New Ways to Kill Your Pullets and How to Avoid Them

All Creatures Great and Fabulous

It’s been a hard winter on the farm and we’ve lost about 30 birds. In our first webcast we discuss the mistakes we made and how to avoid them.

Click above to play or watch a
larger version on: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/5615242

Please leave a comment to let us know what you thought of our webcast or suggest subjects for upcoming episodes!

A quick recap of what we’ve learned:

• Always put down rat poison in the barn before bringing in a new brood (rats ate 28 chicks)
• Do NOT introduce pullets into a weather stressed coop.
• DO turn off your winter laying lights before bringing new pullets in (this is REALLY important).
• We’re not sure yet on this one but it may be very important to introduce your pullets during the brief time when they are full pullet size but still chirping like chicks.

EDIT: One our twitter followers suggested feeding hens pinto beans or tofu before introducing pullets as the attacks might have been partly motivated by protein deficiency. Although our feed is supposed to have the right amount of protein these birds have been off grass for months due to record snows. It’s more than worth a try!

Links from the show:

http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/

http://www.fernbrookfarmcsa.com/

http://www.idealpoultry.com/

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/