All posts by Chicks and Weeds

Disappeared hen was broody with hidden nest

For those who remember about the missing buff a few weeks ago:

Today, July 22, I was checking the greenhouse making sure all the chicks were back inside the run after foraging  before closing up for the middle of the day and -> I found a nest with 5 eggs in it. Hard to see …

Not a new nest, the eggs at least did not look freshly laid – and I knew – that buff that went missing a few weeks ago – that was her, she was broody with a mind of her own after all. If I had not seen a splash foraging about in that area and was making sure she was no longer there – it would have been a long time before I found them.

It is a bittersweet end to a little story: I had noticed a buff missing one afternoon, no matter how many times I counted, one was simply not there. I vaguely remembered one of them clucking like a broody briefly one afternoon, only there was no additional broody on a nest. I didn’t think much more of it at the time. Then, a day or 2 later, when a buff went missing and I mentioned it on facebook, a few folks said: she is off on a nest somewhere. I looked around “everywhere” reasonable, nothing, but I was hopeful. And then, a few days later, I found her – taken and eaten the same way as the roosters. Only that there was all that fresh looking soaked grain in her crop – as if she’d just eaten a little while ago, within 24 hours. Anyway, I was confused as to what really happened and worried that the predator was taking them not just in the very early morning, but in the day now, while they forage and that he’d come back for his prey.

And then today I found the nest in the greenhouse. So the “guys” who said she was gonna show up with babies were sorta right. That would have been a very nice surprise after 3 weeks her showing up with the babies. I never checked the greenhouse because at the time, the greenhouse was not open to the chickens and I did not know one of them had figured out a way in and out … (easy once she figured it out).

It is more sad in a way, that she was taken while assembling her clutch. On the other hand, she was doing what her instinct told her, and as in nature, there are predators out there. She musta been out early one morning. She was being her best chicken self – gone now.

So the lessons: when a hen disappears and there is no body and no feathers, it really is possible that she is just hiding being broody on a nest.

As for me, I am just a tad less worried for them during the day …. that is good, though not enough to relax my routine.

And finding the clutch puts an end to wondering what happened …. sweet girl.

Blacky

Beautiful Blacky – actually gorgeous Black “Blue” Andalusian: “Big Blacky” no longer needs a home – he has gone home.

This morning (it is July 11, 2013) as I walked down the driveway I found myself thinking – I don’t think Blacky is crowing, maybe he is done already for the morning? The others were, but then I was not 100% sure. I didn’t think anything more of it because ever since his close call the other day I made sure both gates from the orchard to the rooster run are closed. But then, when he wasn’t greeting me at the gate that separates the rooster run from the main run – like he does every morning – and when he was nowhere to be seen – I went looking and the rooster run was empty – no feathers anywhere. Blacky isn’t like that – even if for some reason he was in a tree – he’d come around when he sees me – as each and every time.

nothing

I went looking – and found some of his feathers – that wouldn’t be so bad – but there was blood. I searched more – and found his head, then his body. Whatever got him was hungry …his comb half gone, his wattles, the neck-meat, one entire breast, thigh and part of the leg …

Strangely enough, while looking for him I found Brother-cat – who had been missing and thought quite ill, or dead. He was close to his body actually, but looked too ill to be the culprit. He is at the vet now and – ending up staying there with fluid in his lungs …

I do not know how it was that Blacky was out there – unless the doors are open, he does not go, and lately they have been closed except when i let them into the orchard a few days ago …but i think whatever is prowling gets into the run and then he manages to get out …but this time he must have decided to run rather than fly into a tree, who knows.

I loved it when you were up there – and you did too 🙂

 

I had plans for him for breeding next year  – since he seemed so good the time he accidentally ended up with some of the girls in the orchard. Some of the hens were not opposed to him. He got along with his daytime rooster buddies. He always had a buddy or 2, or 5 or 9, depending when….and it worked out well. When Mama Fayoumi and her 5 chicks went into the orchard – he was just fine with that, not bothering her or the chicks. That was so nice to see after suspicions of being rough on the buffs last year.

He did so well with the females

 

Blacky with some buffs in April 2013

I remember yesterday morning – all the (3) roosters got treats, he did too and i gave them food and fresh water. In the afternoon, while the girls get to free range – they got to go into the compost run and see the rest of the flock (through the chicken wire door that is) and peck around  and I always throw some extra grains – which they then all peck together – albeit on different sides of the run.

Blacky – you were a joy to me – thank you great spirit or whoever for letting him be in my live. My human is crying – and my soul takes it as a reminder: be kind to everything you meet, take the time, learn to be more compassionate while you have this body and this world to work with. All that is – only is like that one this one time. I will miss your plaintive voice Blacky – I know what your were telling me …next year …but then you left ….

Go ahead -wake us up

Blacky – I loved you – and admired you, your beauty, posture and feathers so many times. And you were never mean. I remember hand-feeding you in the coop for 3 days when your hormones spiked and you could not stop running when your feet hit the ground. You learned to trust me then, you who were the biggest of the chicks and often off by yourself….and I learned about flighty and the transient nature of hormone spikes in roosters – or maybe the thunder spooked you too, on top of that. I miss you going on the roof of the greenhouse – and your crowing. – I don’t know if you have a separate spirit or if you went back to the void as your life stopped flowing  through your body. I am making good use of it, for the dogs, the sick cat, myself and you are resting in the field, able to nourish it too. You were VERY healthy, in case you didn’t know. I miss you, and as those of you guys before – your leaving is a reminder of the impermanence of this world, the shortness of this life, and a reminder to make good use of it. I gave you the best rooster-life i could. In the end, you got spared being transported in a dog crate and taken and “harvested”. Maybe it is better to go down fighting, or, more likely in your case, running. I don’t know, but it is nature’s way.

