I have these 7 silkies.. they have really kept me busy and entertained..
Try as I might not to interject my own human emotions into a chickens brain that is "only this big" I still tend to romatisize my birds.
They seem to hang out via color.. I have 3 blacks.. they are a group,, two whites, inseprable, two reds.. thats where life gets goofy. the big black "rooster" (grandson named him Billy the Bully) has pecked to the core of Hailey's brain (very small red pullet) her comb is tore up and about 1/4 to 1/2 inch above it, all the hair is gone and skin remove.. so she is in the "hospital" for special care. The other red Paula/Paul (leaning towards Paul this week) hangs out with my bantum barred rock.
By the way, with Haily gone, billy doesn't bully anyone??? I don't dare put her back right now.. not sure who will get culled.. the bully or the bulled?? Advice??
Ok enough background.. now to the real problem of uneducatable chickens!
On one end of the silkie house is 3 stories, bottom open all with stairs, in the winter the top two will close off for warmth.. but I need to get them use to walking up & down. The other breeds come and go with no problem.. I now have all the other colors of silkies going up & down all 3 stories... EXCEPT.. the white ones... lol.. If I put them on the top floor they will stay there, without food or water for however long it takes.. I always have to help them down.. I do make them come down on their own but it take a ton of coaxing.. Last night I set them on shelf 2 with food & water.. their favorite bed, roost is on the ground floor... well they can't figure their way out.. so they slept in the food. I have opened the door for them to come out & free range, but seeing as they have food & water, I think I am going to leave them on floor 2 forever!
http://www.freewebs.com/rakenleafs/apps/photos/album.jsp?albumID=565602
Ok, Advice??? Before you say put a smart bird that knows how to walk up & down in there to show them... I have.. I have put food right under the wire mesh floor, on floor 2 (floor 3 is solid) they can't figure out how to get through the floor.. just the oppisite when they were on the bottom floor and the food was on floor 2 they tried & tried to jump up through the wire mesh.
Oh.. one more thing... Simon.. my "lead" silkie rooster..is one of the white roosters..LOL
I hate to use the word "Stupid" but...
first hting i though of is they don't see well with their poofy heads... so do the ones that dont "get it" have bigger poofs?
sounds mean, but they can go two-three days without food or water..... and perhaps even better thatn that would be NO ATTENTION from fran until they come down the ramp.
could you make the ramp hole bigger? my DH had to do that once in the first haven, was a real pain, but had to be done...
sorry to brag [can't resist] but the seabrights live in PH#2, and their haven doesnt even have a ramp, they just jump straight up, and found it on their own. and to think i had planned to sell them, they seem to be the smart ones...
is it also possible they dont' want to come down to Billy the Bully's level [no pun intended...]
i would be locking HIM up for a while...
tf
well dahhhh is me... tf.. the whites do have the bigger poofs.. and they do cover their eyes..
I knew to let them come down on their own.. but was worried how long to leave them there, I didn't want them to dehydrate in the heat.
I didn't think of making the ramp hole bigger, thats a thought, but I did just think that maybe before we went to that trouble maybe I could paint a contrasting color edge on it.. maybe they can't tell the difference between the ramp, floor or walls.. maybe just paint the edge and an inch around.. before the trouble of pulling out the saw.
And.. I am SO intriged with these chickens, animal behavior.. I could sit and just watch them for hours.. not just the silly antics, but thier day to day.. pecking order, warning calls.. foods here.. hey where are you.. I find it all just so amazing.
So with that said.. how on earth did I miss these two fighting and why don't I know what the problem is??? I really thought it was young "love" I understood that could be quite agressive, and I thought Billy just kept missing the neck.. I thought he was just all thumbs..
With Haily being gone, all is very calm and peacefull.. I am really not sure what happened.. In my mind Haily is a nice polite lady. I think I really missed something here, but I am assuming until she is healed a bit I cannot put her back with the flock.
Oh wait.. you know, billy might be behavin cuz I did get mad at him and throw him in with the large marge girls.. U & ME.. lol... the giant cornish.. they don't take carp from no-one! Thought it would teach him a lesson.. They didn't bug him.. but he did come back the next day a new man with a little higher voice.
This message was edited Jun 18, 2008 9:39 AM
If it was me Billy would be dumplings. He's a proven bully and someday soon he'll pick another victim.
MollyD
Yea, we big women can put any man in his place!
All I can say is this is all hilarious. I love it. I am right there with you, watching my chickens and life seems so peaceful and enjoyable. I really needed that in my life.
Mine are climbing on limbs that were stacked in the yard from an ice storm several years ago. I am one of those people that think I better save the wood in case I might need it someday to keep warm, or for camping. I loved watching them hop up there. Today when I went out and fed them, two kept running to me and then back across the yard. I know it may sound silly to people that aren't chicken people, but it was so cute. They can really RUN too.
