Minnesota!

[Minniechickmama]

Scandiafowl, do you have any local towns with a compost site? We just found out our city compost lets you pick up FREE truckloads of compost and mulch. So we will be trying a load of mulch for the coop. Free is free. It won't be as fine as pine shavings, but hopefully it will work for us!

The problem I find with getting the free stuff from the town compost center is the you are getting whatever your townsfolk put on their lawn or trees or whatever that made up the compost. So, if your friendly neighbors in town spray their lawn once a month with weed killer, they are then giving that residue to you. Just didn't know if you had thought about that and felt that is a concern.

 

[Minniechickmama]

So when I turned on the computer tonight, I realized that I never closed out of BYC from last Tues. I was trying to catch up before Hubby went back into surgery. Guess that didn't happen. DH went in for same day surgery on his right kidney & ended up staying a week. Right now I'm killing time until the next IV @ midnight.

My chicks grew so much in that time! And my pretty Welsummer hen has gone broody. I was thinking about tucking a couple of blue eggs under her, and selling off some of the hatchery chicks. I really would rather have chicks from Minnies stock if I have a choice. Not too sure where I would mover her to.

If you do want any eggs, I would need to know very soon. I am going to be deworming the flock, and once that cycle is done, I am cutting down the adults to make way for a smaller breeding flock for next year and replacing most of them with the young ones hatched this year. I stopped hatching a week and a half ago, so chicks I have are already too big for a new broody to take, I think.

Sorry about the hubby. I hope he heals quickly and this is all behind you. Not as serious as kidney problems, but I once again, have pneumonia. Every time I have gotten a cold the last 10 years or so, I have ended up with bronchitis or pneumonia, and the latter for the last 5 years or so. I am seeing a specialist to find out WTH is going on and how to stop it from happening again. No, it is not from the chickens, it started well before I became the crazy chicken lady.

 

[scandiafowl]

If you do want any eggs, I would need to know very soon.  I am going to be deworming the flock, and once that cycle is done, I am cutting down the adults to make way for a smaller breeding flock for next year and replacing most of them with the young ones hatched this year.  I stopped hatching a week and a half ago, so chicks I have are already too big for a new broody to take, I think.


Sorry about the hubby.  I hope he heals quickly and this is all behind you.  Not as serious as kidney problems, but I once again, have pneumonia.  Every time I have gotten a cold the last 10 years or so, I have ended up with bronchitis or pneumonia, and the latter for the last 5 years or so.  I am seeing a specialist to find out WTH is going on and how to stop it from happening again.  No, it is not from the chickens, it started well before I became the crazy chicken lady.  ​

How often do you deworm?

 

[AmericanKraut]

@scandiafowl about your chick with the beak, I just read an article in this months article of Backyard Chickens magazine about very light trimming of beaks and nails, but it mentioned when beaks are more severe:

I'm not sure if that's helpful but I wonder if a bigger trim just as they mention, combined with solid nutrition and maybe electrolyte and probiotic supplements in the water (they're inexpensive), might give a restart as the beak grows back in. I don't know, though.

If you end up needing to start over and get hatched chicks, if you're in Scandia, Houle's in Stillwater has chicks come in every Tuesday. Sometimes they have extras, or you can order if you call. They have a pretty good variety and they're about $2-$3 a chick. I have a couple EEs from them and they're very healthy, happy chooks.

 

[AmericanKraut]

Mornin' everyone,
Are there other options to buying pine shavings other than the compressed pack?

There's a guy with a sawmill, or maybe he's a carpenter, I can't remember, that's in Sauk Rapids area if you're ever around there. I can try and find his number in my email if you'd like. He said he has about a truck load a week!

 

[scandiafowl]

@scandiafowl about your chick with the beak, I just read an article in this months article of Backyard Chickens magazine about very light trimming of beaks and nails, but it mentioned when beaks are more severe:

I'm not sure if that's helpful but I wonder if a bigger trim just as they mention, combined with solid nutrition and maybe electrolyte and probiotic supplements in the water (they're inexpensive), might give a restart as the beak grows back in. I don't know, though.

If you end up needing to start over and get hatched chicks, if you're in Scandia, Houle's in Stillwater has chicks come in every Tuesday. Sometimes they have extras, or you can order if you call. They have a pretty good variety and they're about $2-$3 a chick. I have a couple EEs from them and they're very healthy, happy chooks.

Thanks, I've bought a few chicks from them. Funny that you mention Backyard Chickens, just received my first issue. I liked the article about the raised water stand.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Thanks, I've bought a few chicks from them. Funny that you mention Backyard Chickens, just received my first issue. I liked the article about the raised water stand.

I know some of the contributors to that magazine, and I wouldn't bank money on the accuracy of all that is written in it. Like all advice on anything on the internet, find other sources to verify the information you read. That one in particular seems to be a paper version of a blog over the last few years.


In answer to de-worming (it is not worming folks, you are taking them out, not putting them in)... I do it now twice a year, once in Spring and once in Fall. However, I am trying to get my hands on some topical treatment that takes care of both internal and external parasites. The ingredient fiporil, which is found in Frontline for dogs is supposed to be effective this way and is applied on the cycle indicated. Frontline is expensive, for those who haven't bought it before, but there is supposed to be a different brand that is much cheaper, I just haven't been able to locate it yet. It involves going to Fleet Farm and reading some labels.

 

[cottonlouie]

Really odd - We got home late last night - 9-ish, and the pop door was closed as was the man door. All the chickens were in the coop, except the two free loaders who stay out late by choice. We wondered if we forgot to open the pop door this morning...but there were 5 eggs OUTSIDE the coop in their sometimes makeshift nest box. So at least 5 of the chickens HAD to be out during the day. We can't figure out what happened, unless our neighbor happened by and closed the pop door thinking all the hens were in for the night.....haven't gotten a hold of her yet to ask. ???????????????

 

[lalaland]

Been gone for over a week and it took some time to catch up! lots of shenanagans on this thread

I had broken the broodies before I left, but came back to two new broodies. doesn't end!

Dandilioness, congrats on your beautiful baby!

I've wormed, no de-wormed, with soapy water. I use a castile soap, like bronners, and add as much soap as I would have in dishwater. Use it as the sole water avail for a couple of days, alternating fresh water one day with soapy water the next. seems to work fine.

If I have a hen that is off, and if I can identify her eggs or she is separated from the flock, I use safeguard paste, pea sized on a piece of bread. repeat in a few days, can't remember how many.

Its frog time in the pasture. Doesn't bother me when the hens eat mice, but I can't stand to watch them with frogs.

 

[mnlucky]

Hi,
I know this is a long shot but I just wondering if you are still selling anymore Serama chicken? I am very interested in getting some. If you are still, please let me know asap.

Thanks