the crooked little chicken house

“I read this on a chicken thread. Here's how one farmer tames nasty roosters.

"I've found that hitting the rooster only brings on the fight response. When you do that you're playing their game.

Turn the tables and play your game.

So, if you want to keep the bird he has to learn that you are Alfa. To do this you need to pickup the bird and hold him for fifteen minutes. I like to put him under an arm to keep him from flapping. When he fuses to get down grab his legs and hold him upside down for a short period. He will calm right down. Then put him back under your arm and continue to hold him for the entire 15 minutes.

Don't hold him upside down for longer than a minute. It can be bad for them but it is real effective.

If you do this he will learn after a time or two.

Don't be scared you can do this and it will work. He will understand."”

“Kinda hard sometimes to grab them, then you can be spurred by the dude, that doesn't feel good on the hands. Unfortunately in the past, I've gotten tired of one or two roosters that I had and booted them, not always effective, killed one guy one time. If I get chickens again, I'll give your advise a try. I've held them before but not that long. Depends on breed too.”

“Same thing works with a dog. When pinned long enough, he will go limp. Ya got him.”

“That technique works with tom turkeys as well.”

“Be sure the neighbors aren't watchin. Might wonder what you are doing to your doggie or turkey.:)”

“Wives and girlfriends?”

“A grandpa I know said that works with grandkids, too, Gremlin.”

“Hmmmm.”

“Aiight gojo, "pinned" meaning like the rooster, or throw his dumbbutt in jail forever and a day, that kinda pinned?

Sounds good Rich, thanx! Altho I've never had to "deal" with an unruly rooster, I figured to just give a huge kick to the sucker, that'd aughta learn'em! But I like your idea better.

Man did I have a laugh today. Sometimes rooster #2 gets too big for his britches. So he puffs up at our male guinea Charlie Brown. Well they git to fightin. Pretty obviously the much bigger #2 is kikkin butt, even getting whacks with his spurs. The guinea is just stabbing his sharp beak at #2, over and over, seemingly not too effective and pretty easily dodging them half-grown spurs. #2 is getting pretty dang worked up after about 5 minutes, and laid back Charlie Brown is just backing up, coming in, stabbing, looking, looking, advancing, stabbing. I look closely at the end of his beak, which has a little dot of blood, I'm thanking wy that's doing nothing Charlie, but then it dawns on me to look at #2's face and crown. Holy moly! Blood's all dripping down, finally, shoot is it 10 minutes now, #2 cries uncle. Oh yeah, funny thing is that big ole #2 forgets that Brad Pitt(#1) and Charlie Brown are like best friends, so Brad the rooster foreman on OakKnoll is ALSO attacking #2. After #2 was thru, Charlie Brown gave him heck ANOTHER 10 minutes or so, stabbing the side of the face, or trying to, and pulling out all kinda tail feathers running along behind. Man I laughed!

Anybody getting eggs? We're really starting to get them now, but it's because I'm using timer'd lights in their coops, starting about a month ago I guess.”

“Since they started laying in October, I've gotten eggs every day.

Tractor Supply has rabbits this weekend, and chicks in March. Special orders start next week. That's sooner than, I got chicks last year, I might not be ready that early.”

“No.Ape,not'penned'.
But,pinned,like,in,wrestling.”

“LOL gojo. Oh yeah, that other'n is spelled with an "e" ... doh!”

“I checked out the rabbits at Tractor Supply, not exactly what I want.

The rooster still chases and attacks my son, and only my son - weird. If he stands his ground, the rooster beats him with his feet (spurs) I still haven't seen it.

Judy is firm on sleeping on the side steps. I'm going to try and make her a bin - maybe it will keep her poops off the steps!

Yesterday I went out and asked her if she'd laid anymore eggs - did she bark at me!”

“Last night I bought a 35 gallon bin, and a friend of mine cut a hole in the side with a jig saw. I turned it upside down and put shavings in it, and I'm hoping Judy will take to it.
Perfect inexpensive "turkeygloo."

