Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

I do have Black Copper Marans, but one of my hens isn't doing very well & the other hasn't been laying either. It seems like some of my birds are going into molt again, one Australorp is practically naked, poor girl. I can't believe they're losing feathers this time of year either Hawkeye, crazy. I know that one little hen has to be freezing.

Well not much time to type, I have to get going, but hope you all stay warm & have a good weekend.

 

[chicken danz]

I just found an amazing site for dosing chicken medications. It seems to have it all. Thought I'd pass it along.
https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/medicine-chart
I just switched the olandsk to denagard in hopes of better results. I hate to loose these adorable and pricy birds. I gave them a little of the feed I have soaking but they haven't tried it yet.
I am very depressed with sick birds, fear of cross infecting.... I am washing my hands almost constantly, an my failing cat.

 

[HEChicken]

Thanks for that link Danz - I have it bookmarked.

Sunflower are you sure it was Blu-Kote you were using? I've never heard of birds having that reaction to it before.

Hawkeye, glad you are feeling better.

To all those hatching this time of year, more power to you

I swear, I would NOT want to raise chicks this time of year. Egad. Shudder, shudder LOL. I guess I am all chicked out after raising them most of the year, and I am enjoying the break and having just one flock of fully integrated birds. Between the silkies and the silchins, I'm really hoping I don't have to brood any more birds next year either.

I took a bunch of pics while my brother was visiting as Ned was displaying like crazy (actually seemed to be posing for me) while I was down there taking pics of my brother with the silkies. My camera cable was on the dining room table a few days ago but got moved when we cleared it off to set the table for Christmas and no-one remembers moving it and putting it somewhere. Its driving me crazy I can't download my pictures.

My chicks that I hatched in August of this year turned 18 weeks old on the shortest day of the year and I got my first little pullet egg that same day! I've never had one start to lay that young before but have had a couple more since then. Some of the older birds who had been in molt also resumed laying the day after the shortest day, so I am getting several eggs a day now, after a 2 1/2 week total drought. I actually even broke down and bought a dozen eggs for the first time in more than 3 years, and it was the day I bought them that I brought in 2 extra large eggs from my older hens so I regretted the purchase pretty much immediately.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I do have Black Copper Marans, but one of my hens isn't doing very well & the other hasn't been laying either. It seems like some of my birds are going into molt again, one Australorp is practically naked, poor girl. I can't believe they're losing feathers this time of year either Hawkeye, crazy. I know that one little hen has to be freezing.

Well not much time to type, I have to get going, but hope you all stay warm & have a good weekend.

Okay-- RIGHT!?! Why the heck are they trying to molt NOW? My poor silkie is practically bald and thin (well, without her fluff, she looks bad). Insane!!

I just found an amazing site for dosing chicken medications. It seems to have it all. Thought I'd pass it along.
https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/medicine-chart
I just switched the olandsk to denagard in hopes of better results. I hate to loose these adorable and pricy birds. I gave them a little of the feed I have soaking but they haven't tried it yet.
I am very depressed with sick birds, fear of cross infecting.... I am washing my hands almost constantly, an my failing cat.

Great link! I bookmarked it as well! Now to remember I have it and USE it. I'm so sorry that your cat is not feeling well and your birds are still sick. Yeah, this has not been good times lately, has it. HUGS from me!

Thanks for that link Danz - I have it bookmarked.

Sunflower are you sure it was Blu-Kote you were using? I've never heard of birds having that reaction to it before.

Hawkeye, glad you are feeling better.

To all those hatching this time of year, more power to you

I swear, I would NOT want to raise chicks this time of year. Egad. Shudder, shudder LOL. I guess I am all chicked out after raising them most of the year, and I am enjoying the break and having just one flock of fully integrated birds. Between the silkies and the silchins, I'm really hoping I don't have to brood any more birds next year either.

I took a bunch of pics while my brother was visiting as Ned was displaying like crazy (actually seemed to be posing for me) while I was down there taking pics of my brother with the silkies. My camera cable was on the dining room table a few days ago but got moved when we cleared it off to set the table for Christmas and no-one remembers moving it and putting it somewhere. Its driving me crazy I can't download my pictures.

My chicks that I hatched in August of this year turned 18 weeks old on the shortest day of the year and I got my first little pullet egg that same day! I've never had one start to lay that young before but have had a couple more since then. Some of the older birds who had been in molt also resumed laying the day after the shortest day, so I am getting several eggs a day now, after a 2 1/2 week total drought. I actually even broke down and bought a dozen eggs for the first time in more than 3 years, and it was the day I bought them that I brought in 2 extra large eggs from my older hens so I regretted the purchase pretty much immediately.

I would NOT be attempting to try to hatch either had my bird not just died. I'm totally with you-- I want NO part of having chicks in winter! Eeeks! It's Day 3 on the eggs and I just candled them. I see no signs of growth. I'm guessing none of them are fertile. I'll give them a few more days before I toss them. Sigh. I was sure hoping one would be. Such a bummer to have a total loss.

 

[HEChicken]

I would NOT be attempting to try to hatch either had my bird not just died. I'm totally with you-- I want NO part of having chicks in winter! Eeeks! It's Day 3 on the eggs and I just candled them. I see no signs of growth. I'm guessing none of them are fertile. I'll give them a few more days before I toss them. Sigh. I was sure hoping one would be. Such a bummer to have a total loss.

