Chickens

Comment

Comment by diana marlowe on August 31, 2010 at 9:33am

I have had red for years and they do dominate the roost. When I bought a new bunch of plymouth rocks, one was a rooster and when he got to be 5-6 months and crowing crowing, my oldest red killed him. Found him under the feed tray trying to escape. She has never done anything to me but keeps everyone in line.
Aleta, when there is blood involved all the chickens will pick on that one until you fix the problem. Even if your chicken is healed, it can still happen again so watch the signs. When you separate them, watch putting her back in with the others because they may not like that all at once. You can introduce tiny chicks but not a full grow or 5-6 month chicken. I had to separate my little bantham rooster because he wanted to fight everyone except me. Chickens are strange animals but you will see their likes and dislikes. Things will happen and you won't understand why. When you do clean out their coop, use detergent (soap) so you don't have mites. Let them have dirt baths often as they can that gets rid of bugs too. Let them out in the yard as much as you can. I hope this helps

Comment by Mickalyn Crawford on August 31, 2010 at 8:49am

This is amazing! I can't believe you all are saying reds are mean. I have them and don't have any mean ones. I picked up all the baby chicks around the mother hen and she never did a thing. I moved her and the chicks to the brooder house without a problem. My chickens are free range, they go every where scratching and getting bugs. Then everyone goes into the chicken house at night, even the ducks.

Comment by dale learn bayda on August 31, 2010 at 8:44am

Aleta,
do you have roosters?? they will tear up a hen when they are "doing her" they need to jump on their backs and hold onto their feathers on their heads they end up raking the hens backs. you can tell who is popular in my coop. then there are feather eaters... can be bordom or missing something in the feed.
OR mites/fleas. I learned alot from "back yard poultry magazine as well as www.mypetchicken.com....

Comment by Julie Buck on August 31, 2010 at 5:23am

Usually it's the cockrels that get aggressive but sometimes a "lead" hen can get pretty cranky too. I'd say blood is the key symptom. Strange though.. they usually pick on the head until it is bald - then bleeding - then actually has a hole in it and it kills the victim. Never seen one pick at the body before. Any chance there are mites or something that they are after. A good dusting might help that. Or maybe your tincture - whatever it is.

Comment by kathlene penich-garross on August 30, 2010 at 9:47pm

I have two reds, one is so mean, she has been the bully to the old girls. I had to put my oldest girl, gladis, in her own condo, i have two small parts of are coop that are away from the group. so gladis is safe from her bully. she is five years old and still gives me green eggs every two days. I have learned that it is all trial and errer with my girls and guys. I just go with the flow and do what needs to be done when things happen. I hope you little girl is ok.

Comment by Aleta Quejas-Gehrke on August 30, 2010 at 5:30pm

diana, i just checked my chickens again this morning... i dont think the rhode island's molting as the feathers on the other side of her butt's all gone too, more than the other side and it's now bleeding. As I understand, molting happens because the chicken is shedding and renewing her feathers, but this is a case of an aggressive barred rock pulling the feathers off the red and pecking on the exposed skin. I applied some tincture that the store we got the chickens from gave us and i separated the red and placed her in the coop while the other five are in the run. the barred rock is aggressive in my opinion as she keeps on pecking the red whenever she passes her by, she also pecks on the others but not as much as she does the red, maybe because she's the one who has the most "hit"? i'll let the red's wounds heal for now but am thinking of separating the barred rock from the others as she might start pecking on the other 4 now that she can't see the other red. anyone has this problem? any advice?

Comment by diana marlowe on August 30, 2010 at 5:14pm

The Reds can get that way. Especially when they molt. They are good protectors of preditors. They would be the first to charge whatever comes in the door. My other Red turned into a rooster but she/he is beautiful with green blue feathers. Go figure.

Comment by Julie Buck on August 30, 2010 at 12:43pm

I had Reds a couple of times and always had a problem with them being mean. Mean to each other and mean to my grand children. They chased the littler ones and I have a couple of them who are still scared of chickens because of it.

Comment by Mickalyn Crawford on August 30, 2010 at 12:35pm

I have Rhode Island Reds and they lay all year, except when they molt, which they have just got done doing. My chicken house isn't heated either, but they all seem to do ok. I don't add extra light in the winter either. We buy day old bread and feed it to the ducks and chickens all winter along with the chicken feed. Maybe that's why they lay eggs all the time. I used to have light brahamas. I really like that breed of chickens. I couldn't get any this last spring, but hope to get some next spring. If you haven't ever had that breed, try them, I'm sure you'll love them. They are a large chicken that lays large brown eggs and are good setters and mothers.

Comment by Lyn Adams on August 30, 2010 at 12:29pm

Thanks for the info. I had white leghorns once, never again.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• …
• 18
• Next ›
• Page