Consolidated Kansas

[zigzag45]

I was really happy today. While cleaning out their coop (they spilled their water bucket, and it was about time to totally change out bedding) I saw a couple of the birds drinking from the poultry nipples off their heated bucket/watered -- I'd wondered if they'd figured it out. But, none seemed to be struggling so I thought they had, nice to see confirmation.

As always, another question... runny poo! I'd asked this a month or two ago and done a ton of research, answers were de-worm and pro-biotics. Well, I did the de-worming (ivermectim in their water for 3 days), and I've been doing tons of pro-biotics since then (two cups of keifer, every other day - have 9 birds right now). But, I still have runny poo. They snuck up on the deck earlier today and left me evidence that things are still kinda loose in at least one bird, if not multiple. I can't figure out which one(s), as anytime I see them go it looks fine. I'm giving them farm fresh milk made into keifer, as well as store-bought milk that I cultured into buttermilk. They're on a mix of purina grower feed, and another bag of layer ration I bought at a local feed mill. I'm really puzzled as to why I'm still dealing with this.

Danz, I know you said you do goat pro-biotics from TSC. Last time I was there I walked down that isle and couldn't tell what you got.

Any other ideas? Do I need a stronger wormer? I wouldn't think you could do much better than fresh milk keifer, but who knows.

Suggestions?

Also, side note.... for those that do lights in the coop. do you just use a regular timer and the light kicks on, or do you have a timer that turns the light on gently? Is it ok to have one that just kicks on an hour or two before sunrise?

Thanks, as always the help is appreciated.

 

[sharol]

I was really happy today. While cleaning out their coop (they spilled their water bucket, and it was about time to totally change out bedding) I saw a couple of the birds drinking from the poultry nipples off their heated bucket/watered -- I'd wondered if they'd figured it out. But, none seemed to be struggling so I thought they had, nice to see confirmation.

As always, another question... runny poo! I'd asked this a month or two ago and done a ton of research, answers were de-worm and pro-biotics. Well, I did the de-worming (ivermectim in their water for 3 days), and I've been doing tons of pro-biotics since then (two cups of keifer, every other day - have 9 birds right now). But, I still have runny poo. They snuck up on the deck earlier today and left me evidence that things are still kinda loose in at least one bird, if not multiple. I can't figure out which one(s), as anytime I see them go it looks fine. I'm giving them farm fresh milk made into keifer, as well as store-bought milk that I cultured into buttermilk. They're on a mix of purina grower feed, and another bag of layer ration I bought at a local feed mill. I'm really puzzled as to why I'm still dealing with this.

Danz, I know you said you do goat pro-biotics from TSC. Last time I was there I walked down that isle and couldn't tell what you got.

Any other ideas? Do I need a stronger wormer? I wouldn't think you could do much better than fresh milk keifer, but who knows.

Suggestions?

Also, side note.... for those that do lights in the coop. do you just use a regular timer and the light kicks on, or do you have a timer that turns the light on gently? Is it ok to have one that just kicks on an hour or two before sunrise?

Thanks, as always the help is appreciated.

I have read that chickens have trouble digesting milk products. Mine get cottage cheese or yogurt daily, but I have seen that info on the list. The runny poo isn't just ceacal poo, right? It seems like I'll go for a while without that smelly nasty stuff and then they all make icky deposits on the patio at once. Or under the roost, or on the feeding table. It goes is groups.

If it appears to be causing dehydration, I would probably drop the milk products for a bit and see if the problem goes away.

 

[Trish44]

Here is a link on chicken poop, what is normal & what's not: http://chat.allotment.org/index.php?topic=17568.0. You might consult that & see if you see anything resembling what you're seeing with your chickens. Sometimes runny poo is normal.

If the probiotics are the same ones I got they were in a white plastic jar with a screw on lid, it's a powder.

I just use a timer for my coop light in the main coop, I set it to come on very early in the morning.

 

[chicken danz]

Hope everyone had a good turkey day. We cooked a turkey yesterday and I burnt my hand on the roasting rack, brilliant!! Its a lot worse than I thought it was too, I have a huge blister. Other than that our bird and all the trimmings came out delicious and we have tons of leftovers, my favorite!!! Amelia had a grand time playing and smashing all her food, she cracks me up with the mess she makes. The only trouble is when she pitches something off the high chair and the dog snatches it and she wasn't done with it!

Forgot to ask a question! I am going to list a bunch of ganders for sale but if they don't sell we are contemplating having them butchered.

