my very own micro farm

[attimus]

Pretty crazy snowstorm yesterday while we were out shopping. Lasted about an hour.

Just over the ridge. Us and the clouds. Lol. It was dispersing on our way back home. Cold enough yesterday to snow, temp is about 34° this morning. Coldest it's been in a while.

Seal seams to be holding on the crack in the pond so I added some more water and these it's crazy how the ducks can catch them in the water. So fun to watch.

My little helper, practically climbing into the feed bag to get to the bottom of it. Best part was, she new that bucket was full right next to her.

Since I moved the broody condo out front everyone has felt obligated to use it at some point. Been finding plenty of eggs in there. The ducks even use the open area to nap mid day.
The chicks are doing well, 3 weeks now, with momma hen taking them more comfortably away from the run out to explore the property. Keeping my fingers crossed for last year's luck with my rooster/hen ratio 30/70% I am at least realistic that I'll have more than one roo from this hatch, I just hope it's not the bantam.

Almost 6 and still pitch black outside but everyone is stirring. The boys have been crowing for a while now. Haven't entirely decided whether it's back to sleep for a bit or up and stumbling around, hard to crawl out from under a warm blanket on a cold day.

Onwards and upwards
Attimus

 

[attimus]

Initial necropsy report in from UC Davis on my Wyandotte.
Fatty liver hemmorhagic syndrome. Here is an overview I found
Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) was first described in the 1950s as excessive fat in the liver of prolific laying hens, associated with varying degrees of hemorrhage. The condition is almost universally confined to caged birds fed high-energy diets and is most often seen in white-egg layers in warm, summer months. The liver is usually enlarged, putty colored, and very friable, showing varying degrees of hemorrhage. The abdominal cavity often contains large amounts of oily, unsaturated fat. Affected birds often have pale combs, likely as a consequence of reduced egg production. The ovary is usually active, at least in the early stages of FLHS, and the metabolic and physical stress associated with oviposition may be factors that induce the final fatal hemorrhage.

Because FLHS seems to occur only when birds are in a positive energy balance, body weight monitoring is a good diagnostic tool, as is knowledge of daily feed intake and environmental temperature. Through force-feeding techniques, it has been shown that FLHS is caused by a surfeit of energy rather than an excess of any particular nutrients such as fat or carbohydrate. The condition can be induced experimentally in layers and even male birds by administration of estrogen. This supports the concept that FLHS occurs more frequently in high-producing birds that presumably are producing more estrogen from very active ovaries. Injecting immature pullets with testosterone also causes increased feed intake and liver fat accumulation, although without any major incidence of fatty liver.

FLHS is easy to recognize at necropsy because of the liver hemorrhage and the fact that the liver is enlarged and engorged with fat. This makes the liver friable, and it is difficult to remove each lobe in one piece. The pale yellow color of the liver, while characteristic, is not always specific to FLHS. Normal layers that are fed appreciable quantities of yellow corn or high levels of xanthophyll pigments will also have a yellow-colored liver but without associated hemorrhages. A number of specific diet ingredients can induce liver hemorrhage but without concomitant accumulation of excess fat. Likewise, feeding rancid fat can cause liver hemorrhage, again without fat accumulation. In birds with FLHS, the liver dry matter is characteristically at least 40% fat. The degree of FLHS can be described as a poultry liver hemorrhage score, which is usually based on a scale of 1–5, in which 1 = no hemorrhage; 2 = 1–5 hemorrhages; 3 = 6–15 hemorrhages; 4 = 16–25 hemorrhages; and 5 = >25 hemorrhages, as well as a massive, usually fatal, hemorrhage. There is some evidence that fatty liver disorder also impairs calcium metabolism in the bird, and hence skeletal integrity and eggshell quality. Layers with FLHS have increased blood levels of estrogen, osteocalcin, and leptin-like protein. There seems to be concomitant upregulation in bone turnover, which is a very significant occurrence for a laying hen that already relies on significant daily flux of calcium in and out of the skeleton.

Attempts have been made to prevent or treat the condition through dietary modification. Substituting carbohydrate with supplemental fat, while not increasing the energy content of the diet, seems to be beneficial. Presumably such modification means that the liver needs to synthesize less fat for yolk. Replacement of corn with other cereals, such as wheat and barley, is often beneficial. However, this substitution may involve reducing the dietary energy level or necessitate using additional fat to maintain isoenergetic conditions, two factors known to influence FLHS. FLHS has reportedly been reduced through the use of various byproduct feeds such as distiller's grains, fish meal, and alfalfa meal. Although such mode of action is unclear, unintentional supplementation of selenium may be involved. There are reports of layers having greater incidence of fatty liver when fed chelated trace minerals versus conventional inorganic minerals. However, the use of organic minerals in layer diets is increasing, and FLHS is not usually reported. There are also reports of association with Mycoplasma infection.

