The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: egbert on March 03, 2011, 04:16:27 pm
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While picking up my daughter from school I started talking to another parent who is also a farmer and discovered he also farmed poultry, so having a general conversation about my chickens (while he smirked at me paying for my chickens at breeder prices when I could buy his for a few quid on the market ;) ).
I mentioned that we had an ex-bat die when she prolapsed and the others attacked her. He said I would have to cull all of them, because once they turn cannibal they become vicious. But the 3 remaining seem to be ok - they have obviously pecked at the 3 newbies and are a bit aggressive to them, but I expected that when introducing new hens ???
He also said that the ex-bat would be the worst. Now I have read this, but actually it's the Copper Stars that are bullying the newbies the most ???
He also said once they have eaten an egg, if I find a shell less or pecked egg, they won't stop and I will have to remove them as soon as they are laid. Now every so often we do have a shell less or pecked egg - maybe once every few months- but I often dont get to the eggs until after 6pm or the next morning and they are fine ::)
So am I lucky with my hens or is he trying to freak out the 'townie with the chicken pets'? :-\
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He's trying to freak you ::) It's an old game ;D There is some truth in once they have started to peck eggs they may well continue, but if yours are free range there is little danger of that. All hens will peck red bits on others but I don't think they would all suddenly become cannibals, unless there is something worth pecking or they are bored to madness - not very likely in a domestic set-up but possible in a commercial one. If your hens are contented, let them be. The bullying is normal and will settle down, especially if the newbies have somewhere to hide. Many areas of smallholding differ from commercial ways, largely because of small numbers and greater supervision by the smallholder. :chook:
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Chicken farmers have different views as they deal with volumes and figures.
I have had a hen badly attacked luckily we saved her but this has never happened since and no culling took place.
The egg situation is differnet some chickens do get a taste for eggs and will break the eggs to eat them. I solved this by installing roll away nest boxes with a cover over where the eggs roll to. The hen that attacked the eggs is probably long since passed on but I find this system works well and keeps my eggs a little cleaner as not all lay in the nest boxes but most do.
Find a system that works for you and the chickens, take as many pieces of advice as possible then work out what you like for the setup you have. There is no hard and fast rules and if you find a solution that works stick with it.
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I think he was over exaggerating when he said cannibals its certainly not normal……However as mentioned in a previous thread see (Bullying Chickens) sometimes just a show of blood on a injured chook can encourage other birds in the same flock to start investigating the blood……This doesn’t reflect that they are bully’s or cannibals so I wouldn’t worry too much over his comments.
As for the eggs well have a look at the other thread (egg eating hens) plenty of info on that subject and id say if you get eggs later in the day you don’t have a problem
Dave
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he's generalizing - maybe a lot is his experience.
It is worth keeping an eye on them - they are omnivores - eat everything.We had a broody who eat all but one of her hatchlings and gave eggs a real go after - until the mustard hit her ;D I'm thinking of actually putting one of the mustard eggs in as a precaution, just in case... :chook::&>
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We rehome ex batts and apart from the usual pecking order skirmishes they get on very well. Ex batts are very docile. We have the occasional egg eaten and if I am clumsy and crack one I give it to the hens.
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Ex batts are definitely not vicious, they are gentle creatures which are grateful for their chance of freedom and life!
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We have the occasional egg eaten and if I am clumsy and crack one I give it to the hens.
That's kinda self-perpetuating.
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Not really, don't have a problem with hens eating eggs might lose 1 occasionally, wouldn't give the one I crack to them if I did.
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It is worth keeping an eye on them - they are omnivores - eat everything.We had a broody who eat all but one of her hatchlings and gave eggs a real go after - until the mustard hit her ;D I'm thinking of actually putting one of the mustard eggs in as a precaution, just in case... :chook::&>
we put a mustard egg in last year when they started to peck.......... they loved it and it encouraged more!!!!!!!!
perhaps we shouldn't have used english :D
Mx