I know we can't do it, I thought DH was going to cry the other night when I told him I was thinking about it. It is really hard because they are such sweet creatures but they are already starting to pick on each other and it isn't even breeding season yet. I don't like them fighting and can't afford them injuring each other. One of the older boys was limping the other day after a squabble and he is a valuable bird. If anyone knows of somewhere that would process a small group of geese let me know. I hate to drop them off somewhere too but I just don't think I have the guts to do it myself.

I may have a lead for you for your birds. I need to call this guy that bought some of my sebbies from Gardner. I have a couple I'd like to sell as well but I won't sell dirt cheap. What colors do you have? Can you send me pictures and prices for your boys. Just for my own curiosity. I sure wouldn't eat them!!

I was really happy today. While cleaning out their coop (they spilled their water bucket, and it was about time to totally change out bedding) I saw a couple of the birds drinking from the poultry nipples off their heated bucket/watered -- I'd wondered if they'd figured it out. But, none seemed to be struggling so I thought they had, nice to see confirmation.

As always, another question... runny poo! I'd asked this a month or two ago and done a ton of research, answers were de-worm and pro-biotics. Well, I did the de-worming (ivermectim in their water for 3 days), and I've been doing tons of pro-biotics since then (two cups of keifer, every other day - have 9 birds right now). But, I still have runny poo. They snuck up on the deck earlier today and left me evidence that things are still kinda loose in at least one bird, if not multiple. I can't figure out which one(s), as anytime I see them go it looks fine. I'm giving them farm fresh milk made into keifer, as well as store-bought milk that I cultured into buttermilk. They're on a mix of purina grower feed, and another bag of layer ration I bought at a local feed mill. I'm really puzzled as to why I'm still dealing with this.

Danz, I know you said you do goat pro-biotics from TSC. Last time I was there I walked down that isle and couldn't tell what you got.

Any other ideas? Do I need a stronger wormer? I wouldn't think you could do much better than fresh milk keifer, but who knows.

Suggestions?

Also, side note.... for those that do lights in the coop. do you just use a regular timer and the light kicks on, or do you have a timer that turns the light on gently? Is it ok to have one that just kicks on an hour or two before sunrise?

Thanks, as always the help is appreciated.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/goats-prefer-probiotic-power-1-lb?cm_vc=-10005
Here is the link to what you are looking for. It's not a very large bottle. I normally find it near the locked up drugs and usually pretty high on the shelf. Probably not a lot of call for goat probiotics unless someone shows them.
We were gone all day yesterday to celebrate kind of a Thanksgiving with one of my sons and DIL. We had a great meal. My son had smoked 18 pounds of brisket. It was just awesome. We had potatoes, some kind of pasta made out of something unusual but good. I made some barbecue beans and a home made cherry pie. The pie was about 3 inches thick or more so it was really stocked full of cherries. Of course we warmed it up and had ice cream on it.
I met a gal at the shopping center in Manhattan with a half dozen mostly grown pullets. She was buying them as Christmas gifts for her nieces and nephews. All the bird transporting I have done I have never gotten too dirty. Maybe a little poo on my hands. But I was literally covered in chicken poo. I had it on my shirt and my coat. Of course I was trying to dress a little nicer than my 'on the farm clothing'!! I had to nearly strip off to wash my shirt and coat when we got to my sons house. What a mess. I'm really hoping the kids enjoy their gift. They lost all their chickens to a predator. I do hope they have fixed the problem that got them killed. I decided it wasn't my place to ask. These were all broody raised girls and all half sussex. They should be awesome sweet little layers. Now if I could get rid of about that many more and a ton of boys I would be happy. I turned around ans spent the money on Christmas gifts when we stopped a couple places in Topeka on the way home.
I sure wasn't impressed by what I found in the few stores we went to. Everything I had seen on adds was sold out. And I didn't see any real bargains. I was looking for a particular color and size glass ornaments that I didn't find or they were too high and not on sale. Then this morning when I read yesterday's email I see there was a 70% off sale at Michaels on ornaments for a 3 hour time period which would have been perfect timing while we were there. Naturally I hadn't gotten the email yet when we left yesterday morning. Just my luck. I'd gone to Hobby Lobby but not Michaels.
Good post on the poo Trish.
I'm hoping to get a couple of fancy light dancing trees I bought last year put out today. I have so many decorations and just never get them set up. I could decorate really nice but I am running so many cords to the birds I have to watch what I put up.

