California - Northern

[CackleJoy]

Is straw the only thing that grows mold? We have a self contained hen house for the breakfast makers. The free range. The only moisture is from night droppings and wet feet. We generally change out bedding every couple of weeks. I've mentioned our poor cockerel. He is the only one of 30+ birds to have issues so he must have a genetic weakness. Is it possible the straw was harboring fungus that triggered such a thing? It's an 8 x 12 building so straw is the easiest. I don't have any recent photos. This is of my husband and son moving it in. We inherited the family cherry hut and repurposed it. I want a new sign that says cackleberries. But I digress, is there a better product than straw?

 

[chiqita]

Hello. I'm brand new to this thread. Im a first time BYC person but have reading a lot in the last 6 months we've owned our new house in the mountains, Forest Ranch (12 miles north of Chico, CA). I started with 6 chicks. Three Rhode Island Reds and three Barred Rocks from the local feed store here in Chico. The Reds seem to get the pasty butt thing as I've cleaned them off every couple days since I've gotten them on Friday but the BR's have been super clean. In the latest pictures they were alittle frightened with the. Camera in their faces. Can anyone tell by the pictures how old they might be? I'm thinking around ten days or maybe two weeks as I'm unsure how old they were when I got them.

Welcome! I also suck at telling ages. But thats stage 2 got wing feathers. Stage 3 is mostly featherd missing head back and keel. They are good at about 80 degrees so 2 weeks or so?

There is a California chicken FB page?

Pm for info.

...

Unfortunately, I am kidding...something that nice would take up half my backyard.   I really do need to think about getting a bigger coop though.  My husband would kill me though.  He put a great deal of effort into building the one we have to my specifications.  He is easily frustrated with projects and doesn't take the time to "Measure twice, cut once".    He would not appreciate me replacing his hard work.....yet.
[/quotejust get coop 2 because he inspired you!

 

[farmhand]

On the topic of Marans, I'm getting 6 tomorrow! The family is going outta town and doesn't want to hire a chick sitter and they're coming through sac so I get $5 black copper Maran chicks!

More chicks, more chicks!

 

[ronott1]

Now I don't know whether you are teasing me or not. All the eyebrows are WAY up. Rules? We have rules? If so, I'm probably breaking them right and left. I tend to discover them after I've committed the faux pas.

Facebook is ok. It's other chicken forums we are not supposed encourage people to go to.

Is straw the only thing that grows mold? We have a self contained hen house for the breakfast makers. The free range. The only moisture is from night droppings and wet feet. We generally change out bedding every couple of weeks. I've mentioned our poor cockerel. He is the only one of 30+ birds to have issues so he must have a genetic weakness. Is it possible the straw was harboring fungus that triggered such a thing? It's an 8 x 12 building so straw is the easiest. I don't have any recent photos. This is of my husband and son moving it in. We inherited the family cherry hut and repurposed it. I want a new sign that says cackleberries. But I digress, is there a better product than straw?

Black mold is in a lot of things but straw is a bad one because of the way it holds moisture. Yes, mold is a likely culprit with your Boy. The Oxine in a mister is one of the best ways to treat it.

 

[lizanne]

Well, at least it doesn't look like you have to get rid of all of them, so that's good.  Sounds like they are willing to work with you.

Did your neighbor's get violations too?

No, my neighbors don't keep chickens, but they could. The properties on either side of mine are over the 10,000 sq feet required to have them. I'm a little short. :/

 

[Audio51]

I use shavings in my coop, but they could be prone to the same problem. I haven't seen any sign of moisture in there though.
What a great sized coop! It's the same size as our $7000 garden shed that DH decided to build because it was "cheaper" than buying a pre-built one. It has oak floors , a sink with custom concrete counters, fish-scale siding, a sliding barn-type door. So much for "cheaper"

 

[CackleJoy]

Facebook is ok. It's other chicken forums we are not supposed encourage people to go to.

Black mold is in a lot of things but straw is a bad one because of the way it holds moisture. Yes, mold is a likely culprit with your Boy. The Oxine in a mister is one of the best ways to treat it.

I will have to buy Oxine. Need to order it in. Nowhere in town carries it. What is a good alternative for the hen house? Do you use pine shavings in a space that big?

 

[ronott1]

I will have to buy Oxine. Need to order it in. Nowhere in town carries it. What is a good alternative for the hen house? Do you use pine shavings in a space that big?

I might consider sand and sweet pdz. The sand is raked to remove the manure. I use pine shavings but the coop is not that large.

 

[CackleJoy]

I use shavings in my coop, but they could be prone to the same problem. I haven't seen any sign of moisture in there though.
What a great sized coop! It's the same size as our $7000 garden shed that DH decided to build because it was "cheaper" than buying a pre-built one. It has oak floors , a sink with custom concrete counters, fish-scale siding, a sliding barn-type door. So much for "cheaper"

It sounds like your husband put a lot of effort into making a nice place for your chickens. Ours cost us the time to move it 3 miles and some retrofitting. My Grandparents were letting it rot & my Dad was going to just get rid of it. We are so thankful for it! Inherited my other Gpa's 4x5 hen house & the men built me a 4 x 8. Putting together housing isn't easy - even w/o custom sinks!

 

[alibra]

Gosh I love my lavender orpington pullet. She's so curious and friendly!

here's my dad trying to get her to hop in the backseat to take a ride... very unlike him...she has that effect