Oh I totally understand about wanting to carry on her genetics if possible. So sorry it doesn't look as though they are developing even though I know you knew it was a long shot.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

I've been out running all over God's creation and came home to the electrical cord to the poultry fence yanked out of its outlet. Sheesh! Now, how did that happen? No clue. Everyone claims to have been inside that wasn't with me and DH is sick so surely he wasn't outside staggering around. It just seems like one thing or another that poultry fence is either off or on the lowest power setting which does absolutely nothing to deter neighbor dogs or cats. At least all were safe and sound. I'm going to have to put myself up a cozy little tent so I can guard that cord like a troll. Kidding.

I'm with you guys. I'm a little weary of having chicks and am enjoying the break from it. I'm sure that won't last once it starts to warm up a bit. I wonder how long it will take for me to get antsy and start throwing eggs in the bator again! Ha!

Danz, you're kitty is doing poorly, too? Good grief.

Hang in there!

Sunflower, if I had any eggs right now I'd pass them along but I have only 2 Speckled Sussex hens left and they aren't laying yet. They should start any time but so far, no go.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Danz- Sorry about your kitty. When they start getting sick it seems they all do it at once.

Sunflower- I might have missed something but are you looking for hatching eggs?

Raising chicks in winter is alittle more difficult and requires more attention for sure so if you cant monitor often it would be scary. I wont do too much winter hatching but maybe one hatch every fall, that way I have girls ready to lay come spring. I want to do the majority of my hatching in spring though it is easier to acclimate them outdoors. I must say though all the ones I have had so far have taken to the outdoors perfectly and complain less than my 8 month old group who were hatched in spring. Maybe fall chicks are more hardy?

 

[HEChicken]

I've been out running all over God's creation and came home to the electrical cord to the poultry fence yanked out of its outlet. Sheesh! Now, how did that happen? No clue. Everyone claims to have been inside that wasn't with me and DH is sick so surely he wasn't outside staggering around. It just seems like one thing or another that poultry fence is either off or on the lowest power setting which does absolutely nothing to deter neighbor dogs or cats. At least all were safe and sound. I'm going to have to put myself up a cozy little tent so I can guard that cord like a troll. Kidding.

I'm with you guys. I'm a little weary of having chicks and am enjoying the break from it. I'm sure that won't last once it starts to warm up a bit. I wonder how long it will take for me to get antsy and start throwing eggs in the bator again! Ha!

Eeek, sorry about the electric cord - so glad you didn't lose any birds while the fence was off.

Raising chicks in winter is alittle more difficult and requires more attention for sure so if you cant monitor often it would be scary. I wont do too much winter hatching but maybe one hatch every fall, that way I have girls ready to lay come spring. I want to do the majority of my hatching in spring though it is easier to acclimate them outdoors. I must say though all the ones I have had so far have taken to the outdoors perfectly and complain less than my 8 month old group who were hatched in spring. Maybe fall chicks are more hardy?

I actually do prefer to hatch in fall. For one thing, I figure there is a 5-6 month period where I am feeding them but they're not laying, so I may as well let some of that time be over the winter when laying is sporadic anyway. Then, by the time they mature, it is spring and they can jump in, ready to lay. Second, I've found it easier to acclimate my fall chicks. The spring weather is still so iffy, with one day being nice and the next bitterly cold or very windy. But the fall is typically milder overall. A hot day doesn't faze them, and the cold days aren't too cold yet. By the time they need protection from the really cold weather, they are fully feathered and more than ready to survive. Mind you, when I say "fall chicks", I am talking hatching Aug/Sept. I did hatch two in mid-October this year and our weather has been mild enough they were able to adapt to being outside in plenty of time but other years that has not been the case so I did take a bit of a risk there. I don't think I'll hatch any that late in the year next year.

I found my camera cable! So here are some pics of Ned Kelly displaying. His tail is a little ratty - not sure why the ends are missing but I guess they will stay that way now until he molts out his tail again. Hawkeye, I threw one in where Madge wanted in on the photo shoot too, since when I talked about how she displayed that one time too, you were asking if I am sure she is a girl. (She has never done that since - I think it was all a behavior to establish dominance since prior to that day, Madge had been dominant over Ned, but he is now the dominant turkey.)

 

[sunflowerparrot]

I have a Dk Cornish girl. Her butt has dribble on it - she goes in/out of the next box several times a day but isn't laying every day.. she sits and sits in there and no egg - (she is laying, just not regularly) - this has been going on for a few weeks. And - her butt looks completely bare with dribble coming out of it... but then at times, it has feathers over it too.


Here is one photo - but at times, her entire butt is exposed and looks like all the feathers are gone and you can see the vent dripping.. but when she is out with her feathers over, it looks like this photo - and she goes in/out/in/out of the nest box daily - but she is only laying every 3 or 4 days now instead of daily. She acts like she wants to lay, but can't - but she IS laying, so I don't think she is egg bound.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

HEChicken- Yes it can be risky for sure. I like to raise them in spring so it isnt so scary. But when I have people asking for them I will hatch.