Isa's Homestead Happenings and Hangout

[troyer]

I'm not sure either. I can't pinpoint what causes half of it. My pheonix flock really can't get better housing (multiple times the minimum space guidelines, practically unlimited ventilation, roosts of multiple sizes and plenty of space where snow cannot get.) And I have birds every year that end up having a foot or two die off. Other flocks have the same issues, but the pheonixes are the really frustrating ones because I quite honestly can't find anything that would warrant needing to be fixed

Genetics partially plays into it as well. I tend to keep track of the lines that it comes from and slowly cull those out.
Dampness is the worst enemy to combs and wattles.
Lack of body fat plays into feet getting frozen in my experience.
What happens is the chicken gets cold and stands there shivering, they don't sit on their feet and shiver, they stand and shiver, effectively allowing their legs to freeze. Or a roost pole isn't proper for the chicken.
I have a four year old rooster that has frostbite on a few toes because for some reason he molted later this year than normal. Being in the molt and also lack of body fat because of molting contributed to him standing for extended amounts of time and leaving his legs exposed.
If I'm at home when it's cold I'll go and check on them periodically and get them to move around a bit to stave it off as much as I can.
It seems like some of them actually try to get frozen feet. Those I typically process for consumption. No point in selling them and giving someone else the problem.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Genetics partially plays into it as well. I tend to keep track of the lines that it comes from and slowly cull those out.
Dampness is the worst enemy to combs and wattles.
Lack of body fat plays into feet getting frozen in my experience.
What happens is the chicken gets cold and stands there shivering, they don't sit on their feet and shiver, they stand and shiver, effectively allowing their legs to freeze. Or a roost pole isn't proper for the chicken.
I have a four year old rooster that has frostbite on a few toes because for some reason he molted later this year than normal. Being in the molt and also lack of body fat because of molting contributed to him standing for extended amounts of time and leaving his legs exposed.
If I'm at home when it's cold I'll go and check on them periodically and get them to move around a bit to stave it off as much as I can.
It seems like some of them actually try to get frozen feet. Those I typically process for consumption. No point in selling them and giving someone else the problem.

The frozen feet is where my culling results stem from. I have no issues when it comes to birds losing nails and knuckles, that's quite typical. But when their feet freeze solid, more often than not it lingers in the foot before quite rapidly killing off the lower leg. It amazes me how fast it kills off the leg when it takes over a week, often even longer to leave the foot. Unfortunately my pheonixes are all related, so I can't just process any that have had frostbite of any kind.

 

[OneHappyDuckie]

Did I miss anything? Skipped from 1148

 

[troyer]

Did I miss anything? Skipped from 1148

Yes, better go back and read all of like the proper way is to do it. That way if someone mentions a certain point at least you'll have some idea of what we're talking about.
Is that pretty vague?

 

[sdm111]

Okay, thanks

I'll mix it about a quarter soaked oats in pellets mix it up and they love it. By the time it gets to the feed cups it a mush. They'll eat it till they pop it seems

 

[sdm111]

Yes, better go back and read all of like the proper way is to do it. That way if someone mentions a certain point at least you'll have some idea of what we're talking about.
Is that pretty vague?

Don't forget about that other thing they may want to check that out

 

[sdm111]

I'll mix it about a quarter soaked oats in pellets mix it up and they love it. By the time it gets to the feed cups it a mush. They'll eat it till they pop it seems

Good way for me to get water in them when they're hot and don't want to do much

 

[bill3607]

Did I miss anything? Skipped from 1148

Well, Duh

Your education will forever be stunted unless you go back and read every single post.

As penance go back to page 1139 and start from there while laying across your bed with your head hanging off the edge almost but not quite touching the floor with your phone turned upside down while your cats lick your feet.

Also, turn your phone on the brightest level. When you are finished report back.

 

[OneHappyDuckie]

Well, Duh

Your education will forever be stunted unless you go back and read every single post.

As penance go back to page 1139 and start from there while laying across your bed with your head hanging off the edge almost but not quite touching the floor with your phone turned upside down while your cats lick your feet.

Also, turn your phone on the brightest level. When you are finished report back.

Ok

 

[bill3607]

Ok

oK