 

[chicken danz]

Okay another lonely day on here. No posts except my own. I got a couple of lighted trees put out front, and switched out my fall wreath for my Christmas wreath.
I took my little orp pullet out with me and let her play outside all day. She did really well and had a totally full crop this evening. I was going to put her in the pen with the other white orps but DH seemed to think she could get picked on. So she is back in the house for now. Tomorrow I'll take her back out and let her run some more.
I moved my last two peachicks outside as well. I had to clean out, wash out and get new shavings in their temporary pen. Then I had to hang a light for them. They just aren't quite big enough to go with the other peachicks from this year.
I am really tired. I still have tons I was going to get done today and haven't.

 

[JosieChick]

Danz-I took pics today and will get them sent to you. Do you know if Trudi is doing ok? I messaged her on FB about a gander that I bought from her that I need to place in a pet home and haven't heard back. He was a special boy to her and I wanted to be sure she didn't want him back before I start looking for a home for him.

On a side note-Does anyone local to the Wichita area know of someone (like a tree lot) that sells Christmas trees in the area that isn't wal mart? I like to look at my tree before I buy it and wal mart trees are all wrapped up. I know the YMCA does but their trees are probably out of our budget this year.

 

[Trish44]

Danz-I took pics today and will get them sent to you. Do you know if Trudi is doing ok? I messaged her on FB about a gander that I bought from her that I need to place in a pet home and haven't heard back. He was a special boy to her and I wanted to be sure she didn't want him back before I start looking for a home for him.

On a side note-Does anyone local to the Wichita area know of someone (like a tree lot) that sells Christmas trees in the area that isn't wal mart? I like to look at my tree before I buy it and wal mart trees are all wrapped up. I know the YMCA does but their trees are probably out of our budget this year.

Josie if you don't mind driving to Derby there is a Christmas tree farm there right across from the Walmart, west across K-15. We used to go there every year when my son was growing up & pick out our tree & they would cut it for you & carry it to your vehicle. They're really nice people. I think this is the right one: http://www.pinelakechristmastrees.com/ & then I saw another one too, but I don't know anything about it, here is that one: http://windyknolltrees.com/. They have opened since I left there.

I haven't even been on the computer all day because I knew I needed to get out & do some things while the weather is still good. I fixed the turkey's feed trough that they had knocked off so they couldn't turn it over then made a couple of other ones & put them up for extra feeding space in the guinea/peafowl coop & the main coop where my laying hens are. Then after I got that done I went out into the orchard & raked up leaves & brought 7 wheel barrow loads of leaves up & put them in various pens. I gave out about that time & decided to do the rest another day. They have such a good time digging around in the leaves so it's entertainment as well as some insulation from the cold ground. I still have about 5 more pens to put some in, there are plenty of leaves out there, it's just a matter of me having the energy to rake & pick them up. It won't take so much of my precious straw if I supplement with some leaves in the pens. The guineas were having a heyday with the ones I put in theirs today & I think the turkeys thought they were outside after I filled their pen with them. I got such a kick out of Bandaid, my male turkey this afternoon. I was using the drill to drill holes in the trough to cable tie it to the hoop coop & he came up all puffed out & looking at me like I was threatening his girls. It really cracked me up! I put a nest box in the lavender Orp pen this afternoon too. The older pullet isn't laying yet, but she's getting more red on her comb, so maybe before too long she will be. I just wanted to get one in there while I had a chance & the weather wasn't too bad. I think only two of the Lemon Cuckoo Orps are laying, but I noticed a third one is getting red now as well, so maybe soon she will too.

We went to Wichita to go out to dinner last evening to celebrate our 15th anniversary & ate at one of my favorite restaurants, Bella Luna. We had a really nice dinner & then did some shopping while we were up there.

 

[OkieQueenBee]

What a beautiful day. And we spent it inside bottling honey. My Okie friends came up and we bottled their honey and some more of mine for them to sell for me. So, a necessary waste of a beautiful day.
We are hoping with this nice weather (for the next couple of days) that we can get the rest of our honey pulled. Maybe one of these days we won't be so far behind and can get the honey pulled before it turns cold. Would love to find the time to make some soap, lip balm and lotion bars. I guess I need to keep my chicken math in check.
Trish those are great links, I've noticed some poo that I was concerned about and now see that it is normal. I would love to have the book on the diseases, is there a good such thing?
I used to love to shop, but anymore I just don't have the time. It used to be my escape and I could spend all day just wandering around the stores. I would start my Christmas shopping early and find some unique gifts. Bargain shopping was my specialty. But then life changes things.
Well, the chickens all seem to be doing ok. Still not getting many eggs, we don't have a light and probably won't until after the first of the year. The hens aren't happy with the arrangement of the nest boxes in the new coop and then when the guineas come in and start with the squawking, it bothers them. I have found some eggs on the floor in the corners, and maybe they are hiding some outside. The guineas are probably 5 months old when should we expect eggs from them? Will they, and the turkeys, wait until spring? We only have 1 turkey hen and after Christmas we will just have a pair.
We got a couple sacks of leaves from KKB's neighbor in Wichita hopefully I can get them put in for the chickens tomorrow.

