California - Northern

[gryeyes]

Lately, I have developed a new friend (HHandbasket says it's wonderful to see me "branching out socially") who used to be a MAJOR parrot breeder. (Another side comment: I've told this friend she needs to join BYC and hang out in the exotic bird forums.)

Anyway, she has use of her BF's four wheel drive pick-up whilst he's out of country. She picked me up this afternoon to take me to my Thistle Dew Ranch property. I have not been there since Friday. I knew the chickens had enough feed and would be okay in their (unheated) coop and in the covered run, but have been worried sick about their water supply freezing. We trucked four 2-liter soda bottles of hot water there for them.

No dead chickens, just thirsty ones. Whew! They got some scratch and dry oatmeal for treats, too.
The Ranch is absolutely gorgeous in the snow.

Here at home, since Friday, I have convinced three of the six tree-roosting chickens to coop up at night. It took two nights of catching two of them and carrying them before they "got it." Saturday night, I managed to catch the cockerel and put him into the coop. He stayed inside ALL DAY on Sunday. He did go outside today in the afternoon, but cooped up by himself tonight.

I snatched up one of the remaining three hens before she got too high into the leafless apple tree this evening, but the last two were already out of reach. Stupid birds!

Also today, the ducks skidded around on the ice-covered pond until they reached the six-inch circle of open water directly under the sluice "waterfall" where they could break the thinner ice edges for a swim. Brrrrr. BRRRR!

 

[ronott1]

Lately, I have developed a new friend (HHandbasket says it's wonderful to see me "branching out socially") who used to be a MAJOR parrot breeder. (Another side comment: I've told this friend she needs to join BYC and hang out in the exotic bird forums.)

Anyway, she has use of her BF's four wheel drive pick-up whilst he's out of country. She picked me up this afternoon to take me to my Thistle Dew Ranch property. I have not been there since Friday. I knew the chickens had enough feed and would be okay in their (unheated) coop and in the covered run, but have been worried sick about their water supply freezing. We trucked four 2-liter soda bottles of hot water there for them.

No dead chickens, just thirsty ones. Whew! They got some scratch and dry oatmeal for treats, too.
The Ranch is absolutely gorgeous in the snow.

Here at home, since Friday, I have convinced three of the six tree-roosting chickens to coop up at night. It took two nights of catching two of them and carrying them before they "got it." Saturday night, I managed to catch the cockerel and put him into the coop. He stayed inside ALL DAY on Sunday. He did go outside today in the afternoon, but cooped up by himself tonight.

I snatched up one of the remaining three hens before she got too high into the leafless apple tree this evening, but the last two were already out of reach. Stupid birds!

Also today, the ducks skidded around on the ice-covered pond until they reached the six-inch circle of open water directly under the sluice "waterfall" where they could break the thinner ice edges for a swim. Brrrrr. BRRRR!

Thanks for the update!

Are you close enough to sneak up there on a 4WD Quad?

 

[ronott1]

I need to get the new Urch price list--I just saw an update--Urch will have Mottled Houdans this year!

 

[tommysgirl]

Urch will have Mottled Houdans this year!

Ahhohhhh???? (Tim Taylor) Houdans are coool

 

[CackleJoy]

Is it possible for a rooster to crow himself hoarse?

My Dark Brahma isn't crowing right. I watched him a long time. He's not panting or sneezing (none of the chickens are, I've been really watching cause this cold is brutal!). However, when he tries to crow, he stretches way out and it sounds kind of like a wierd bark. Very little sound. Could he have something stuck? Is this common?

 

[chiqita]

Is it possible for a rooster to crow himself hoarse?

My Dark Brahma isn't crowing right.  I watched him a long time.  He's not panting or sneezing (none of the chickens are, I've been really watching cause this cold is brutal!).  However, when he tries to crow, he stretches way out and it sounds kind of like a wierd bark.  Very little sound.  Could he have something stuck?  Is this common?

My seremas had this after the disastrous vaccination. I had to give him tylan to get the lung thing to go away.

 

[8machines]

We turned the light off in our coop. The girls were having too much fun! It was time for sleep. Now I can go to sleep.

 

[CackleJoy]

My seremas had this after the disastrous vaccination. I had to give him tylan to get the lung thing to go away.

I don't know what THIS is. I've heard of stuffed crops??? A few weeks ago I heard a hen hacking and she coughed up a huge in-tact feather. This boy isn't hacking. He isn't making any unusual sounds except when he tries to crow.

 

[CackleJoy]

Is it possible for a rooster to crow himself hoarse?

My Dark Brahma isn't crowing right. I watched him a long time. He's not panting or sneezing (none of the chickens are, I've been really watching cause this cold is brutal!). However, when he tries to crow, he stretches way out and it sounds kind of like a wierd bark. Very little sound. Could he have something stuck? Is this common?

So I found a pile of scratch outside. My children have been rather free with it for the last couple days. I did tell them to make sure the chickens had plenty of food because of how cold it is but neglected to explain that scratch is not food. Since the Dark Brahma is a glutton, could he have just totally stuffed himself and be unable to crow properly? Is this possible?

 

[member 142084]

you can feed the chickens herbs. rosemary , thyme, fennel, and Mulien (a wild weed) your birds should get well pretty quick from most viruses and some bacteria. Also putting Bragg vinegar in the water will help their PH.