Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[tandykins]

Hubby says the same about sheep, he calls and calls them an they ignore him. I go out call once an they come running. I can call each one separately by their own name and that sheep will look up.

Mine hens will totally respond to their individual names and will come to me if it looks like I might have treats - but if I so much as put the treats near the coop they're on to me and they head that-a-way.

Tandykins Pipper looks adorable in her saddle/clothes .. very clever. I was truly amazed to see how much and how quickly your gal’s foot had healed. Have you read or heard about the benefits of Neem Oil in lice/mite prevention? As you may have, I will not go into detail but there are a few of us who use it who could explain why/how if you have not heard of the benefits.

Actually I only heard of Neem Oil last night when reading about natural parasite prevention. I had also read about planting some herbs around your coop helping a little to discourage parasites but I'd really only just started looking into it. I'm eager for any advice you guys have to offer on the subject of Neem Oil as well as discouraging parasites with companion planting and/or hanging herbs in the coop.

I'm not hugely adamant that everything be all natural - but if there's an all natural treatment that is effective I will always choose it over something commercial.

 

[tandykins]

Looks like you are doing a great job. I agree with the vicks too works a treat normally.

XD I'm trying. Some days I feel like I'm hurting my birds more than helping them. I like to think of it as the constant pursuit of being better and better.

I'm tempted to get some of the stuff that's heavily lavender scented and mix it with traditional Vicks so my chickens smell delightful. >.> <.< Priorities.

 

[devinandfeather]

We'll have lots going on have 14 eggs due tomorrow next week have 3 due week after have 8 due and on the last week I have 13 due all under broody hens to so excited all old English bantams and Orpingtons

 

[tandykins]

We'll have lots going on have 14 eggs due tomorrow next week have 3 due week after have 8 due and on the last week I have 13 due all under broody hens to so excited all old English bantams and Orpingtons

OOOH! What an exciting time! I love hatching time. <3 <3 We've got 9 10-day old chicks being raised in an indoor maternity brooder by our very own psychoic Queenie. She'll mess you up if you stick your hand in there but she'll keep those babies alive like a boss. Hatching time is my very favourite. <3 <3

 

[Anniebee]

Annie pumpkin and squash seed are quite high in protein. Chicks have a much higher protein requirement , 18-22% but once they reach 20 weeks of age 15-16% is ideal . Protein, amino acids , calcium and phosphorus are crucial for healthy birds. And healthy birds lay healthy eggs. Snacks and table scraps are fine but a well balanced diet should begin with a good quality layer pellet. Scratch or free range mixes don't contain sufficient calcium or protein. For those of us that have mixed flocks ie ; roosters in our flock , it's important to keep the calcium below 2% and offer calcium ' free take ' for the layers.

Again thank you for your reply Fancychooklady ....

I must have given the wrong impression ( although I still think / believe from what I have learned ) that more protein is better when they are moulting. Hence I stop cooked meat, and reduce giving them eggs etc. when they are laying.

The main and absolute source of feed for my girls - approx. 90+ % of food --- is Barastoc Layer Pellets. They get my rice - cooked vegies - rolled oats - bran - my own fresh garden greens - etc. about twice a week in dog bowls. ( they love it ). They get a couple of handfuls of scratch mix on the ground about twice a week ... mainly for interest sake for them. Something to do.

Pumpkin seeds are a very very rare treat - I do give them chopped ( or mashed cooked ) pumpkin in their bowls, and when it comes to mind they might like some pumpkin seeds, I pulverise the seeds and add them to scratch or my own ricey chook mix. Yoghurt and water melon etc. are only given when I think about it or have some on hand. Certainly not a regular thing by any means. Maybe once a fortnight in the summer ?

I add crumbled hard boiled eggs to the mix about once a fortnight. And they get grated cheese in the mix about once a week or sprinkled on the ground. Washed outer leaves of kale, cabbage, lettuce, cauli and brussel sprouts - chopped up - they get when I have used them for ourselves. .... all other vegies are cooked ( carrots, peas, beans, cauliflower etc. ) they are never given raw beans .... I hang 1/4 a cabbage in a bird netting bag on their fence - but this too is a very rare event.

They free range for a few hours when weather permits, at which time they catch tiny bugs, worms after rain, and eat quite a bit of grass and clover. Probably out in the garden 3 times a week, average.

But their main diet is Barastoc layer pellets. I believe that is good, and works well for my 2 big girls. I delight in rainy days, as it gives me the excuse to keep them in their coops, where they become bored and eat more - of the pellets only.

It is only 3 yr old Mindy I am having concerns about. I will be clipping and cleaning her dirty butt today, and she is squatting like crazy. ..... she also has eaten up a storm last night / this morning - from her layer pellets only. She is the one who will eat scratch mix, and avoid every bit of sea shell that is in it. Also avoids finely chopped up egg shells. For a chicken who can barely see through her Araucana face feathers, she is very clever at picking and choosing !! "Free take" is not in her vocabulary.

Trust that shows my dietary bizzo for the chooks, more clearly. After trying the calcium, I will get some oyster shells and grind them to powder, no matter how long that takes.

I have no rooster, nor do I intend to have one at any stage.

Cheers and thanks .....