She was perched on top of a pile of gravel last night.

I also bought the makings for a geodesic dome moveable chicken place...”

“This morning Judy seemed to want attention. Unfortunately, I didn't get up until 7:35 (work starts at 8) and had to rush off. She even went under the truck door as I was getting in, I thought she was going to hop in with me.

So...the cable/internet guy came and was afraid of Judy – I asked if she tried to run up and kiss him - my son said he didn't know, but that she was making some pretty weird noises. I imagine she was protecting her home. I could hear the rooster crowing in the background and told Jess to make sure he didn't attack the guy.

Apparently the house was hit by lightning which is how the cable/internet connection got fried. No fried turkey though! :)”

“Spring, maybe she is looking for a mate? I know my chickens could recognize my dog when they were all still around and would alert when a stray dog or whatever came too close.”

“I wonder if the cable guy would be interested...LOL...”

“I imagine if he was the offspring would hatch 4 to 5 hours late.”

“haha!”

“That took a second.:) Love it!”

“rain, rain, rain...the chickens and turkey are all soaked...why don't they go in the nice warm coop?

I've been studying the dome plans, and am anxious to get started. Went to Tractor Supply again, and it looks like I may end up with lots of birdies...like 50 between the ducks, chickens and turkeys...30 will be meat birds though, and I'll keep the remaining 20 minus the roosters.”

“I supposed I should buy a freezer. hehe...”

“Or let them die off from disease.:) The last few years I had the Cornish X, they had picked up a disease that affects there kidneys so they can't filter the blood, they turn red, sickly, then die. Usually after you have fed them for 4-5 weeks and in another week or so you would butchering them.”

“Chickens are the most abundant domesticated animal in the world - and second only to ants, bees, north woods black flies, and kudzu in all of animalia.”

“Kudzu is the Curse Of The South, eh?”

“Laurel's nickname is Kudzu; it seems like she grows that fast. She's 7, and already 4'5" tall.”

“They said on that Egg show that was on the History channel a few weeks ago...that there's one chicken in the U.S. for every person. They meant hens laying eggs not broiler chickens.”

“rain, rain, rain...the chickens and turkey are all soaked...why don't they go in the nice warm coop? .......

twigeater
11:13:35 AM

They don't call them birdbrains for nothing.”

“No disease with my birds yet, but this was just my first year. I had read that once certain diseases are in the soil or area, new birds will get it.

Sheesh Stovie, I guess I give them more credit than they deserve - I like to assume that she knows what she's doing, LOL.

However, I couldn't take it last night...it has rained continuously for 2 or 3 days and last night it was so cold and the wind was outrageous. Judy looked like a drowned rat.

I just couldn’t get the plastic on the chicken coop to stay down, but at least the chickens were inside. Judy was perched on top of the gravel pile again. She was soaked from all the rain, and being too heavy to fly, she can’t roost in the trees. Still hadn’t gone in her new little house. So I decided to bring her in the house. I brought her little house in and turned it over so the cover was on the top – since the way it was, rain was able to get in and soak the shaving – and put her in it next to the heater. Turned on a lamp over her, she loved that – stretched her neck up and closed her eyes, like sunning herself. Then I fed her treats – popcorn and mealworms, warm oatmeal. Let her peck at me and the furniture, and everything else all she wanted. Finally she went to sleep. I put the cover on the bin and some stuff in front of the opening. I got up once at night thinking she escaped and was pecking at my door (LOL) but it must have been the wind – the house is so drafty. She slept in the bin all night and I took the whole thing outside this am. I really just wanted to dry her off, it was so cold with the rain.”

“My neighbors had tried raising the Cornish X in cages, still a lot of work. I had heard it takes a few years for the disease to die off. My source at the time kept chicks in with his regular stock with access to the outside, may have come from him or bluejays, sparrows etc.”

“My Cornish Rocks never made it outside except for a few supervised play times. I was too far behind on the coop building and they grew so fast. They had an area in the cellar and live their entire short lives there.”

