INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

When do you people sleep???!!!

Also, I know it's mainstream now but I have a problem with the "flee pills" !! I just can't get my mind around injesting a pesticide !! I wouldn't so I can't do it to my pets! Now that being said I know all too well how hard the fight is against flees. IMO

Never!!! (insert evil laugh, thees no icon for it). I only sleep 5-6 hours usually, I would sleep longer but I have to many things to do lol.

 

[vickichicki]

I understand not wanting to feed your pets any kind of pesticides. I was not a fan of doing so either. However the fleas were becoming problematic to the point another few weeks and we would have had a full on infestation.
I used another OTC style pill this time that was taken daily and it is out their system in 12 hours. The one I got from the vet I think it was Trifexis had major side effects on my one dog. She did not move for days, I thought she was on deaths door. Sure it killed the fleas, but to what damage to my poor dog.
The new OTC pills did not show any side effects and the dogs nor cats were sick from it.

Although not my idea of a long term flea treatment. It worked for the one a day for two weeks with bathing and topicals.

 

[racinchickins]

Just itching to tell you about FLEA PRODUCTS
I was just reading older posts and noticed ones about Frontline. I just wanted to mention that as far as treating my cats, I used to use Frontline Plus and when the patent ended, I used its generic versions. I noticed more and more that it worked less and less. I treated my cat Lionel last week with my son's help to make sure we applied it close to his skin behind his neck. It did not work at all! I was so upset because Lionel was miserable with fleas and I couldn't imagine waiting a month before I could try something else. I gave him a bath in Dawn, which helped, but totally traumatized him.

Today, I took him to the vet who said, "Frontline/Frontline Plus does not work anymore. Fleas have become resistant." Just like viruses and bacteria, parasites quickly mutate to survive. He gave Lionel a pill of Comfortis, which could be given even though Lionel just had the Frontline treatment. Lionel feels a million times better tonight. I am not intentionally trying to lobby against Frontline nor am I endorsing any products. I'm mentioning this because I've heard from other friends who have wondered why the flea treatments they've always used have become ineffective, especially when it has been warned not to re-treat them for a month.

My veterinarian also said that cats are much more sensitive to pesticides than dogs are, so that's why there aren't as many treatments available for cats.

My son pulled a flea off of Lionel, put it under his microscope and took this photo (yes, we are a weird family!)

Just wanted to add. The flea resistance to Frontline, etc.... is definitely becoming an issue. But on the chicken side (leaving out the effects on eggs discussion) using Frontline to treat mites and lice is much less common, so they haven't had a chance to build up resistance as fleas have, so it is still a valid treatment for them. And also, since I don't think anyone is giving frontline on a preventative basis to their chickens as they do to dogs and cats, it will slow the ability of the mites and lice to build such a resistance.

That being said, I'm still up in the air if I would use this on my laying flock unless I was out of other options to get rid of them. Not saying I won't, but am going to put more thought into it.

 

[CRSelvey]

All of your girls are pretty!

Update on Lola

She is still the same, but now her brother is starting to have difficulty walking. I remember reading a post on here about Cornish crosses and how they just sit there and eat and eat. That caught my attention because that's what Lola and her brother Curly did when they ate before they had the problems with there legs. Then I looked up pictures of Cornish rock crosses, and what do you know they look exactly like them. So I came to the conclusion that the guy I got them from lied to me when he said they were white rocks, but actually Cornish crosses. Im really sad now because now I think they can't recover and even if they did it would probably come back. As much as I don't want to say this, I will probably have to put them down.

I'm really sorry. Does reducing their food some help them lose a little weight so that they can move better? Has anyone had experience trying to keep a Cornish Rock?

