Consolidated Kansas

[msjfrizzle]

Sorry I've missed the last few days of posts, and I probably shouldn't be responding from work, but it IS my 40 minute lunch break. Loralee, so sorry about the sick baby! I got some new little ones, and one got pasty, so I read several threads about it. Based on several recommendations, I mixed some plain yogurt in with the chick starter feed- about a tablespoon to a cup or so of feed, then a little water to get it all softened and mixed well- but not goopy. They ALL chowed down, and little pasty (named Annie Peck after an American mountaineer) has been fine ever since. Of course, I cleaned her off first. Yours may have a different problem, but it seems sensible to introduce beneficial bacteria into their digestive tracts. Besides it was hialrious to see them go after that softened feed.

 

[Hawkeye95]

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oh that's really cute! Yay for new chicks!! I'm really, really enjoying mine!! Next time I'm at the store, I'll get some yogurt. But I think this chick really has a diff issue. The pasty butt is a symptom of something else.

Ivy- I still have paint in my top layer of hair from this summer! I wash and wash and short of pulling it out....

There are only a couple of specks left now, but I know they are there.

Danz, little miss Sick Chick is still alive, but still laying down and looking pathetic. She's eating and drinking. AND her butt has not gotten dirty since I washed her off really good this morning! So maybe her pasty butt issues are over..? Her poor little swollen rear end is just sad looking though. The others don't really tromp on her or mess with her. Otherwise, I'd probably figure out a way to keep her separate. The others have clean bottoms since I washed them off last night. Not worried about stressing them-- seriously, these chicks are very perky and lively! They jump and run and are crazy. It's amazing how they seem to just avoid the sick one. Or when one gets tired-- they will go lay down next to her. Which is kind of sweet.

I did call the hatchery and tell them that she is not doing well and I didn't think she was going to make it. They said to call them on Friday and if she is still sick (or dead), they will credit me-- even if she is alive, because they said sometimes they will just die later on. I don't have much hope for her, but I'm still going to help her as much as I can.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
btw- what kind of chicks did you get? The boys still talk about our puddle jumping fun!

 

[ChooksChick]

Hi, everyone!

First, I want to say that the Baumanns in Garnett are lovely people and taking my surplus roos there to prepare for freezer camp was a wonderful option. I will certainly do this hereafter, as well. They have a great facility and are very ethical and respectful in their care of the birds, so I felt better about it. I am hyper-empathetic and anthropomorphize to the nth degree, so making a pragmatic decision such as this is nearly miraculous, much less following through on it. I am glad for their services and will definitely recommend them to anyone. Because they are USDA certified, you could then sell your properly stamped, inspected, vacuum sealed poultry, should you choose to do so. It took about an hour to get there from Lawrence, and it's a lovely drive.

Second, on squishy-booty chicks: sometimes it's mushy-chick syndrome. This is a bacterial infection that enters at the umbilicus (the stub below the vent) at hatch, and most don't overcome it, however they can have a squishy caboose due to other things, such as large yolk and vitamin/mineral deficiency in the egg from which they hatched.

Whenever I have a weak chick, I generally use the same treatment: baby parrot formula and sand, sprinkled liberally over their normal feed.

The probiotics in the formula essentially perform the same function as the yogurt someone suggested, and because it tastes good, they eat it readily. They also get a boost in vitamins and minerals as it's very high in both, as well as a good digestible protein content. I keep it on hand for injured birds, too, because one of the first things that happens when a bird feels ill is that it stops eating, which cascades into getting weaker, etc.

I hope everyone is doing well, getting lots done, and enjoying the lovely weather. I really wish it would give us just a gentle rain every couple of days...but I like the mild temps.

I'm nearly done with the new facility, which has 5 duplex coops (each of which houses 2 breeds, separated), a triple, and one single, which houses a breeding pair. I have one more coop to build, a peafowl house to build, and two more gates. I currently have 11 gates into various runs and divisions. There will be 11 panels I will have to make and install for the space under each coop-space for the feed and water area, which will be hinged for easy access. I have all of the coops in a long row with the back of all of the coops in a 'hallway' for accessing the people entrance into their sleeping space, with the gate into each run on the sides. The pop doors are on the front of the coop into the run. Once the food doors are installed, I won't have to go into the runs for normal maintenance. Avian netting is already on more than half of the runs, but I need to finish that up, as well...it's just really not a one-person job.

