocks much, but if I was forced to make a guess sight unseen, I'd say that the NH Red is the bossy girl. I used to have a flock of all NH Reds and Rhode Island Reds. The RI Reds were equally bossy, but the NH Reds were better mamas. I like both breeds, but they can be a challenge. Again, there's nothing written in stone breed-wise for temperament. There's exceptions to every rule.
11:01 am
January 21, 2011
Offline
Good luck JoJo. I hope you can work it out and save your Araucana. I hate mean-ness in all walks of life. 
11:11 am
February 10, 2009
Offline
Chickens have a "pecking order" for their own reasons. It's important when they're wild, not so much when they have us to care for them and keep them safe. Now that they're domesticated, it's something we have to figure out the best way to deal with.
It may sound harsh, but they do their best to eliminate the weakest and most timid ones in the flock for the good of the larger flock. We can do the opposite by permanently removing the most aggressive ones and try to keep only the most timid, but a few bossy girls will always rise to the top and try to become the "top hen".
By temporarily removing the most aggressive ones, we give them the chance to adjust their attitude. It mostly works… but not always. Hating their natural behaviour doesn't actually help.
11:14 am
January 21, 2011
Offline
I understand, but I can still hate it. I dont like to see anything being picked on.
4:21 pm
March 26, 2010
Offline
Thank you for the suggestions. We separated the Plymouth Rock today and left her out to roam without the others. It's funny because she can't stand being out of the mix. I also took an towel and rubbed it all over the Plymouth Rock (butt and all) and then rubbed the towel all over the Araucana after cleaning up her legs. The New Hampshire Red is now sitting quietly beside the Araucana. That's the closest she has ever been to Chloe so I'm hoping this is a good thing.
Tomorrow, I plan on leaving the Plymouth Rock inside the pen with Chloe and removing the New Hampshire Red. Again, I plan on rubbing the towel all over the PR and then all over Chloe. I'm thinking that if I can get their smell on the Araucana that perhaps they will be more accepting of her. I put this strong smelling stuff on her legs (turned her leg purple) that supposedly tastes just horrible but is safe to try to curb the 'pecking' order so to speak.
I'll update again later. We have two new babies (Buff Orpingtons) that will be big enough in a few months to be introduced to the others so I want to learn how best to accomplish it without them being picked on as well.
JoJo
Most Users Ever Online: 120
Currently Online: Ruthmarie
27 Guest(s)
Currently Browsing this Page:
4 Guest(s)
Top Posters:
Leahld22: 2676
Ross: 1950
MaryB: 1777
JeannieB: 1477
Shells: 1184
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 13
Members: 5888
Moderators: 3
Admins: 4
Forum Stats:
Groups: 1
Forums: 14
Topics: 2994
Posts: 57780
Newest Members: christiewahlert, basketsldj, joycelorelle, Leah Beth, bwshook, Amy
Moderators: Pete (7965), wvhomecanner (3063), Flatlander (1555)
Administrators: Suzanne McMinn (7255), emiline220 (15), CindyP (7770), BuckeyeGirl (4363)
Sections
Latest Posts on the Farmhouse Blog:
- May 24, 2012 - Bread 911!
- May 23, 2012 - Get This Print!
- May 22, 2012 - Second Place Ribbon
Sign up for the Chickens in the Road Newsletter, too!
