Hello, nice to "meet" everyone!

[WendyLou]

My name is Wendy, WendyLou is what one of my very good friends, who recently passed away, used to call me. I am from Texas, married, and have one daughter who is 11 years old.
I am a veterinary technician at a hospital that treats a quite a bit of poultry, mainly chickens.
I never thought I would want to own chickens - granted, we don't usually see them in their finest condition lol.
Last spring, my dad, who is a veterinarian, surprised my niece and my daughter with 2 coops and 4 pullets each! I took to them right away, and am well on my way to becoming a "crazy chicken lady" lol.
At this time I have 28 total, of various ages. One adult rooster, Lavender Orpington, and one 5 month old Gold Laced Polish. I bought him as a group of four straight run chicks, sold the other three to friends, and of course ended up with a male!
Breeds I have - Production Red (the original 4 that started it all!), Golden Comet, Australorp, Minorca, Buff Orpington, Wellsummer, Black Sex-Link, Dark Brahma, Columbian Wyandotte, Speckled Sussex, Cuckoo Maran, Golden Cuckoo Maran and Salmon Favorelle.
I have 2 crossbred that I kept from my first batch of eggs I incubated. They were by my original rooster, an Ameraucauna, and luckily they are both hens. In fact one lays green eggs! Does that make her an Olive Egger?
At the moment I also have 6, 5 week old chicks, that my Australorp hatched out. She was soooo broody I finally let her keep some. The are by the LO rooster. I plan to sell them, or even give them to some of my friends who also love chickens.
We have several acres and have made one of our outbuildings into a coop, with a totally enclosed yard attached. They are allowed to free range from their coop during the day. We have a fence that directs them out into the horse pasture, whose fence we have lined with chicken wire, to keep the chickens from tearing up my garden and flowerbeds. My biggest problem is that lately I have had a major decrease in egg production. I have searched everywhere and have found the occasional hidden egg but can't find where they are laying the others, if they are. It's really hot here right now, or maybe they are molting, so possibly that could be causing them to lay less?
Thank you for allowing me join your group, and for letting me ramble on about my chickens!
I have been a lurker for quite some time now because y'all provide so many tips and great information!

 

[Kiki]

Hi Wendylou!
Welcome to BYC, we are so glad you joined us.

Have you tested their poop for worms yet?

This video will help you learn how to navigate this site:

 

[WendyLou]

Yes ma'am! I try to do it every couple months, or if I see some suspicious poo. Have not had any problems as of yet. I also always feed my chicks the medicated feed, to prevent coccidia (I know it's not a worm), but I want to stop any parasites I can! And that's a great question by the way. We see so many patients that have never had fecals done, and they can be loaded with "critters" lol

 

[Kiki]

Yes ma'am! I try to do it every couple months, or if I see some suspicious poo. Have not had any problems as of yet. I also always feed my chicks the medicated feed, to prevent coccidia (I know it's not a worm), but I want to stop any parasites I can! And that's a great question by the way. We see so many patients that have never had fecals done, and they can be loaded with "critters" lol

Unfortunately feeding them medicated feed doesn't always prevent Coccidiosis.
You can do a simple search on here now that you are a member and read the many many threads of cases of Coccidiosis that people thought the medicated feed was going to prevent.

I'd skip that feed all together.
It has a vitamin blocker in it and why block the chick from getting the vitamin if they have just as good of chance of getting the Coccidiosis with or with out that feed.

Could you try locking your girls up for a week.
Leaving them in the coop to see how many eggs are being laid.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Welcome to BYC! So glad you've joined us.
I, personally, don't muck around with medicated feeds - I manage to control potential exposure by using gradual exposure to the "local" soil the birds will live on within days of arriving in my brooder, allowing for natural progression of immunity building and have appropriate treatment measures available if needed (in all my years of using this approach have never had to use treatment as have never had my approach fail me). Incidentally, the medication levels in medicated feed are not preventative but rather at a level to do what gradual exposure does - control infection to allow for the body's natural defenses to do their thing.

 

[WendyLou]

Good to know about the feed. What are your thoughts on Cor-Rid in their water?
Excellent idea about locking them up! I may try that. The enclosed yard area attached to their coop, is unfortunately on the hottest side of the coop. I bet I can figure out a way to provide some shade though.
Thank you for already providing me with great tips!

 

[WendyLou]

Welcome to BYC! So glad you've joined us.
I, personally, don't muck around with medicated feeds - I manage to control potential exposure by using gradual exposure to the "local" soil the birds will live on within days of arriving in my brooder, allowing for natural progression of immunity building and have appropriate treatment measures available if needed (in all my years of using this approach have never had to use treatment as have never had my approach fail me). Incidentally, the medication levels in medicated feed are not preventative but rather at a level to do what gradual exposure does - control infection to allow for the body's natural defenses to do their thing.

 

[Kiki]

Corid is safe to use if you think you have an outbreak.
I too use dirt from the yard starting on day one in my brooder.

How about a tarp or an old sheet or two to block the sun?

 

[WendyLou]

That's what I'm seeming to find out lol. That makes sense about the gradual exposure to the soil...
Right now, because the Australorp, "Aussie" (very original, right) hatched her own chicks, I let her raise them and they've been eating the same feed (non-medicated) that I feed the others. But they spend most of their time out foraging and eating bugs, anyway.
Should I just feed an all flock feed, and keep oyster shell available, or keep feeding my layer feed? I keep oyster shell out, regardless.

 

[WendyLou]

Corid is safe to use if you think you have an outbreak.
I too use dirt from the yard starting on day one in my brooder.

How about a tarp or an old sheet or two to block the sun?

That's exact what I was thinking lol!