Thanks. That's pretty good for pullets. Are they hatchery or breeder?
I was not going to share this until the end of the month when I have better data, but here is one weeks results from my hens. My blue Marans lays a nice dark and large egg. When I was collecting eggs, she laid 7 in 10 days.I had hatched some of her eggs last week but had an unfortunate incident and lost the chicks. The black copper and the black Marans are sisters and lay light brown eggs. Top and bottom are two different coops.
Blue Marans - 3
Copper Marans - 5
White Rock - 4
EE Green - 5
Buff Orphington - 6
%%%%%%%% - 0
Rhode Island Red - 5
Black Marans - 6
Cream Legbar - 2
EE White - 4
Barred Rock - 3
Our laying hens live in an 8 x 12 cherry hut and free range during the day. It has actual glass windows with wire in place of the screens. My daughter locked my son in on accident (?) last July. He was there for 20 minutes before he decided to dismantle and go out the window - Hot, sweaty, outraged and sick from the heat. He should have not worried about the wire and just removed the entire window. We wouldn't have cared. The hen house is too far from our home to hear anyone. He could have perished from the heat! Phones are a good idea! Had our son been 5 instead of a strapping 13 yr old, it could have ended far worse at 112 outside. At that heat the chickens are all out in the shade too!My daughter locked me in the run one time and then went into the house before I realized that I was locked in. She and DH spent 20-30 watching TV before wondering where I was. My choice was to sit on the ramp and wait or try to climb through the small coop door and get out through the big side door. I decided that I didn't want to be stuck in the small door. That would have been embarrassing!
I have a question that might get everyone in an uproar. That is not the intent. I'm really trying to work through a thought process here and welcome some feedback. Please try to keep it nice.
I know that many of you have been in the avian world for a lot longer and have most likely faced a similar situation already. This is a first for us and I'm really struggling to know what is the best route.
At what point do you quit trying to cure a bird and just keep it comfortable while nature takes its course?
Here is the deal. We have a Dark Brahma Cockerel that is a hatchery bird. We totally fell in love with the breed and intend to get breeding stock so he is not in any way vital to a breeding program. He is however, the family clown and most-loved bird.
Every time the weather changes to cold or wet, he gets sick. Each time, I panic and do the best I can. This time we still had company from Ohio (I've had company living here for a month - they went home today!!!e ). Unfortunately, while we were busy with all this company, the kids were doing most of the chores. They just do the basics and don't check the birds like I do.
Yesterday I found our cockerel with a purple comb and wattles, struggling to breath. He obviously got sick again when the weather turned wet - and I missed it. I don't have Denegard (I know, need to get some) so just used Tylan50 - injection. When I was treating him, I really thought he was going to die in my arms. It was horrible!His eyes would go shut and he'd open his mouth and take a huge struggling breath. No runny nose or eyes. I've investigated gape worm but can't figure how that would be possible for one bird to get gape worm when we have 30+ that free range with him. And the symptoms only appear with cold weather. I really think this is a genetic weakness since it crops up every time the weather changes.
His water cocktail has 1000mg VC, an entire scoop of vitamins and minerals with probiotic and 1/2 a scoop of super green drink formula (for humans). I did this as an immune booster.
Because we've been feeding another family for another month and had missed work due to my Gpa's funeral, we flat out can't afford to take a bird to the vet. He was free, should not be used as breeding stock and I can't sell him as such. I figure it costs roughly $40 a year to feed a bird organically like we do. He's almost a year old, so if he dies - we are only out the feed costs. I should say that we could scrape together the money for a vet but it doesn't seem logical AT ALL to spend that much on a useless bird. He doesn't even warn the girls about hawks as well as the other cockerels. He ducks and runs while screaming. As if the hawk could carry HIM off.
This bird is valuable ONLY from an emotional standpoint. We really like him!
Obviously we plan to keep treating him for now. However, I question it. Since he is really struggling to breath and we can't afford a vet visit - how long and how much effort should we extend in treatment? Is culling a better choice? He looks like he's about to die with every breath.
He obviously has a very poor immune system or some genetic issue from the hatchery. None of our other birds act sick. Except for mites, we've never had a problem with any of our other birds. It's just this crazy cockerel! I can't take this additional stress of trying to keep a weak bird alive every time the weather cools off. The fact that we have considered culling him makes me feel like a total heel and I'm not sure I could even do it. It's just that I'm wondering if culling him would actually be the compassionate thing to do since this condition appears to be a reoccurring event.
Ok I need advice on how to help my girl. I went out to let my flock out (finally the weather calmed down!) and my CLB hen is acting sick. She stayed in the coop instead of being so glad to get out and keeps closing her eyes. She closes one more then the other. She doesn't feel like she has eaten anything.
I brought her in and I'm giving her vitamin water. What else do I do?
I'm doing the course of Tylan. The Oxine mist I've read about but don't know where to get it, or how to administer it. We've wondered about mold. The chickens are forever rooting around the compost pile and digging stuff up. Does it make sense for mold in the throat to re-occur or grow more with cold/wet weather?