Someone on here was talking about their red devil silkie roos from Ideal. I think I may have two of them, but my whites are just as big and keeping them in their place so far. My plans would be to build another pen for any rooster that is completely unruly. I can just see me with 10 small coops, one rooster in each. :P I haven't built anything yet though, still thinking. So far they are comfortable in the two rabbit cages at night, and they free range all day in the yard. Winter will be another story.
I thought of GG today when I realized I will be taking these roos to the horse lot in a few months. I do like my silkies, but sure won't like seeing them have to leave the backyard and go to a coop out there. Guess they will be company for the donkey. I know he's lonely. His only companion is my old dog who is about 14 years old now, and they don't like each other. I don't expect the dog to live long, but so far, even with his arthritis, he gives the donkey a run for his money.
I may give the neighborhood a treat some time and put the chickens in the front yard. Some will have a big fit that I have the chickens, but they throw a fit all the time anyway. They think they are the neighborhood police. They live in a glass house, but throw rocks, if you know what I mean.
Two more things I want to say and I'm finished. I went out with some leftover potatoes to give to the dog and chickens. I was going to give half to the dog, the standard poodle tied to the back of the garage. So I put half down for her, and ALL the chickens came over and started eating her food. She just stood there watching them. Is that so funny? She let them have her potatoes and did nothing about it. It really scared me at first, because I thought she might hurt them. She just stood there watching them eat and looking confused. I won't do that again, poor dog. Chickens taking over.
The other thing I wanted to say, was I want to build a little tunnel for my roos at the horse lot. I saw this a few times when I was looking at pictures of chicken coops. If you wanted to, you could make some tunnels connecting different pens. Just some boards making a about a foot square covered in wire, or the one I saw had wood on the top too. It was real neat. I'm not sure I have energy to do any of this, but you could make like a hamster trail. :) Yes I have the chicken bug.
Karen
oh Karen.. that is TOO funny.. I can see a chicken habitrail all over your place... LOL... up over the house, across the electrical wires.. down the side of the road.. looking like the cows when they all mosey home... only its chickens...
Let me know when it's finished, I want to come and see.
A hamster habitat sounds really hilarious! I
haven't heard of chicken tunnels, 'chunnels' LOL
Sorry about your girl, and yes, they can be very
mean sometimes. But, one thing I've learned, is
if you remove a bird form the bottom of the ladder,
someone will take his/her place. It may not be right
away, though. These 'social orders' take time,
donchaknow?
But- if it's a very mean roo, and he causes harm,
not just plucked feathers- he is in the pot as far as
I'm concerned. A mean bird is a yummy bird! ^_^
Vicious = delicious! ;-)
Ditto truest! I've got a young roo that I'm looking at recipes for LOL He's mean to everyone and at the rate their growing he's going to be very tasty in about 4 weeks.
MollyD
I agree. Someone is ALWAYS at the bottom of the pecking order. Your roo is abusing his power and who knows who he'll pick on next. He'd be the one going, not the hen IMHO.
ROTFLMBO.... i can see chunnels running all the way out to Adrian pastures, Karen!
fran, i don't think bright colors is what you want. when your DH enlarges the hole, have him trim it out, they should be able to see that or at least feel with theri feet... you know, encircle the hole with small raised pieces of wood...
you all are not alone in your chicken watching. i have chairs outside, when i get a chance between chores to rest... today we are planting trees for more future shade. for us and them...
tf
so one last question..
can I trim Simons "bangs"? I would assume so.. I could trim his wings..
And last.. I feel bad.. chickens aren't stupid.. just owners who haven't figured out the problem yet!
i was about to say something about the title of your thread, LOL...
you certainly could trim them. but if he is used to getting around by FEEL, i think just having trim around the door should solve it. you know they will just grow back, sigh...
uuughhh the frustration... he hasn't drank in almost 24 hrs... he is eating crumbs and such off the bare ground.. I'm okay with that.. but silly boy.. made it to the top of the ramp and turned and walked back down..... I would cook him for the mere silliness of this.. but he is SO darn pretty!
and really, ther isn't much meat to him...
so he is down and needs to go up? i think putting him up away from the others will help him learn the down part, then the up will come naturally??
I did that tf.. it took him 24+ hours.. he finally came down..
I just went out and he was on the second floor.. I sat across the yard and watched as he ate and drank..
There is a way out of the house via the second floor, I will not let him out the ground floor door, all the other silkies go out the second floor.. I thought that would help... he looked down.. yes they have a nice ramp.. even has a handrail *chuckle... but nope, he finished filling is crop turned on his heel and pranced down the ramp he came up.. and took a nap...
I AM NO LONGER WATCHING HIM! HE CAN STARVE FOR ALL I CARE!
lol you know thats not true.
that's OK, fran, vent all you need to,...
I agree with MollyD..Billy dumplings it would be...or noodles.I won't tolerate a bully like that in my chicken yard. Years ago when we first got chickens we had one rooster that liked to bully two of my hens. We didn't do anything about it and he got brassier and brassier. His pecking spree ended when he went after my (then) two year old son with his spurs, and that (as they say) was that. He sure made good soup though-the chicken...not my son. ;)
LOL revenge was if not sweet at least tasty!
