fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[Shadrach]

Poor Silas, he's been uncomfortable.
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It's cooler today!

Should I be concerned that this is not just mosquito bites?
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Could be fowl pox, could be fight scabs.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My sister-in-law has died. Her funeral is Monday, 700 miles away, so I'll be heading out in the morning.

I'm glad I don't have week old chicks to leave behind, all of them seem to be doing well. My sitter should be able to handle the basics.

Sorry to read about your SIL, I hope you have a safe trip.

The scabs on Silas's comb may be Fowl Pox or possibly some scabs from injury or pecking, it can be hard to tell sometimes unless there's a lot more dotted lesions.

My birds have had Fowl Pox on different occasions over the years (it's mainly spread by mosquitoes which we have a lot of) and I've just left it alone, letting them heal up. Some do paint lesions with Iodine to help them dry up a little more quickly. I do watch that they eat/drink o.k., etc. the ones that have had it, it never seemed to even bother them. Good thing is once a bird has recovered, they build resistance so are unlikely to have it again.

 

[1muttsfan]

Just like milkmaids developed resistance to cowpox. Which led to the development of a vaccine for smallpox, saving who knows how many millions of lives.

 

[fuzzi]

I'm back.

The chicks GREW, a lot while I was away. Naomi's three cockerels will be heading to auction on Saturday.

Wait. I said NAOMI'S?

That's Naomi, the black & white Dominique on the left, with one chick under her, but the rest are with ABIGAIL, on the right? Esther on the far left appears to be laughing, and Silas looks like he doesn't want to be involved...


But Rahab's done this before, she's got it under control...

 

[fuzzi]

And this afternoon ABIGAIL was calling the chicks for tidbits.

I think they passed the torch...

The auction baskets just need straw. Once it's dark I'll be heading out to the coop to grab cockerels off the roost.

 

[1muttsfan]

Such good little mamas

 

[fuzzi]

Such good little mamas

And the Dominiques are first timers, at 2 years old!

 

[fuzzi]

Done! Three BB OEGB cockerels are now in two baskets. I think I got the biggest of the three in a basket by himself, hard to see in red light.

And while I was out by the coops I put leg bands (zip-ties) on all of the Sussex chicks.