Blacky loved going on the roof of the old greenhouse structure.

 

With his old buddies

 

He still matured after this
One glorious morning – Blacky on the “roof”
Just a few days ago, July 8 – the 3 bachelor roos got to go into the compost run, this other flock in the front.
Blacky at 12 weeks, out into the garden field
Blacky and my mom, visiting from German in October 2012
As a baby
Blacky on his roosting spot as seen through the coop – you liked it there well enough, even though you’d have rather gone in – it’s just that it was too much for the girls, bare-backed as some are …. but you talked to them on the other side 🙂

Just one more thing – I had a chick in my first run of 27 who had pasty butt – I probably saw it after 12 hours, and/but she pooped a lot after treatment. She was not well however and ate slowly …and I might have make matters worse the way I tried to dropper feed her. Today, I’d do it like I just did with cutie-pie and her food problem and general weakness.

Blacky and Sweet Angel in the dish – if you do still exist somewhere, maybe you can run and fly together. It is a nice dream anyway.

Anyway, this little fayoumi was getting weaker, and far from attacking her, one of the chicks was always with her – and Blacky was one of them. He stayed with her quite a long time. Blacky and Sweet Angel – if you do still exist somewhere, maybe you can run and fly together. It is a nice dream anyway.

Many people will not understand, they’ll call it sentimental or attachment…and besides, he is gone now, dead, not suffering anymore.  After all, it was “just” a bird, running on automatic programs. Ya, most of it all was just an instinctual program – and yet, the same intelligence, the spirit that runs through all creation, ran through him – and I met him – spirit expressed as him and uniquely him for all times and so I met, through him, the divine dimension of the Universe manifested as what came to be known as “Blacky”. And so I honor him with this page – on the day he went back.

The human in me misses him – and my soul recognizes and walks a step closer towards compassion. Thank you Big Blacky.

The next day: I always knew I didn’t want to send you to slaughter, but I can’t believe how much I miss you there and hearing you …. and how regrettable it is you won’t be there next spring for your own flock. Yet another lesson for me, a reminder: we only always have the moment – NOW.

Why I added a chicken cooling fan in this HEAT

placed the fan in a way that would not freak anyone out – that would be very counter productive in this heat.

We are in the midst of a week of triple digit heat with temperature at night in the high seventies. I pretty much explained what can be done to help chickens beat this heat here, and I have been doing all of it – except the fan – until today, and here is why:

Little background on philosophy: I got 2 straight run chickens last year: 1 – heat tolerant foraging egg layers – light Mediterranean  and 2 – a Mediterranean dual purpose breed that puts real good weight on (because someone was gonna take the roosters and had good experience with them).

So we have this heat wave and I have a sitting hen – one of the Buff Catalana dual purpose birds –  who is sitting on 13 eggs due in 4 days, at the end of this heatwave – and this morning she is sitting there PANTING at 830 AM. This is a new thing – she is in the shade, has cold water, is in a misted area. My large water bottles are not yet frozen to be placed close to her – but I feel bad for her: she really is too heavy for this weather, even with a large comb and wattle for a chicken hen, and she is sitting, and it is not like she choose to live in this habitat – I made her – and so I feel bad for her and  get her a fan from my room,  which “coincidentally” was returned that some morning because the person using it got a working air conditioner the day before,  even though my philosophy, in the vein of keep the flock healthy and resilient in a natural setting, has been: if they cannot tolerate the heat with plenty of shade, rest and fresh cool water, then they are not the kind of heat tolerant chickens I meant and nature shall prevail.

While I have no plans to get more of this breed, but she is here now, trying to hatch chicks and she is in distress in a kind of heat I never expected  – and that is why I am giving her a fan – and because I can.

You can barely see the fan from the inside of the run, but definitely feel the breeze

HEAT – leave your chickens alone in hot weather

Why I leave my chickens alone for hours during the day in the heat:

i noticed that whenever i go to the run after any amount of absence, they all come from wherever they are and crowd at the gate waiting for treats or to get out….this activity is NOT helpful & since i do NOT want to feed them during the day in this heat (produces more internal heat), even adding more ice cubes to the drinking water after the 10:30 11 am water change is not worth it to me to disturb whatever they are doing to beat this heat …which is pretty much sitting on the ground (hosed down each morning) in the shade under the bushes or near any other vegetation (seems to be cooler in vegetation shades areas). i do not want them to freak out about anyting – so they don;t get to free range during the day either. it is already VERY VERY HOT at 10:30. i did what i could, the mister is on in the coop run and will see them in the evening. so far so good – & i AM glad i got breeds that are considered heat tolerant.

