Consolidated Kansas

[RustyC]

Just wanting to say hello from Olathe!

 

[HEChicken]

The part where my fingers are is squishy (for the lack of a better word). I'm not sure if that is normal.

Squishy can be normal or can be a symptom of something amiss - depending on the circumstances and how squishy it feels. This is part experience that will get easier the longer you raise poultry. If a bird has just eaten and then had a long drink of water, the food in the crop will dissolve and when you pick her up, the crop may feel al little squishy. She'll process that food overnight and by morning it will feel normal again. However there are some digestive issues such as sour crop that will lead to a very squishy feeling crop and those ARE issues that are not normal. For me, I would have to feel her myself to know which of the two it is, though you can sometimes tell by smelling her breath - sour crop does not smell pleasant. One thing you can do is feed her at night, withhold food overnight and pick her up again in the morning. If the squishiness has resolved, it was nothing to worry about. If she is still squishy, she has a problem.

Just wanting to say hello from Olathe!

Welcome!

We had a crazy busy day yesterday with a graduation, company to entertain, and two customers coming to pick up birds they had previously bought. I was exhausted when it was all over and ready to just do chores and go to bed. While our company was here we decided to cut into a Colby cheese I made three weeks ago. It really needs to age for 4-6 weeks but I was curious to see how it was doing and it was the most mature cheese I had to offer, other than the cheeses that are designed to be eaten fresh (I also made two different goat cheese cheesecakes and had mozzarella, feta and cottage cheese to offer) along with crackers, fruit and wine

I was really pleased with how the Colby was maturing. It was very mild flavored - almost buttery - but the texture was terrific. Next time I make one I'll mature it much longer to see the difference aging makes.

 

[Patriciaallison]

Squishy can be normal or can be a symptom of something amiss - depending on the circumstances and how squishy it feels. This is part experience that will get easier the longer you raise poultry. If a bird has just eaten and then had a long drink of water, the food in the crop will dissolve and when you pick her up, the crop may feel al little squishy. She'll process that food overnight and by morning it will feel normal again. However there are some digestive issues such as sour crop that will lead to a very squishy feeling crop and those ARE issues that are not normal. For me, I would have to feel her myself to know which of the two it is, though you can sometimes tell by smelling her breath - sour crop does not smell pleasant. One thing you can do is feed her at night, withhold food overnight and pick her up again in the morning. If the squishiness has resolved, it was nothing to worry about. If she is still squishy, she has a problem. Welcome! We had a crazy busy day yesterday with a graduation, company to entertain, and two customers coming to pick up birds they had previously bought. I was exhausted when it was all over and ready to just do chores and go to bed. While our company was here we decided to cut into a Colby cheese I made three weeks ago. It really needs to age for 4-6 weeks but I was curious to see how it was doing and it was the most mature cheese I had to offer, other than the cheeses that are designed to be eaten fresh (I also made two different goat cheese cheesecakes and had mozzarella, feta and cottage cheese to offer) along with crackers, fruit and wine I was really pleased with how the Colby was maturing. It was very mild flavored - almost buttery - but the texture was terrific. Next time I make one I'll mature it much longer to see the difference aging makes.

Awesome cheese! I can't wait to learn how to make cheese after I get a cow.

 

[chicken danz]

NOTE: @Patriciaallison and others. I stand corrected. I have always heard it called Queen Anne's lace. What I get for listening to old time farmers. It is very similar but a short plant. This faster growing tall stuff is called Deadly hemlock and it is poisonous both to animals and humans. It's much like nicotine and can be dangerous if eaten in larger amounts.Glad I got it sprayed before the seed heads matured.
Yes it can hurt livestock but most won't eat it.

Congrats everybody on the hatches, puppies, and lambs!

My chicken that had the sneezes is still sneezing. Treated with the tylan but it hasn't stopped. Otherwise she is fine, eating and drinking well.

My neighbors have a sick chicken. They asked me to come down and take a look at her, but I don't know much (as you all can probably tell by how many problems I have and have no idea what to do). She is lethargic and not moving around, just laying there. I gave her some yogurt, which she didn't have any interest in. I put some ACV in her water and she drank it up, she was very thirsty. (They had the water too high and she couldn't stand up to reach it). I took a few pictures.

