Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

tracyk

pickledtink wrote: »

Today one has no tail feathers or any down the front of her neck just kind of quill stumps. They don't look as if they've been plucked out so I'm stumped.
Can anyone make a suggestion?

Are you sure she's not just going through a moult pickledtink?
I've got a beautiful Gold Partridge Brahma but over Xmas she looked like the most neglected chook you ever saw - no tail - just bits of white quill on her head where her feathers should be - really scruffy - also, they do stop laying when they moult...
She looks lovely again now - it's all come back....

pickledtink

tracyk wrote: »

Are you sure she's not just going through a moult pickledtink?
I've got a beautiful Gold Partridge Brahma but over Xmas she looked like the most neglected chook you ever saw - no tail - just bits of white quill on her head where her feathers should be - really scruffy - also, they do stop laying when they moult...
She looks lovely again now - it's all come back....

Oh I do hope that's it. Sounds similar. I've been really worried. I had thought moulting would mean no quills or anything. Bad time to moult I'd have thought . It's freezing. She definitely isn't laying though as they each have a very distinctive egg. Not seen onefrom her for about 10 days or more.

HariboJunkie

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

Possibly a daft question, but are you clipping both wings on each chook

Penny. x

Hi Penny

We clipped one side as advised when we got them but it made no difference so have now done both sides. It's definitely reduced their flight but they can still jump the four feet out of their run.
Managed to get them in tonight which is just as well as it's due to be minus 12 tonight. :rolleyes:

Penelope_Penguin

HariboJunkie wrote: »

Hi Penny

We clipped one side as advised when we got them but it made no difference so have now done both sides. It's definitely reduced their flight but they can still jump the four feet out of their run.

The idea behind clipping the one wing is that it makes them unstable, so they can't fly. It doesn't help if they're able to jump :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

HariboJunkie

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

The idea behind clipping the one wing is that it makes them unstable, so they can't fly. It doesn't help if they're able to jump :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

It's me that's unstable.

Seriously. The farm we got them from said that they don't fly and the run only needed to be 3 ft high. But they are the incredible jumping hens. Either that or they're giving eachother a leg up. :cool:

pickledtink

HariboJunkie wrote: »

It's me that's unstable.

Seriously. The farm we got them from said that they don't fly and the run only needed to be 3 ft high. But they are the incredible jumping hens. Either that or they're giving eachother a leg up. :cool:

Being intimately acquainted with 4 cunning escapologists I'd say clip quite heartily on both sides. Also they will use any sticky out bits to flutter and jump from place to place including each other.
I've been tacking more height on month by month and even with wings ruthlessly clipped and a pen height of now over 8 ft bent over inwards they STILL manage it sometimes.
Hens are not nearly as thick as people are inclined to believe.

pickledtink

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

The idea behind clipping the one wing is that it makes them unstable, so they can't fly. It doesn't help if they're able to jump :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I tried that at first. Houdini immediately flew onto the hen house roof ( about 7 ft) and nearly vanished off to the cricket ground to make a nice early foxes christmas dinner. I only just got her by one leg and a lot of injuries to my person.

HariboJunkie

pickledtink wrote: »

Being intimately acquainted with 4 cunning escapologists I'd say clip quite heartily on both sides. Also they will use any sticky out bits to flutter and jump from place to place including each other.
I've been tacking more height on month by month and even with wings ruthlessly clipped and a pen height of now over 8 ft bent over inwards they STILL manage it sometimes.
Hens are not nearly as thick as people are inclined to believe.

Thank you Pickled. :A

The day we clipped both wings they did appear to be stuck in the run and I didn't let them out all day. Just before dusk I went inside and came out to find them out of the run and up the tree again. :rolleyes: That's why I though they may have jumped on eachother as all but one was out as presumably she had no one to give her the leg up.

I think we'll clip them again as I really don't want to go to the expense of a roof on the run but would like to let them free range until late afternoon and then pop them into the run.
Will let you all know how they get on. I'm just hoping they don't start laying up there.

mummy_knows_best

hi i got 2 chickens bella and daisy in november they were 18 weeks old then but iv had no eggs yet, should i have? Im wondering if im doing everything right,are they too cold etc. any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

edmund_blackadder

mummy_knows_best wrote: »

hi i got 2 chickens bella and daisy in november they were 18 weeks old then but iv had no eggs yet, should i have? Im wondering if im doing everything right,are they too cold etc. any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

I think it's still early days to be worrying about them not laying yet. I think they all start at different times and egg production can tend to tail off in winter anyway.

Don't worry .... they will!