California - Northern

[JerseyGiantfolk]

hmm, mine are only 10 weeks old at this point -- when is one advised to start with this kind of treatment?
thanks!

I dosed my chicks when they turned 1 month. I decided to do all my chickens at the same time, so it worked out smoothly.

 

[ronott1]

Quote: I use Generic Ivermectin. It really is bad if you see worms. Other than it being bad for the chickens and they can die from worms, A bad case of worms will destroy the reproductive organs of the chicken. Yes, they will never lay another egg.

You should treat them at the age Happy Chooks said, 13 weeks to Point of Lay. For your own consumption, there is no withdrawl for eating the eggs. There is a withdrawl for eating the meat. There is a withdrawl for both eggs and meat with Valbazen.

Many treat with the season changes. After the first treatment(it has to be repeated in 10 days), you can take in a stool sample to a vet for a float test. If you live in a wet area with lots of worms, you will have to treat more often.

Bye,

Ron

 

[ronott1]

Good morning fellow Northern Californians. My wife and I are new to this thread, this website and chickens. We are in San Jose and have been having a blast with our birds over the last 5 months. I have learned so much about chickens and I have been rather surprised by them. It was a bit of a struggle in the beginning with our new baby chicks but we are now over the hump. We received our first two eggs yesterday and we think they are from our little bantam cochin. We have a Cuckoo Maran cockerel that we can no longer keep due to city ordinances. We purchased what we thought was a hen and....surprise. When we realized that he was a rooster, we figured that we would keep him until someone complained about the noise. That day finally happened and we had a visit from Animal Control who told us we have two weeks to get rid of the bird. This is killing my family and we are trying to find a home for him with no luck. He is a 4-1/2 month old wonderful bird. He watches over our flock and has a great disposition. HELP!

The the Northern CA thread too!

He is a beautiful boy! If you don't find a home for him, place an ad on Craigs List for him. Charge something low like $10.00. That usually stops those looking for chicken dinner.

I am not suppose to have Rooster either. I am following noise ordinances and keeping the crowing ones in the garage at night. You can also make rooster boxes to keep them in over night. Of course it sounds like a neighbor would complain any way, especially if he is one of those noisy crowers during the day...

I hope you find a home for him!

Ron

 

[capayvalleychick]

I did take a picture. Problem is, I do not know if she is pure SG Dorking or a mix. She really is pretty and looks suspiciously ready to lay an egg:

She is nice looking. Toes could be better, but other than that, she looks pure. I'm not good with genetics, but I think some traits won't show up until the second generation or more. So, you can't tell for sure.
I'm getting lots of pullet eggs, so my youngsters are laying. We have an old fountain on the deck. It looks like 3 stacked half barrels. Paul was using it as a planter until the plants died. The hens love to hide inside the lower half barrel to lay their eggs. Even when I close the gates on the deck, they'll fly over the railing.

I was checking out the Dork cockerels in the bachelor pen this weekend. One of them got loose and was running around the garden area. I tried to catch him for a LONG time, with food, a net, etc. He was fast. I could not get a hold of him. It was so hot, I didn't want to walk all the way back to the house to get my (herding) dogs. My husband's GSD, Jude, was with me. He always leaves the chickens alone, but after watching me go round & round trying to catch the little bugger, he wanted to help. Every time Jude would run over and try to bite the chicken, I would yell, "NO!" Jude would stop and look at me. He knew he could catch him but was being obedient, despite really wanting to help. Jude watched the chicken escape just out of my reach again, romped over and STOMPED him with his paw, holding him until I got there. Jude looked so pleased. It was a comical end to a frustrating task.

Do those of you, who have the Artois feed, have the ingredient tag? If you could scan it, I would like to see the ingredients.

Kim

 

[CALI CHICK]

Good morning fellow Northern Californians. My wife and I are new to this thread, this website and chickens. We are in San Jose and have been having a blast with our birds over the last 5 months. I have learned so much about chickens and I have been rather surprised by them. It was a bit of a struggle in the beginning with our new baby chicks but we are now over the hump. We received our first two eggs yesterday and we think they are from our little bantam cochin. We have a Cuckoo Maran cockerel that we can no longer keep due to city ordinances. We purchased what we thought was a hen and....surprise. When we realized that he was a rooster, we figured that we would keep him until someone complained about the noise. That day finally happened and we had a visit from Animal Control who told us we have two weeks to get rid of the bird. This is killing my family and we are trying to find a home for him with no luck. He is a 4-1/2 month old wonderful bird. He watches over our flock and has a great disposition. HELP!

Howdy, Neighbor! We used to live in San Jose (Evergreen area) before we moved up here to Sacramento County. I don't miss the traffic but do miss the cooler weather-hehe!
So sorry you have to get rid of your Cuckoo Maran...he is very handsome! We have had to re-home about a dozen cockerels in the last year......

