California - Northern

[casportpony]

My first aid kit has an ax in it and that's all. I don't vaccinate, medicate (except medicated chick starter) or do anything else to save a sick bird. Because of that I don't usually have a sick bird and the average life span of a chicken here is 9-10 years old. I have a Call duck that is 16 going on 17 years old. This method is not for the faint of heart, but I have a lot of birds and don't have the time to play Vet with them. My birds die of old age......it's a lot easier this way. They are basically indestructible. Most of the chickens were standing out in this last weekend of rain.....they have cover. It rained well over a foot in a couple days and I didn't lose a bird out of several hundred birds.

It's not for everyone, but let me tell you it will make your life easier in the end. Most of the birds I have seen 'saved" are never quite right again.......if they survive at all. By survive I mean live for more than a year.

Walt

Fair enough, lol, but I have a few peafowl and turkeys that are just fine and it's been several years since I played vet with them.

-Kathy

 

[farmhand]

I'm collecting eggs for that hen who is going to become broody in the next few days. Don't know who it's going to be yet

But I'll be ready.

 

[ronott1]

I'm collecting eggs for that hen who is going to become broody in the next few days. Don't know who it's going to be yet

But I'll be ready.

Lets hope that happens for you!

 

[casportpony]

Is there anyone here that has experience incubating Muscovy duck eggs?

-Kathy

 

[Country Chick at Heart]

Thanks Walt! My mom had the same thought...I guess I'm leaning more towards the faint of heart. Thankfully my birds have never been ill so I've never been faced with the dilemma. I did have a Silkie pass but we believe she succumbed to the heat...we were on vacation.

 

[fowlman01]

Is there anyone here that has experience incubating Muscovy duck eggs?

-Kathy

Waterfowl require more humidity and a Muscovy takes a long time to incubate. They pretty much hatch like pop corn though. They are prolific birds.

Walt

 

[casportpony]

Waterfowl require more humidity and a Muscovy takes a long time to incubate. They pretty much hatch like pop corn though. They are prolific birds.

Walt

I know about the humidity and time difference, but I'm having a hard time getting them to hatch in my incubator (RCOM 20 Max)... They do fine under ducks, but I've had a couple abandon their nests and can't get the bator dialed in.

-Kathy

 

[fowlman01]

Thanks Walt! My mom had the same thought...I guess I'm leaning more towards the faint of heart. Thankfully my birds have never been ill so I've never been faced with the dilemma. I did have a Silkie pass but we believe she succumbed to the heat...we were on vacation.

I understand why people medicate. We each have different management styles. Early on I did all these things and I do have some skills saving birds, but I don't do it for my own birds. Once i figured out the Mareks thing I decided to stop medicating for anything. Mareks is everywhere, so it is much better to have birds that aren't affected by it....or that is my opinion. I have some very valuable birds here so i do care about what happens to them. They all have numbers....no names......and I do get that connection.

To save a bird, the first thing to do is to put it under a heat lamp and give it vitamins/electrolytes. Stress is the biggest killer of birds. If you take it to a vet make sure that vet is well known for knowing about birds. Most vets don't know know one end from the other but will take your money as they TRY to save the bird. I am a certified Calif poultry health inspector, so I am pretty good at identifying problems in chickens and other poultry. We are very fortunate here in Cali as we don't have a lot of problems other areas have.

Walt

 

[fowlman01]

I know about the humidity and time difference, but I'm having a hard time getting them to hatch in my incubator (RCOM 20 Max)... They do fine under ducks, but I've had a couple abandon their nests and can't get the bator dialed in.

-Kathy

Waterfowl takes some practice. There is plenty of info online about hatching waterfowl.


w.

 

[KristyAnn]

I just started that too. I've been placing the hen of choice to brood on the eggs of choice from my other hen since she's the least likely to sit, hoping the one I'm trying to train to sit on them will be the one to do so. She gets the picture occasionally but then leaves them cold. It was suggested to me to do it this way by a fellow member, but I'm kind of wondering if the eggs will even be any good by the time she or any of them get the idea.