 

[Anniebee]

I actually looked back through some of the sites I use for reference and sure enough I saw recommendations to feed them meat and eggs -all the time-. *sigh*

I will dial the protein way back and supplement her with Vitamin A as per suggestions on chickens with gout. We'll see if we can't get her improving a bit. Thankfully, her feet only look slightly larger than normal, I'm hoping that's a good sign.

I noted earlier that thanks to Elizabeak, the rogue chicken from someone else's flock that was absolutely crawling with parasites and wandered right into my coop - passed her goodies onto my flock. I've been battling poultry lice ever since.

Yesterday I picked up my Golden Spangled Hamburg rooster Hoban Washburne (who let me pick him up without much argument which was a little odd, but then he's been becoming far more sociable lately so that might be why) and I noticed that he was feeling a tad slender and light.

I've been having some issues with weight loss across my entire flock. Despite my naughty treats, the bulk of their diet is layer pellets.

I've wormed them in case that's the problem but hadn't noticed much (if any) difference. They're due for their second round now(ish, when the wormer gets here in the post. I'm also replenishing my supplies for the poultry lice.

I'm hoping some of my adjustments to their diets will help, at least - but another possible cause occurred to me. When I thought about it, all of the chickens who were thinnest were the lowest on the pecking order. Hoban Washburne is a highly neurotic and extremely anxious rooster who spends a fair bit of his day avoiding fights purely by virtue of being impressively manouvreable and fast (in a couple of weeks he gets his own breeding pen and his own ladies and I hope this will make him feel more secure and confident).

It occurred to me that some of my chickens might be thin because they don't feel safe accessing the feeder in the garage. I realized that to eat, they have to turn their backs on the two, fairly narrow openings to the garage, opening themselves up to an attack. They might be effectively starving themselves out of fear, subsisting on mostly forage. I started by turning the feeder around so that a feeding chicken is facing all exits - and placing two additional feeders at two -completely- different points in my yard. That way, if a bird feels threatened, they can seek out a more private meal in the smaller, lower-rung groups. I figured that at the very least, adding more sources of food couldn't hurt.

I'm hoping I'll see a difference and I'll keep treating for lice (yay more pressure washing) but I'm a little baffled by this. They all seem otherwise healthy, just kind of thin.

Have gone nearly crazy at times tandykins ... reading on line information about chickens - or anything else for that matter, where so much info appears to be opposite to other opinions.

My girls only become a little thinner when they are moulting. Good luck in finding the cause of your thinner chickens. Fear could be a contributor as you mention. Guess it's a case of try and see, you certainly are doing your best for your chickens.

Bad news that the rogue chicken brought in such nasties to your entire flock. I don't know how many chickens you have, but dealing with poultry lice must be a big job.

Hope I never have to do anything like that - and I only have 3 !!

Cheers .......

 

[Fancychooklady]

If she is eating the barastoc , she should be getting her daily calcium requirements. Have you considered that she may be having a soft molt ? Wash her butt and if necessary trim the the vent area to prevent it getting clogged up. This will give you a better chance at inspecting the area from a distance while she is going about her business. A little anusol rubbed around the area will give her a little relief.

 

[Anniebee]

Originally posted by Teila

Anniebee While Mindy may have retired from laying or have something else going on, I wonder if she may also just be taking a break? I am not sure if you remember my earlier posts where I was concerned about LuLu not returning to laying after her moult in March? Wondering if she was overweight and ruling that out etc.

Prior to her moult she laid her last egg on the 24th of March and did not return to laying until the 29th of September. She has been laying some beautiful eggs since then. LuLu will be 2 years old next month.

Chickens are most definitely smarter than people give them credit for. Sometimes they have me rolling my eyes and asking “Really?” and other times they amaze me.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Yes Teila - I remember the concern you had over Lulu and her non producing vacation. That was one nice long holiday she took.

It is possible for sure, that Mindy is taking a break, doesn't appear to be broody although squats with great anticipation. Talks a lot more than normal.
Has invented a couple of new calls. ?? Not sure what that's about.

Loved the tale about how Kiki finds her way around to the open door, and how Cilla waits for you to help her up onto a roost. Mindy roosts on a towelling covered half brick. That's her spot - it is on top of a nesting box.

Cheers ......

 

[Fancychooklady]

Well it's 30 degrees here and it feels like 40 . I just took a bag of no name frozen peas, beans and corn kernels out for everyone. Poured them into the water dishes. You should have heard momma Silkie clucking up a storm while she fished out the corn and dropped it in the dirt for her chicks. the chicks are playing ' snatch and run ' darting back into the nest box with their prize.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Anniebee While Mindy may have retired from laying or have something else going on, I wonder if she may also just be taking a break? I am not sure if you remember my earlier posts where I was concerned about LuLu not returning to laying after her moult in March? Wondering if she was overweight and ruling that out etc.

Prior to her moult she laid her last egg on the 24[SUP]th[/SUP] of March and did not return to laying until the 29[SUP]th[/SUP] of September. She has been laying some beautiful eggs since then. LuLu will be 2 years old next month.

Chickens are most definitely smarter than people give them credit for. Sometimes they have me rolling my eyes and asking “Really?” and other times they amaze me.

Not so much as a break , but some birds can take up to 6 months to complete a molt. http://msucares.com/poultry/management/poultry_feathers.html