this post was submitted on 06 Apr 2024
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Backyard Chickens (and Other Birds)

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[Were you a mod of backyard chickens on Reddit? Message me if you're interested in modding here.]

This is a community for people who keep chickens in their back yard. This includes pets, layers, and meaties at levels that are sub-industrial. Family farms and homesteads are included.

EDIT

The Fediverse is small. There probably aren't enough people here to make up a community for every type of bird that someone might keep so for now, everyone is welcome. Bring us your ducks and geese, turkeys and quail, Guineas and Peacocks, emus and parrots. The community will be focused on chickens but until there are enough of each bird community for their own community they will find care and comfort here.

/EDIT

There may be discussions of animal processing. This is part of chicken keeping. If you don't like it leave and block the community.

You may also be interested in:

Homestead

Parrots

Cockatiel

RULES:

  1. All Lemmy.ca rules apply here.

  2. Everyone (see rules 4 and 98) is welcome.

  3. If you've seen a question 100 times answer it the 101st time or ignore it. Even better, write a complete, detailed answer and suggest that the mod(s) pin it to the community.

  4. There will be ZERO tolerance for shaming, brigading, harassment, or other nonsense of those who keep and process chickens. You will be permanently banned the first time.

  5. No, it's not a calcium deficiency. Wrinkled eggs are the result of insufficient or insufficiently viscous albumen. Tiny eggs and missing shells are misfires. They happen.

  6. If you post a picture that includes a dead animal or blood mark it NSFW. We're not going to tolerate the militant anti-hunting and anti-farming bullshit here but we're also not going to tolerate people rubbing their hunting and harvesting in people's faces. See rule 98. If you post blood, gore, or dead animals and don't mark it NSFW it will be removed and you might be banned.

[Did you actually think there were 98 rules?]

  1. If you present something as fact and are asked to provide proof or a source provide proof or a source. Proof must be from a reliable source. If you fail to provide proof or a source your post or comment may be removed.

  2. Don't be a dick. Yes, this is a catch-all rule.

  3. The mod(s) have the final say.

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We just got a batch of ten baby chicks! Two days old and they are already having a blast climbing and jumping off a little rock and sticks. This batch are all females, and are a random variety of "exotic" chickens. When their real feathers grow in it'll be fun to figure out what breeds we got!

They are just in an XL dog crate with foil insulation around the bottom edge, and a red heat lamp hanging from the top of the crate. I don't know if the foil actually helps retain any heat, but it does keep the chicks from escaping. It's a high security henitentiary.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

It’s a high security henitentiary.

Thar's a cheep joke.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

I have to admit, I only posted because I was cracking myself up over that yolk.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Last batch of all females we raised had a silkie rooster hiding in the bunch.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Did you keep him? I had 4/6 of a straight run be roosters a couple years ago, but they killed one of my hens and had to be culled.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

We kept him for a few years. Real noisy but wasn’t too aggressive.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I want to cuddle them in my beard.

Our little hen used to do that :)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

That sounds like it would tickle!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

It does, in the best way :)

I had no idea that any chicken could be so loving. Even now that she's at adult size and a little bossy, she stays with one of us every second she can (usually me) and when evening sets in, she starts squawking at me until I get in the recliner and lean back so she can get in the beard and doze off. Which is less comfy than it used to be, but she's worth it lol.

Obviously, this is not a working bird lol. Mind you, she lays every other day, and they're excellent eggs, but she's a pampered pet for sure.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

So adorable. Crazy how smart they are after 2 days!

How long can they last without the heater on?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

The heater is necessary until they're properly feathered, they need to stay around 95°F right now. That will be adjusted down around 5° a week until they are comfortable at room temperature. I don't actually know how long they would last without it, but it's obvious when they are miserable and cold. They all snuggle up together in a little clump and when they first came home they were very lethargic until they warmed up. It was about a 4 hour journey for them from the hatchery to home without heat.