California-Southern

[Skalabs]

@MnopI miss gardening in the backyard, though. No plants survives more than a day or two with the hens.

My hens oddly leave many plants alone. I planted Mexican marigolds, catnip, lavender, rosemary, and oregano specifically for the chickens, but they don't seem to bother these plants. They LOVE French marigolds, nasturtium, thyme, some mint, parsley, and all grasses.

Here's a pic with a hen behind catnip.

 

[Amelia Egghart]

I cut up fruit and veggies and put them in ice cube trays, fill the tray with water and freeze them. I give them the frozen treats on hot days. I just dump them into bowls in the coop. My runs and coops are almost completely shaded, so they have plenty of room to stay out of the sun. We also have a concrete mixing tub that we fill with water with a TOUCH of bleach. We change the water daily. I've only seen them land in the water accidentally - being chased by someone else, but I figure it's there if they want it. As a bonus, there are always plenty of bugs under the tub, so it's like a mad rush when I start to dump it.

Key word: CUT fruit and veggies! My piggie, Ms Mabel got into a bag of grapes a few days ago and now has a blocked crop! trying to squish grapes inside a bird from the outside was a new experience for me just now. poor girl!

 

[Jessimom]

Yes, I cut EVERYTHING up in there. Grapes have choked many a toddler, so I think of chickens like furry toddlers. How did squishing go, did it work? Is she ok now?

 

[Chandra Prater]

Key word: CUT fruit and veggies! My piggie, Ms Mabel got into a bag of grapes a few days ago and now has a blocked crop! trying to squish grapes inside a bird from the outside was a new experience for me just now. poor girl!

I never thought about that with the grapes. That's really good to note!

 

[lilredracr]

There's someone around the Whittier area (I think) that butchers and gives back all the parts, even the head if you want it. I have to ask my friend if she still has his info and if I get a reply, I'll PM/Conversation to you privately.

Were you able to find the number? I have two now...

 

[lilredracr]

@SewCluck - I sent you a Conversation (private message) on the Whittier butcher info.

Can you forward to me? Somehow I missed it. Thanks!!!

 

[Amelia Egghart]

Yes, I cut EVERYTHING up in there. Grapes have choked many a toddler, so I think of chickens like furry toddlers. How did squishing go, did it work? Is she ok now?

Oof. Thanks for asking. Here's the ordeal: After a day of crop massages, she woke up the next morning (isolated, in a dog crate inside the house) with an almost empty crop. Hurray! But....Then I found huge ROUND WORMS in her poo! 4 of them, still moving. Gross! So inside she stayed with ACV and hot peppers. The next morning, her crop had ballooned out HUGE. Squishy. This time, it was sour crop! Also foamy poo from the worms. This poor girl. I gave her acidified copper sulfate and went to the feed store for help. They said it's too hot for chemical deworming unless she's acting lethargic. I came back home and she had completely perked up and her crop was back to normal. ACS is amazing stuff! I'll use some organic stuff to treat the worms in a few days and use harder stuff over winter. Chickens!

 

[Jessimom]

Hey, does anyone on here want any bantam EE, Serama, Golden Laced Sebright, or Porcelain D'Uccle roosters? All still babies. Older roos I have Speckled Sussex, Heritage RIR, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Silkie and Blue Egg layers.

 

[Amelia Egghart]

Anyone mail order chicks? I'm awaiting a delivery from Meyer. Tracking says delivery by 3pm today...Which if you're counting, was an hour ago!

 

[Amelia Egghart]

Dang. Chicks arrived yesterday from Meyer which, in case you wondered, is all the way out in Ohio. 2 of 8 DOA. An Ancona and a Dorking :-/ of course they ship during the hottest days of the whole year. Still, customer service will either refund or send more chicks. Nice people. I'll see how the birds grow up! Anyone else bought from them?