California - Northern

[zooweemama]

We found the source of the mold. My husband cleaned out all the bedding from the coop and we uncovered the issue. where the water is being piped into the chicken water fountain- there is a small leak. Been leaking for weeks. Mold bloomed on the wood base right at that area. You can smell it once you remove all the bedding. It has nothing to do with the chicken waterer itself. It was leaking at the connect outside (hope that makes sense). A tiny leak, went unnoticed by us until now honestly. Now that the coop has been scraped out- you can actually SMELL it. So weird! So I am glad we found the source. I am glad we know what area of the coop to concentrate on. I am glad to know what the problem is period! We are still not sure how we want to treat- I am still poking along tonight with that.

I do have a question. Is it OK for me to move their bucket waterers into the run, instead of the coop? This means for the chickens that may not be using the nipple waterers- they would not have access to water from dark night to around 7am. Is that ok?

 

[ronott1]

We found the source of the mold. My husband cleaned out all the bedding from the coop and we uncovered the issue. where the water is being piped into the chicken water fountain- there is a small leak. Been leaking for weeks. Mold bloomed on the wood base right at that area. You can smell it once you remove all the bedding. It has nothing to do with the chicken waterer itself. It was leaking at the connect outside (hope that makes sense). A tiny leak, went unnoticed by us until now honestly. Now that the coop has been scraped out- you can actually SMELL it. So weird! So I am glad we found the source. I am glad we know what area of the coop to concentrate on. I am glad to know what the problem is period! We are still not sure how we want to treat- I am still poking along tonight with that.

I do have a question. Is it OK for me to move their bucket waterers into the run, instead of the coop? This means for the chickens that may not be using the nipple waterers- they would not have access to water from dark night to around 7am. Is that ok?

That is good news! It's great to hear you found the mold.

The chickens won't drink in the darkness. They are very blind in the dark, so not having access to water at night is fine. Been ok all summer for mine.

Ron

 

[ronott1]

When I got back from Church tonight, I heard the egg song and since it was getting dark, I went out to check and found a little white dog running around in the chicken yard! I checked the chickens and they were all fine. I had to unlock the gate and let him out since He would not come to me. He seemed very upset. The chickens were sitting on the roosts in the coop like noting was wrong.

The little dog had knocked several boards loose from the fence. I screwed the boards back on, but I may need to put some chicken wire up there to make sure that does not happen again.

It is the first day of Fall, so next week I need to take a manure sample in to UCD and have a float test. That seems better than just treating them just because it is time. I did give the Ivomec on the first week of Summer so hopefully they do not have any buggies...

I will let you all know what I find and how much it costs.

Ron

 

[MonsterClucker]

We found the source of the mold. My husband cleaned out all the bedding from the coop and we uncovered the issue. where the water is being piped into the chicken water fountain- there is a small leak. Been leaking for weeks. Mold bloomed on the wood base right at that area. You can smell it once you remove all the bedding. It has nothing to do with the chicken waterer itself. It was leaking at the connect outside (hope that makes sense). A tiny leak, went unnoticed by us until now honestly. Now that the coop has been scraped out- you can actually SMELL it. So weird! So I am glad we found the source. I am glad we know what area of the coop to concentrate on. I am glad to know what the problem is period! We are still not sure how we want to treat- I am still poking along tonight with that. 

I do have a question. Is it OK for me to move their bucket waterers into the run, instead of the coop? This means for the chickens that may not be using the nipple waterers- they would not have access to water from dark night to around 7am. Is that ok?

That's super awesome news! Mold is really a silent killer. And its always something so simole turning into a big problem!
I really am glad you guys got that figured out!

When I got back from Church tonight, I heard the egg song and since it was getting dark, I went out to check and found a little white dog running around in the chicken yard! I checked the chickens and they were all fine. I had to unlock the gate and let him out since He would not come to me. He seemed very upset. The chickens were sitting on the roosts in the coop like noting was wrong.

