California - Northern

[Granny368W]

Wow, that sure alot of starter worms. Do you have alot of fowl? Congrats on their arrival

Lynn, yes! That is a whole lot of worms.... so I'll have enough to feed my 14 Australorps and start raising them too.... it was so much to ship so I couldn't resist the feeling of getting as many as I could. ..lol it's okay. ... I have them in some oatmeal, carrots, apple and potatoes. ... they are doing good.... My hens love them so much! Rae

 

[Lynn Manes]

That's fantastic Rae. Have fun raising your meal worm colony and watching your flock enjoy the fruits of your labor. When I want my flock to head back into the coop, I entice them with meal worms. Unfortunately, we just lost our entire colony of meal worms due to too must humidity in the box, a mistake I made; but we'll be starting a new colony in a couple of days-not however with as many as you started with. Our flocks are small- 6 chickens, 6 ducks, 3 geese and right now about 20 quail. So my birds all got used to the big red bag of dried meal worms we buy at TSC, and they now recognize that bag. My little Cortinix quail get to excited that they all crowd to the pen door and so many times, inevitably one or two fall out trying to be sure they are first in line for the yummy treats. Thankfully they are easily picked up and placed back in the pen to enjoy those worms. We did not throw the dead ones away, bc the fowl love them and the beetles anyway. Once our new colony grows enough to feed the birds, I'll have to be sure to keep one of those red bags. Is so funny to learn about these little things that make them all so happy

 

[Lynn Manes]

well i lost another chick, i will do a check up on each chicks health.

I'm so sorry

 

[HighStreetCoop]

I thought people might enjoy this very cool article I saw on Twitter about weeder geese:

http://www.atlasobscura.com/article...ese-are-better-at-mowing-and-always-have-been

 

[ronott1]

I thought people might enjoy this very cool article I daw on Twitter about weeder geese:

http://www.atlasobscura.com/article...ese-are-better-at-mowing-and-always-have-been

Great Article!

 

[chiqita]

It is a cell phone and all I have. Did you mean a computer or laptop??

You can go to the bottom of the page and you will see a toggle for mobile/ desktop.

Try hitting desktop you will find the avatar part under my byc I think?

 

[chiqita]

she didn't seam smashed, but her neck was very flimsy for being dead, the other one was very stiff, so i think that is what happend. but she also had alot of stuff stuck to her butt.

This time of year when they have drastic temp changes can encourage poopy butt.

Make sure they have access to chick grit and the bedding is warm.

 

[PetRock]

This time of year when they have drastic temp changes can encourage poopy butt.

Make sure they have access to chick grit and the bedding is warm.

I had lots of broody raised chicks this summer and a few had poop butts. Chasing around free ranging broody raised chicks in order to clean their butts is lots of fun! A few of them required a couple cleanings but I only lost one. The problem seems to happen in the first week or two of life. I've read that putting ground up oatmeal on their feed helps. I've never tried it. I usually just clean them off and, after a time or two, the problem goes away. With my chicks in the brooder, I've noticed that having the brooder too warm seems to contribute to the problem.

 

[ronott1]

I had lots of broody raised chicks this summer and a few had poop butts. Chasing around free ranging broody raised chicks in order to clean their butts is lots of fun! A few of them required a couple cleanings but I only lost one. The problem seems to happen in the first week or two of life. I've read that putting ground up oatmeal on their feed helps. I've never tried it. I usually just clean them off and, after a time or two, the problem goes away. With my chicks in the brooder, I've noticed that having the brooder too warm seems to contribute to the problem.

It is caused by stress--If they hatch hard, are shipped. It seems everyone blames temperature but that is only one cause.

If a chick has a hard time hatching, I can guarantee it will get pasty butt.

 

[Granny368W]

That's fantastic Rae. Have fun raising your meal worm colony and watching your flock enjoy the fruits of your labor. When I want my flock to head back into the coop, I entice them with meal worms. Unfortunately, we just lost our entire colony of meal worms due to too must humidity in the box, a mistake I made; but we'll be starting a new colony in a couple of days-not however with as many as you started with. Our flocks are small- 6 chickens, 6 ducks, 3 geese and right now about 20 quail. So my birds all got used to the big red bag of dried meal worms we buy at TSC, and they now recognize that bag. My little Cortinix quail get to excited that they all crowd to the pen door and so many times, inevitably one or two fall out trying to be sure they are first in line for the yummy treats. Thankfully they are easily picked up and placed back in the pen to enjoy those worms. We did not throw the dead ones away, bc the fowl love them and the beetles anyway. Once our new colony grows enough to feed the birds, I'll have to be sure to keep one of those red bags. Is so funny to learn about these little things that make them all so happy

Lynn, I'm sorry you lost your worm farm... that's one good thing for me is up here its really dry... so I don't have to worry about humidity... it is so much fun watching them,I've fed them the freeze dried ones and they liked them BUT not like they love these live ones! lol I think my one hen that looks like she'll lay first, squatted for me.... so I'm really excited thinking I should get an egg soon... good grief, they are 23 weeks old... Rae