MollyD
Isn't this a silkie rooster, and most people don't eat silkies. I still vote for his own coop.
Silkies are big in some Asian communities--they are suppose to have medicinal qualities. They make weird looking roasts. I say threaten him.
Yes, he is a silkie..
I hear and heed all your warnings.. I also hesitate, probably foolishly.
#1, all 3 black silkies look a lot alike except size. I have been pretty sure it is the large one doing the bullying... but I would not identify him in a lineup with certianty..
Today I took poor Haily outside for awhile to get some air, sun and her favorite bugs.. she mossied in the garden, then I ventured to the chicken yard.. where almost everyone ignored her.. I had to go in real quick.. came back out.. and for those following my other thread.. Simon finally came out of his second story condo but inside the coop was the middle (Advil) black silkie and Haily.. so I really second guessed myself.. thought maybe he/she chased her in there.. but half hour later.. the big guy flipped his head around and took off after her with a vengance!
What on earth is up with those two. I brought her back in.. mainly because shes not well enough to be out right now.. But I think even though things are on an even keel without her.. he is going back in with the large marge sista's U & ME and I will either craigs or freecycle him. I am not sure I am up to a death cull myself right now.. but I am working towards it. But that is a whole nuther thread!
Light for Jesus...my grandma had a saying..."You can eat anything if you 'bile it (boil it) long enough!"
LOL
i am having stupid chicken problems. the banded breeding chicks are out with the others now. and at night, they don't follow them in through the door, or go up into the open door of their penthouse, they climb on top or crowd down below by the duck. at least so far i can find all of them IN THE DARK! eventually, they will get it, but meanwhile...
My 9 week olds all sleep on the ground near the run door--they go in the chicken house during the day to get out of the sun--although the whole run is covered with a shade cloth. I even bought one of those battery lights that you push to light up closets and put it in the house at night hoping to lure them in. Nope.
That's cute Heidi.
I am so glad I knew my grandmother well. Too bad they thought vegetable gardening was old fashioned when I was young. They all knew how to garden and can food, but never taught me.
That's one thing I enjoy about the internet, so much information, however, reading something is quite different than being shown in person.
Karen
LOL... I am so glad that we all have these troubles...
I am happy to report for two straight nights in a row all 7 of the silkies and Nemo (bantum barred rock) went to bed on the (get this) THIRD FLOOR!! all by thier little blessed chicken hearts.
Tonight it is lightly raining so it will be their first time sleeping totally dry. Now they did have a rubbermaid tote on its side for protection, but I know they were getting damp... but tonight.. ha ha total dryness... do you think they'll thank me in the morning?
Let us know if they do!!
GG
yippee!
Not only did they sleep dry... haha, they overslept.. I beat the rooster getting up this morning. Simon & Nemo were still yawning when I went out to feed the large Marge sistas!
They woke up and WALK DOWN the ramps.. yes both ramps.. and out the back door!!
Is this progress or what?
Wow Fran, they seem to have had a BIG change in attitude. Wild that one day they refuse to do something and the next they act like they have always been doing it, huh? I'm so glad they are not giving you fits now (knock on wood!)
Christy
Well, I guess it just takes them a while to understand what we want them to do. After all, they are bird brains.
GG
yea well I was reading, and trying to understand the concept behind a rooster crowing first thing in the morning..
and someone had said in a blog it was because they woke up to this wonderful new life and just realized for the first time there was FOOD out there and was trumpeting to all who would listen.. lol
Kind of like a cat with new eyes everytime he blinks, or that movie with Drew Berrymore, 50 first dates.. every morning a new life.
fran, our roosters crow 24/7. They don't even shut up at night. I have heard them crowing at 3 in the morning. No light, dark all over, and here they are crowing.
HUH????
GG
Granny, they were talking about all the reason a rooster crows..
to signal danger, his ego, his terretory.. it just got a little funny when they spoke of when he first woke up... I kind of like the theory.. makes me smile.
fran, I didn't put the question marks for people, I put them in as "DUH's" for my roosters. You don't have to explain to me the reasons roosters crow. I have a watch rooster (Bruno) that lets me know when someone is here to get eggs, if a hawk comes around, and for any other reason.
I think he also crows to let me what time it is. I am going to see if he crows on the hour and if he does, I will have an accurate time rooster!!
GG
Of course they crow because they woke up.
lol.. granny, I knew you knew... I just wanted you to know that I did know they crow all day.. and what I was reading, several different things.. was pretty complete and reasonable as well as humorous..
But in all honesty.. I really wasn't sure what the question marks were for..
And I am orinanaly from the big city in jersey.. then miami.. I was 16 before I ever saw a cow... I really had no idea why they crowed.. I am learning it all from the bottom up.
My roos crow every morning at 5:30 AM, almost on the dot!
Hey Patch, do you want some that crow at 3:00AM? I think the young ones are starting that routine now.
GG