 

will see how the summer goes – the real heat is still coming

Heat and Chickens – what can you do to help them “Beat the Heat”

Can chickens die from heat – being overheated? – YES – and there are things you can do to help them be ok.

chicks can get hot too

Even heat tolerant light Mediterranean breeds can have some difficulty during a heat wave, but especially large meat and dual purpose birds with small combs and wattles can get into serious trouble. When the temperature gets into the 80ties, chickens will start to spread their wings to try to cool off. They might start panting. Perspiration only happens through combs, feet and wattles. Chickens can have a heat stroke or heart attack. In an emergency: dunk your chicken into cool water to cool it off….If they start to look droopy, pale, panting …. they need to cool off.

Here are  things you can do to help your chickens deal with the heat
.. .like the heatwaves that are happening everywhere:

Provide shade – make sure they have plenty of it. If you don’t have natural shade, use something like a tarp and spread it over the area they stay in.

ADD WATER EVERYWHERE – not just extra drinking water. Wet  ground is cooler, so hosing down the run or hang-our area is cooling. Wading pools that form cool them off if they walk through them and you can try to hose down the coop roof – even though it gets hot again soon afterwards.

Water and more Water – Have lots of COOL water available – make sure it is placed in the shade, and at least 15 degrees F cooler than the chicken’s body  temperature. You might have to change it once or twice a day, or add chuncks of ice to it to keep it cool. I give fresh cool water in the evening and then again at 1030 am, at which point the chunks of ice get added. Put the water where you know they hang out, they may not walk to it across the yard.  Several water stations are helpful. Leaving a hose dripping does not work with all hoses – if it is too long and the water gets hot by the time it drips out, they will not drink it, and neither should they – just be aware. The same might be true for pipes exposed to heat…test the water that comes out of watering nipples for coolness unless you have it set up where it stays cool.

Misting lowers the temperature about 15-20 degrees F – I got one for the laying area next to the coop. It happens to be where my broody hen sits too. So far it works great. They don’t really like to get sprayed on, so it is up high – and it does do a good job.

Feeding: try soaked grains as they already contain more water  so less need to drink. Even 24 hours soaking will do. I do kitchen scraps at around 7 am, they contain more water than grains, no corn at all during the day or heatwave to help decrease the internal heating production.

Switch to grower or starter feed in the summer as it contains more protein so they need to eat less. Add the oyster shell or egg shells for calcium. The main meal is in the evening. Chickens will also naturally eat less during the heat – and eventually egg production will go down.

ActivityReducing heat production – Try to keep any stressful activities away.  Chickens have a naturally high heart and respiratory rates and they lay an unnaturally amount of eggs – some one a day (nothing you do about that). Mine often pant while they are at it though – it is work. Any fighting, panic and running has them panting a LOT- this means stress to the cardio-respiratory system – and it increases body heat on top of that. Digesting food produces internal heat, especially corn, (which is why i use it in the winter time). No scaring them, doing stressful procedures or visitors, nothing that will make them run around or fight (the worst). I leave them alone from 11:30 am – 7 pm when they are usually ready to do some foraging and eating.

Good ventilation – and  if you have electric in your coop, you can add a fan. Open windows/doors if that cools the coop.

Frozen water bottles – can be placed inside the coop to cool the area around them.

STAY COOL – and remember, other wildlife needs water too – in case yo have a water station somewhere for songbirds & other critters – 🙂

She loves birds – in this or any other world, I wish to remember birds

 

 

 

Moulting – causes and what it is

a slow molt

I got a little worried when my first chicken stared to look funny around the head and neck. So I went online to find information on it. Here are some of those pages/posts and links.

—– posted by sandy on the poultry site in 2008 Molting …http://fowlfacts.proboards40.com/ind… y&thread=773– this link does no longer work but leads to a new one.Importance of feather lossFeather-loss generally is a natural process with fowls. However, aside from the aesthetics, feather loss is important as an indicator of problems in the flock. These could be nutritional, medical, environmental, social or welfare in nature but they indicate a problem with the management of the flock. Most remedies for feather loss require alteration of flock management.

Economically, plumage deterioration results in increased food consumption and hence less efficient egg production. Thus a substantial improvement in plumage condition will be of appreciable economic value to the producer.

Table 1 summarises the various causes of feather loss, identifying the prime factors involved and the remedy required.

Moulting
This is a physiological phenomenon, which consists of the shedding of existing feathers, followed by replacement with new feather growth. It is usually accompanied by a reduction in egg production or even a complete halt.

Natural moulting
Prior to obtaining adult plumage, fowls at several stages during their life undergo a number of moults where the old feathers are replaced by new feathering.

First moult �
when down is replaced by the first juvenile plumage occurring at 6-8 days and ending at 4 weeks.
Second moult �
when the first juvenile plumage is replaced by the second juvenile plumage. This occurs over a number of weeks starting between 7 and 12 weeks of age.
Third moult �
occurs in the hen at 16 to 18 months. This is the ‘moult’ of most importance for producers.

In the laying hen, natural moulting occurs at the time of year when the days are getting shorter, ie. from January to June. Hormones secreted by the thyroid gland determine the course of the moult. The use of artificial lighting to maintain a constant daylength can be used to avoid this natural moult. This occurs principally by altering the daylength ‘hormone-clock’ within the bird.

Moult characteristics
Male birds moult before females. Shedding is first observed in the feathers of the head and neck, then those of the breast and finally of tail and wings. Moults can be partial (occurring on particular body parts) or complete. The extent of moulting depends upon the breed and the individual bird. The length of the moult is variable, poor layers reconstitute their plumage in 6-8 weeks while good layers following a pause in laying can replace their feathers in 2-4 weeks.