FLHS is best prevented by not allowing an excessive positive energy balance in older birds. Body weight can be monitored and, when potential problems are seen, remedial action taken to limit energy intake through the use of lower energy diets and/or change in feed management. A wide energyrotein ratio in the diet will aggravate FLHS. When a farm has a history of FLHS, the diet should contain at least 0.3 ppm selenium, ideally as organic selenium, up to 100 IU vitamin E/kg diet, and appropriate levels of an antioxidant such as ethoxyquin. These various additives collectively help to limit the occurrence of tissue rancidity, and hence hemorrhage of the excess fat in the liver.
I think that the condition was possibly exasperated by Roscoe's weight during mounting prior to everyone going to roost for the night. The boys do get a little predatory about it.
I'll be reworking my feeding regiment a bit, mostly just changing my mix up and sticking to the two feedings a day.
Blood work is still pending. Total cost is 19.50, 1 dollar at the postage store and 18.50 post charge from Davis for the shipping. Not a bad 20$ imo.

Attimus

 

[Jensownzoo]

So the gist is that your bird was too fat (positive energy balance) and that made her liver more delicate (friable) and prone to hemorrhage?

 

[attimus]

So the gist is that your bird was too fat (positive energy balance) and that made her liver more delicate (friable) and prone to hemorrhage?

basically, corn is commonly accredited to this. And that is mixed in almost every feed. Combined with year one laying ad coupled with sometimes aggressive mating from a heavy roo seem to be what did her in. apparently don't have to worry as much about this happening to the older hens as they don't lay as frequently. I'm only adjusting my mix slightly and don't think that this will become a flock issue but isolated to individual birds within breeds.

Attimus

 

[attimus]

Trip is only just more than two days out and I'm just waiting for this ducks eggs to hatch. Inevitable to happen while we are gone. My mom will be looking after every one while we are away. I'll still be going crazy thinking about all the critters.
Works been keeping me busy as well as the kid. Alot of activity on the new thread as well. There's always going to be someone that loves food. Sold another two dozen eggs when I went to work today and still Have to figure out where I'm going to put my next olive tree I picked up this morning in trade for the other eggs

Riding shot gun. Lol. 1 down 29 to go.

I still have plenty of wood to move from the tree we downed and I need to get a shot of the frame I put together to keep it cover.
I'm also getting this down that another duck is working on a nest, disappears half the day but she's out on the water now so not quite ready to sit yet.

Think I'm gonna bake some cookies. Turned the oven on already so I might as well.

Onwards and upwards
Attimus

 

[attimus]

Keep forgetting to post this.

That giant duck egg had a conjoined yolk, a first for me.

 

[lindalouly]

Keep forgetting to post this.

That giant duck egg had a conjoined yolk, a first for me.

Weird!!!

 

[attimus]

I just got my first spam from byc.
We are on our way to the coast and when I clicked on a page in my threads tab another page came up saying byc selected a winner every Sunday through Verizon and I was one of them. 3 choice prizes. Tablet, iPhone and some other gadget. Plenty of flair to make it all look real. But I'll be darned if I click on some random thing that tells me I won a prize out of nowhere. This doesn't seem like something byc would do and certainly doesn't look like one of their pop-ups. @Nifty-Chicken tagging you here because I'm not really sure what else to do. Wish I would have screen shotted it.

Only another 60 miles til I get to unload and set up camp.

Attimus

 

[lindalouly]

Have fun!!!!

 

[Angie16hearts]

Hope all is well! Sorry to hear about your bird! Sad! All the food looks great. The baby pics are darling too. I'll go take some of my chicks when the sun comes up. Got a good ratio 4 pullets and 2 cockerels . One is even nicer then olive my roo that passed. I didn't think I would ever find one as nice. But this guy is not a full breed now. I'll be curious what color eggs the pullets lay. I also have two Broodys on serama eggs, they are so small I'm afraid they will get through the chicken wire. I'm going to put another layer down low on the coop for a bit. Mille is due today/ tomorrow Sierra is due Saturday . I'll move her to one of the broody pens and let my bantam stay in her coop. I tried to break Sierra cause my Aussie was starting to cackle and run around all puffy. Thank god she's easy to break. I tried for close to a week even threw her in the broody breaking pin. Girl wouldn't give in!! I'll definitely get pics of them!
Check this egg out! My Cochin bantam laid the cream colored the other egg is my 2 year old BR . Curly is no bigger then my Seramas

I'm want to see if there's two yolks. Here's my seranas all the babies are coming from.

Wish us luck 7 under Mille 5 under sierra. If anyone is interested in the chicks or eggs and lives close or in the Central Valley please contact me. I want them to have a good home! They are extremely sweet birds! Great kid pets! Let's just hope for more pullets then cockerels. There is nothing better then a 3 day old fluffy butt chick lol...
I'll be using some recipes thanks for sharing everyone ! Attimus hows baby ? Your girl is a doll! Enjoy! I know you do. just had my 18 year old daughter. Oh boy she knows everything about everything. wish I knew that much at that age bahaha got to love teens. My other son came down for 10 days he's just turned 15 and is crazy tall but sweet as pie! Good grades sports ect... Just got my brother to hire him. Now I'm babbling here's a cute pic

Everyone enjoy your day ! I need to catch up on a few posts ...