The little dog had knocked several boards loose from the fence. I screwed the boards back on, but I may need to put some chicken wire up there to make sure that does not happen again.

It is the first day of Fall, so next week I need to take a manure sample in to UCD and have a float test. That seems better than just treating them just because it is time. I did give the Ivomec on the first week of Summer so hopefully they do not have any buggies...

I will let you all know what I find and how much it costs.

Ron

 

I bet that was really a surprise coming home to a dog in you chook yard! Lol
I bet that dog really felt accomplished tonigh. He was a little Ethan Hawke on his mission impossible lol


Well my psychic sense kicked in again tonight.
Just jumped up of the couch watching a movie from a feeling about my chicks in the outdoor brooder.
I go check on them and there is a big brown snake at least 3' long wrapped all the way around one of my brahma chicks. I can't tell yet which one either a gold laced or a buff. Aaand! It killed one of myRRIR x SG dorking/Americuana (Drae) chicks! Just killed it. It was just stiff. I don't know if this snake is poisonous, so I don't know how it killed it. Dosent look constricted, but I'm not sure.

I messed the snake up pretty bad, but I want to post a picture of it in the morning to see if anyone can tell me if it poisonous or not.

I swear I think I'm becoming a real psychic sometimes lol

Sick chick update...

My little chicks with red eyes are still holding tough. Their energy and activity levels are actually growing. They seem tired of being in the little 50gal rubbermaid. I'm sure they are.
I've been applying vetericyn ophthalmic gel 4 times a day. It does seem to take away the redness some but not really IMPROVING the redness at all.

So I guess just more time to see.
One thing I do notice is one of the silver laced brahmas that I also quarantined with the rest does not have any redness in the eyes and has been with the chucks since day 1...?

I'm confused now. Is that possible?

 

[egg-lady]

my friend found a chicken along side the road a few weeks ago. I went to her house yesterday to give them their sizzle chicks I was raising for them and she inturn gave me her chicken they found. I think hen hubby thinks roo. it is all white and looks like EE. But he/she has mites so today is bath and DE. they are renting so when they buy their home and have room I will return if hen. today another busy day.

 

[ronott1]

I bet that was really a surprise coming home to a dog in you chook yard! Lol
I bet that dog really felt accomplished tonigh. He was a little Ethan Hawke on his mission impossible lol

Well my psychic sense kicked in again tonight.
Just jumped up of the couch watching a movie from a feeling about my chicks in the outdoor brooder.
I go check on them and there is a big brown snake at least 3' long wrapped all the way around one of my brahma chicks. I can't tell yet which one either a gold laced or a buff. Aaand! It killed one of myRRIR x SG dorking/Americuana (Drae) chicks! Just killed it. It was just stiff. I don't know if this snake is poisonous, so I don't know how it killed it. Dosent look constricted, but I'm not sure.

I messed the snake up pretty bad, but I want to post a picture of it in the morning to see if anyone can tell me if it poisonous or not.

I swear I think I'm becoming a real psychic sometimes lol

Sick chick update...

My little chicks with red eyes are still holding tough. Their energy and activity levels are actually growing. They seem tired of being in the little 50gal rubbermaid. I'm sure they are.
I've been applying vetericyn ophthalmic gel 4 times a day. It does seem to take away the redness some but not really IMPROVING the redness at all.

So I guess just more time to see.
One thing I do notice is one of the silver laced brahmas that I also quarantined with the rest does not have any redness in the eyes and has been with the chucks since day 1...?



Wow! I guess it was the night for weird predators. Sorry about the dead chicks. It was probably a Bull snake but you never know.

Eyes are tough because they act as their own mini system in the body. It takes a long time for injuries and such to heal. It sounds like the problem is only in they eyes if the other chick is not sick. Most illnesses take up to 10 days to show up.

I will be watching for the picture of the snake.

