Arizona Chickens

Just thoughts on your book...given the multitude of information from a marketing/interest perspective I'd go with keeping it targeted for a specific audience. The desert/southwest angle is great. As folks have mentioned so much is given from colder climates....nothing much about how to deal with 100 degrees plus..even once it's dark. That would give you a hook. Plus, if you keep it accessible to beginners you might have a wider base. Also, keep in mind the length....how many pages will become too much? Be sure to build your reference/citation as you research..helps so much later on.

For the ailments...I'd address the most common, do a first aid of how to treat/what to have on hand. Also, how to clip wings, nails, etc. How to wrap a chick in a towel to calm them, how to identify the quick for the nails if they need trimmed or the spur, how to treat if you cut the quick, etc. Try to balance between being the encyclopedia & the quick reference. Or even include a quick first aid reference chart. What items should be on hand? Home remedy? Maybe things like that.

Also, methods to coyote, javelina, hawk/falcon/owl proof...we have some different predators. Even the sonoran desert toad.....scorpions those I know they can eat & be fine, but the toad...if they try it will the hallucinogenic they emit harm them? If so...how to keep them out of the yard? I ask cause I have them & so far they come out at night & I don't keep open water they can get into out...no chicken issues. However, if a dog were to get a bit in their mouths it's time to flush the mouth with the house for 15-20minutes before trying to get to the vet just to try to save their life. For us it's not poison, but we get the hallucinations, etc. so different species different effects.

I'm sure there's more, but finding the focus will help you...southwest/desert is a good one.
 
[COLOR=FF0000]Help![/COLOR]

My 4 month old polish chick is acting very strangely, and I'm a little more than freaking out. My dad came into my room thismorning and woke me up,  to tell me that "Your polish may not live much longer." I immmediately jumped out of bed to check up  on her. She was standing in the middle of the area she shares with a SL Wyandotte, and seemed to be in a trance, kind of drunk. I checked her immediately for signs of the first thing that came to my mind, Mareks. She has no goo in her eye, and the other chick is perfectly fine, so I determined Marek's was not the cause, with a sigh of relief. But when I though about it, she was acting as if she has no use in her legs, ior that she was in pain in her neck and legs. She cannot for the life of her hold her head up for more than about a minute, and falls asleep standing up with her head on the ground unless you lie her down your self.

As if there is something in her brain that is causing the issues.

I got her to eat some strawberries, and drink some water, though before that, all she could muster up from her vent was a squirty 3 drops :/ she has not been eating or drinking for a while, I could tell that. I'ts as if she can't get to it.

She is now separated in a box in our living room with a careful eye being thrown her direction every few minutes.

Does anyone know what this is/could be, and a cure/solution?

​I love this little girl, im basically on the verge of tears and will even take her to the vet if necessary. I can't imagine waking up in the mornings to not have her in my coop. 

please help....

It's heat stress. Bring her inside your house if you have not done so. Keep her hydrated and quiet. The important thing is to bring her temperature down but you don't want to shock her. If you can, put her in a room temperature bath, being careful not to get water in her ears. I used to keep Polish and would have to bring them in the house every summer, they heat stress easily.
I hope she recovers soon.
 
Just thoughts on your book...given the multitude of information from a marketing/interest perspective I'd go with keeping it targeted for a specific audience. The desert/southwest angle is great. As folks have mentioned so much is given from colder climates....nothing much about how to deal with 100 degrees plus..even once it's dark. That would give you a hook. Plus, if you keep it accessible to beginners you might have a wider base. Also, keep in mind the length....how many pages will become too much? Be sure to build your reference/citation as you research..helps so much later on.

For the ailments...I'd address the most common, do a first aid of how to treat/what to have on hand. Also, how to clip wings, nails, etc. How to wrap a chick in a towel to calm them, how to identify the quick for the nails if they need trimmed or the spur, how to treat if you cut the quick, etc. Try to balance between being the encyclopedia & the quick reference. Or even include a quick first aid reference chart. What items should be on hand? Home remedy? Maybe things like that.

