A Very Sad Day and PLEASE, Need Help to Stop it From Happening Again [Long]

[CelticOaksFarm]

I would guess you need to use their system. However let your birds out even in the winter. They are wearing down coats and will go into shelter if they feel the need. We raise ducks for meat, eggs and just to look at. The ornamentals are separate from the domestics, a couple of the domestics sleep with the geese, but most prefer to stick to their flock for bedtime. I dont know how many you have but a basic dog house shape with ventilation and a secure door for over nigh would allow you to keep both still and not worry as much about the size difference. I would be more worries about the mallards flying off and not returning (read often others going through this).

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

we use these types of sprayers for everything from Oxine to vinegar (great weed killer), including spraying the walls of the buildings and goat stalls. Not that brand, but everyone carries them in all sorts of sizes too. Florida is the land of humid conditions so everything likes to grow here. White vinegar kills the weeds/grasses that pop up in between the pavers in the driveway, the green in the water buckets and auto water systems too and doesnt hurt the birds. We try to never use any chemicals on property so there is no risk to the animals. Exception is for fire ants here, we have to use strong products on them and just fence off the area and leave it fenced preventing them from getting to the poison.

 

[Haunted55]

I would guess you need to use their system. However let your birds out even in the winter. They are wearing down coats and will go into shelter if they feel the need. We raise ducks for meat, eggs and just to look at. The ornamentals are separate from the domestics, a couple of the domestics sleep with the geese, but most prefer to stick to their flock for bedtime. I dont know how many you have but a basic dog house shape with ventilation and a secure door for over nigh would allow you to keep both still and not worry as much about the size difference. I would be more worries about the mallards flying off and not returning (read often others going through this).

I have 10 geese, 13 pekins, 7 of which were raised from babies with the geese, and now 6 mallards, 4 left from the older group and one left from the yougest. The older pekins are my problem children and the ones bought for meat. This weekend my husband and I were planning on clearing more trees and starting on the house we are building for my heritage turkeys and the new peafowl I just bought. It is going to be near the ducks and geese so I'm thinking now that maybe I should rethink the pen area. Combine the two with seperation between the differnt breeds. Run the electric fence around it all.

The mallards do fly around the yard but have not taken off as of yet. As the season changes I am watching to see if there are any indications that they might be getting ready to do so. I thought about clipping their wings to keep them here but haven't gotten to it as of yet. I hate the thought of doing that because of all the predators we have here. Even with me being with them when they are out of their pen, it could be over in a heartbeat.

we use these types of sprayers for everything from Oxine to vinegar (great weed killer), including spraying the walls of the buildings and goat stalls. Not that brand, but everyone carries them in all sorts of sizes too. Florida is the land of humid conditions so everything likes to grow here. White vinegar kills the weeds/grasses that pop up in between the pavers in the driveway, the green in the water buckets and auto water systems too and doesnt hurt the birds. We try to never use any chemicals on property so there is no risk to the animals. Exception is for fire ants here, we have to use strong products on them and just fence off the area and leave it fenced preventing them from getting to the poison.

I use the sprayers to apply the bleach before I power wash. Good idea with the vinegar too. I've had it in a hand held spray bottle. DUH!!! Wonder why my hand gets so tired..... I'm with you on the pesticides. We have a dug well here for our water supply and I have always been very careful of what goes on the land even before the animals. We don't have the fire ants here but we do have those nasty black and red ones. They hurt bad enough, I can only imagine what the fire ants are like.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

building a large run and sub dividing is a great idea, then you can protect with hot wire but have the birds separate and together so to speak. We have two flight pens that share a common wall, so a similar idea. Our ornamentals are not clipped, but never leave the aviary.flight pens which have covered tops.

My hand would throb if I use a hand spray bottle. Atleast these sprayers are always available local and cost less than the oxine labeled ones.

Have fun building the new pens and houses, we have a list of new pens to finish here too.

 

[veronicasmom]

Just pm'd you with the link to the vet clinic. Good luck.

 

[Haunted55]

Not sure if I should be posting this here or starting a new thread.... I just came back in from the duck pen. I was sitting with the a bit just watching for any more signs of sickness. Not sickness, at least I hope not, but signs of an external parasite, maybe? One of the 3 female mallards left is twitching her wings and not holding them close to her body. She wouldn't let me close enough to grab her so at least she's not down and out yet. The other mallards are twitching theirs as well but not as bad and they are scratching. Some of the pekins are scratching too. Oh Lord, what now?

I need to go out and buy a net to catch them or at least one of them to see what I'm dealing with. The 2 that died didn't have anything on them that I could see. I admit, I didn't go over them with a microscope, but I did give them the once over. If this is some kind of mite what is the best thing to use? Is there something that can be added to the pool water? And where did it come from? The only thing I have ever noticed is near their food and water are bunches of little white flys. Even moving their feeding platform and using lime and wood ash underneath it hasn't gotten rid of them. Unrelated?

 

[Haunted55]

Thank-you ever soooo much!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank-you. As for the pekins, my original thoughts were to raise them, use some for meat and keep some for breeding. Sounds so harsh with what has just happened, but truth none the less. Another plan to be rethought. I never knew I would fall so hard for these little buggers. Even at their worst they are still a wonderful creature. Answers? I can hope but I believe you're right, I will probably never know and can only go by the evidence I found.

Oh you and Miss Lydia have made my day! Thank-you, thank-you, a thousand thank-you's to you both!!! A question about this stuff. I remember reading you can use this as a vapour in your chicken house. Can you do this with a vapourizer like you would use at home? Or would you have to purchase the delivery system they offer? I'm thinking of the cold coming and the times when chickens, ducks/geese and turkeys will not be outside in the fresh air. Even when it went below zero, I opened and aired the chickens for an hour, at least, while I was in there checking and cleaning. They still had a respiratory issue that was cured with antibiotics. I've heard you can use vinegar this way but have not tried it yet.

I use a plain ole pump garden sprayer and mist over them and let it gently fall down over them. I've never tried using a vaporizer with oxine but it's possible you could. I also put 1/8 teas. in the water every 3rd day. [that they drink] Best thing to do is have alot of ventilation in your coops, I don't even close my windows up in the winter. I leave the top open for air flow even when it gets down into single digits Chickens can handle the cold alot better than the heat and so can ducks and not sure about turkeys since I don't have any. The only thing you have to protect the from is the wind. Another product I use is Nutri drench and just started Avia Charge 2000, They get each one of these a couple times a week in their water also[not at the same time or with the oxine. ]I feel it helps to keep their immune systems in peak running order. also great for when molting. I don't claim to know everything about the health issues of our flocks most I have do know I learned from Here. ACV is another good product for their health, so you can say everyday my flock gets something added to their water for their health.