California - Northern

[ChickNmamma]

Quote:
I have had two birds inhale a piece of scratch. They don't make a barking sound, more like a PeeP! as they try and dislodge whatever it is. However, none of the birds that had the PeeP were crowing.. so I don't know what would have happened if the boy had tried to crow. However he got it out somehow and he is crowing now

Really old trick I learned from when I lived in Santa Barbara in the foothills where it does get freezing some years (yeah, I know, get out the violins - but I wasn't USED to the cold then) and none of the pipes are insulated (and some are on the outside of the houses) .... Turn a faucet in the house on at a slow drip. That way the water continually runs through the pipes and it prevents freezing and breaking. So far its worked the last three days here - and it has been hard frost outside almost all day. 24-27 at night and UP to 38 one day. I think today was warmer, didn't check though.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Ron ,
I just made a post in the Heritage Thread that I am sure will ruffle a few feathers, it was in response to a post about the Mediterranean breeds

 

[ronott1]

Ron ,
I just made a post in the Heritage Thread that I am sure will ruffle a few feathers, it was in response to a post about the Mediterranean breeds

Nice Post Jason!

 

[Happy Chooks]

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!

What, no pictures?

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?

Any other symptoms? It could be gapeworm.

 

[tommysgirl]

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?

How old is he? My rooster lost his crow before he passed of really old age last spring...he was 10+ so that probably isn't what is bothering your boy.

 

[tommysgirl]

What would be wrong, if anything with feeding my flock a 22% protein all natural game bird feed? Thanks!...it's only got 0.9% added calcium but I already supplement with shells. There is also a 24% game bird pellet that has 1.4% Calcium. You can see them here http://www.baraleinc.com/poultry.html. I have been feeding the multi use pellet but last time I went to the feed store they didn't have it in. Sending my daughter today so want to tell her what to buy if the don't have it

 

[chiqita]

...

I don't know what THIS is.  I've heard of stuffed

What would be wrong, if anything with feeding my flock a 22% protein  all natural game bird feed?   Thanks!...it's only got 0.9% added calcium but I already supplement with shells.  There is also a 24% game bird pellet that has 1.4% Calcium.  You can see them here http://www.baraleinc.com/poultry.html.  I have been feeding the multi use pellet but last time I went to the feed store they didn't have it in.  Sending my daughter today so want to tell her what to buy if the don't have it

Should be fine. They might eat more plant matter if they have access to it

 

[tommysgirl]

Should be fine. They might eat more plant matter if they have access to it

They do... what about the 24% only because I prefer a pellet. Thanks so much

 

[chrissyr]

We had a surprise ( it turned out ok) this morning.
Mario went out to find only 4 ducks in the duck coop! He didn't know quite what had happened until he turned around to see he had left the back door ( 1/2 the coops opens for easy egg acess) WIDE open.

My newly laying french muscovy pullet was missing! She has been going to bed at odd times and we were afraid she had been taken in the night by the bobcat ( who is due to go towards her den usual right around xmas/ new year week ).

Turns out she left early to lay in a super secret hidden nest. She showed up about 9 AM to take a nice warm bath in the heated duck pool ( ok I just put hot water in it, its not heated) BAD #3! BAD! She is unrepentant and hissed at me to not steal her eggs anymore. I think she will start sitting when we go away for New years and she has a pile of eggs . Clearly we have broody soil around her that infects everyone.

After being sure we had lost our prime mother duck, I don't think MArio will be leaving the door open again....

So glad it was a happy ending!

My Australorp died of a Mold plug in the lungs. It might be Aspergillus but they are waiting for lab results to tell for sure.

None of the others are showing symptoms so she may have been immune deficient.

I need to ask Hupp if he has had problems like this with them.

The good thing is you know what caused it. So sorry for your loss. For me, it's hard not to know because how can you avoid it in the future? Hard to lose any of them. Especially when yours look so wonderful and are truly spoiled.

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

Which vac was that? You said there was one you would never do again. Is that the one you were talking about?

**On another note**:
I STILL can't get that hen to lay in the box. And it's not that she's laying on the ground. She isn't sitting AT ALL! She just lays while she walks around and drops it randomly. Any ideas?? There are plenty of nest boxes. She drops in in the run, while ranging… just wherever ! She started in September laying.

 

[ronott1]

What would be wrong, if anything with feeding my flock a 22% protein all natural game bird feed? Thanks!...it's only got 0.9% added calcium but I already supplement with shells. There is also a 24% game bird pellet that has 1.4% Calcium. You can see them here http://www.baraleinc.com/poultry.html. I have been feeding the multi use pellet but last time I went to the feed store they didn't have it in. Sending my daughter today so want to tell her what to buy if the don't have it

It is fine for them but the amount of protein is not the most important thing. The source of protein is important. They need access to Animal protein which is scarce this time of year.

For mixed flocks(boys and girls) make sure they get fish or salmon meal too. Costco has a cat feed that is small and has both Salmon and Fish meal in it.

Just layers, most feed has 2 to 3% calcium.

Some claim that too much protein will make the Hens lay less eggs. I do not know if that is supported by research studies though.