 

[cherwill]

I can't do crowds either. I don't even like going out the weekend after Thanksgiving just because of all the people, it stresses me out. I had to go to Sams club on Wednesday and it was a mad house, I couldn't get out of there fast enough!!
Hope everyone had a good turkey day. We cooked a turkey yesterday and I burnt my hand on the roasting rack, brilliant!! Its a lot worse than I thought it was too, I have a huge blister. Other than that our bird and all the trimmings came out delicious and we have tons of leftovers, my favorite!!! Amelia had a grand time playing and smashing all her food, she cracks me up with the mess she makes. The only trouble is when she pitches something off the high chair and the dog snatches it and she wasn't done with it!

I'd rather pay full price or do without than go out in the post-Thanksgiving crowds.

I hope your hand is healing well. Burns can be so nasty, but hands do tend to heal more quickly than other parts of the body.

That's funny about Amelia throwing her food overboard before she's ready to be done with it!

Also, side note.... for those that do lights in the coop. do you just use a regular timer and the light kicks on, or do you have a timer that turns the light on gently? Is it ok to have one that just kicks on an hour or two before sunrise?

Thanks, as always the help is appreciated.

We have ours on a timer and the light just snaps on, nothing gradual about it. I think DH has it coming on around 3 am. The girls are laying like gangbusters, so it must be working. That's how we've done it every winter since we got the birds (3-4 years ago, I think) and it's never caused a problem.

We went to Wichita to go out to dinner last evening to celebrate our 15th anniversary & ate at one of my favorite restaurants, Bella Luna. We had a really nice dinner & then did some shopping while we were up there.

Happy anniversary! I've eaten at Bella Luna, though not in several years. I remember it being very good but they weren't good about saying on the menu if something had mushrooms in it.

 

[chicken danz]

Danz-I took pics today and will get them sent to you. Do you know if Trudi is doing ok? I messaged her on FB about a gander that I bought from her that I need to place in a pet home and haven't heard back. He was a special boy to her and I wanted to be sure she didn't want him back before I start looking for a home for him.

On a side note-Does anyone local to the Wichita area know of someone (like a tree lot) that sells Christmas trees in the area that isn't wal mart? I like to look at my tree before I buy it and wal mart trees are all wrapped up. I know the YMCA does but their trees are probably out of our budget this year.

She's not doing well. Life has been a total upset for her. I haven't heard from her recently but I know it's because she has so much to deal with. Send me the pics and prices if you will.

What a beautiful day. And we spent it inside bottling honey. My Okie friends came up and we bottled their honey and some more of mine for them to sell for me. So, a necessary waste of a beautiful day.

I've seen several books advertised but I can't say I know anything about them. For me they would have to include good graphic pictures along with good tutorial. I would also prefer one showing necropsy results as well. Just my desire for the perfect book.

I used to love to shop, but anymore I just don't have the time. It used to be my escape and I could spend all day just wandering around the stores. I would start my Christmas shopping early and find some unique gifts. Bargain shopping was my specialty. But then life changes things.
Well, the chickens all seem to be doing ok. Still not getting many eggs, we don't have a light and probably won't until after the first of the year. The hens aren't happy with the arrangement of the nest boxes in the new coop and then when the guineas come in and start with the squawking, it bothers them. I have found some eggs on the floor in the corners, and maybe they are hiding some outside. The guineas are probably 5 months old when should we expect eggs from them? Will they, and the turkeys, wait until spring? We only have 1 turkey hen and after Christmas we will just have a pair.
We got a couple sacks of leaves from KKB's neighbor in Wichita hopefully I can get them put in for the chickens tomorrow.

Guineas will start laying most likely the end of March to maybe as late as the end of April. It's more weather related but they won't begin until spring regardless of age. Then they will lay until the weather turns way too hot or gets cool.
Turkeys will most likely wait until spring but they will lay when the weather suits them as well. In warmer areas they can lay in December or January. I'd expect them to start from March to May depending on the weather and/or the breed. A turkey will continue laying until (a) the weather turns cool or (b) she is allowed to go broody.