Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

What’s not to love about him?View attachment 2592908

He is a handsome dude.

 

[Scrambles83]

In general any medication, despite what it says on the packet, is best given in individual dosages. Doing it this way ensures each creature gets the right dose.
You may have to do a bit of maths to work out the correct dosage per bird. You need to weigh each bird to calculate the correct dosage.
Putting any type of medication in feed or water and hoping the right bird gets enough to sort the problem out is not likely to work ime.
Yup it's a bit of a bother, but chickens are.

So with the wormer, serve it ‘neat’ individually?
I already know I can’t syringe it directly, so any suggestions as to what could I put it into for each dose for each bird? Bread wouldn’t hide the flavour and I think that’s the issue.

 

[BY Bob]

So I'm wondering if they're not eating enough?? I felt keel bones tonight; the three Faverolle girls are all boney but Charlie isn't so much. I'm wondering if I need to set up a second feed station and just monitor how much they eat? I'm wondering if Charlie doesn't let them eat! I'll mix up some people food for them as well with some baby bird mix for extra vitamins. Cross fingers everyone that they will be ok!

It may just be as simple as a second feeder. Let's hope. When mine are confined like during the snow, I have a feeder for every 2 hens.

 

[BY Bob]

You have to pay for COVID tests?
Ours are free here

They are not free anywhere. My company makes them and someone is paying us for them. Trust me.

Chicken tax

 

[Scrambles83]

They are not free anywhere. My company makes them and someone is paying us for them. Trust me.

Chicken tax
View attachment 2592970

We have a Medicare system, so our taxes will be paying for them.
A better way to ask the question is ‘you have to cover the cost of them at the time you get them?’

 

[Shadrach]

I’m glad I read this just now; Nyssa’s sick. She’s very underweight, the vet’s not sure if she has an infection or a virus. She’s given me antibiotics and pain meds and I’m going to do a full coccidiosis treatment for everyone. I also need to check everyone’s keel bone to see if I can feel it.

I’m not really sure I can keep doing this!

I have tried in my time on BYC to do what I can to undermine the propaganda that would have us all believing that keeping chickens is just one big barrel of fun. It isn't, especially for those who have not had the experience to fully understand that getting the right chickens from the right place in the right condition is going to make a massive difference to the long term health of the chicken and the greatly reduce the stress and heartache of the keeper.
It really is worth spending a few months if necessary researching where to get ones chickens and which breeds are less likely to have serious health problems early in life.
The keel bone test is very misleading. Don't bother with it. There is not a chicken here that would pass such a test but they live, and from what I've read on this forum at least, live a lot longer than most.
If you want to keep track of whether a chicken is losing or gaining weight then you have to weight them. A chicken could lose a considerable amount of body weight and you would not know from feeling their keel bone.

You can do this Lozzy. Like everything else in life it's a learning curve. The unfortunate part is the penalty for not learning fast enough is very painful for those who care about the birds they acquire.

There is imo and in the opinion of those who keep chickens who I respect and can demonstrate good outcomes some very basic concepts that do unfortunately contradict just about everything that one can read on most chicken forums.

1) Chicken do not fare well in confinement. Their ancestors the jungle fowl will occupy up to 4 acres per tribe. Providing 10 square feet per bird and believing one has done enough to ensure their welfare is ridiculous. Yes, it's better than a cage, but to me it's rather like the child beater who states they have reformed because they only beat their child on weekends now.
2) Nature is far better at ensuring the best genetics go forward than humans are. Whenever possible leave matters of health to nature. I'm struggling with this one with Fat Bird at the moment.
3) Chicken are omnivorous and most commercial feeds are designed to provide the bare minimum to support a short life. Whenever possible free range your chickens. They have a much better idea of what they need to eat than you or I do.
4) I've read people getting a very hard time over this one but even reputable vets will say much the same. For many of the serious health problems, particularly with the high production breeds, it is far better to provide a quick and easy death for the chicken than it is to try and save their lives. I know many will not agree with this and many will cite success stories of intervention. Apart from the expense involved there is the stress and trauma for the chicken and owner. In most case terminal health problems are exactly that, terminal.

None of the above really helps you now I know. Not much of it helps me after ten years of caring for the chickens here and years caring for chickens on my uncles farm. This doesn't mean the rules/advice is wrong. It is however imo a set of considerations that anyone who keeps chickens and cares about their welfare should have in the back of their mind. It's how wee keep and breed the chickens we have that is killing them, not some inherent weakness in the species.

You contribute to these three threads Lozzy and just by that marker I know you can do this and learn in the process.

 

[Scrambles83]

Chicken tax.
Bok today with Snow hanging close by. Her tail is up, but I know that doesn’t mean everything.

 

[BY Bob]

We have a Medicare system, so our taxes will be paying for them.
A better way to ask the question is ‘you have to cover the cost of them at the time you get them?’

I wasn't trying to be critical but we are doing very well because of all the testing. I think it is best if everyone understands that many companies, not just ours, are turning a tidy profit on testing and vaccines. We are not giving them away.

I will stop there as this is a chicken thread. Sorry everyone for the diversion. Hopefully this makes up for it.

Chicken Tax

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Hi! I am so not caught up, so I won’t even pretend at it I’ve missed everyone’s updates and chat... it’s been kind of crazy around the farm lately, and in the community in general here. Let’s just say the FBook community forum for our island got so crazy/heated that there’s a new “no slander/personal attacks/name calling” one now that’s moderated and you have to actually live here/visit often to join it. And yes, both myself and my little baby goat were subjects of a few of those “attack” posts, from complete strangers!

Weather has been on and off, and I have lost two meat chicks (@ 5weeks old!) to cold snaps. They are now stuck in the barn here for another week, minimum. I’ve started to get my garden in, with seedlings in the greenhouse and cleaning up the overgrown beds at my friend’s farm. I walk Arduinna 3-10 miles a day, so we are getting some serious cardio in during daily chores/commuting. I lost one Red Rock girl to a predator (I’m thinking hawk) but otherwise everyone is doing well and we are looking at doing Roosties foot in the next couple weeks.

@BY Bob I also received the wonderful cards, and love them! Project Camper is also on, I scored free flooring and DH and I finally have some agreement on the short term/long term renovations. More importantly, I will be buckling down and concentrating on what I can do on the house. I’ve made two new island friends (taxidermy and Sauerkraut!) and they had some great suggestions on getting the panels up to the second story without the tractor, which BIL won’t share and recently broke (again). I’m going to blast up some photos in a separate post, but wanted to pop in with an update as well.

@Shadrach i am so sorry to hear of Fat Bird’s troubles, and I know you will do your best by her. If I’ve missed anyone else’s troubles, I’m sorry and don’t feel slighted, I just haven’t had a chance (is it even possible?) to catch up yet. Much love, and I’ve missed you all!

I was wondering where you were!

 

[BY Bob]

Chicken tax.
Bok today with Snow hanging close by. Her tail is up, but I know that doesn’t mean everything.
View attachment 2592974

Such pretty ladies. I hope Bok picks up for you.