Any one want to join me in waiting for eggs, posting and comparing notes?

[Melabella]

I hate that the 3000th post was me whining about the weather but we are having record low temps and rain right now. I guess this makes up for our record high temps over Easter. My birds are SO UNHAPPY right now. Also my neighbors are re roofing their house and the banging is scaring my girls as well. Oh well they will just have to get used to it. Life does not revolve around them. lol

I will have to take a pic of Phoebe's belly chest area I know they pluck themselves bald for the warmth for the eggs, but she is starting to get a sore from sitting so much. I have been keeping an eye on it for infection and no one else can see it so there is no pecking luckily. But still it's just one more thing to worry about.

Hope everyone has a great day








Niki

Don't mind that Niki darlin.....this place is for posting whines, complaints, and well as joys and happiness! I am racing around trying to get ready to head to Delaware tomorrow to get to my oldests graduation from University of Delaware, and will be missing my second son's high school senior prom... Can't be two places at once, and since my second is only going to the prom with a friend, not a love interest, he was cool with it. too much running around though... I'm nuts! Hate leaving the horses, dogs and chickens with sitters, but it's only for two days,,, so all will be ok. It's stormy and raining here too, and soooo humid....

Happy 3000th post everyone... I hope we are all here for another 3000!

Carmela

 

[kdwag]

50s today, and rainfall yesterday. The girls are much happier with the cooler less humid weather and they are getting some bugs YAY. Egg laying has been consistent, 3 a day. I need to start freezing some for fall/winter baking. Are those frozen eggs good to make scrambled eggs and quiches or mostly just for baking. ?? May get to start on the new coop this weekend $$$ permitting. Hope everyone has a great long weekend.

 

[kdwag]

Here is my Lucy--Lucille Ball when she's in trouble. She's so pretty but I barely get to pet her but when she does squat, I pet her a good long time. LOL

 

[nakstk]

Lucy is so beautiful!

I have never frozen eggs before. I should.
I just listed 6 dozen on FB for my local friends at $3.00 per dozen. Since I got that feed for such a good deal and my girls have been eating bugs and other greens my eggs are down to .03¢ per egg! Not sure if anyone remembers but back in December my eggs were $1.12 each. BIG drop in cost. My DH works at Fred Meyer and was able to buy 500 egg cartons for $3.

 

[Spikes Chooks]

50s today, and rainfall yesterday. The girls are much happier with the cooler less humid weather and they are getting some bugs YAY. Egg laying has been consistent, 3 a day. I need to start freezing some for fall/winter baking. Are those frozen eggs good to make scrambled eggs and quiches or mostly just for baking. ?? May get to start on the new coop this weekend $$$ permitting. Hope everyone has a great long weekend.

I've made scrambled eggs from them just fine. I often freeze 3 beaten eggs in each container, as one of our favourite cakes needs that, and I can also use them for scrambled eggs. I have frozen egg whites seperately then made pavlova or meringues with them. If I freeze egg yolks seperately, I use either 1/4 tsp salt or 1 tsp sugar in for 6 yolks, then label them so I know whether to cook sweet or savoury. I've made quiches as well. Nothing has failed so far, and I really appreciated them the last 6 weeks or so when 3/4 of my girls were moulting and eggs dropped to 4 per week.

Thankfully, two more have started back laying now, a little less then in the summer but I still get 2-3 each day now.

 

[Ariekannairb]

Well, I just realized that I am about half-way there! My older chicks are about 10 weeks old and my youngers are about 8 weeks! I can not believe how quickly it has gone by! One of my roosters started attempting to crow today. So funny. Sounds like a hoarse cough LOL.

I took the kids to replace some of our lost hens. We lost a total of 5 and we replaced 3. We all lost a favorite so it was kind of a double whammy. I wasn't able to replace the Americauna that was my favorite but my daughter picked out a golden buff that is just beautiful. My younger daughter chose a brown leghorn. I was kind of eh about that one until we got her home and she has such a personality. She is determined to be part of the established flock and puts up with quite a bit in order to get right up in the middle of them when they roost. They tolerate her LOL. My son chose another red sex-link. He just loved her because she was so tiny. They are integrating well, though there is some pecking while they sort out the new comers.

My injured hen has now gone for at least 2 weeks without laying. Still no signs of being ill. Just continuing to nurse the hurt leg. How long should I wait before becoming worried?

 

[kdwag]

So, one of my girls has developed a limp when she runs. I recalled conversation about bumblefoot so I did a little research on line. I looked at her feet, nothing on top or between toes, the underneath have soft pads but no sores. Am I looking for an actual wound, sore, drainage?? They look ok to me but I don't know, i have a hard time handling her for too long.

