Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[dawg53]

First off: I LOVE THIS THREAD!!!! Just the type of info needed to raise a great flock! As a noob (two years) I have found myself referring to this ALL THE TIME! I think that this thread alone could be published as a book. Thanks Bee for starting it, the knowledge (and entertainment value) is top rate! One of these days I will get to the end of it....

Secondly, I have a question. I just introduced three new hens and our first roo to our australorps. One of the hens (in quarantine) is not doing so well. She has a cough and wheezing. This started yesterday, and today it is worse. I have tried to feed her some yogurt (Greek) with ancho powder (I was out of cayenne) but she doesn't appear to be eating anything. Should I cull, or try something different?

Your humble pupal.

I'd cull the hen in a heartbeat.

 

[Oregon Blues]

There are some serious contagious chicken diseases with respiratory and sneezing issues. I'd cull all the new birds before I let them have any contact with my existing flock.

Perhaps if there is an avian vet in the area, you should consult.

 

[jdbev]

It is just the one that is showing signs of illness. All the others appear to be fine. I am pretty sure I'm going to cull her as I haven't seen any improvement. *hears TAPS in the background

 

[Tarheel2288]

Question:

I keep my feed in a large metal trash can...well I accidentally left the lid off the feed bin last night, and we got a little bit of a shower. Went out this morning and there was about an inch-deep layer of wet feed on top...I skimmed this off as best I could and threw it out, and it appears that I got most, if not all, of the wet feed out, and the rest of the feed appears unaffected. I know there's a lot said about moldy feed and how bad it is, but what do you all think? Throw out 100# of feed, or call it good?

 

[Beekissed]

Call it good until you actually see mold formation or smell it....at least, that is what I would do. Most feeds have been stored in large quantities at some time or another and already have mold spores present and are just waiting for warmth and moisture to get good growth. Every time you dip into that can, run your hand through the top layers first and examine the feed, visualize it and smell it....then feed it if nothing is found.

 

[caj1985]

I have 60 eggs incubating right now. I will be keeping about 30 of them. I have never brooded more than 10 at a time. I know that my normal plastic bin will not work. I have a stall in the barn with broken bales of hay. If I line the stall with wire is there any reason why I couldn't use that 10' x 12' stall as my brooder? They are due out May 5th. It is normally 70's to 80's by that point. I will give them a couple of lights for warmth but want to make sure they don't get too hot so need a larger area for them to escape and not pile up. Thoughts from old-timers? I was going to use my small coop but have 8 week old Hamburgs that my Brahma rooster attacks every time he even hears them chirping. I'm afraid the big boy is going to have to go. He also tried to attack me to get by to the chicks last night.

Thanks.

 

[Beekissed]

No reason at all except there are still risks of blacksnake and rats in a barn brooder space. That's a risk we all take brooding outside, though. I lost three small chicks to a black snake once but it never happened again....put out mothballs and never brooded there again without a hen. I just brooded 50 CX outside in a cattle panel coop with just hay bales on the sides and it was just fine...but it wasn't attached to any old, established buildings that may harbor snakes or rats.

I think many of the OTs brood outside, so maybe they could chime in on this and tell you if it should work okay. I've only ever brooded one set of chicks inside and they went out at 2 wks...never brooded inside again but used broody hen assistance after that.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I just want to say that I'm working through reading every single post in this thread and loving it so far. (I'm only up to post #990 so I have a long way to go.)

So very helpful and worth taking the time to read through.

Thank you!

Sue in Northern IN
AKA: Leah's Mom

 

[Beekissed]

I'm glad you like it! Please feel free to ask questions after you have read it and somebody out there is sure to have a reasonable answer...and maybe more than one from which to choose.

 

[al6517]

I'm glad you like it! Please feel free to ask questions after you have read it and somebody out there is sure to have a reasonable answer...and maybe more than one from which to choose.

Can we give a bit of good advice with a wise crack thrown in for good measure ??.

AL