Also, methods to coyote, javelina, hawk/falcon/owl proof...we have some different predators. Even the sonoran desert toad.....scorpions those I know they can eat & be fine, but the toad...if they try it will the hallucinogenic they emit harm them? If so...how to keep them out of the yard? I ask cause I have them & so far they come out at night & I don't keep open water they can get into out...no chicken issues. However, if a dog were to get a bit in their mouths it's time to flush the mouth with the house for 15-20minutes before trying to get to the vet just to try to save their life. For us it's not poison, but we get the hallucinations, etc. so different species different effects.

I'm sure there's more, but finding the focus will help you...southwest/desert is a good one.

I know what you mean about them toads. I have them here, also. They come out at night, and especially after it happens to rain. I also have a dog, along with having my chickens. My next door neighbor had one of her chickens get stung by some sort of scorpion a few years ago while trying to lay an egg in the nesting box. The hen died.
 
Precious. .. sometimes it happens. . I would treat the rest of your flock. .
hugs.gif
I have adde dthe antibiotic to their water, and made sure no one else is suffering similar symptoms. Dory will stay isolated with lots of water pipetting and TLC, + antibiotics and egg yolks for atleast a wekk, if she is spunkier by tommorow.
 
BlueBaby..wow, I thought they ate the scorpions. I've learned they don't go after all ants..especially the fire ants that like my yard. Any idea how to get rid of those toads? I keep catching & tossing over the wall...though this summer I've taken to popping them with the rake to stun them to make it easier. I've gotten some huge ones! I feel guilty when I do it...I don't think I could kill one, maybe, if it was a choice between it & one of my babies.

Banaynaychicken...my crevecoeur took about 5 days to come back around. I didn't think about heatstroke. She did similar, but couldn't stand/roost. Kept her in the house after brought her body temp down. Had to force the water at first with a dropper. Even brought a friend in with her...seemed to cheer her up. Is she bonded to another chick? Maybe once you're sure there's nothing catchy you can bring that one in for company. Have everything crossed for your baby.
 
BlueBaby..wow, I thought they ate the scorpions. I've learned they don't go after all ants..especially the fire ants that like my yard. Any idea how to get rid of those toads? I keep catching & tossing over the wall...though this summer I've taken to popping them with the rake to stun them to make it easier. I've gotten some huge ones! I feel guilty when I do it...I don't think I could kill one, maybe, if it was a choice between it & one of my babies.

Banaynaychicken...my crevecoeur took about 5 days to come back around. I didn't think about heatstroke. She did similar, but couldn't stand/roost. Kept her in the house after brought her body temp down. Had to force the water at first with a dropper. Even brought a friend in with her...seemed to cheer her up. Is she bonded to another chick? Maybe once you're sure there's nothing catchy you can bring that one in for company. Have everything crossed for your baby.

My neighbor said that they do eat the scorpions, but apparently this one was stung instead. Why just throw the toads over the wall? They will come back. They have a home somewhere in your yard. You will have to somehow convince them that their home isn't such a good place to be anymore. Hubby won't let me kill them, as he said that they eat tons of bugs at night when they come out.
 
I hope everyone is having a safe holiday weekend! Here in South Phoenix, we've been finding fun yet unconventional ways to keep our Chickies cool. Could they be more spoiled? Pool time and watermelon...Happy 4th of July!
700

700

700

700
 
I am in golden valley Arizona. from Washington.. Raising chickens here is hard! Between the heat and monsoons they may just be staying inside for a while!!
 
I know this is hard to believe, but after my first broody BR decided to go back to normal, now I have two broody White Leghorns and another broody BR. What the heck is this world coming to? I think it's a conspiracy - they're trying to put me out of the egg business or something. I thought Leghorns weren't supposed to go broody? These three definitely are for sure and one almost took my hand off yesterday when I tried to reach under her for eggs - not going to do that again without gloves on. It wouldn't be too terribly bad but I worry in this heat that they're not getting enough water especially so I'll get the dog kennel back out and see if I can break them. Anyway, so much for the idea that Leghorns don't go broody - that definitely ain't true! I wonder if this has anything to do with adding the rooster last week?







 
Last edited:

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom