Arizona Chickens

[AZChiknGoddess]

I find the bigger rocks are actually easier to pick out of finished compost than to try to pick them out of raw materiel.  Smaller than a pebble are a little harder.  If you get something to sieve your finished compost it will take the rocks and pieces of wood that need longer to break down.  Makes life a little easier.

That egg is just    Do they always lay eggs this large?  That is one of the things I've not liked about some EE and Ameraunas is their eggs always seem to be on the smaller size.
I'm sure you will find people that would love for you to exercise their horses for them.  Your qualifications rock!

The eggs I got from Pam were pretty big consistently. The bad part is, just like Marans and Ameracauna they get lighter the farther into the laying cycle they are. But they are attractive eggs, auto sexing and prolific layers. I'm going to give these a try. These are from Greenfire Farms a couple of generations back. Check the price on their website!!

 

[Sill]

I don't think it was the deep litter that caused my flock's initial bumblefoot issues. I actually didn't have deep enough litter, and the heavy birds were thudding down onto hard ground in certain areas. Especially the cockerels, who kept pushing each other off the roosts.

This year I have used much more pine shavings than last year so there are no hard, bare spots in the coop/run, and I am periodically scooping up the poop under the roosts in addition to adding more litter more often. When the humidity is low I wet down part of each coop/run. This year I wet down a different section every time, instead of always wetting down the same spot. The litter is actually breaking down a little bit, and no areas have gotten totally soggy. It seems to be a healthier space. I have not had any bumblefoot issues so far this year. I also don't have as many birds in the coop/run as I had last year, so the stress levels are much lower.

My theory is that the heavy watering of one section of run, plus not properly maintaining the litter, aggravated the bumblefoot infections. But I don't think the litter itself caused the initial problem.

FYI, I treated the feet by soaking them in epsom salts, swabbing with Betadyne, and bandaging the feet with a paste of sugar and Betadyne on a piece of gauze held in place with a long, narrow strip of vet wrap. Wrapped the vet wrap around the toes and shanks so it looked like a fingerless glove with a gauze-padded palm. Was surprised at how well those bandages held up. Re-treated the birds a few days later. Most of the infections were in the early stages, and cleared up a few weeks after treatment. A couple of the heavier cockerels had infections that didn't clear up with treatment.

Never did do the surgery because I didn't have anyone to assist. I wound up eating the birds whose infections did not clear (after checking to make sure the infections were localized). I think the treatment helped keep even the deeper infections from getting a lot worse, but I don't know for sure.

Hope your hen recovers quickly. Sounds like you've got it under control. Good luck.

Interesting way to treat bumblefoot. Glad it worked on most of them. I wonder why the cockerels didn't clear up?

In that case, sure! Turn it all you want!

Moving the woodpile from one place to another is a good chore to keep kids occupied, too. Whether it needs moving or not. ;-)

I would like to use sand as a base layer, and would like to throw some type of bedding on top of that, like straw, chips, shavings etc. just to mix it up abit. In any case, I just don't want sand alone...how boring. Need more to keep the gals entertained and scratching around.

Anyhoo, I forgot to mention in my plans. In case the rain gets absolutely rediculous and the ground can't absorb all that water, I'm drilling holes around the run and planter boxes, screened from the inside, to relieve the excess water. The boxes are directly attached to the run, so no exposed holes to give any small preditors an apportunity. Any excess water in the run (highly unlikely) as large as it is, would filter into the planter boxes and in turn, run out into the yard.

Here I am, doodling again, and came up with this (which was always in the back of my mind) just a few minutes ago.


Looking at my basic diagram again, I just realized (DUH) that I've actually created three 8x8 modules, with an additional 8x8 partially open module for Chicken TV. I would not drill holes along the entrance and front of that small planter box,maybe the back side of it.



I may lay down some boards to create a simple flat deck, or plant some sod. The extra green section in the TV area is an extra planter box to grow some chicken treats.

Okay, I strayed again. The main concern is about dealing with possible flooding and other water issues. --BB

Looks like a great plan! When do you get started or have you?

