So I have come to the tough decision to cull several of my flock. Some of you know that I came home from Florida and found my best Ameraucana pullet with her eye swollen shut and matted with goop and feathers. She has had 5 days of Tylan IM and 6 days of oral Oxytetracycline. She is much better, but still has a slightly runny eye. I think my Ameraucana boy may have it too, but I can't catch him. His beard looks ratty and I think I saw bubbles in the corner of 1 eye.
It's getting closer to the time I'm leaving again, and cannot separate them out while I am gone, (1 run, 1 coop, chickens are on their own for 4 days.)
Thinking rationally, I should cull the Wheatens that show symptoms, cull the other Wheaten pullet with wry tail that I won't breed, and cull the random EE cockerel that was supposed to be an 'Americana pullet". If I cull now, then I can observe for symptoms in the other 8 for the next few months until I set eggs for incubation in the spring. Come to think of it, I'll also probably need to cull my back-up Orloff cockerel if he starts breeding, since the ratio will end up 2 boys to 6 girls.
Sounds like a plan, but I am such a wimp (as BYC knows) and I start crying when I think about it. Won't stop me from going through with it though.Feeling bummed.
I knew it you do what you have to when you have to . build a squeeze area . real easy two pieces of plywood will do with a piece of wire between them at one end 4x4x4.1/4 inch put it in a place where they run to or through spread it out so they go in the v pull it together when they go in the wire needs to be only six or eight inch's mine is just a piece of expanded metal u shaped between the coop and the fence .easy to catch the worst ones . don't feel bad that's just chicken raising .So I have come to the tough decision to cull several of my flock. Some of you know that I came home from Florida and found my best Ameraucana pullet with her eye swollen shut and matted with goop and feathers. She has had 5 days of Tylan IM and 6 days of oral Oxytetracycline. She is much better, but still has a slightly runny eye. I think my Ameraucana boy may have it too, but I can't catch him. His beard looks ratty and I think I saw bubbles in the corner of 1 eye.
It's getting closer to the time I'm leaving again, and cannot separate them out while I am gone, (1 run, 1 coop, chickens are on their own for 4 days.)
Thinking rationally, I should cull the Wheatens that show symptoms, cull the other Wheaten pullet with wry tail that I won't breed, and cull the random EE cockerel that was supposed to be an 'Americana pullet". If I cull now, then I can observe for symptoms in the other 8 for the next few months until I set eggs for incubation in the spring. Come to think of it, I'll also probably need to cull my back-up Orloff cockerel if he starts breeding, since the ratio will end up 2 boys to 6 girls.
Sounds like a plan, but I am such a wimp (as BYC knows) and I start crying when I think about it. Won't stop me from going through with it though.Feeling bummed.
So sorry, Friday...
I'm gonna PM you some info... may not be in time to help the worst off, but should help you with the rest...
I'll see if I can find any pics from back when I first got them.I honestly spend so much time with my ducks I don't think I could help but imprint on then. Half the time I'm posting on this site in sitting worth them. Yeah I got duck fever...it's a different kinda fever than flocks brother has.....Sweet!! Sounds like you did a good job imprinting... that's harder with the bigger ducks than with Calls... I am curious, though... yours are khakis right? Do you have any pics when you first got them as 'lings? If not, did their color look similar to this one?
Far right in last pic...
Goodnight RavynI'm beat and beered better hit the sack good night Friday
We're getting ducks tomorrow!G'Night, K...
Ducks are so much different than chickens... we are the same here... swore I wouldn't have ducks, too messy... now we have a decent flock of Calls and still growing... spoiled little buggers too... we spend tons of time with them, if you haven't noticed, lol...
