***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[lonnyandrinda]

I have been loosing chicks all Summer to bacterial infection. I have been treating them with ant-bacterials in their water but I hardly have any left. I am so mad, such beautiful weather and we sure needed all the moisture but I wish i had more chicks to show for all my broody hen's work. My Bantam Buff Cochin pair and Esmeranda, the Show Girl, have only lost 1 of their 7. They know something I don't.

I understand your frustration- my stage one grower pen had a leaky roof just as spring ended, and I just kept thinking, "well the dry summer is just around the corner." Instead the pen got soaked repeatedly with each rain and I have been fighting losing chicks to Cocci all summer long even with frequent bedding changes and medication. Finally got the roof fixed two or three weeks ago just as the rains stopped, of course! Hope that means my losses are over.

 

[Kassaundra]

Sorry about the losses on the chicks. Who would have thought a wet summer would have caused so much problems. I got tomato blight fist time ever.

 

[NanaKat]

I've had a few losses due to weather too. Seems the more damp the ground, the more virals/bacterias are out there.

But the latest losses have been to a varmit that has been stealing chicks out of the younger juvenile pen...two in two days. It has the gall to eat the victim in the gravel drive south of the barn.

One victim was a Columbian Wyandotte and the other was a Black Cochin both about 6 weeks of age. That pen is 4 foot 2 x 4 wire with a chain link gate. Apparently it is attacking in the wee hours of the morning. We are not finding any prints in the dirt for identification so am thinking raccoon, possum or skunk.. I set the trap with half a can of wet fishy cat food last night and put extra security on the gate. No loss this morning....But I'm going to keep setting it every night for the next week...may have to catch a perch to go in the trap too...good reason to go fishing

Also, Red will urinate on command so I'm going to have him do his business around the exposed sides of the pen to mark territory.

Put my car in the shop this morning and will work in the front flower beds now. Lots of crab grass, wild sunflowers and cut-n-come-again to pull. Those bed got away from me and are overgrown...makes the front drive look bad. Nothing a few hours won't cure.

Hope everyone has a great day.

 

[shelbydog]

I had my first loss this morning. One of the Muscovies flew into the dogs' yard and I left them unsupervised while I put my newest dog back in house before going out there to get her out of there but it was too late. I think it was an accidental/play kill. I have no issues with my dogs around the flock but I also try to be sure I know where and what my dogs are doing when they are in same area as flock. She was just too vulnerable being solitary and probably kept her back to them as she was trying to figure out how to get back over the fence. And of course it was one of my favorites. I'll be clipping flight feathers on the ducks this weekend.

 

[Kassaundra]

Birds who do not respect fences play Russian Roulette in my yard too. Sorry about your duck

 

[shelbydog]

Birds who do not respect fences play Russian Roulette in my yard too. Sorry about your duck

Thanks Kass. Hopefully this will be a rare event.

 

[TipihlowLadies]

five egg's from my meat birds my neighbor called the last one a wind egg no shell.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

I thought a wind egg was an egg with no yolk- AKA fart egg, rooster egg (because old wive's tale said that roosters laid them). The shell-less ones are pretty cool to hold though!

 

[sbas5561]

Hi all I'm from Southeastern Ok, Durant area & I'm looking for some ducks . Doesn't really matter on age. Thanks

 

[our 5acre farm]

I have pekings, Swedish, and rouen ducks. I live in sapulpa