INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Mother2Hens]

I had been getting down to 1 egg every other day from 8 pullets, so I was planning to worm the flock the coming weekend.
I got busy with hospital and surgery stuff this weekend and never thought twice about worming.
Since Sunday, it seems lots of the crew started laying again. (Maybe they were doing their part to poo on the patriots!) Anyway--the past 2-3 days we've gotten 5-6 eggs each day.
Hooray and Yikes! I never got around to my winter worming. Now I'll have to toss the eggs I've waited so many weeks to get!

I'm glad you didn't get mixed up and worm the surgery patient! Why do you have to toss the eggs if you haven't treated them yet? I've never wormed my hens and have never had any problems. I think that's one of those issues where some people routinely worm and others only do if there is a problem to treat. And everyone has the right to do what they think is best. I'm just nosey curious . . .
Any thoughts on that from others ~ do you routinely worm your flock or treat them as needed?

I'm brainstorming ideas for my chicken run fence 2.0 upgrade in 2014.
2013 was chicken run fence 1.0 and 1.1 but this winter has not been kind to my fence. Gravity, woods & fall leaves, 12" of snow, barn cat tightrope walking PLUS-- my DOGS have clawed through several squares of fence to steal the tiny bits of bread, squash, cookies, etc that we it out for the crooks. Grr! Stupid (smart) dogs! They act like a crumb would make the difference between life and death for them!
I'm thinking I may need the strength of chain link fabric. Still thinking about it.
Maybe 2-3' hardware cloth 1' buried and lining the inside of a 5' chain link fabric exterior?
Cons for chain link anybody?

Those dogs have no morals about those morsels!
Chain link with the addition of hardware cloth sounds like a smart upgrade. As jchny said, there's the issue with an open top. If you put hardware wire over the top and add some razor wire, you'd have Fort Knox.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Worming, yes I do it 2x a year. With so many bird species, and other livestock that comingle, I just can't take the risk not to.
I have no way to positively know what they eat free ranging, and what they may have been exposed to!
We follow a early winter early spring schedule. Works well, and I know everyone is parasite free for harsher weather.
For a smaller flock, I would probably not do it.
A vet will also do an inexpensive stool sample check to ensure there is no nasties

 

[HappyHappyHappy]

18+ silkie eggs available!
I will be heading to little Ameraucana moms place this Sunday. I will be heading down 69 south to 70 west. I can bring them with me. I am already meeting someone in Indy around 1:30-2pm.

I am asking $30 for these eggs. No shipping due to weather. Of course pickup in Warren is also available!

Possibly I can meet you somewhere along your travel to pick up the quail eggs?

 

[Too Fast]

You know that I have come a long way in a year as far as accepting the idea of killing a predator. The best solution is building Fort Knox like Too Fast has done. But I realize that it can be too costly for those with large flocks and livestock. IMO, I don't think raccoons are capable of acting sadistically. Their inquisitive nature drives their behavior to see what happens next, which could be entertaining to them, but I don't think their pleasure is from inflicting pain on another animal.

Well you trained me to understand the concept. Good job!

Agreed. Build it strong and like a fort, and one can sleep easily at night. It is easier to build it securely, tho, if you have a small flock like ours. We only have 7 girls, but they are happy, secure girls. For a larger flock, the security is challenging.


Anybody else wake up to 3-4 inches of global warming today???

Cock-a-doodle-do, everyone!

 

[bradselig]

 Possibly I can meet you somewhere along your travel to pick up the quail eggs?

It's possible. It will depend on if the hens continue to lay with the cold weather.

 

[gunchief25]

Morning all Cockadoodledoooooo!!!

 

[ChickCrazed]

CRSelvey ~I enjoy problem-solving, only the problem is, I'm not a vet! I'm sure it's a relief that Peanut Butter is put out of his and your misery. I'll be happy to change your avatar photo. I picked up Jersey from Freezer Camp at the veterinarian's today so that I could bury her before the next arctic blast hits. I buried her in the front landscaping that the chickens and I totally re-did last summer. Violet is buried there, too.

Btw, I know that several of our members have gone to the Exotic Animal Vets in Indy. I just did a Search This Thread for exotic: Look on page 1663 and scroll down to AmLambson, kabhyper, and brown cow's discussions. Page 1324 pginsber Page 1319 Mr. Tattoohead
ChickCrazed ~ Considering all of our members who rave about and have Cochins, are there any who breed them? Or are they difficult to breed? bradselig may be hatching some LF Cochin eggs for me if he has time.
ChickCrazed ~ That does sound like a great invention! What's the name of the product? Do the bags only come in Horse Size? I assume it could be used for cat litter.
Originally Posted by Penny Hen
Oh, and about electric fences: This is borrowed from another shepherd who lived out West. She puts aluminum strips on her electric fence and smears peanut butter on to bait them. When the coyotes (or other wild preditors) lick the peanut butter they get a full shock of the fence without their thick coats being able to insulate them. They don't challenge her fences after that.
That sounds sadistic-- isn't an electric fence enough?
And CCCHICKENS ~ glue traps for rats is slow torture. I think I need to be on a PETA thread! lol

Here is a link to one brand at rural king and I know tractor supply carries some as well. It will be back by the normal bags of pine bedding and roughly the same price. The bags looks smaller, but I think you actually get more out of them because you go through fewer and they expand as the pellets absorb moisture and break down.

http://www.ruralking.com/agricultur...fresh-pellet-bedding-40lb-equine-fresh-4.html

 

[ChickCrazed]

I'm brainstorming ideas for my chicken run fence 2.0 upgrade in 2014.
2013 was chicken run fence 1.0 and 1.1 but this winter has not been kind to my fence. Gravity, woods & fall leaves, 12" of snow, barn cat tightrope walking PLUS-- my DOGS have clawed through several squares of fence to steal the tiny bits of bread, squash, cookies, etc that we it out for the crooks. Grr! Stupid (smart) dogs! They act like a crumb would make the difference between life and death for them!
I'm thinking I may need the strength of chain link fabric. Still thinking about it.
Maybe 2-3' hardware cloth 1' buried and lining the inside of a 5' chain link fabric exterior?
Cons for chain link anybody?

I have chain link and like its strength for keeping out large predators (dogs and coyotes here mostly). The squares are big enough that a racoon arm could easily fit to reach in, so i worry that someone will accidentally get locked out and stay too close to the fence (I worry too much) and get grabbed. The large squares also let chicken heads poke through to eat the grass around the outside, which is fine except I have visions of a dog or fox coming along and grabbing one of those nibbling heads. I am going to put chicken wire along the inside once the weather is better to try to help back up the chain link and I think all my problems will be solved.

 

[lilmizscareall]

http://www.wthr.com/story/24502683/...deter-increase-in-coyote-attacks-in-greenwood
Coyotes in greenwood

 

[chick rookie]

Worming, yes I do it 2x a year. With so many bird species, and other livestock that comingle, I just can't take the risk not to.
I have no way to positively know what they eat free ranging, and what they may have been exposed to!
We follow a early winter early spring schedule. Works well, and I know everyone is parasite free for harsher weather.
For a smaller flock, I would probably not do it.
A vet will also do an inexpensive stool sample check to ensure there is no nasties

I too have comingleing flocks and herds and am thinking of worming, but I don't know what to use or how to go about it. And now with the loss of 3 hens in a week, and no apparent causes I am thinking maybe bad worms??? So if you would share what you use and how you get it to them with me I would be grateful. I'm just trying to figure out why I'm losing my birds. and trying everything I can.