Physiologically, the stop in egg production allows more dietary protein to become available for production of feathers which are primarily proteins themselves. Oestrogen, a hormone released during egg production, retards feather formation. Cessation of lay reduces oestrogen levels so that feather formation is enhanced.

Induced – paused (forced moult)
This is a management strategy to extend the economic life of layer flocks. It principally involves feeding whole grain barley or oats for 5-21 days depending on the required length of the subsequent laying period. The strategy has advantages in rejuvenating egg production, improving internal quality (raises Haugh units) and shell quality in older birds. During the induced – pause, laying can stop with some feather loss occurring.

Vices

Feather-pecking
Feather loss can be caused by vices such as feather-pecking. Once established it is difficult to control and prevention is the best remedy. Social order pecking occurs primarily at the head and is not severe. Severe feather pecking due to overcrowding, lighting problems and unbalanced diets will hurt the bird.

Cannibalism
With feather-pecking any subsequent injury with drawing of blood will attract further pecking leading to cannibalism. To prevent cannibalism it is best to isolate the sick or victim bird from the flock or cage. The injured bird should have cuts treated with antiseptic powder and the wound should be coloured with a dark food dye or Stockholm tar to reduce further pecking attacks by other birds. Alternatively the victim birds can be dusted with a repellent. Beak-trimming or purchase of beak-trimmed stock will reduce the likelihood of feather-pecking and cannibalism especially if problems associated with lighting, stocking density and nutrition have been corrected. In addition it has been observed that some breeds of birds are more likely to feather-peck than others.

Wear and tear

Abrasion

Feather loss is also caused by rubbing against other birds or surroundings, particularly if the birds are closely confined. To reduce feather loss stocking densities should be lowered and all sharp and rough surfaces in a cage eliminated. Alternative cage materials may also assist, in that feathers wear away at different rates when mechanically rubbed against different types of cage materials.

Mating

During mating the hen may lose feathers by the rooster treading the hen. The feathers are torn from the hen’s back by the rooster’s claws. To reduce this feather loss the rooster’s claws need to be trimmed with nail clippers. The rooster’s spurs can be trimmed to about 1.5 cm in length with secateurs.

Stress

A number of factors act as stressors which can contribute to a cessation of egg production and the onset of a moult. Generally a lack of food or water is the most frequent stress causing feather loss. Poorly balanced diets or mouldy feed can also bring on moulting. Lack of cool, clean water even for a short time can cause birds to moult. To minimise this an emergency backup water-supply is advisable. Feather loss can also be caused by chilling, overheating and poor ventilation. A good housing environment will eliminate temperature extremes and still provide good ventilation for the birds. Ill-health either from injury, disease, parasitism or bullying may also contribute to moulting. Medication and regular monitoring of birds will minimise stress and reduce further feather loss.

Table 1. Prime causes of feather loss and their remedy

Cause of feather loss and Prime factos involved = Remedy

Moulting

Natural molt � Decreasing day length from January to June = Maintain constant day length by use of artifical lighting with adequate wattage

Induced molt � pause molt � Feeding whole grain barley or oats = A management strategy; return toa balanced diet

Vices

Feather picking � Social order = Occurs ususally at the head, no treatment is required unless severe

Severe Feather picking � severe pecking due to overcrowding, strong lighting or dietary imbalances = occurs at other body parts, prevention is the best remedy. This is attained by providing adequate lighting, continuous access to balanced diets and reduction in overcrowding. Change bred of bird used. Isolate victim birds, provide antispetic treatments for cuts. Color wound with dye, not red as it attracts further pecking. Beak trim birds when young. Purchase birds already trimmed

Cannibalism = flow on from pecking

Wear and Tear

Abrasions � Rubbing against other birds or surroundings = Lower stock densities. Use alternatie cage materials. Eliminate all rough and sharp surfaces in pen

Mating � Roosters claws in the hen�s back = Trim roosters claws with nail clippers

Stress
Food � lacck of good food = Provide a balanced diet. Remove old or mouldy food

Water � lack of cool water even for a short period = Always provide access to cool clean water

Climatic environment � Overheating � Chilling � Ventilation = Provide a uniform climatic environment which eliminates temperature extremes while providing adwquate ventilation to reduce ammonia build up

Ill health � parasites, disease, injury, bullying = Eliminate problem with management and medication and monitor affected birds

References and further reading
ANON (1989) ‘Keeping Poultry’ Department of Agriculture Tasmania.
KENT, P (1988) ‘Poultry – household layers’
SAY, RR (1987) ‘Manual of poultry production in the tropics’ CAB International.
To access DPI’s information and services
DPI Call Centre 8 am to 6 pm weekdays: Phone 13 25 23 (Queensland residents); non-Queensland residents phone +61 7 3404 6999; E-mail callweb@dpi.qld.gov.au.
This DPI Note is also published on the DPI’s PrimeNotes CD-ROM. http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/business/5542.html

Information contained in this publication is provided as general advice only. For application to specific circumstances, professional advice should be sought. The Department of Primary Industries Queensland has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the information in this publication is accurate at the time of publication. Readers should ensure that they make appropriate inquiries to determine whether new information is available on the particular subject matter.

