Arizona Chickens

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nicollee said:
I've soaked hens in Epsom salts, but what is a flush, and when/why would you use it?
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The flush is 1 tsp of Epsom salt dissolved in 1 cup of water. You administer one full syringe of the liquid to each chicken in need. The number one reason this is used is to treat vent gleet...aka "poopy butt". A single treatment followed by ensuring that the chicken has plenty of access to fresh water is typically sufficient to treat the condition. (I also follow up with the addition of extra vitamins and probiotics to their feed and water.) The ES flushes out their system.

I've also used this treatment on chickens that seemed to suddenly be "unwell" but for which I had no sure diagnosis. It's pretty amazing stuff and has always resulted in a rapid overall improvement of the bird, even during times of high stress, such as during heavy molt. That's actually when I see the most vent gleet too, is during heavy molt...especially if the hen continues to lay eggs regularly during the molt.
 
What I love about AZ is the cool local fresh stands in out of the way places. Last summer, driving south of Tuscon I got home-grown pecans that were cracked shells for only $5.00/pound. To me, that is a huge bargain! I am still using them for cranberry sauce for thanksgiving, and Dylan the African Grey has been getting treats since last August. Those who live in Cochise county are blessed!
 
Parront said:
What I love about AZ is the cool local fresh stands in out of the way places. Last summer, driving south of Tuscon I got home-grown pecans that were cracked shells for only $5.00/pound. To me, that is a huge bargain! I am still using them for cranberry sauce for thanksgiving, and Dylan the African Grey has been getting treats since last August. Those who live in Cochise county are blessed!
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The pecan orchards are literally right behind my house. A couple times per week one of the big crows drops a pecan it was carrying somewhere in my yard, LOL.
 
MagicChicken said:
Get the heat lamp, but don't get a 250 watt bulb. Go to a pet store with a good reptile section and get a variety of infrared heat bulbs in different wattages. PetSmart usually carries them.

A 250 watt heat lamp is likely to fry your chicks if your brooder is in the garage. I would get 150 watt, 100 watt, 75 watt and 50 watt bulbs for the heat lamp. Lower the wattage if the birds look too hot. You will know. A 100 watt bulb would work, too, as long as it is incandescent and not LED. I prefer the infrared bulbs because the red glow isn't as disruptive at night. The chicks seem calmer than they do with constant white light.

My brooder is outside. I usually hatch in the winter. When the weather is cold I run the sweeter heater 24/7, and I also provide a heat lamp on a thermostat to supplement the sweeter heater. At first I set the heat lamp to go on when the temperature in the brooder goes below 75 degrees. As the chicks grow out I gradually lower the temperature setting for the heat lamp. If I still have chicks in the brooder when the weather gets hot, I take the heat lamp out of the brooder and put the sweeter heater on the thermostat instead. That helps to keep the chicks from overheating.

The thermostat I use was designed for reptile enclosures. It plugs into a wall outlet and the heat lamp plugs into it. The electronics are all digital. It has a thermometer probe that I put at chick height, near but not directly under the sweeter heater. I think it cost $25-30. I found mine at PetSmart a few years ago. Have also seen them on Amazon.
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Well, in the spirit of procrastination, I didn't do everything that was supposed to be done, and let all the supplies set there. When the Post Office called this morning (BABIES ARRIVED--YAY!), I still hadn't set up a brooder because I couldn't find the right box. There was a box out in the garage though about 4 feet tall and about 20" square that held 5 galvanized cans, so just laid the box on its side and cut out one long side.

Not making it to the feed store, went to ACE Hardware where they had everything I needed.

As far as the heat lamp goes, I bought a 125-watt incandescent infrared bulb and typical clamp lamp, which seems to work great. They didn't have any red ones in that wattage.

It was only a 15-minute drive to the post office, and had the heater cranking on the drive back home, but they got to screeching and cut back on the heat. They sat out in the truck (in the shade and not hot today) for over an hour while I threw a brooder together.

Thanks for the advice on going lower wattage. Tripping circuit breakers and electrical fires scare me. I don't know the exact temperature, since they are just all over the place and don't seem to have a preference where to hang out.

I see a few of them snuggling together (only when they're sleeping), but when they're awake, there's no particular spot for them.

Right now, they are in a Jack&Jill bathroom, and just quietly chirping away. I've been checking on them about every 10 minutes for the last 6 hours for any heat issues or abnormal behavior. There is one that seemed to have pasty butt so I took it to the sink and gently cleaned it. I still see it trying to pick back there on occasion, so maybe it wasn't cleaned good enough.

The lower wattage seems to be working. They've been quietly chirping away and eating, and the only loud squawk in when one steps on another's head or back LOL! They have NO manners.

OH....I put a little radio in there so they can listen to the 24/7 Classical station at very low volume. I heard they like Classical and NPR radio! --BB
 
Junochick said:
I'm avoiding a chicken math problem, I have 4 chickens that I love. I know I could say the Bantys are only 1/2 a chicken. I am disabled so I drool at other people's babies. Instead of filling my yard with more feather babies.
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Well, I screwed that up because my 12 babies arrived at the Post Office this morning! I've been a worry wart for the last 7 hours checking them every 10 minutes. I can't believe they were packed in such a small box. All were alive and very active. One looked like it had pasty butt and took it to the sink and gently cleaned it.

I see no abnormal behavior or signs of weakness. Fingers crossed. --BB
 
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