Prevention of COCCIDIOSIS and other poultry diseases in chicks~ ACV.

[Leahs Mom]

Actually, those are great breeds for winter laying. Black Australorps are my very tried and true winter layers. And they lay for years upon years! My oldest BA was 7 and still laying strong. I have a 6 yr old New Hampshire that is laying daily right through molt and poor nutritional status...all my other New Hamps laid through the winter as well. They might not lay daily through winter but this is something I account for and allow...every other day in slow down times is fine~and for the very old birds, every other day is fine in peak laying season. That's enough for an oldster. In peak season, everyone has to be a layer and the younger birds have to lay daily then.

Judging from where you live, you likely have winters similar to mine. I'm in Northern Indiana and the main difference may be the lake effect snows we get as we're east of Lake Michigan - just at the very end of the lake effect snow belt.

I also tried to choose breeds that are winter-hardy. How do the BAs and New Hamps do with the cold weather? Have you ever tried any Buckeyes?

 

[Beekissed]

I've never tried BEs but have always wanted to do so...they aren't real common around here. All the breeds I keep are extremely winter hardy. The White Rocks and BAs are the most impressive with the New Hamps are a close second. I can't think of anything bad to say about any of these breeds. Yes, we get similar weather here, you get the cold and moisture off the lakes and we get the cold and moisture off the mountains and elevation.

 

[moomoodiddy]

ok let me get thos straight put how much apple vinegar in each gallon water everytime u fill it up and for how long should i also provide normal water? is this cocci : sudden death, huddling in middle of pen, loss of appitite, stuff like that last year i hatched out fifteen chicks and at around 2 and 3 months old, but it also seems that this always happens when i have ducklings living close by any ideas?

 

[Leahs Mom]

I've never tried BEs but have always wanted to do so...they aren't real common around here. All the breeds I keep are extremely winter hardy. The White Rocks and BAs are the most impressive with the New Hamps are a close second. I can't think of anything bad to say about any of these breeds. Yes, we get similar weather here, you get the cold and moisture off the lakes and we get the cold and moisture off the mountains and elevation.

This is awhile back - thanks for the "review".

I'm getting ready to order and (in addition to a few new pullets) want to get a rooster cockrel his time around (1st one for me). So now I'm trying to figure out which breed rooster. In the future I'd love to see my flock hatch some of their own. If I knew any of them would go broody in the spring, I'd wait and slip some chicks under her so they have the chance to get raised by a momma.

How do the BA roosters do? I'm torn between a BA rooster and a Buckeye rooster but have no experience yet with either as far as disposition, etc. Any thoughts there - or possibly a different breed you'd recommend?

 

[Beekissed]

I've never had a BA roo but wouldn't mind having one. I've heard they aren't as sweet as the hens but I would have to judge that for myself...good breed to carry though. Mine is a Partridge Rock but the hens aren't heavy builds and I like a heavy built hen if she is of good laying genetics.

I love Toby but I'm not real convinced of the laying of the PRs, so if I had to do it all again I'd have a White Rock or BA rooster to top off my girls.

 

[off-grid hen]

I have hatchery PR's. they are not the greatest layers. The mis-sexed rooster was very aggressive, so he was culled. I don't know about the buckeyes, but I hear they're a 3 egg a week layer, about the same as the PRs. You should head to the buckeye thread to find out. I have heard rave reviews about the flavor of buckeye meat, so I might try some. They are also small on wattles and comb, so they are winter hardy.

Each rooster you get from any breed could go either way personality wise, so ordering one male chick is not really ideal. You won't know til he gets older. I have had sexing mistakes and hatched some chicks. The rooster nice-sketchy ratio in my flock has been about 60% on the nice side. .

I should say that I do not "train" my roosters.

I also wanted to comment that the egg shell quality of the PR's has been all over the map. At first I thought it was feed related, but I now realize that they are the only ones in my flock (besides new to laying pullets) that have this issue. Could be the breeding stock from the hatchery, though. If you get some from breeders you may not have that issue.

My PR girls have each gone broody. They are also all very chatty and personable. I like having them around, but I probably won't get any more.

Edit-I forgot which thread I was on, and the original rooster question wasn't about partridge rocks. Lol sorry for the confusion.

 

[RonC]

I love my PR's. Must be the breeding stock yours came from. Mine lay six eggs out of six hens every day. Maybe one day a week one will miss. The shells are so hard I think I'm gonna break the bowl cracking them. I couldn't ask for more docile chickens either. They follow me around the yard like they are on a leash. Sorry I got off thread, glad I've not had any problems other than a mild case of fowl pox.

 

[off-grid hen]

Msg me where you got yours. I love their disposition.

 

[whisperinghopef]

We have 2 BA's. They went broody in the spring and hatched out chicks on their own. One of them now is broody and been sitting on her eggs for awhile. In a couple days we SHOULD have more little chicks. So cute to see Mama Chick walking around with babies behind her. We had 4 mamas in the spring hatch out chicks. Kind of different chicks though but I don't mind. We have RIR's in a cooped area where I get the eggs and put them in the incubators. Then we have 2 other areas for light brahmas and lemon cuckoos. Walking around free range we have a silky pair, BA, bantams, and golden comets. The only rooster free range is the silky so we have mixed breed chicks! Have you ever seen a silky/BA? We have them!

So on Monday I bought the Braggs ACV and mixed some of it with the plain ACV that I had bought from Walmart a while back. The ACV from Walmart didn't say whether it was pasturized or not. It has been 3 days now since I put about half Braggs and half Walmart together. Nothing is really happening so I am just going to keep waiting and see. I am going to look for some unpasturized ACV. Can you just mix Bragg's in with plain water and let that set to make more ACV?

You can get addicted to this forum because it is like Bee said - sitting on the front porch chatting with friends about chickens!

 

[Beekissed]

No, then you'd just have watered down mother vinegar.

Put your new mix in a dark, room temp place with the lid off and let it sit for about a week or so. You might find a good mother going by then.