 

another one

 

Moulting – how, when and why chickens moult

During autumn, many household poultry keepers, particularly people keeping poultry for the first time, are puzzled because egg production markedly declines or ceases despite their laying birds appearing healthy. This seasonal decline in egg production occurs when birds go into a condition known as the ‘moult’.

Moulting is the process of shedding and renewing feathers. During the moult, the reproductive physiology of the bird has a complete rest from laying and the bird builds up its body reserves of nutrients.

The provision of new feathers or a coat (a feature inherent in most animals) is a natural process, designed by nature to maintain a bird’s ability to escape enemies by flight and better protect against cold winter conditions.

Under usual conditions, adult birds moult once a year. Some may moult twice in one year and, rarely, once in two years.

The pullet

The chick goes through one complete and three partial moults during its growth to point of lay. Generally, complete moulting occurs from 1-6 weeks of ag, and partial moulting at 7-9 weeks, 12-16 weeks and 20-22 weeks. During this final moult, the stiff tail feathers grow.

The laying hen

Mature birds normally undergo one complete moult a year, usually in autumn. However, this can depend on the time of the year that the bird started laying. Natural moulting usually begins sometime during March or April and should be completed by July when egg production recommences. The three main factors that bring about moulting are:

  • physical exhaustion and fatigue
  • completion of the laying cycle (as birds lay eggs for a certain period of time)
  • reduction of the day length, resulting in reduced feeding time and consequent loss of body weight.

Eleven months of continuous production is expected from pullets hatched in season. So if a flock of pullets commences laying in March at six months of age, they should continue laying until the following February, although an occasional bird may moult after laying for a few weeks. However, these few birds should begin laying again after June 22 (the shortest day of the year) and continue in production until the following autumn. Pullets coming into lay in June should lay until the following April, giving 11 months of continuous egg production without the aid of artificial light. Pullets coming into lay in spring (August) should lay well into April (nine months); however, unless artificial lighting is provided, most of them will moult during May and June.

Moulting and nutrition

If a bird stops laying and moulting, this means its physical condition is deteriorating and, therefore, cannot support egg production, continued nourishment of their feathers or body maintenance. Feathers contain protein and are more easily grown when laying ceases because of the difficulty in assimilating sufficient protein for both egg and feather production. During the moult, the fowl still needs a considerable amount of good quality food to replace feathers and build up condition.

Good layers and moulting

The time at which a laying hen ceases production and goes into moult is a reliable guide as to whether or not the hen is a good egg producer. Poor producing hens moult early (November-December), and take a long time to complete the process and resume laying i.e. they ‘hang’ in the moult and are out of production for six to seven months. Poor producers seldom cast more than a few feathers at a time and rarely show bare patches.

High-producing hens moult late and for a short period (no more than 12 weeks), and come back into production very quickly. Rapid moulting is seen not only in the wing feathers of good producers, but also in the loss of body feathers generally. Because of this, it is common to see a late and rapid moulting hen practically devoid of feathers and showing many bare patches over its body.

The moulting process

 

Moulting - order of feather loss
Figure 1. The moulting process

Moulting takes place in a particular order. Feathers are confined to definite tracts or areas of the body surface, with bare patches of skin between. The first plumage is lost from the head and neck, then from the saddle, breast and abdomen (body), then from the wings and finally from the tail.

When the first feathers drop from the neck and body, good layers often keep laying. However, when the wing feathers begin to drop, laying usually ceases.

The main wing feathers comprise 4 tiny finger feathers on the extreme tip of the wing, 10 large primary or ‘flight’ feathers, a small axial feather and 14 secondary feathers, which are smaller and softer than the primaries.

When the wing moults, primary feathers are shed first from the axial outwards to the end of the wing. Then the secondaries are shed, though not in such a set order as the primaries. The number one primary feather is the first to drop, followed by a number two and then in order to number 10. While the primaries are shed, the secondaries begin to drop.

The axial feather drops at the same time as the secondary next to it. A new quill starts to grow as soon as the old feather is out, and takes approximately six to seven weeks to grow. The moult is complete when all primary flight feathers on the wing have been replaced. The feathers of the moulted bird are larger, fuller, softer, cleaner, brighter and glossier than the previous feathers, which were small, hard, dry, frayed and tattered.

 

The difference between a rapid and slow moulter is not a difference in the growth rate of the individual feather, but the fact that the rapid moulter renews a large number of feathers at the same time. With this knowledge, the rate of moulting can be ascertained by examining the number of flight feathers on the wing being replaced simultaneously. If a hen is found to have grown some of her primaries before starting to moult her secondaries, it may be assumed that she laid well into the moult and was therefore a good layer.

Sometimes, high producing hens do not moult all their primary feathers but carry them on for another year. Generally, a layer moults when production ceases; although, if the bird has an inherited tendency for high production, moulting will probably precede cessation of production, and conversely if she is a poor producer. Modern laying breeds should moult in late autumn because they have been bred specifically for egg production, i.e. to lay at a higher rate and for a longer period of time.

 

A laying bird that lays regularly usually retains old feathers. If a hen ceases production for any reason other than mild sickness or broodiness, it loses its feathers.

If a hen ceases production during spring or summer, it may moult one or two primaries and then stop moulting, and come into lay again. This is known as a vacation moult. When the hen starts its full moult later in autumn, it drops the next feather in sequence and moults in order of the remaining primaries.