Ron

 

[Hangtown Farms]

We found the source of the mold. My husband cleaned out all the bedding from the coop and we uncovered the issue. where the water is being piped into the chicken water fountain- there is a small leak. Been leaking for weeks. Mold bloomed on the wood base right at that area. You can smell it once you remove all the bedding. It has nothing to do with the chicken waterer itself. It was leaking at the connect outside (hope that makes sense). A tiny leak, went unnoticed by us until now honestly. Now that the coop has been scraped out- you can actually SMELL it. So weird! So I am glad we found the source. I am glad we know what area of the coop to concentrate on. I am glad to know what the problem is period! We are still not sure how we want to treat- I am still poking along tonight with that.

I do have a question. Is it OK for me to move their bucket waterers into the run, instead of the coop? This means for the chickens that may not be using the nipple waterers- they would not have access to water from dark night to around 7am. Is that ok?

That is what I do. keep the water outside.Like Ron said they usually dont move around in the dark unless something spooks them

 

[Hangtown Farms]

That's super awesome news! Mold is really a silent killer. And its always something so simole turning into a big problem!
I really am glad you guys got that figured out!
I bet that was really a surprise coming home to a dog in you chook yard! Lol
I bet that dog really felt accomplished tonigh. He was a little Ethan Hawke on his mission impossible lol

Well my psychic sense kicked in again tonight.
Just jumped up of the couch watching a movie from a feeling about my chicks in the outdoor brooder.
I go check on them and there is a big brown snake at least 3' long wrapped all the way around one of my brahma chicks. I can't tell yet which one either a gold laced or a buff. Aaand! It killed one of myRRIR x SG dorking/Americuana (Drae) chicks! Just killed it. It was just stiff. I don't know if this snake is poisonous, so I don't know how it killed it. Dosent look constricted, but I'm not sure.
I messed the snake up pretty bad, but I want to post a picture of it in the morning to see if anyone can tell me if it poisonous or not.
I swear I think I'm becoming a real psychic sometimes lol
Sick chick update...
My little chicks with red eyes are still holding tough. Their energy and activity levels are actually growing. They seem tired of being in the little 50gal rubbermaid. I'm sure they are.
I've been applying vetericyn ophthalmic gel 4 times a day. It does seem to take away the redness some but not really IMPROVING the redness at all.
So I guess just more time to see.
One thing I do notice is one of the silver laced brahmas that I also quarantined with the rest does not have any redness in the eyes and has been with the chucks since day 1...?
I'm confused now. Is that possible?

only posinous snakes around here are Western Rattlesnakes

 

[Happy Chooks]

That is good news! It's great to hear you found the mold.

The chickens won't drink in the darkness. They are very blind in the dark, so not having access to water at night is fine. Been ok all summer for mine.

Ron

Yep. My smaller coop doesn't have any water inside the coop. The larger one does, but that coop has babies of all ages, so I keep water in there for them.

Chickens are blind in the dark - that's why they can be such targets to nighttime predators.

When I got back from Church tonight, I heard the egg song and since it was getting dark, I went out to check and found a little white dog running around in the chicken yard! I checked the chickens and they were all fine. I had to unlock the gate and let him out since He would not come to me. He seemed very upset. The chickens were sitting on the roosts in the coop like noting was wrong.

The little dog had knocked several boards loose from the fence. I screwed the boards back on, but I may need to put some chicken wire up there to make sure that does not happen again.

It is the first day of Fall, so next week I need to take a manure sample in to UCD and have a float test. That seems better than just treating them just because it is time. I did give the Ivomec on the first week of Summer so hopefully they do not have any buggies...

I will let you all know what I find and how much it costs.

Ron

You are SO lucky to not have any losses.

 

[lawatt]

only posinous snakes around here are Western Rattlesnakes

yes, and from your description, most likely this was a gopher snake:
http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/snakesid/gophersnakes.id.html

they're actually good to have around, as they help keep the rodent populations down -- but so sorry to read about the lost chicks!