! It is more difficult for some than others which you've grown attached to. We've sold some and glady given some away (like our white leghorn cockerels that weren't good for much). I would recommend posting on the Bay Area Craigslist, with that nice picture! You could list him for $10 or $15 and only lower the price as a last resort. If someone buys him they are more likely to keep him in their flock. Pray that he will go to a nice home with some girls of his own.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Good morning fellow Northern Californians. My wife and I are new to this thread, this website and chickens. We are in San Jose and have been having a blast with our birds over the last 5 months. I have learned so much about chickens and I have been rather surprised by them. It was a bit of a struggle in the beginning with our new baby chicks but we are now over the hump. We received our first two eggs yesterday and we think they are from our little bantam cochin. We have a Cuckoo Maran cockerel that we can no longer keep due to city ordinances. We purchased what we thought was a hen and....surprise. When we realized that he was a rooster, we figured that we would keep him until someone complained about the noise. That day finally happened and we had a visit from Animal Control who told us we have two weeks to get rid of the bird. This is killing my family and we are trying to find a home for him with no luck. He is a 4-1/2 month old wonderful bird. He watches over our flock and has a great disposition. HELP!

Welcome to the thread!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote: Yes there is an egg/meat withdrawal time. 14 days after treatment. It's easy to get in them with a medicine syringe and pull on their wattles and their mouth will open.

Quote: I use Generic Ivermectin. It really is bad if you see worms. Other than it being bad for the chickens and they can die from worms, A bad case of worms will destroy the reproductive organs of the chicken. Yes, they will never lay another egg.

Your should treat them at the age Happy Chooks said, 13 weeks to Point of Lay. For your own consumption, there is no withdrawl for eating the eggs. There is a withdrawl for eating the meat. There is a withdrawl for both eggs and meat with Valbazen.

Many treat with the season changes. After the first treatment(it has to be repeated in 10 days), you can take in a stool sample to a vet for a float test. If you live in a wet area with lots of worms, you will have to treat more often.

Bye,

Ron
I may swap to ivermectin when my valbazen expires. I've read it's good to switch wormers so they don't build up a resistance to it.

And yes, wet areas would have to treat more often - people in GA worm quarterly because of the high worm load.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

I want to thank everyone who offered to hatch the extra eggs from my broodies. I decided to not take advantage because I suspected I had another broodie (that makes 5 this year), I caught her on the eating eggs Sunday. I took the eggs from her and went to SF for the gift show for my business. I

and sure enough this morning she was on the egg and growling at me! Luckily the girls are laying in two of the boxes so I still have some eggs to sell, my customers are fighting over the eggs since I've have two (now three) out of commission! I'll go through the poor Polish eggs (I counted 28 under her when she got off her nest for the first time on Saturday!

) and give the new girl 1/2 the eggs that are closer to each other in gestation. She's the one who has about a 5 day difference.

I was considering just putting gold balls under the new broody and then move the remaining eggs from the Polish broody after the chicks start hatching but once I saw 28 eggs I realized that I need to move them now. I don't know how this girl covers them all. She's a LF but not all that big! My EE broody has 22 but she's a good size girl and had about that many back in May.

I'm selling most of these as straight run chicks as soon as they hatch, I have enough roos around here!

If anyone is looking for a nice EE cockeral, I have 3 beautiful colored and 2 White for sale. They're 11 weeks and all very friendly, I don't handle them but they come up for treats. I'm going to put them on CL if no one's interested. PM me if you're looking for EE or Polish anything!

 

[CALI CHICK]

I'm still on the fence about whether or not to worm my chickens. I just finished reading the entire thread (of 147 posts) that Happy Chooks suggested.

I see the pros and cons of both arguments. Previously I had planned to get the Ivermectin that Ron mentioned and go that route. Then, I decided that it would be best to 1st have a fecal test done and THEN worm if necessary. But, the only clinic around here that tests chicken poop charges $64 -so "I don't think so"!!! Does anyone know of a place that checks fecal samples (chickens) for less? Is there someplace I could mail or drop off a sample, like UC Davis?

I believe my chickens probably DO have some parasites...just like us people! It seems like their natural immunity is healthy/strong enough to keep down a serious infestation. But, it seems like once you medicate, you have to keep repeating treatment (every 6 or 12 months). I have a low immune system personally and hate to add toxins to my body (through using meds in my chickens). As a matter of fact, in 2 weeks my entire family actually IS getting checked for internal parasites and other inbalances. We will be put on a program of natural supplements to rid us of whatever is found? I don't know much more about it than that, but I will let you know the details -IF IT IS APPLICABLE TO CHICKENS-hehe! I will also ask the "Natural" Doctors what they think of medicating chickens.

 

[ronott1]

Quote: I have a large ceramic pot that had a Red Wood tree in it until it died(I think the chickens helped with that

). Now it is a nest box with fake eggs and all.

Great story about catching the chicken. I wish I had a smiley for a dog pinning down a chicken. All I have is

I was reading about saving feed costs here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/reducing-feed-costs-tips-and-tricks

The part about feeding Oat Grain or Groats which is the grain without the shell caught my eye. Several articles say to feed them 35 to 50 percent oats during the hot weather and stop giving them corn. The corn is supposed to heat them up while the Oats are supposed to help them retain moisture and still lay eggs in the heat. TSC in some parts of the country sells Oats for a bit under $15.00 per 50 pounds.

Does anyone on here feed Oats to their chickens and if so, where do you get it?

Ron