“Hey twig, I read this and thought of you!

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/03/01/how-to-build-a-backy.html”

“sounds familiar treebait!

I can't imagine what my neighbors think when the rooster crows constantly all night long - I wouldn't like it one bit, but no one has said a word. Except one neighbor who said "we live in the country, that's the way it is" and then again I give her eggs, LOL...she does love to see my birds though, since once upon a time, this was all farmland. I wish it was enough for her to let me put my kayak in her bog.
and of course, I'd like to say I'm the kind of neighbor who would be considerate enough to just not keep the roosters, but we've all lived here for close to 20 years, and none of us even speak which is such an odd thing to me. Most of them are city people who moved here from someplace else for whatever reason. Cheap land maybe. Anyway, I was here first. :)

My hens do make noise sometimes, not sure if it's when they are laying an egg or when one is getting "fertilized" - I always seem to miss whatever is going on.

Speaking of...I guess my son and the rooster had a showdown the other day...Jess was lugging stuff out to the truck and the rooster tried to block his way up the stairs. Jess kept his head down and moved on past...LOL...

I give up on Judy - she owns the porch. ”

“We lost Big White last night. It's a fear I've had, their automatic light comes on for several hours at dusk, sometimes one of the roosters will come out of their coop. So I've needed to start unplugging the light in order to keep the chickens sitting still while I shut up both the coops (they sometimes come out, even after dark, to see if I've any table scraps). I guess last night when I killed the light Big White was outa the coop, more'n likely was just sitting underneath, and when I locked them up forgot to check underneath. We have coons and plenty of coyotes here, so somebody got a big meal.

Looking out my window, we've about an inch of snow in the last hour. Crapola, guess I'll be spreading salt again along our 1800 ft driveway ...... again......”

“that's too bad...
mine run to me in the morning cause that's when I give them scraps. weekends they get really excited when I clean the fridge. :)

I think one thing that keeps the rooster crowing all night right now, is the plastic in front of the doorway has been flapping like crazy in this wind we've had lately. He probably thinks he has to scare it off.

The bad part about Judy sleeping on the porch is that she also poops all over it.”

“RIP Big White....

Yeah, turkeys can flat lay out some serious poops!”

“Today was in the 40s so we had the door open. Judy came in and made herself at home. She wandered around the kitchen and living rooms, pecking at stuff and pipping. She settled in on the floor for a nap for a bit, then started wandering around again. She made her way into Ariana's room...then she saw a mirror, LOL...she spent quite a bit of time with her back up trying to get the other bird to go away. I'd never heard her make noised like that, but it was a riot...she started pecking the mirror...we were worried she would break it, she was pecking with such force. (I have two kids sitting here running spell check as I type, LOL) I put a board in front of her face so she couldn't see the mirror anymore and shooed her outside.

They all followed me all over the yard today as I cleaned stuff up, mucked out the coop and aired it out some. Hoped to find Judy's eggs, but I imagine they are all eaten by critters. I really need to get Judy running on video. :)

I've noticed that people see to drive by slowly, even stop...today was in the driveway and a truck was stopped gawking at her...I wonder if they don't know what she is.

Almost forgot...the rooster chased my son down the road today...he's taken to coming in the front door to avoid confrontation...”

“You need a Judy-cam!”

“Almost forgot...the rooster chased my son down the road today...he's taken to coming in the front door to avoid confrontation...”
twigeater
7:16:28 PM
3/06/10

LMAO”

“Hey Twig, I passed the local turkey herd (sounds better than "flock") this morning, and thought of you and Judy. There were about 35 of them roaming around the entrnace to our neighborhood.”

“LOL...Judy is good for laughs, that's for sure...she's back to sleeping out on the gravel pile now, good place for her. She pecked me one day, hard, and I have a big bruise there, not to mention a boo-boo...she is so moody!

The rooster chases the crows away which is amusing to watch.

