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[mrandmrschicken]

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Thanks!

 

[LadyWoodsong]

Hope you get that job, Eric!


I have a question: one of my Black Stars is shaking it's head a lot and the feathers around a section of it's neck are looking raggedy and scruffy looking. What could it be? All of my other chickens are fine, no head shaking, feathers nice and smooth.

I hate the thought of something being wrong. I've had them all since April and never had a problem (yet). They've all been healthy and I've not lost one BS to predators or disease. I just don't want whatever is going on with this one to spread to the others.

They've been in the coop quite a bit for the last couple weeks due to the snow and cold here. I have opened their little pop-up door and they don't seem to want to go outside in the snow too much. I'm wondering if it could be mites? They aren't getting dust baths like they were this fall. I don't know if taking a dust bath in pine shavings does the same as in dirt or not. I have wanted to get some DE but not sure of where to get some around here. Do you know if Bomgaars carries it, Eric?

Sorry for rambling here. Just typing "outloud".

 

[mrandmrschicken]

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Thanks for the good wishes, Not sure when I will hear about the job, hoping as early as tomorrow, either yea or nay.
As for the chickens, unless I am wrong, sometimes they get wet from drinking and their feathers will mat down. She is most likely shaking her head cause her feathers are bugging her. It could also be mites. You can provide them with a dust box with a mixture of clean black dirt and sevin dust mixed in. Some folks use DE or wood ash too. I would use a storage tub so they have to climb in and climb out. It will also give them something to do so they don't get bored and peck feathers or each other when inside for cold days. I have also heard chicken ladders keep them busy too!
Are you all over the flu at your house?

 

[LadyWoodsong]

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Yes, we are over the flu. My oldest was the only one to get it. He was pretty sick for four days. (stomach bug, fever, headache, body aches)

I'm thinking that it might be mites although I've never had a problem with them. Not saying I couldn't have a problem. Mites just seem like something I would have trouble with in the warmer weather, not middle of winter.

I have a large galvanized tub around here somewhere, I think I will stop and get some DE or black dirt (I wonder where I could get clean black dirt from right now? Fergusons?) and get some sevin dust. I wonder if I can get sevin dust at Walmart right now? Walmart is so bad about not having what you need when you need it. I bet Bomgaars may have it. Do you have any suggestions on how much sevin dust to add in?

Thanks.

 

[iluvmichickens]

Hi!

I was just curious what most BYC members here in Iowa do to keep their coops warm in the Winter?

This is my first Winter with chickens. All mine are 3 1/2 months old and so far I haven't had any light or heat on in the coop. But... I'm getting a little nervous since it's getting so cold at night. Kinda funny though, cause during the day they are out "playing" in the snow. Goofy things!

I was kinda hoping of not needing to use any heat, but I just hate to think of them out there freezing on the roosts!

 

[mrandmrschicken]

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Yes, we are over the flu. My oldest was the only one to get it. He was pretty sick for four days. (stomach bug, fever, headache, body aches)

I'm thinking that it might be mites although I've never had a problem with them. Not saying I couldn't have a problem. Mites just seem like something I would have trouble with in the warmer weather, not middle of winter.

I have a large galvanized tub around here somewhere, I think I will stop and get some DE or black dirt (I wonder where I could get clean black dirt from right now? Fergusons?) and get some sevin dust. I wonder if I can get sevin dust at Walmart right now? Walmart is so bad about not having what you need when you need it. I bet Bomgaars may have it. Do you have any suggestions on how much sevin dust to add in?

Thanks.

I really can't tell you how much to add, just enough to pale the dirt. You could try peat moss too but it is VERY dusty! The tub would be a great idea.
The pic below is a dust bath I made once. Look carefully at what it is! The bird inside there is Miss E (an EE) as a little pullet. She is over 3 1/2 now and one our oldest and the only bird left from my first order of chicks. The one looking on is Tall Man, a Vorwerk.

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Sorry, on laptop and don't have a good command of it

. The picture:

 

[LadyWoodsong]

Hahaha! Cute, Eric!

 

[LadyWoodsong]

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I'm not a real experienced chicken-owner, but from what I've read chickens don't need heat or light. Some people do give light through the winter so their chickens continue to lay. It's a matter of personal preference. I don't, only because we do not have electric in our coop or anywhere nearby.

As far as heat, they say chickens do just fine without heat. As long as you have a roost that has the wide-side up so that they can sit on their feet at night (that's what I have). I also read that if you supplement with heat, they don't feather out like they should which helps with keeping themselves warm. This, too, is probably a matter of personal preference.

This is my first winter with my 12 Black Stars (got in April so they're about 9 months old) and three bantys and we'll see if this advice is true. So far so good.

 

[Tiramisu]

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I had a tiny coop, but I used this http://www.lowes.com/pd_13353-56291..._prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1 on the inside. It did really help keep them warmer..but my coop was like 3ft high, 6 feet long and about a foot of length. If you had a heat lamp in it, it keeps it a lot warmer. I did that but it fell and caught fire and killed one of my birds