D'uccle Thread

[Doug the Chicken Man]

Quote:
Ours have few problems in the winter here in Eastern Ontario, Canada.
Just have to ensure that the coop is draft free and if you let them out in the snow sometimes you may find clumps of Snow or Ice stuck in the foot feathers.
Just watch the comb for Frostbite.
We have our roosta s 2X4's with the wide side up so the toes don't get frostbite as the feathers will cover them.
Ours did well down to about -30 celceus last year.

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

How is this six week old cockeral looking to everybody here.
He ha been crowing for about 2 weeks now.

 

[tofumama]

Thanks Chicken Man

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

no problem. We were nervous our first winter with them as well but there are lots of them at the auctions so we know they do well here.

 

[spook]

Aaaaaw! He is a handsome dude! We have 2 pullets that are about his same age and its the doggone Bantam Cochin in the same pen that is crowing! I expect the 3 young Standard Cochins to be picking that one up soon!

Thank you for the photo and sharing!

 

[chickiemommy]

Quote:
He is beautiful! You should be proud!

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

He is out of our last hatch of the year.
They just moved out to thier coop this weekend.

No more smelly chicks in the house.

So we will see how he grows out.

 

[spook]

Wow, I'm wicked bummed after candling 2 dozen eggs, MF's & Porc that we received from MPC. 14 are duds. Its a chance we take but I was in hopes I'd get better odds then that!

Oh well, its just money.

Earlier this morning I had to cull a MF chick. Dang, not doing well here! 1 1/2 weeks ago I culled 1 bantam Cochin mix (6 wks old) that hatched the same time the 2 MF chicks(7 1/2 or so weeks old) did. I placed this query in Emergencies/Illness' but no answers. What happened to these 2 chics is that I'd hear them give a long squeak, find them off their feet. No longer taking food or water, although the first chick would pick at a grape, this one (MF) today would only drink the seed liquid of a tomato. Nothing note worthy for feces, no blood or excess white. One day up and going to the point of stop. They are in the house, chicken room with 9 Standard Cochin chicks in a separate pen, they show no signs of any issues.

The State poultry tech suggested a virus that may have been human developed and they caught it. I took the chick to the vets to be put down, that way its cremated and I do not have to be concerned with a predator or one of my gals getting a hold on it. I have gone in and washed the pen she was in with bleach water and have cleaned up the dust that I can. Its done everyday as they are in the house!!!

I sure would love to hear your input. The parents to all these birds are NPIP tested and on my property.
This sure does not make me sound like a responsible or reputable breeder, and feeling a bit like throwing in the towel!

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

what are you feeding for food besides the grape and tomato juice? have you checked their feed for any mold or bugs? i got a chick started feed bag recently from our local feed store and when i opened it up there were webs in it from a moth/larva. i took it back to get a clean one but had to use the other feed i was giving to my adults for another day till i got it changed out.

could botulism or mareks be ruled out? if they were young you really couldn't do much for a necropsy to find out but you could check the symptoms.

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

Quote:
Spook that is sad.

A couple weeks ago we had 4 silkie chicks just drop dead with in a few hours they had been eating and drinking fine. The other chicks in the room in a different pen were fine.
We burned the bodies to be sure.