California - Northern

[zooweemama]

The other mental image would have been me beating the dang chickens to death with the rake, that's more what I felt like doing when I got down to the last few.

We should have made the effort to train them to go inside when the weather was warmer and drier. This was NOT fun in the wet and cold and by myself. If I hadn't seen that little buff looking so wet this afternoon, they probably would have still been outside tonight. But once I spotted it, then I had to make the effort.

Deb

I hate being cold. I would say maybe they have learned their lesson- but I am not sure chickens learn lessons? lol I am glad you got them all in. I am surprised those silkie type chickens can even stay warm with their...what is that down or feathers?

 

[debs_flock]

Quote: Me too, and I'm always cold. It usually takes up to about a week of putting them inside each night, before they make the connection. The problem with silkies is they don't go to roost, because they can only hop up. They can't fly up, so their roosts must be very low. They usually just dogpile on the floor, even when they go inside.

They are feathers, but don't have the same web. They do not repel water, so they get soaked through, but they are truly the sweetest things.

Deb

 

[zooweemama]

GORGEOUS! are you breeding the orps, english I suppose by their girth? I would love a couple for my laying flock - beautiful eye candy!

I'm embarrassed to admit that I am not sure about the English part. My 4 big girls (I have 3 others that are about 10 weeks younger) are actually direct from Don Chandler (the breeder I got my other Orps from, got some chicks from him, she grew them and I bought them started from her). If I do not sound too ignorant- I do not think they are the English variety. The English variety seem to be a tad fluffier with a slightly different body shape. I assumed it was the American strain? But these girls ARE bigger than my younger BOs from the breeder's usual line. I am frankly madly in love with them. If I could buy some male chicks from him- I would die. I do not feel that I have an adequate male Orp to breed with currently. But then again he is still quite young and I read that it can take a year to grow out some of the larger feathery breed cockerels to determine their breed worthiness? So I could be a little impatient.

The breeder no longer sells hatching eggs so I would have to buy chicks. I am still reading about breeding and trying to absorb all that I can. I just recently came to the different types of line breeding. My mind is on overload trying to process it and turn it into something that I understand well enough to start putting a plan in effect.

 

[capayvalleychick]

I have friends that swear by the frontline spray, put it in a container, put a drop near vent, under wings and in polish on crest, ever two months

Cheryl,
Here is something I read on another thread about Frontline:

Originally Posted by Sydney Acres

"I agree that Frontline Spray is very effective against mites, HOWEVER, I would not recommend using it in chickens. I am a veterinarian. Years ago I had a client who was also a personal friend. She brought her flock in to see me at the clinic, and the mites were so bad that the birds were pale from anemia. I initially told her how happy I'd been with the effect of Frontline Spray on mites when I worked at a wildlife rescue clinic. Every pigeon/dove had mites, and one spray took care of them almost immediately. She asked me if there was any risk, since these birds were her daughter's lifeline right then -- he had set up the coop and bought her the chickens 2 years ago, and he had recently died in a car accident. This was a situation where NO risk was acceptable. Not knowing the sensitivity of chickens specifically, as opposed to thousands of problem-free doses on wild pigeons and other species, I called Merial, the manufacturer of Frontline Spray. When a member of the public calls and asks these questions, they just tell you not to use it if it's not been cleared for that species. They can't afford the liability if the untested recommendation doesn't work out. But when another veterinarian calls, they put their veterinarian on the phone and there's often a long conversation about old research and common usage. Well, the bottom line was that there's a lot of non-published research on Frontline Spray on a large number of different bird species. Most birds it's quite safe on, even at high doses. And there are some that it's quite poisonous on. But chickens are in the middle ground. The therapeutic range is quite narrow in many chickens (which means that the dose it takes to kill or harm the bird is only slightly higher than the dose it takes to kill the mites). The veterinarian from Merial said that many people use Frontline Spray on chickens with no obvious problems, but that many others end up with dead birds. He STRONGLY recommended not using it on birds that you care about, just in case your birds are more sensitive than others.