I need to paint everything, and I don't have proper roofing material on any but one...I was going to shingle, but I don't want to, and a friend who works for a sign company offered me these HUGE pieces of vinyl like what they use for billboards- white, numbered 1-8 in GIANT numbers. I think I'm going to use these for my roofing! You'll be able to fly over and identify my coops!

So: the resulting divisions are: Blue/Black/Mottled/Silkied bantam Cochins; Lavender/Porcelain/Mottled/Lavender Mottled d'Uccles; South American Koro Sea Raraku; South American Mapuche/Nikkei/Quechua; French Black Copper Marans; Partridge Chantecler; Blue/Black/Splash/Lavender/Partridge Silkie; Paint/Red Pyle/Blue/Splash/Silkied Ameraucana; Gold Laced/Isabel/Lavender/Porcelain Orpington; Oread Rangers (my own dual-purpose project bird which produces heavy roosters in about 12 weeks).

I'm trying to decide how to further divide into the remaining pens, as color divisions need to be more stringent...gah! Hard to believe this is after greatly diminishing the breeds/colors I'm playing with...oh! I forgot I'll be putting my Chocolate Project in one pen, too- Marans, Silkies, and Cochins, BABY!!! It'll take for-bloody-ever, but I'm moving the gene into the other breeds. This little Chocolate roo is going to have a bunch of different girlfriends!

 

[Kansaseq]

Hi Renee,
Glad you seem to be feeling a little better. I've sent you a couple of emails to your regular address. Please contact me.

 

[chicken danz]

The yogurt is pushed by a lot of the naturalists who want to be sure to be antibiotic free. My daughter has used it to defeat coccidiosis on a couple of occasions. She doesn't feed medicated food and only feeds natural grains that are certified to be chemical free. I personally think using medicated chick starter is a lot better than watching a chick suffer or die. (I have never had cocci around here.) She lives in Texas by the way, so our birds don't cross paths. I am sure the parrot food is very good as well.
One thing I have done is add yogurt to a boiled crumbled egg yolk. Great high protein and probiotic mix. It also helps get stubborn chicks started eating.
That reminds me. I had a package of three cartons of guacamole that had expired, but were still sealed and appeared good. I sat them out and let the chickens eat them. They absolutely went crazy over them. They thought they had a great treat. I figure it was good for them. They love hot pepper. Garlic and salt are natural antibiotics, and avocados are loaded with protein and vegetable fat. Too bad you can't make guacamole cheap!

 

[Hawkeye95]

well, I asked DH to bring home yogurt. But it might be too late now. I did get her to eat it and she did seem to like it. But now, she's put herself in the corner of the brooder and she looks like she might be dying. Sigh.

Chooks- sounds like a LOT of work! Yikes! All before winter! I'm going crazy with just my one project! ha! Good luck, oh and that's great you found a good place to dress out your birds.

Thanks Danz... not sure if she'll live now or not, but I did give it a try.

 

[rittert3]

I hope it works out hawkeye unfortunatly, in chicks you lose one now and then. I'm sry I havn't been on today, I'm all kinds of sick and have only got out of bed to check on kids every now and then. I have a ton of stuff to get done but feel horible and don't think any of it is important enough to spread my germs around town.

 

[chicken danz]

Had a pretty good day although I didn't get much done. I went for a lesson this morning and made a great new acquaintance that is not only buying some of my birds but also is in charge of the 4H thing around here, so she's spreading the word. She said she couldn't believe she didn't know about me- especially being so close. I have done so much out of town selling and I just never got into the local market much. The town nearest me just finally passed the ordinance to allow poultry in town so that will help as well. I am just super excited. I went to her place this morning and she came to mine this evening.
I've been needing to get in on this local market.
I spent too much time outside today and am coughing my head off. Darn allergies!

 

[Ivywoods]

I just got home from work. I'm flying higher than a kite. I accomplished something today I've been wanting to do for a while. It's something at work, and I am not at liberty to talk much about it yet, but WAHOO. Suffice it to say I'm a happy camper tonight!

I have the day off tomorrow and I hope to be able to finish building the doors for my cage. It will depend if my hubby can help me hold them in place to do the corners. I just don't have a very good way to do it by myself. I'm pretty sure he is planning to help me with it, so if all goes well I should be able to get them done and painted, and then installed Saturday before I have to go to work.

On a not so bright note, our nubian buck goat died today. He was down and not getting up when I went out to water everyone. I came back in and told my hubby, and when he went out a little later he was dead. We have no idea why. DH thinks he was just old. I don't think he was old enough to just up and die so quickly. I always worry about something getting spread to all of them. I hated to loose him. He sired such beautiful babies.