 

[Webechickens]

Good morning. I've not yet raised Cornish Cross, but I did go Monday and help a friend process hers. Hers were 12wk. old and still running around. None of them had leg or foot issues. They were big, too. One of them dressed out was 6 1/2 lbs. Anyway, I've definitely read to pasture them as much as possible and limit commercial feed and it will help. My friend's foraged right along everyone else. If they can't free range, I've heard giving food for 12hrs. on, 12hrs. off. Hope they can improve for you.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I know people who raise cornish crosses. They will eat themselves to death. You can only give them food 12 hours a day. They said they will get so big there legs will break out from underneath them and stuff like that. I do know one person who was able to keep one for a year as a pet. It died from heart problems. this is the longest I have ever heard of someone being able to keep one alive.They arent chickens you keep as pets. That is terrible that he lied to you, Sorry about your situation darthlayer.

 

[Old Salt 1945]

For your viewing pleasure!

Since I shared my cows the other day I realized I haven't shared my chickies!

John

 

[kabhyper1]

kabhyper1- easter eggers dont have color varieties. like pipd said they are just mutts. They actually arent even a breed (most people assume they are). But they do lay some pretty eggs and have some great personaltites. Does yours lay a blue egg? Just wondereing as they can lay blue, green, pink, brown, and white. (i have never had one lay white but some peoploe on the EE braggers thread have. My newest EE that I got from brad. Lay a Brown eggs.I got 2 eggs in a row from her about a month ago and none since then (she is a new layer).


O and I guess I got my first blue egg (not first ever) a day or 2 ago. I must of missed it when I was gathering eggs. I found the eggshell in the pen, they ate it! I only have 3 pullets in the pen. One of which is the easter egger which lays brown (she is the one that fakes her egg song). And I have a blue araucana and a black ameraucana. Both of which will lay blue eggs. The ameraucanas comb is more red and the egg shell looked like iit would of been a large. (i think they egg might of been too big for the araucana to lay!

Peaches lays pink eggs, well they are a brownish pink. Oddly enough I named her before she layed an egg here. Maybe I should have named her bluebell, or greenly or some other color. I don't know much more than what you all have told me about them. She is very friendly and sweet though. Her color is unusual to me. Congrats on your blue egg! I hope you don't have an egg eater in your flock. I found two small eggs under the roost this morning, broken, but not eaten. I scooped them right up. I don't want any egg eaters. I have some young girls, so they must be having egg dreams or something. They are falling right out in their sleep.


In response to those on the flea subject, I am a dog groomer. I have found that absolutely nothing works on major infestations except for the pills. Comfortis is the pill that causes seizures. DO NOT USE IT! The topical stuff is a joke, and if you have multiple dogs that play, they are eating it when they put their mouths on each other. I have 5 dogs and although we rarely have fleas, if we get them, I use Trifexis. The major thing is treating at the source, whether you use natural or chemical, get them out of your yard. For occasional fleas, dawn dish soap and a good soak will usually kill the ones on the dog. But, if you have them in the house, or outside, it won't do much. You can use DE. I would use it with caution though, as it can cause respiratory issues. Natural is always best, and there are a few good home remedies, but big infestations usually need more powerful treatment. Personally I would rather give my dog a pill once a month, than deal with the diseases that fleas, ticks and mosquitos cause. We have had a dog with heart worm, and it is an awful thing.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I think I missed the beginning of the flea discussion. Were y'all talking about using it with chickens or with your cats and dogs?

We provide wood ash (free-choice) as part of the chicken's dusting areas. It is purported to suffocate the lice/mites and eggs on the chicken itself. I have not had any lice, mites, or fleas on my chickens to see if it works at removing an infestation. But it does seem to work for prevention.

 

[danand]

Well I need to vent!! Had one of my horses pass away this morning. She went down with colic yesterday , actually the night before. I could see spots where she had rolled in the night. Emergency vet visit!!$$$$ he tried some things and I walked her from 1:30-4 ( in this heat) then my DH walked her and we took turns till dark. She was still up this morning but not good and passed sometime between 8-9. It's just soo awful being so helpless in these situations. Now my other horse won't leave her and she died where we will never be able to get her out for the fertilizer company to get her!!!