 

[Spikes Chooks]

So, one of my girls has developed a limp when she runs. I recalled conversation about bumblefoot so I did a little research on line. I looked at her feet, nothing on top or between toes, the underneath have soft pads but no sores. Am I looking for an actual wound, sore, drainage?? They look ok to me but I don't know, i have a hard time handling her for too long.

I'm no expert but I did some research when I feared the same. You're looking for:

- dark/black spots on the pad under their foot that are proud of the flesh
- redness, swelling, hotter than usual anywhere on the foot at all, top or bottom
- limping
- irritiation with the foot - they may lift it up and have a peck at it.

If you see a wound, or drainage from it, then that would have been an injury, maybe requiring treatment with washing, then antispetic spray and perhaps bandaging with vet wrap to keep it cleaned whilst it healed. This would not indicate Bumblefoot, which causes problems because there is no opening to the wound and no drainage - and that's when the black spot may need to be cut to dig out the infection.

Dark spots may also just be a callous - that's what my girl has and it hasn't developed into Bumblefoot. Her limp most likely came from a heavy jump onto hard rock (we have a very rocky garden). Maybe your chicken has had a fall and it could well ease over time without intervention, as mine did.

This idea may well sound silly - I have tried to reduce the amount of running they all do. I don't call them unless they were already quite close to me. Sometimes means I wait around for a bit to call them into the run at night. Or I head towards them and get them to follow me on a safe route, walking slowly. And I don't call them now if the most direct path to me takes them over the chunk of bedrock which has quite a high drop (about 3 feet). I am fairly sure this is the jump where Ladybird hurt herself - as she is very wary of doing it. If I've called her, she is hesitant, trying to choose between the risk of jumping down the rock v the risk of missing out on a treat she may be getting. She very rarely limps now. One toe was broken in her fall (which I didn't see) and the toe still sticks out and has bumps in it. But she has recovered well and it barely troubles her now.

Sounds like you should just keep an eye on her. It is hard to check the feet yourself, especially underneath, isn't it?!? I ended up doing the holding and getting DH to do the checking underneath. I guess I also could have tried putting a towel obver her head to calm her whilst I took a look myself.

Let us know how she is coming along
Katrina

 

[Melabella]

Well, I just realized that I am about half-way there! My older chicks are about 10 weeks old and my youngers are about 8 weeks! I can not believe how quickly it has gone by! One of my roosters started attempting to crow today. So funny. Sounds like a hoarse cough LOL.

I took the kids to replace some of our lost hens. We lost a total of 5 and we replaced 3. We all lost a favorite so it was kind of a double whammy. I wasn't able to replace the Americauna that was my favorite but my daughter picked out a golden buff that is just beautiful. My younger daughter chose a brown leghorn. I was kind of eh about that one until we got her home and she has such a personality. She is determined to be part of the established flock and puts up with quite a bit in order to get right up in the middle of them when they roost. They tolerate her LOL. My son chose another red sex-link. He just loved her because she was so tiny. They are integrating well, though there is some pecking while they sort out the new comers.

My injured hen has now gone for at least 2 weeks without laying. Still no signs of being ill. Just continuing to nurse the hurt leg. How long should I wait before becoming worried?

So happy to hear about the new members. What a nice thing to do with the children to teach that life goes on, and the circle of it, and life with animals. So sorry again you had to go through that loss. Any pics to share of the new ones, I love all your other pictures.. nice birds! I love my silly red sex links. I lost one to just a sudden death a month ago. Just found her in the nest box passed away. I had two, so now only have one, they are prolific layers. Give me 6-7 eggs a week. I cant wait to see what they're second laying season brings. What color Ameruacana did you get? I am sure that your injured girl will bounce back when she is over the stress. As long as she is eating,drinking and pooping, and trying to return to normal, I would feel encouraged. I have no experience with this yet, so I am of no help with how long till one is concerned. If you head over to the Natural Chicken Keeping thread, or post a new thread on the Health and Emergency section, I am sure you will get some answeres. Please keep us posted!

MB

 

[kdwag]

Liza's limp appears to be gone, she had some darker colored spots on the bottom of her feet but I thought they were just pigment? No ? Hmmmm..... I looked at my barred rock's feet and they look the same . I'll just keep watching her but if it turns out to be bumblefoot, I don't know what I'll do. there is NOOO way I can cut open her foot. Meanwhile, 50s and rain today. LOL Maybe 90s by Wed.

You'll think I'm nuts, but I found this small personal fan at Lowes that runs on batteries or plug in. I hung it in their coop on the hook that I hung their heat lamp on last winter. It will throw air over their nest boxes. I'm hoping that will give enough relief on those 90 days when they are in there panting away. My dad says I should install an air conditioner. LOL he knows me well.