I use the injectable ivermectin (made for cattle) in my birds, but I give it orally. (Please note: I am not making a medication recommendation. Since none of you are my clients, I cannot legally prescribe to your birds without a doctor/patient/client relationship. I am only sharing with you what I give my own birds. What I do is off label (non-FDA approved) usage. There is no established withdrawal time on meat or eggs for ivermectin in chickens. I hate all this legal stuff, but it's the world we live in.) The dose range is huge, with most references citing 0.2 - 0.4 mg/kg, but Gail Damerow (The Chicken Health Handbook) recommends giving 0.25 ml (2.5 mg) to large birds, which is a much higher (and I assume safe, unless there's a typo) dose. "

 

[zooweemama]

Me too, and I'm always cold. It usually takes up to about a week of putting them inside each night, before they make the connection. The problem with silkies is they don't go to roost, because they can only hop up. They can't fly up, so their roosts must be very low. They usually just dogpile on the floor, even when they go inside.

They are feathers, but don't have the same web. They do not repel water, so they get soaked through, but they are truly the sweetest things.

Deb

Oh wow that is really good info. I actually had no idea about the roost thing! I read that silkies make amazing pets for kids.

 

[lesliedow]

Yes please, lurkey loos, come on out! We really would love to hear from you! We have people who know their stuff and people like me absorbing all I can from them. haha! Come say hi! you can never have too many chicken (or other birds!) friends!

Uhoh....I've been outed as a lurker. LOL.

I'm in La Honda with my first 6 chickens! I've been amazed at how great chickens are and how easy its been to train them. My flock of 6 ranges from 2-3 months old now and has been out in the coop for a couple of weeks. They free-range in the day time and head back to the coop in the late afternoon. I've got them trained to follow me in the yard by giving them scratch whenever I am outside. So when they see me, they follow me around the yard, it's hilarious. I trained them to go up into the henhouse at night with mealworms. I swear those chicken would sell their flock-mates for a mealworm.

I'm thinking about joining in the NYD Hatch-a-thon, but am not sure. My first, and last, hatching experience was pretty bad. I think the humidity was too hight and all the chicks died. It was bad.

Anyway, Hi everyone! If anyone is near La Honda, let me know!
Leslie

 

[zooweemama]

Uhoh....I've been outed as a lurker. LOL.

I'm in La Honda with my first 6 chickens! I've been amazed at how great chickens are and how easy its been to train them. My flock of 6 ranges from 2-3 months old now and has been out in the coop for a couple of weeks. They free-range in the day time and head back to the coop in the late afternoon. I've got them trained to follow me in the yard by giving them scratch whenever I am outside. So when they see me, they follow me around the yard, it's hilarious. I trained them to go up into the henhouse at night with mealworms. I swear those chicken would sell their flock-mates for a mealworm.

I'm thinking about joining in the NYD Hatch-a-thon, but am not sure. My first, and last, hatching experience was pretty bad. I think the humidity was too hight and all the chicks died. It was bad.

Anyway, Hi everyone! If anyone is near La Honda, let me know!
Leslie

Yay! Hi Leslie! The thought of incubating myself terrifies me. what if I muck it up? Ahh So much to learn!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Uhoh....I've been outed as a lurker. LOL.

I'm in La Honda with my first 6 chickens! I've been amazed at how great chickens are and how easy its been to train them. My flock of 6 ranges from 2-3 months old now and has been out in the coop for a couple of weeks. They free-range in the day time and head back to the coop in the late afternoon. I've got them trained to follow me in the yard by giving them scratch whenever I am outside. So when they see me, they follow me around the yard, it's hilarious. I trained them to go up into the henhouse at night with mealworms. I swear those chicken would sell their flock-mates for a mealworm.

I'm thinking about joining in the NYD Hatch-a-thon, but am not sure. My first, and last, hatching experience was pretty bad. I think the humidity was too hight and all the chicks died. It was bad.

Anyway, Hi everyone! If anyone is near La Honda, let me know!
Leslie

Hi Leslie! We used to live in Pacifica when hubby worked in Palo Alto, but are in Santa Rosa now (back home for me!). I know what you mean about those treat-crazed chickens. Mine come racing over anytime they see me outside, and that's without ever feeding mealworms. They must be like piranhas with the worms!!! Don't think I will ever allow myself an incubator. Waaaay too risky, what with ICM (Infectious Chicken Math) on the rise. If I ever get a broody, I'll try some hatching eggs though. The only thing cuter than baby chicks are chicks with their mama. Oh, and bunny butts. Those are cute too.

Lynda

 

[Miss Molly]

A few pictures of my Cream Legbars and Isbars ......I'm so excited on how Beautiful they are turning out...

 

[debs_flock]

They're both beautifl Molly, wow, we have a lot of the same breeds,

Deb