Looking for Hens in NY/Culling Questions?

[Guest]

I\'m looking for a couple pullets, blue or black, in NY. I can drive to Syracuse or Buffalo to pick them up. Will be going to rabbit shows in Sept in Cobbleskil, Hamburg and Morrisville if anyone has any? Looking for older healthy stock, since I am so not up to brooding another batch this year!

I\'m pretty sure there is a Roo left out there, so I think I\'m good, But I may need a Roo if the last black or Splash are not Roos. Can you tell at 6 weeks what they are? Any tips?

And I do have a culling question, would you cull a nasty bird? I have one that I had to toss out of the pen, it was attacking the other birds, I hardly have enough left to do anything with and it managed to blind one of the few remaining blues! Should I cull the blinded one? I cleaned its eyes, they were crusted shut with blood, but should I give it a couple days to see if it recovers?

How long do you give \"unthrifty\" birds to recover? Normally I would have culled them, but there are so few of them left now I hestitate.

Thanks!
Dawn

[Guest]

Hi, At the moment I am letting my black Ameraucanas go.
I am going to concentrate on the blues & whites.

I currently have 3 hens and 1 rooster, all black, but they have given me lots of blues as well.

2 hens are 1 year old, 1 is 2 years old and the rooster is 1 year old.

I am east of Syracuse, just off thruway exit 33, near the casino!

Sue

[verycherry]

For the blue with the injured eye, since it\'s not a genetic defect and can\'t be passed on, I\'d definately give the eye some time to heal, unless it\'s going to be a big health problem (vet bill) or it causes it to be picked on by the others.  

I have a gorgeous Cochin rooster (my absolute favorite) who I realized was blind in one eye at just a few days old.  The eye was very cloudy and most of the time he kept it closed, which caused him to be extremely shy, jumpy, and literally hen-pecked.  Because he was so pretty, and because I\'m an incurable softy, I was going to keep him anyway unless he caused a problem.  Well, somehow, somewhere between 2 and 3 months old, his eye started getting clearer and turned completely bright and healthy.  He\'s now ruling the roost!

[verycherry]

Oh, I meant to say the eye got better between 2 and 3 weeks old, not months.  

Anyway, I hope you can keep it, especially since you need blues.

[Guest]

Hi Dawn

If you don\'t find birds locally, we could ship in the fall when it cools off a bit. (blue, black, splash)

As far as unthrifty birds go, personally I\'d cull them.

Warmest regards,
Lisa Cree
creefarm.fateback.com
creefarm@peoplepc.com