INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

Ah, yes...the lake effect.... And a system snow is coming in later today so it's on the way for everyone.

Where I'm sitting right now I think we got about 4-5" right now. Supposed to get at least another 2-3 tonight of system.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Leahs Mom, where did you get the kale? is it fresh or canned? boy that sounds good ! some fried potatoes , corn bread, little bacon. MMMMM.......

I got it from 2 different places. I got some this morning fresh from the local farmers market from a small organic farm. I believe they keep their hoop houses going in the cold for awhile. Or it might be just covered.

I also got some from one of the local grocery stores (also organic) that has a pretty nice produce section. They will carry it all year but I like to get it from the local folks as long as they have it growing!

 

[Rhandi74]

I have not posted in a while. I have been getting ready for our cold weather and trying to figure out health issues with my flock. I have had 3 birds die from different things in the past 3 months and now I have another pullet sick and away from the rest of the flock. She is eating and drinking but can no longer move around. She started out with respatory symptoms and was off balance 3 days ago. She appeared to be feeling better but now she can not even stand but otherwise looks healthy. I am very concerned that my flock has some disease and I wanted to send my rooster that passed away to get a necropsy on. I was unable to get him necropsied due to the cost. Wow, it would have cost $300. For now I am going to seperate the sick ones and try to make them comfortable and treat them if I know what to treat. I have lost an older Orpington hen who showed symptoms of wry neck and off balance. We culled her 2 days after symptoms started when she could no longer eat or drink. Next I lost a OEGB pullet to I do not know what. She just started acting sick, hunched and fluffed up. She died the next morning. Last to die was my LF cochin rooster. He was acting very off, not crowing or breeding. Hunched and fluffed up. Vomiting small amounts of liquid out of his mouth. I believe this could have been sour crop but I am not sure. I lost him 2 days after symptoms started. I am keeping my flock closed until I can hopefully figure out what is going on with them.

 

[Faraday40]

Wild weather! I'm west of Chicago. We're clear of snow here. My chickens come outside when I'm in the yard, but retreat to the run/coop as soon as I go back in the house.

Einstein (my dumb but beautiful EE) decided to start molting today. The run looks like the girls had a pillow fight last night. As she ran across the yard, a trail of feathers blew behind her. Only she would pick this cold spell to start molting.

At what temp do you start to apply Vaseline to the combs/wattles & how often? I put some on my roo Tues night. Do hens with medium sized combs need Vaseline? (I did it last year only on the coldest nights.)
Tank (below) has big everything. I want him to stay pretty.


Here's what I mean by medium combs....

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have not posted in a while. I have been getting ready for our cold weather and trying to figure out health issues with my flock. I have had 3 birds die from different things in the past 3 months and now I have another pullet sick and away from the rest of the flock. She is eating and drinking but can no longer move around. She started out with respatory symptoms and was off balance 3 days ago. She appeared to be feeling better but now she can not even stand but otherwise looks healthy. I am very concerned that my flock has some disease and I wanted to send my rooster that passed away to get a necropsy on. I was unable to get him necropsied due to the cost. Wow, it would have cost $300. For now I am going to seperate the sick ones and try to make them comfortable and treat them if I know what to treat. I have lost an older Orpington hen who showed symptoms of wry neck and off balance. We culled her 2 days after symptoms started when she could no longer eat or drink. Next I lost a OEGB pullet to I do not know what. She just started acting sick, hunched and fluffed up. She died the next morning. Last to die was my LF cochin rooster. He was acting very off, not crowing or breeding. Hunched and fluffed up. Vomiting small amounts of liquid out of his mouth. I believe this could have been sour crop but I am not sure. I lost him 2 days after symptoms started. I am keeping my flock closed until I can hopefully figure out what is going on with them.

Wow that's terrible! I am so sorry.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Faraday40
Just my opinion and practice so take it for that.

I don't ever put anything on combs or wattles for "prevention. It's my belief, and experience, that the more you do those kinds of things the more problems the birds end up having.

As far as treating a case of frostbite, I've seen threads here where people were "treating" frostbite but they didn't realize that they were actually making the cases much worse than they would have been if they hadn't intervened. Bad thing about that is that folks then read those and think that's what they should do for their birds since everyone is saying how great they're doing. It's caused a lot of problems for a lot of birds that was unnecessary.

I did a little frostbite chronicle last year that I could post again if anyone is interested in seeing it. If you compare that to the condition that the birds get in that are "treated", you can make your own conclusions.

If anyone does decide to "treat", please don't bring birds inside and outside and inside and outside. Once you start bringing them inside, plan on keeping them inside for the rest of the winter. If you don't, you seriously will cause more damage.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Kale & Cilantro in the large "bird cake" feeders. This way they can tear off small pieces like they do if they're eating plants outside.






Also wanted to show what I'm doing for grit, calcium, egg shells and/or dry herbs for free-choice. They're hanging from one of the long "S" hooks used for bird feeders. I can line up how ever many I need along the fence with whatever I want to feed in there. Just a gallon milk jug with cut outs.

 

[atrueb00]

Hi everyone! Visiting with my chickens and I noticed a couple bloody stools. It is cold out so I am not sure if they are puffed up and lathargic because of that or if it is coccidosis. I got some 9.6% corid for them today, could anyone please share dosage recommenations for bantam silkies? These are for 18 month old hens and 2 roosters. The 4 month old chicks aren't showing signs of cocci but I thought I might want to treat them too. Please help!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Is it bright red blood.... or is it possibly intestinal lining?


Quote:

 

[Leahs Mom]

I'm curious if anyone has used fresh cab in your barns or garages and if it worked for you. (Sure smells good if it doesn't work

)

If so, how much did you use in what size space?