Illinois...

[Molpet]

I don't know all the details about bird flu,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, But is it treatable, or can this bald eagle recover, and heal on his own????

No treatment
They put down birds

 

[Molpet]

Now the zoo is loosing animals

https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/flamingo-harbor-seal-die-bird-flu-lincoln-park-zoo

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Just in case anyone is near St. Louis and knows someone interested in embarking on chicken keeping, St. Louis Community College is hosting my Beginner Chicken Class again this spring at the Meramec campus. I've been teaching this and various other chicken classes at STLCC for over 15 years.

Backyard Chickens: Beginners Have you thought about keeping chickens in your city or suburban backyard? Learn local ordinances and where to fnd more information for your area. Hear about the benefts of keeping chickens, appropriate housing, feeding and diferent ways to keep your chickens healthy and happy. Instructor has years of personal and professional experience and is an enthusiastic knowledgeable healthychicken farmer. ECOL-705 | 1 session | $28 AGE 60+ | $39 REG P01 Sa 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Guy Niere Feb 8 MC-SO 107

Registration is through Continuing Education.
https://stlcc.edu/docs/workforce-employer-services/25p-cecatalog_final_web.pdf

 

[Faraday40]

How are everyone's chickens doing in this weather?

My intelligent Sebrights have learned to sleep under the fluffy Orpingtons. My elderly (13 yr old) hen is still plugging along. Tomorrow will be the real test.

 

[Molpet]

How are everyone's chickens doing in this weather?

My intelligent Sebrights have learned to sleep under the fluffy Orpingtons. My elderly (13 yr old) hen is still plugging along. Tomorrow will be the real test.

So far so good.
Silly turkeys still want to sleep in the trees.

 

[cavemanrich]

My chickens are inside winter housing in garage. This extreme cold,,, I run the wood stove to maintain my goal of about 30°F.
Cats sleep there also.

 

[SnootyHen]

Mine are annoyed but doing okay. They get confused when the sun is shining and come running out thinking it's nice out and then nope right back to the covered run with is tarped all winter.

 

[Faraday40]

This little one is exactly 7 weeks old today. I’ve never had a rose comb chick so I’m confused about its gender. It's so different from my Orpington experience.

At first I thought male. The comb color went pinkish at 4 weeks,(Any Orp with pink comb at 4 weeks would be male) but it’s still flat 3 weeks later. There are tiny pink wattles but they’re not dropping. They’re also staying about the same and close to the beak

Tail and feather growth are fast. No bald back and shoulders. That "might" point to male, but not always.

No siblings (of same breed) to compare. Please share your gender guesses.

 

[Faraday40]

.... and yes I know hatching chicks a few days before Christmas is unusual. Tell that to my persistent hens who went broody mid November. They had to share their winter chicks.

Also. I'm getting eggs!
My bantam EE (a "future" replacement for my 13 year old EE, Tyrion) is giving me the cutest little round eggs. Then Tyrion decided to lay eggs. One last week and another this week.

DD's 8-yr-old silkie, Xansie, stopped laying a year ago, but she too decided to start laying again. She's a house chicken these days and not required to do more than be an emotional support chicken.

Is anyone else noticing an upswing in production this week?

 

[SnootyHen]

I have a few rose combs and they do pink up a little more than the others but I feel like I might see some saddle feathers. I'm not good at this game but I think the jury may still be out on that cutie pie.

I am definitely getting more eggs -- finally!!!! I think the new coop build threw a wrench in production too because a few had started and then promptly stopped when they were moved into the new coop. They were willing to lay in a cardboard box in the shed while we were building but not their new coop. LOL!! Crazy birds!