A bird may sometimes experience a neck or partial moult without any loss of production. However, if the moulting extends beyond the neck moult stage, the hen ceases production.

The presence of ‘pin’ feathers (new emerging feathers) usually indicates a short or partial moult.

Some birds moult continuously and can be easily detected in the flock by the spotless condition of their new feathers. These birds are poor producers and should be culled.

Stress factors and moulting

Natural moults can occur any time of the year if birds are subjected to stress. A bird becomes stressed when the environment or management presents a challenge to which the bird cannot respond without suffering a harmful effect. If a hen is subjected to a mild stress condition in late spring when in full production, she will suffer a drop in egg production; whereas, if a hen is subjected to the same stress condition in autumn, it will cease laying and moult.

Common stress factors that can induce moulting include disease, temperature extremes, poor nutrition, predators and poor management. These are discussed in more detail in a separate article (see Further reading below).

Production and moulting

After moulting, birds in their second year of egg production will produce 10-30 per cent less than in their first year of lay, as the lay rate is lower and the birds cease to lay earlier in the following autumn. Birds that have moulted twice and are laying for their third year produce only 70-80 per cent of their second year’s eggs (about 60 per cent of their first year’s production).

Moulting cockerels

Cockerels also moult and, while in this condition, are nearly always infertile because they have lost weight and their reproductive physiology is in a resting phase. Care must be taken to ensure that cockerels do not lose more than 25 per cent of their body weight while moulting, as this can lead to sterility.

Advantages and disadvantages

The four main advantages of keeping hens during the moult and the following year are that:

  • it is cheaper to carry a bird through a moult than buy replacement pullets
  • fewer replacement pullets may be needed and buying can often be deferred, which means saving money, time and transport
  • moulted birds are hardier and not as prone to disease
  • only high-producing, efficient birds will be retained if strict culling is undertaken during the first year.

The main disadvantage of keeping the hens is that, although moulted birds eat less feed than pullets, they lay less eggs. Overall, their conversion of feed into eggs – and feed cost per dozen eggs – is higher.

Other disadvantages are that:

  • during the moult, they continue to eat but remain unproductive
  • they are not as tender to eat if they are slaughtered for the table after two years of laying
  • too few birds may be retained to provide sufficient eggs the following year.

Year-round laying and moulting

Year-round egg production can be achieved through the purchase of pullets in autumn at point-of-lay. This provides sufficient eggs while the older birds are moulting. When the pullets’ rate of lay declines in the summer, the additional eggs from the moulted birds should sustain an adequate supply. The following autumn, the older birds can be slaughtered for the table, the best pullets can be allowed to moult, and another lot of pullets on point-of-lay can be purchased. This allows for 20 per cent pullet wastage due to deaths and culling. Only 70 per cent of the normal pullet requirements need to be purchased and, at the same time, a relatively constant year-round supply of eggs is guaranteed.

Acknowledgment

This article is derived from the Western Australian Department of Agriculture Farmnote 3/79, January 1979, and is used with permission.

feather loss:

http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/27_2704.htm

 

Toxic foods for chickens

got treats?

Generally, you’d think birds know what is good for them and what is not – except maybe not -> chickens have been known to eat styrofoam pellets and plastic. Most toxic foods also don’t leave the bird dead the next day but cause organ damage and illness. In any case, here are some foods to avoid feeding your chickens:

  • Raw green potato peels    -> Toxic substance called Solanine.
  • Anything real salty     -> Can cause salt poisoning in small bodies such as chickens.
  • Dried or undercooked Beans     -> Raw, or dry beans, contain a poison called hemaglutin which is toxic to birds.
  • Avocado Skin and Pit    -> Skin and pit toxic to birds.
  • Chocolate  –  chocolate can be poisonous to most pets.

There is a question about apple seeds – and yes, there is cyanide in them but you don’t have to go as far as taking out all the apple cores in your orchards apples 😉

Fermented chicken feeds

I first really heard about fermented feeds as something to seriously consider on a story-thread on backyardchickens.com where someone (Beekissed) within a few weeks brought back to thriving health chickens rescued from severe neglect, malnourished and infested with parasites – without resorting to medications. I am using some of her advice as well as other sources from the web in this post.

My main reason to start now is: one of my buff catalana pullets is a little runt about 1/2 the size of her sisters. She hesitates too long when at the food source to compete with the others. So I am looking to get her a little more advantage. Also, I heard one needs a LOT less feed if fermented food is used.

What is fermentation?

The fermentation process uses naturally occurring bacteria to partially break down food, improving its enzyme content and increasing the levels of some vitamins, as B, C and K. It  makes food more digestible and boosts the “usable” protein level by about 12 percent.

Kefir, yogurt &  sauerkraut are just some of the fermented food you may be familiar with. Peoepl all over the world have been using fermented food for hundreds of years.

In simple words: fermentation of the feed is as if it becomes somewhat predigested, making some nutrients in the feed more available and easier digestable  and absorbed by a monogastric animal such as a chicken. This makes the food more used, rather than just being passed through. Incidentally – the food does not seem to spoil.

It is said that it leads to better bowel health due to more villi being present in the bowel.  More villi means more blood supply, which results in better nutrient absorption from the available feeds passing through the small intestine.

So what changes can you expect to see if you feed fermented foods?

  • The chickens need less food

Easier to absorb, food more available and more villi -> Depending what portion of feed you give as fermented – up to 1/2 or 3/4 less – that would be significant.

