Arizona Chickens

[Gallo del Cielo]

I think I'm going to lay off of the watermelon treats. I think I've discovered the reason for the runny stools. I know... Gross!, but this may help someone else, or maybe somebody can give me a better reason. Just trying to keep my ladies healthy.

Mine get watery stools when it's really hot, like today. I think watermelon is a fine treat for the chickens, especially cooled on a hot day.

 

[hemet dennis]

Mine get watery stools when it's really hot, like today. I think watermelon is a fine treat for the chickens, especially cooled on a hot day.

In hot weather you should worry if it's not watery.

Keep feeding the melons.

 

[itsredcandy]

In hot weather you should worry if it's not watery.

Keep feeding the melons.

Have to agree here. It also disappears quicker into the soil.

 

[JohnSWA]

Woo Hoo! This is why I love this thread. So much great information for a newbie like me! OK, I guess soft stools are good which means that they are getting plenty of water and cool treats! Lesson learned! Just a little harder to pick up for my compost pile. Speaking of compost, my jalepenos are going through the roof since introducing chicken turd compost to the soil! Gotta love all of the many benefits of our lovely ladies!

 

[hemet dennis]

Woo Hoo! This is why I love this thread. So much great information for a newbie like me! OK, I guess soft stools are good which means that they are getting plenty of water and cool treats! Lesson learned! Just a little harder to pick up for my compost pile. Speaking of compost, my jalepenos are going through the roof since introducing chicken turd compost to the soil! Gotta love all of the many benefits of our lovely ladies!

Yep chickens don't sweat or pee so the extra water they take in has to go somewhere.

Well before someone jumps on that let me elaborate there pee comes out with there poop so they do pee but not as itself. so when they take in more water there's more pee in their poop.
Hope that helps and is understandable.

 

[udubchick]

Another newbee here. We got our 5 babies 2 weeks ago. We also had 3 older girls adopt us (they were not claimed with the "found chickens" signs we posted). I've posted pics below!


5 baby chicks in their shipping box: white rick, buff orp, gold lace wyandotte, silver lace wyandotte, and speckled sussex.


They're now about 2.5 weeks old!


Here are the 3 that adopted us unexpectedly, 1 RIR and 2 mystery hens. The RIR is laying about 5 eggs per week, but nothing from the other 2.


A few questions for the experts....when can I put the babies outside? Do they need special care to keep them cool (frozen water jugs, other)? When can the older girls and the chicks be put together? So far having all 8 of them has been so much fun for all of us! They're more entertainment that we expected.

 

[pupeluv]

I started a worm farm for the girls and they got their first worms last night. Hilarious! Two of them tucked right in and ran around screaming, with worms dangling from their mouths. Two of them were terrified and wouldn't go near the worms. Stared at them from afar while making worried noises.

The breakfast menu was spinach & cantaloupe. Their clear favorite so far though is tomatoes. In case you didn't know, the 99 cents only store is a great place to get fresh produce for the chickens, cheep. I mean, cheap.

I'll post pictures once I figure it out.

 

[Arizonachicken]

A friend of mine has muscovy babies. They are the cutest little things! The dad is beautiful and I love the hissing. I want one!

 

[pupeluv]

 
  It's ok, my boxer looks like a gargoyle.  

Ummmm have you seen my avatar? Hee hee

 

[Mikey D]

Quote: That is the way I understand it as well - limited experience though.

One Dot still lays weird eggs - ridges in the shell, sometimes lumpy, sometimes soft. I have seen her eating the oyster shells in the mini feeder so she know she needs the extra.

She is also a Red Broiler and has no business laying as often as she does.

Loves my One Dot!
Yes, first eggs are sometimes strange. You can also get the pullet eggs when they re-begin laying after a molt or broodiness. Adding ACV to the water should help One Dot with calcium absorption/ There is also a bird vitamin.mineral supplement called Nekton MSA which is extremely good at helping bird who have calcium related issues. I hav e known of several cases where it was the ONLY thing that worked..
Thanks Sonoran!

I've been using ACV - prolly not as often as I should.

Is the supplement administered to one bird or is it added to the flock's water?
I would just give it to the affected bird, but if you had several with issues, I would consider adding to the whole flock, or at least adding a vitamin/mineral supplement. AviaCharge200 is really good, they LOVE the taste, and it makes the water look like a muddy mess.
I'll look into a supplement when I get back.

That probably means I'm going to ask you again in a week and a half!