Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[ocap]

@ Karen and others who's birds suffered frostbite. When the weather promises seriously cold temps., I pre-treat my cocks/cockerels with KenAG Udder Cream (like I did yesterday) and do not have any frostbite problems. Sure, it's a real pain in the butt, especially with so many birds to deal with. And it's easier now with Jason basically doing the work or most of it but a while back...I did it alone.

Keep in mind, these are 'lowly' production birds and not the high-brow show birds that so many have to worry about but I think as highly of these birds as anyone does their SOP cock birds. I do this because it works and and above all else, it's the humane thing to do.

how thick?

 

[hellbender]

how thick?

How thick? Its a powder blue cream so it's very easy to see when you have a thin film on the comb and wattles. One thin coating before the seriously cold weather has always worked for me but when it continues to be below 0*F for more than three days, I re-apply the cream. I like to sort of massage it into every part of the red areas.

I use this to keep my goat's teats from chapping (it intended use) and I also apply it to myself in just about every place imaginable. It heals/prevents chaffing of hands and face and ...elsewhere and we use it on our feet when we get out of the shower. it is non greasy and does not stain anything.

I buy the 4.5 pound tub and it is a actually quite reasonable. It should cost no more than $25 or $28 bucks for the tub and I only use about a tub per year...good investment.

If your birds have already suffered frostbite, it eases the pain and helps prevent some tissue loss if you can get it on them right after the incident...still better to pre-treat.

 

[thedragonlady]

Goodness this forum has been quiet this evening. Everybody frozen, or hopefully, tucking birds in ?

 

[Maggiesdad]

Slightly frozen but thawing!... it got down to -1° here last night. Tonight's supposed to be a bit milder.

'but we're still a livin' so everything's okay' L.T. Drifter

 

[Zanna]

Karen, a question for you...... I know you have purchased shipping boxes from boxesforbirds.com Their smallest, the two bird box, I am assuming as they come unassembled that you would not have to put the divider in? Would they be big enough for transporting a fairly large Marans Pullet/Hen to a show? Are they wax lined? Can't find answers on their website!

Stay warm everyone! We were a balmy 63 deg. today, snow a foot and a half 3 weeks ago, very unusual for here. Tomorrow the great floods are supposed to hit for two days and it has just almost dried up!

 

[Zanna]

Laceyblues, here are the pics I took of the Delaware pullet of Kathy's that I have with the poor feather quality. Pics taken in the dark on the roost last night but hopefully you can see the frayed look to the feathers. This is not rooster damage, her feathers came in like this after her Juvie Molt, she is a year old first week in April. She is with my layer flock and will not be used for breeding.

 

[3riverschick]

Karen, a question for you...... I know you have purchased shipping boxes from boxesforbirds.com Their smallest, the two bird box, I am assuming as they come unassembled that you would not have to put the divider in? Would they be big enough for transporting a fairly large Marans Pullet/Hen to a show? Are they wax lined? Can't find answers on their website!

Stay warm everyone! We were a balmy 63 deg. today, snow a foot and a half 3 weeks ago, very unusual for here. Tomorrow the great floods are supposed to hit for two days and it has just almost dried up!

Hi,
I have never shipped a single bird before. Only pairs and started birds. I would just call them and ask.
They are super experienced will so many breeds, sizes and weights. personally, I would use the 4 bird box
to give the bird a bit of room, but that's just me. It may not be necessary at all.
http://www.boxesforbirds.com/index.html
Best,
Karen
Was minus 1 here last night. Tonight it is a balmy 23 degrees.

 

[brahmabreeder]

Goodness this forum has been quiet this evening. Everybody frozen, or hopefully, tucking birds in ?

Birds aren't frozen, nor am I , but the eggs on the other hand...now that's another story. Yesterday my one egg was frozen and then split, so I just decided to 'cull' the other egg. It was the same the previous morning. Thankfully warmer weather is coming! Yesterday morning it was -5 and now it's 15 outside. Friday shows 46 and mostly sunny

!!

 

[thedragonlady]

Laceyblues, here are the pics I took of the Delaware pullet of Kathy's that I have with the poor feather quality. Pics taken in the dark on the roost last night but hopefully you can see the frayed look to the feathers. This is not rooster damage, her feathers came in like this after her Juvie Molt, she is a year old first week in April. She is with my layer flock and will not be used for breeding.

If this girl was in molt when the cold hit, I would not cull her;. We've seen lots of fretting in feathers here this winter in birds who molted just before the cold hit. The pins were damaged by the cold while they were still in the blood stage.One of my best feathered hens is a mess, as she molted during the 70 degree days we had after Christmas, and was all pins when the severe cold hit.She actually spent a week in the house during that time also, as she was really naked, but the pins were still damaged by the cold.

 

[hellbender]

If this girl was in molt when the cold hit, I would not cull her;. We've seen lots of fretting in feathers here this winter in birds who molted just before the cold hit. The pins were damaged by the cold while they were still in the blood stage.One of my best feathered hens is a mess, as she molted during the 70 degree days we had after Christmas, and was all pins when the severe cold hit.She actually spent a week in the house during that time also, as she was really naked, but the pins were still damaged by the cold.

The voice of reason and experience. I'm fairly opinionated (shocker) but I rely strongly to the experience of others who have garnered experience and knowledge far above my own and turn a deaf ear to the less sagacious.