  • Their poops are more solid and reportedly less smelly – a side effect.

My chicken’s poop does not smell very bad, but if this means it won’t smell at all – GREAT. will see.

  • Your chickens will have better health overall.
The introduction of good live cultures also helps inhibit the overgrowth of more harmful pathogens such as coccidia, salmonella, e.coli, etc.
From Beekissed: ” Yet another good side effect of having this healthier bowel structure, blood supply, and good bacteria is a decrease in parasite infestation.  The more digestive enzymes there are, the better the digestive action is. This creates a “hostile environment” for parasites, and thus they can not thrive inside your chickens.  Parasites thrive better in an unhealthy bird with an unhealthy bowel.
This is important to know when you are thinking of de-worming your chickens:   One has to ask, “How did my chickens’ health get to such a state that it has an infestation?”  Take care of your chickens’ health and the other problems ~ visible worms being shed in the feces, etc. ~ will right themselves.  All mammals have a parasite present in their bodies/bowels, but you will rarely see evidence of it in the fecal matter unless there is an overgrowth.  When is the last time you looked in your toilet and saw long, white worms in your poop?  This does not mean you have no worms, it merely means you have them but you are not infested with a large population of them.
Same with chickens.  It’s expected that chickens will have some level of intestinal parasites, but never enough to affect their health or production.  All animals have them and they thrive anyway.  The key is not to try to get all the worms out of your chickens ~ if the conditions are that lovely for their infestation, they’ll just be back.  Rather, the goal should be to create such a healthy chicken that the worms can not get a foothold inside them and colonize enough to cause problems.”
  • Reportedly the egg yolks are larger and the egg shells harder

i can’t complain of small egg yolks or soft shells in my chickens, but ok.

  • gives extra fluid to the chickens

if they learn to like it, that would be great, especially for the summer -and yes, it is great for the summer.

So HOW do you make it?

you will need

  • a container – for my first try, I am using a Mason jar
  • chicken feed – for my first try, I am using starter crumbles – later i found out that grains are better for fermenting as I like to throw them onto the garden beds they are working for me. Soaked mash crumbles are not as good for that.
  • apply cider vinegar with “the mother” Bragg organic apple cider vinegar is easily available. Later you just reuse part of the water each time. Works for me.
  • temperature around 68-70 is good, freezing temp outside would not work.
  • a towel might be needed unless you use a 2 bucket method to drain water. I ended up just hand-scooping the fermented grains out add some water and fresh grains.

There are various ways to go about it. This is my first try and I used just over a cup of started crumbles, water and 1/4 cup of Bragg apple cider vinegar. Probably too much vinegar?? Will stir a couple of times, take out feed the next day and squeeze the liquid out.

how long: 8-48 hours, depending what you use, you can use crumbles, layer feed, scratch – since this is already all soft – I will feed it at the latest in the morning. A minimum of about 8 hours seems to be the consensus.

There is a 2 bucket method for feed allotments for 15 or 20 chickens for 1-2 days – later 🙂

You’ll learn to recognize the ferment smell and look for the telltale bubbles real quick.

 

 

Gulliver travels

The “rooster group” at 14 weeks – their view and access to the hens blocked from this side
Our 26 May chicks turned out the be mostly roosters – though we do have 9 pullets. Now  4 months old, they are separated into 2 groups – the mixed group, consisting of: 2 buttercup roos, 3 buttercup hens, 4 blue Andalusian hens, 2 Egyptian fayoumi hens and 1 rooster, 4 golden polish roosters. In the last few days, there has been a bit more chasing going on. Then there is the rooster group, which leaves the coop through a pop door in the back into the orchard part of the garden, and so far, not a single  roo has flown across the fences. However, if you walk all around the greenhouses, you get to see the mixed group through a wire fence.
Gulliver – then 4 month old, Egyptian fayoumi

Meet Gulliver – Gulliver travels

He likes the ladies – and if he were not chasing them so much, I’d let him be with the mixed group. This young rooster lad figured  out the lay of the land …he saw me walk it and followed me, I assume, one of those days a few weeks ago. Gulliver is the Egyptian fayoumi roo who was the very first of all to crow. Every morning and evening, Gulliver makes his rounds and  travels to the other side

Gulliver travels

of the greenhouse, and even to the garden entrance, looking for stuff & crowing everywhere. He is well behaved towards me at all times.

 

I called him over on WEEAC day to a special spot by the outside fence bed, then he finished his rounds. He takes treats from me, tells me when I need to turn the water on, checks out the greenhouse if I leave the door open, and – he hopes to get lucky with the hens – which occasionally he does when for some reason they err into the outside of their area. Gulliver has not shown any sign of territorial display towards me – unlike a few of the orchard roos. I call him Gully for short.

Here Gulliver is literally telling me to open the gate – or something to the effect that his path is blocked….
… then he walked off towards the rooster hangout ….

He was so used to walk to the front  of the garden, that he did so when we had 2 new 4 month old puppies running in there last week. He has to get through a dog safe fence to get there, but then didn’t find his way through back again fast enough. They caught him, but only by the wing tip before I lead them away …he walked off unscathed, but has not gone into that part of the garden since then ….but is still trying his luck with the ladies ….