 

[Sill]

The eggs I got from Pam were pretty big consistently. The bad part is, just like Marans and Ameracauna they get lighter the farther into the laying cycle they are. But they are attractive eggs, auto sexing and prolific layers. I'm going to give these a try. These are from Greenfire Farms a couple of generations back. Check the price on their website!!

This breed has been on my want list but I didn't know anyone that had them personally. Nice that they are auto sexing as well. Are they a dual purpose breed or do you end up with a bunch of scrawny cockerels that don't have much meat on their carcass? How do you contact Pam?

 

[a little chiken]

so I told Shelly I would post a few pics of my AM


























I will get more pictures later but now I have my Black split to chocolate and I have newer pics of my Silkied AM I will post those soon.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
One of the most common causes of bumblefoot is heavy birds landing on hard ground. The pounding injures their foot pads, leaving an opening for the bumblefoot infection to set in. The heavier cockerels were the ones with the most severe infections, probably because they landed harder than anyone else. The severe infections did not clear with topical-only treatment. I didn't really expect any of the infections to clear with the topical treatment but gave it a shot anyway, since I couldn't do the surgery by myself and I didn't have an assistant. I'm not sure if the topical treatment really had any effect or not. It is possible that the mild cases would have resolved on their own, with just a litter management change.

The heavier cockerels weighed around 7 pounds when I discovered the foot issues. Not quite heavy enough for their breed standard, but heavier than most hatchery quality chickens. The cockerels thudded to the ground when they got pushed off of the roosts. I'm using deeper litter now to soften the landings. I'm also paying closer attention to the poop/litter ratio. It seems to be working.

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

Interesting way to treat bumblefoot.  Glad it worked on most of them.  I wonder why the cockerels didn't clear up?



Looks like a great plan!  When do you get started or have you?

Could you use silver nitrate on bumbling? When my son was a baby he had a stoma for a feeding tube, which developed proud flesh (granulated tissue). The doctor prescribed these sticks with silver nitrate on the end. The substance sort of corroded the tissue away. I used it on a wart, and although it was ugly, it works.

 

[AZChiknGoddess]

so I told Shelly I would post a few pics of my AM I will get more pictures later but now I have my Black split to chocolate and I have newer pics of my Silkied AM I will post those soon.

Beautiful!

 

[AZChiknGoddess]

This breed has been on my want list but I didn't know anyone that had them personally. Nice that they are auto sexing as well.  Are they a dual purpose breed or do you end up with a bunch of scrawny cockerels that don't have much meat on their carcass?  How do you contact Pam?

The hens weigh 5-6lbs and the roosters 7-7 1/2. So not huge but not small either. I am planning on just offing some of the cockrels after hatching. I do not slaughter my birds for meat so I have no reason to raise them. I do not have Pam's number handy but if you google Padilla Peeps she has a website.

 

[City farm]

I honestly don't like having broody hens, or incubating. However we have had, I think, 7 just this year.. So this poor little girl looked awful this morning.. These 3 have been under cheryl. The first chick came out great.. & is doing fine.. This is from one of our green eggs. The second one that I found when I got home tonight had the same thing, just not as bad. So they are both in the incubator recovering.. The eggs in the incubator are due to hatch Saturday. At this point, they might not make it, with me opening up on lock down time.
So first thing I did was text @Sill for advice, girl you rock.. Thank you for the link.. I am just now reading after I post.. But, BOY am I tired from work and, well ya know.. Life.. I don't even have the energy to type.. So I will update in the morning..

 

[a little chiken]

I honestly don't like having broody hens, or incubating. However we have had, I think, 7 just this year.. So this poor little girl looked awful this morning.. These 3 have been under cheryl. The first chick came out great.. & is doing fine.. This is from one of our green eggs. The second one that I found when I got home tonight had the same thing, just not as bad. So they are both in the incubator recovering.. The eggs in the incubator are due to hatch Saturday. At this point, they might not make it, with me opening up on lock down time.

So first thing I did was text @Sill for advice, girl you rock.. Thank you for the link.. I am just now reading after I post.. But, BOY am I tired from work and, well ya know.. Life.. I don't even have the energy to type.. So I will update in the morning..

wow what is that? did it herniate during hatching?