One of my hens looks like she may be going broody. I noticed the red hen wanted a turn on the nesting box, but one of the blacks was in there and wouldn’t get out. They were making all kinds of noise at each other, plus the rooster seemed to be "egging" them on. Yesterday she was sitting in the nesting box again, and didn’t get out last night. She got right wound up when I tried to get near her to move her - settled in deeper, fluffed up her butt, and gave me a "don't you dare" look. She was off it this am.

Doesn't she know those are MY eggs???”

“Lol!”

“Lol! This gives new meaning to "fun with food!"”

“I guess we get to go through the same ritual every day now...so in the morning I collect eggs that were laid the day before.

Judy was back on the porch last night, I need to get a gate. She was up and out talking to someone/thing this am...then came back up the stairs squawking for attention...

Now that we're considering baked rooster, I've noticed how handsome and proud he is. Roosters have quite a strut and a tall stance, where as the hens have a more relaxed way about them. Course, the fact that his comb is falling apart to frostbite makes him look a little less regal. Poor guy.

I picked up order forms from the feed store where I got these birds. I like to do business with local places, but they don't carry the Americauna (lay blueish eggs) I'd like to have...and Tractor Supply has a 25 minimum order...
Austin is excited that we are getting more birds...”

“I usually let the feed store know how many of what I wanted, kept after them on arrival dates as they would not hold any. I would go by on my lunch to pick them up for best selection. If ordering from hatcheries, you would have to order 25 or more, I didn't need that many, one neighbor did it that way.”

“Knight's orders in lots of 6, which is fine, but the selection is limited. They call you with a pick up date and you have to pick them up within 24 hours. I didn't want 6 turkeys, so I split an order with a friend.

Tractor Supply has chicks right in the store, but special orders are lots of 5, minimum 25 total.

I like how the kids get excited about eggs and eating "our" chickens, but 4 hens in the yard is a good number...

I'll have to study up on it this weekend while I'm up north in Baxter, LOL...”

“If I posted pictures of an incredibly well built chicken house on this thread, would I get "yell ats kiks and beets"?”

“I usually had 2-3 hens with a rooster to disturb the neighbors. Then got 12-15 Cornish X for meat.”

“Thursday there was a Judy/Judy standoff. Judy the person came to pick me up for our Baxter trip. Judy the turkey pitched a fit. She went in to attack mode and pinned Judy the person in her truck. She was making the same noise she made the day she was looking in the mirror. Her behavior was such that I knew she was going to peck Judy the person, and she chased her with her wings spread. I couldn't believe it! She is definately protecting her territory.


Today, when Judy the person dropped me off from our trip, Judy the turkey seemed like she was interested in something else, and ignored us. After Judy the person left and I'd unpacked, I tried to say hi to Judy the turkey. She was acting weird, kind of avoiding me, not being friendly but not acting aggressive. Everytime I tried to touch her, she avoided me. I got closed to her and saw that she had no feathers on her back and saw some blood. I was able to lift up her wings a bit, and saw that she had no skin in some places, no feathers, and some gouges and bleeding. She was avoiding me, so I went inside until I heard the chicken alarm (that could mean anything) and decided to look outside. Riley, the uncontrollable dog from a house below mine, was in the chicken pen...the chickens were having a fit, so I went outside and hollered at him. He ran off with his tail between his legs, when he normally would come and say hi - so I have an idea he was the one who attacked Judy. I'll have to let his mom know.

Since Judy was acting under the weather, plus it was cold from the rain (and she was shivering and not going under cover) I brought her box inside and put her in it. She doesn't seem to like it, but at some point, I want to get some bag balm on her. Further investigation shows her entire back is bare, gouged, and skin is hanging off. Feathers are all over the yard where she apparently ran from one end to the other. I hoped she pecked the bastard that did it to her.

No eggs for a few days as the broody hen snaps at anyone who gets near the nest. Wonder what the other hens are doing with their eggs. Giving them to the broody hen to lay on or laying them someplace else.

Neve a dull moment...”

“I'm surprised she hasn't been attacked sooner and that she has lived this long.”