This is Gulliver at 5 weeks:

Feathers – after Roosting in the Tree

This is about 2 roosters, and their feathers after a night in the tree and life and death and what we don’t know. So if you were looking for info on rooster feathers or some such thing – this is not it.

Background: A few evenings ago, one of the blue blue Andalusians was sitting tucked away on a sturdy twig in a v-shape opening between 2 trunks in a tree where the rooster hang out during the day. Since he was not willing to budge, I managed to take him off and put him in the newly made enclosure, which they had a chance to get used to for a couple of days. He did fine. The next day he came into the coop with all the others. The next day also, but then there he was again …in the tree without showing signs of wanting to move – … I sat by the pop-hole enticing the others and  – he finally did come too. Then, 2 mornings ago – one of the blue Andalusians was out there so fast – I wondered if I had missed him in the coop, though I thought I counted them.

Last night, there were 3 of them in the tree – Mr Blue on his twig and 2 others, 2 splashes – looking all compfy on their branches. Enticing them to get into the coop did not make them budge, it was getting dark – so I said, to them and myself: ok, if that is what you want, and, not have had a trace of predators in 4 months, I left them there.

This morning: on my way down, but still at the house around 8am … i heard a commotion/upset chicken sounds  … it was brief – but once I arrived down there, they were nowhere to be seen. With a sinking heart, I looked around, found feathers, and further away, by the blackberry thicket, the half eaten body of one of them – the  splash, a small one, the one that had the injury to his wing when he was 5 days old. Sweet guy, holding his own, though always a little smaller, beautiful splash blue Andalusian. He had spark – his real name was Frank.

Could have been one of the cats … or a bird of prey.

I buried the rest of him, his body, after going about the morning chicken chores . Then I collected some feathers – feathers, they were beautiful birds – what is left – some feathers – amazing feathers, tender feathers – feathers are magical …. just some feathers left….. I have no idea who got them .. we have 2 cats …but…

It was a penseful day – contemplating about mother nature – and wondering if they felt fear or panic when chased and killed or if nature has a mechanism that makes being prey tolerable?

I recall being clipped while driving on a highway, spinning around in the car and hitting the mid-separator. There was no fear at all, no pain – I wonder if that is what animals go through? Some sort of state where there is no fear of pain? I think a death at the hand of the folks they were originally destined to go to is no worse, or is it? Maybe getting caught and put into the cone is more fear inducing? Though they get prayed over, they get told the day before that it will be their day to serve as food.

For me – it seems it will be difficult to deal with their deaths as I got to know them, and something of their unique beingness. There really is no such thing as “just a chicken”. There is something – something  about cessation of life of another living being – life is sacred – but then ….and here is were words fail: IT IS ALL SACRED. It all is, all the time …..

In what seems to be my life, I have had some experiences and realizations – and – lately it feels that I am re-questioning everything again, going through considerations and questions about life god and everything anew.

Feathers – beautiful feathers – all that is left of these 2 beings which used to have life flow through them just a couple of hour before – what happened? The structures got disrupted – and not more life force flowing though that being – how fragile life is.

And as  I sat there by their area next to the orchard …..

Where did they go? what happens really? there is Being – God, energy, vibration, quantum physics tells us there really is nothing there. It is all in the mind. Where did they go?

 

It is ALL SACRED

Feathers, soft beautiful amazing feathers …

Feeling

Letting go

Considering  the beloved animals since last May of 2011 I have had to let go of:  Lessons about letting  go? Letting go  ….

Sitting there – realizing – feeling

More questioning

Wondering about what is conventional consensus reality and, given latest discoveries in physics – can it all be different, just like that?

What if roosters CAN get along – and don’t HAVE to get killed?

What if the ENTIRE dominance theory in animal behavior everywhere is WRONG and simply so called because of the way the observers described behavior they saw?

What if death of domestic animals is merely a matter of contribution – they are slated to contribute for their flock to live and be protected by serving as meals/ What if their souls, prior to being born – KNEW THAT?

Consciousness – manifest as this world and untold others.

And don’t tell me this how it is, or that is how it is: HOW DO YOU (YOU)  KNOW? You have been taught the same crap in school as everyone else. And even if this is how it is NOW – what about the next moment? How much of what you KNOW have you personally experienced and realized?

If life is like a video game, then there are certain limitations, and rules – but then – you can easily switch to another game with other rules.

Gulliver checking things out this September morning

Whatever you believe – where do you REALLY go after life force stops flowing through your body? And maybe we all go to the place we believe in. Maybe we all simply are part of the big BEING – contributing with our life to it’s beingness.

More and more THIS here seems to be true: be kind whenever possible – and it is always possible.

Feathers – so soft, so beautiful – fly free

I gave you the best chicken life I was able to.

 

 

 

 

When deeply feeling, there is no such thing as JUST A CHICKEN.

What you do to anything or anyone – you have done to BEING ITSELF.

It is ALL sacred.

Feathers and Lessons

and Gratitude.

Found and interesting link, wondering about why it feels so difficult with animals for me

The first 2 pics here are from the little chicks with the injured wing at 5 days. he did well – and the pics describe him 🙂 he was sweet but knew how to hold his own – nice character.

That’s him with one of his friends, August 28 – Fly free
That’s him September 5

and here a couple of pics of MrBlue4toes:

Mr Blue4toes – in August – he had a good life – it was probably a cat that got him September 17, 2012

also in August