California - Northern

[dldolan]

Thanks, both of you! I love not having to open the old Brower three times a day to turn eggs, lose all humidity and heat, and not be able to see anything, besides! This is like going from an AMC Pacer to a VW Jetta TDI!

(I had a Pacer in college. Thanks so much, Mom and Dad. I think they didn't want me to date...) I set up the turner as per the directions so that I can easily pour water into channel 1. Was going to use both channel 1 and 2 when I take out the turner at lock down. But I like the covered dish idea.

Good geometry! Here is a cool explanation for the geekily inclined among us (me included!).
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/evaporation-water-surface-d_690.html

 

[farmhand]

Just returned from the Fresno Poultry Show. I brought a cage to maybe find something to bring home but was concerned about lice since I really don't have a plan yet on how to deal with them and was concerned I might introduce problems I'm not already dealing with.

Right off I walked over to the sell area and next to me was a show official and vendor auguring about something. The official proceeds to pull out a chicken, turns it over and I could see tiny bugs everywhere.

I didn't stick around to see what happened. Decided to forgo purchasing any birds either. Other than that, I had fun.

 

[TheKeeper]

Just returned from the Fresno Poultry Show. I brought a cage to maybe find something to bring home but was concerned about lice since I really don't have a plan yet on how to deal with them and was concerned I might introduce problems I'm not already dealing with.

Right off I walked over to the sell area and next to me was a show official and vendor auguring about something. The official proceeds to pull out a chicken, turns it over and I could see tiny bugs everywhere.

I didn't stick around to see what happened. Decided to forgo purchasing any birds either. Other than that, I had fun.

Ewwww....! So glad the official found & addressed the problem, at least.

My first PPBA soooo many years ago when I was new to chicken-keeping, I came home with a silkie with horrible scaly-leg mites and a buff-laced cornish with so many skin lice that I can't believe she wasn't skinny & anemic.
I did not know to look them over or even what to look for as I had not encountered any buggies before.
What a friggin' nightmare and a painful, expensive, hard lesson for me. Thank goodness I had only 8 chickens then too.

 

[CLICKBANGBANG]

Checking in from Nor Cal. Enjoying the sun today.

 

[ronott1]

Checking in from Nor Cal. Enjoying the sun today.

It is very nice here today too!

 

[Flowers of Abba]

It is very nice here today too!

Finally a pinch of snow.

 

[AmyPaperlady]

We've got so many great photographers here... Can I persuade anyone to go over to https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/955815/photo-request ? Thanks

 

[Sylvester017]

Interesting article on chickens eating dairy
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/are-chickens-lactose-intolerant/

Thank you for sharing! My Mom always gave her Leghorns and ducks leftover cow's milk after milking because the cow produced so much! Mom made lots of yogurt and cheese. The plain yogurt was always fed to the chickens because we kids didn't like it so much!

My chickens also like sweet unsalted butter (not fake but REAL butter) and sometimes cheese. I have continued my Mom's practice of feeding kefir or Greek yogurt to my chickens in small amounts especially to a chicken that is gluttonous and has trouble getting her food down to her crop. It aids in digestion.

 

[dldolan]

I got a sprinkling of hail an hour ago, but partly sunny again now with some big black clouds still hovering. Weird!

 

[EZFarms]

.-. So i just got off the phone with a lady that i am getting two pairs of seramas from (smooth and hopefully frizzled) and the guy she bought them from was an idiot and didnt notice they were infested with lice when he sold them to her. so instead of getting them thursday we are waiting until the week after that way she can treat the lice and also one of the younger birds acts as if it has an upper respitory issue so she will be treating for that as well. im also getting a single male from OCSeramas and he will be here weds or thurs. this has been a crazy week. ill also be having an order of hatchery birds coming. so yay haha

also i found out the reason for so many birds dying out. a severe infestation of lice+ the cold nighttime temps weakened them to the point of death. needless to say ive DE'd everything (birds,coops,etc) and have had no more deaths or illnesses. also once i get the seramas they will be washed and have DE put on them just as a precaution and i will watch them carefully for any signs of illness or other issues.

x-x this cant be easy can it lol