Chicken in solitary confinement
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EddieWalker
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We just took in two hens about a month ago from an elderly couple that felt it was too much for them to take care of them. They didn't know how old they where, but egg production was way down and they felt they where getting close to passing, but really didn't know.
We have over 100 chickens and we're getting about 6 dozen eggs a day. That's what we gather, there are more eggs out in the woods and other hiding places that we never bother with.
We put the two hens in a large dog crate for a week to get to know the other birds. One of them ran out of the dog crate and joined the flock like a they had been friends forever. The other refused to come out of the crate. She seemed scared, very hesitant and probably confused by the move. We left the door open and let her decide when she wanted to come out. She never did. She stayed in there for about two weeks and then passed away.
We've also taken in quite a few hens from other people that where a lot younger, and they had decided that raising chickens was what they had thought it would be. All of them joined the flock and are still doing great.
All our birds free range, and they tend to hang out with groups that become friends, in different areas. It's funny how social they are, and how they prefer to be in "their" areas. Some stay in and around the coops, other are at the far end of the pasture, or on the other side of the pond, are at the hay bale.
We have over 100 chickens and we're getting about 6 dozen eggs a day. That's what we gather, there are more eggs out in the woods and other hiding places that we never bother with.
We put the two hens in a large dog crate for a week to get to know the other birds. One of them ran out of the dog crate and joined the flock like a they had been friends forever. The other refused to come out of the crate. She seemed scared, very hesitant and probably confused by the move. We left the door open and let her decide when she wanted to come out. She never did. She stayed in there for about two weeks and then passed away.
We've also taken in quite a few hens from other people that where a lot younger, and they had decided that raising chickens was what they had thought it would be. All of them joined the flock and are still doing great.
All our birds free range, and they tend to hang out with groups that become friends, in different areas. It's funny how social they are, and how they prefer to be in "their" areas. Some stay in and around the coops, other are at the far end of the pasture, or on the other side of the pond, are at the hay bale.
NoTrespassing
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CliffordK
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Omelets for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and midnight snacks?
Richard
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....and after she's stuck in the pokey with the birds for two weeks, since she didn't know how to get out, she will not only mad as a hen..... she will smell to hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh heaven!!
I think he'd be safer off just going on vacation, having a great time.... then jumping off a high bridge or something like that, rather than suffer the wrath on going home.
EddieWalker
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Lots of egg sandwiches!!
Our dogs eat two dozen a day, and we've started scrambling them for the cats. I didn't know that cats like to eat scrambled eggs, but they come running when they sea the bowl, and clean it all up.
The rest are sold, but I also give them away to clients when I'm working on their homes.
Right now, we have 25 Rio Grande turkey eggs in the incubator that a buddy sent us, and my wife has been finding Guinea eggs when picking up chicken eggs, so there are a dozen of those in an incubator too. She is the crazy chicken lady with 2 incubators!!!!
OP
WinterDeere
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Waitaminnit… how do you prepare eggs for a dog? I have a post-surgery dog that’s not eating her regular food, gotta find something to get her interested in food again, and we are out of the usual chicken and rice.
Rockbadchild
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We put raw eggs in our dog food as supplement.
EddieWalker
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We have six Akita's, and my wife feeds them twice a day, except the puppy. He gets second breakfast and second dinner.
Some of them like raw eggs over their food. Some of them like hard boiled eggs in their bowl with their food. All of them LOVE scrambled eggs. They always eat the egg first. Yokes are the best!!!! Then they eat the rest of their food.
OP
WinterDeere
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Cool. Before even waiting for a reply, I quick scrambled up an egg and mixed it in with her usual food. It did the trick! Thank you!
She's just a little thing, something like 12 lb., so half an egg did it.
She's just a little thing, something like 12 lb., so half an egg did it.
grsthegreat
Super Star Member
Yeiks… the crazy chicken people.
i have a friend with bird crazy wife. She has a bunch of different chicken breeds, but also ducks and a pile of peahens
and peacocks. the place is a mess of screaming birds. Would drive me nuts.
Peacocks…i mean really?
Rockbadchild
Elite Member
it could be worse … it could be a emuYeiks… the crazy chicken people.
i have a friend with bird crazy wife. She has a bunch of different chicken breeds, but also ducks and a pile of peahens
the place is a mess of screaming birds. Would drive me nuts.
Peacocks…i mean really?
The same way that you cook them for yourself. When I had a dog and hens, it was automatic to throw one in the frying pan for him when cooking eggs for breakfast. Also hardboiled,or scrambled in the microwave if the supply was getting too big. If I ran out of dog food it was common to cook up some sweet potatoes, rice, and eggs with a little cheese mixed in.
Then there was the time I decided to cook up a cup or two of oatmeal to mix with the eggs... but I try not to remember that.
OP
WinterDeere
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Two updates:
1. I called an acquaintance who has taken chickens off me before, and asked her if she had any nice old ladies she was willing to give up, to give ours some company in her waning years. She said she has two that would be perfect, and will bring them over next week. She also agreed to take whichever is left back, whenever we land back in this situation again, as I'm not restocking with chicks when these old girls are done.
2. Scrambled egg was the perfect thing to get our dog eating again, post-surgery. She has never been a great eater, and the surgery meds seemed to have her almost totally off eating. Two good meals yesterday, and breakfast today, she seems to be right back to her old self. Thanks for the tip!
1. I called an acquaintance who has taken chickens off me before, and asked her if she had any nice old ladies she was willing to give up, to give ours some company in her waning years. She said she has two that would be perfect, and will bring them over next week. She also agreed to take whichever is left back, whenever we land back in this situation again, as I'm not restocking with chicks when these old girls are done.
2. Scrambled egg was the perfect thing to get our dog eating again, post-surgery. She has never been a great eater, and the surgery meds seemed to have her almost totally off eating. Two good meals yesterday, and breakfast today, she seems to be right back to her old self. Thanks for the tip!
Obviously not a Lab.
grsthegreat
Super Star Member
My black lab is the most lazy eater ive ever had. As a puppy we could barely get her to look at her food. And we tried lots of different foods. Shes 5 now, and still doesnt care less if she eats or not. But she will mooch up a storm. One good thing though, shell never be called a fat lab.
OP
WinterDeere
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I grew up with a lab-shepherd mix, and I think her food bowl was about the diameter of a Frisbee. Great dogs, but my God... the hair! If mom skipped even one day of vacuuming, it'd look like tumbleweeds blowing around our family room.Obviously not a Lab.
I often vacuumed enough fur out of my truck to make another dog!
