Strange thing happening

around here. Have a exactly 3 month old Araucana Rooster breeding, now a 2 month old Araucana Rooster trying to breed the hens, my female Rouen breeding my Cyauga hen almost to the point of drounding her and had to break it up, and now have a just at 5 month old Brown Chinese goose laying. I thought they only laid in late winter/ early spring besides the fact of her being so young. not sure if she is the only one given the size of one of the eggs

pic of 4 goose eggs and either a Rouen or Runner Duck egg(Blue)

looks like a bullet almost 3" long

Have you checked your water?

for what??? excess testosterone???? Happy Drugs lol???This is freaking me out. Maybe they are just super happy and well cared for. I don't know

I did have one lady from the Araucana site say she had a couple of roo's start at 3 months

I've had several roosters try to breed hens as early as three months...the older hens generally chase them off, the younger girls just run around screaming and that seems to encourage ("egg" on?) the naughty boys.

I doubt that they are fertile yet, however. I have a couple of accidental Jersey Giant roosters who are 3 1/2 months old and very active in their pursuit of their sisters. I have housed them with the older (and bigger) hens and they are not nearly so rude with them.

I read somewhere...in another poultry forum I think....that as soon as they are trying, they are able...but I doubt it myself.

They do say that cockerels are their most fertile the first year and that older roosters take a while each season to "fertile up".

I have a UK book on small holder poultry keeping, that reports that the saying with older roosters is "they need some sun on their backs". Meaning, I think, that at the start of the spring season they are not very fertile, but increase in fertility with the lengthening of days.

I don't let them hatch their own eggs. I have been buying different breed eggs when one of the girls go broody. I lost all the Lakenvelders. The stupid fat hens(Golden Laced Wyandottes) ate them all. When I saw they were hatching I went to get some wire to make a divider just because I didn't trust them. Apparently they snatched them right out from under momma in the nest box.There were 6 eggs left in the box so that means they ate 9 baby chicks. They also beat up one of my BCM hens. They have been butt pluckers since I got them. Guy told me they were molting. BCM has hurt leg also from them. She still kept trying to get on the box she likes to sleep on at night but couldn't so I would put her up there. Today she was running around on both of her knees. I guess she hurt the good one jumping down off the box so I brought her into the Fla. room along with the baby Sebright and Millie Fleur. Sebright was looking puney and sneezing. I saw the BCM has mites or lice. I put Adams on her and both babies. Sebright had them too. Guess that is why she was feeling and looking bad. DH said he would kill me if he got lice so I washed my hair in Adams Flea Off Shampoo. my chickens like to climb all over me. Now I have the heebie jeebies

I have them all on Vit/min water, Vet Rx, and raw egg mixed in mash

This message was edited Aug 24, 2010 7:39 PM

Chicken lice can't live on people, although they may walk around on you for a little while.

Your report on the Wyandottes is just one of several I've read about them being aggressive with other hens and generally difficult. Has anyone had Wyandottes that were gentle and friendly?

Great new PP. Thanks so much. now maybe my heebie jeebies will go away

Bird lice will bite humans, and it itches like mad, but porkpal is right, they can't live on people.

My husband picked up an injured wild bird and his hands and lower arms were immediately covered in lice and itched for hours. But I think he may have had an unusual reaction.

I have never had an aggressive Wyandotte. They all pretty much just went with the flock flow. The bossiest, most dominant chicken I have had was a Delaware...but she was just "top hen". Right now I have three Delaware chicks and they are definitely unusually assertive...not aggressive, but very self-assured and bold.

I can say this about them. they were great layers. I got 6 eggs a week from each of the them and 3 a week from each of them all winter long. I think the problem was I got them at about 6 to 8 months old. The guys pens was way over crowded. He begged me to buy 4 instead of 3 and said he would give me one free and a roo. I said no to the roo and gave 2 hens to a friend. He also lied saying they were molting and not butt pluckers from hell. My very first chickens. Live and learn. Boy am I still learning. Buying a chicken from some people is just about as bad as buying Brugmansia (falsely named, quality, or diseased)(stealing picture to make their sales) etc. Thankfully I didn't have any brug problems other than pictures stolen