This is her. She is not getting up at all, just laying down.


The part where my fingers are is squishy (for the lack of a better word). I'm not sure if that is normal.


Her vent is a little red and crusty.


Any help is appreciated!

First off look at her comb. She is really dehydrated. Hope the water is low enough for her now. Secondly I can't see well enough to be sure but that looks like lice knits around her vent. She needs bathed and treated for lice and mites right away. Permectrin II is the best thing to use to bath her in. Just a glug in a sink of warm water and no rinsing. Then towel dry her and put here somewhere warm. If they are lice I doubt Sevin will get rid of them and most likely the whole flock is affected. She will need vitamins and red meat cut up pieces or even a bit of liver to get her back on her feet. Sugar and a little salt in her water or an electrolyte powder will help her get her energy back.
I thought your fingers were a little low for a crop problem but hard to tell in pictures. If so, follow HEChickens examination if the crop seems to be enlarged and just squirt some cooking oil down her throat and massage it. I think the other problems I can see are of major importance however as well.
Quote:

Just wanting to say hello from Olathe!

Welcome to the group. Feel free to join in and tell us about yourself and your chickens or plans for chickens.
Great job on the cheese, HEChicken. I am envious. I would have loved to have wine and cheese.
I got a bunch of younger birds moved to the new cockerel quarters yesterday. I still need to move several more. There could be a few pullets in there as well. I thinned out the brooder house but also added more. After a customer today I'm moving more birds in there and hopefully pulling out some more older pullets to put elsewhere. It is a constant sorting job.
I hope the rain holds off a while. I may be taking a load of goslings to the post office here shortly. Waiting for confirmation. I had asked a person to not pay in advance but she did anyway and I am one short on her order. There were others ahead of her asking for goslings. I hope she answers soon so I can move down the list and get these shipped.

 

[Trish44]

@HEChicken that cheese looks yummy! Congrats on it turning out well even if it wasn't aged enough yet.

It's been raining here today, ugh I'm so over the rainy season. I just want to have some time inbetween where things can dry out some. I just moved my ewe & her new lamb back to the pen yesterday & now the pen will get all boggy again. I hate for the little thing to have to slog around in that mess but I have no choice.

 

[HEChicken]

NOTE: @Patriciaallison and others. I stand corrected. I have always heard it called Queen Anne's lace. What I get for listening to old time farmers. It is very similar but a short plant. This faster growing tall stuff is called Deadly hemlock

I did wonder about that and almost mentioned it the other day. Hemlock and Queen Anne's Lace do indeed look very similar. I've never had hemlock here to my knowledge but had Queen Anne's Lace and while visiting a friend years ago, he pointed out some hemlock he had on his property and I was really surprised by the similarity.

Good info on the lice etc. I got so busy talking about the crop I forgot about the other issues.

It is thundering here like crazy. I left the barn door open and all the animals have voluntarily retreated to it until the storm is over. We need more rain like a hole in the head at the moment. Fortunately I got my mowing done while the ground was relatively dry on Saturday, as if I hadn't, I doubt there would be opportunity this week based on the forecast and it would have looked like a jungle by the time it finally dried out otherwise.

 

[Patriciaallison]

I am great full for the info! I looked up QAL and found lots of uses for it but now that I know it looks like a deadly plant I will research both so I know the differences and can cull the hemlock.
P

 

[Patriciaallison]

I have been watching a few vids about water hemlock, queen Ann's leave and valerian. They have few differences but a mistake will kill you. I am checking my property here is what I found! An over abundance of hemlock!

[/IMG]
But also I found other weeds that might be useful I have no knowledge of them: that's what I get for being a city girl most of my life! I would just spray all these plants with vinegar in the city but out here I want to use what I can.

[/IMG][/IMG] well with the exception of the clove I know what that is. Anyone know uses for the other two? Or what they are called ? The hemlock is scary I saw one vid that said kids use the stalks for blow darts and end up killing themselves. I want it gone! That sounds like something my boys would do and the thought scares the hell out of me! I'm officially on eradication mode!
P

 

[Patriciaallison]

Hmm only the hemlock and the cloves showed up I'll try again

 

[Patriciaallison]