Its Time To NAME THAT EYE PROBLEM!!!Update: PG 11 bottom of Post #101

[threehorses]

That's a REALLY great list! I'm going to copy it over and investigate some stuff. Some of those are already 'old friends' but quite a few could be new ones.

Interesting thing about distant past. I was blessed recently as someone very very dear to me gave me some beautiful old chickens books. I'm fascinated with the way that they did things in the days before common electricity, a lot or drugs, etc. Very neat stuff.

There's a lot of common sense there. For example, that's one place where I realized the answer to "Well why do we give probiotics now when they never USED to?"

In that case, they did. Back then they gave milk products commonly to birds. But back them, milk was NOT pastuerized and still had - guess what - Lactobacilli in it. The same lactobacilli that we now use in yogurt (which is pasteurized, and *then* reinjected with live cultures).

Reading those books really teaches me a lot about basics - very basic basics! And there's some wonderful information there.

So I particularly love this list. Thank you for it!

 

[The Wolf Queen]

OK envirement. I keep the youngest juveniles in a rabbit hutch with a little room (completely wood enclosed) with an opening to walk in and out of. Then the bigger part has two solid wood walls. the other 2 and the floor of that section is some sort of square wire. They have 2 feeders and 2 waterers that get cleaned and refilled twice a day. The sleep compartment has wood shavings that if I dont rake them out the chicks kick it out for me.

The bigger one (the condo coop lol) is pretty large. Not sure on measurenent but its probably almost 5 ft high with two nesting boxes that connect to a wood slide step thing that reaches the ground. In front of the step is a perch that reaches from the boxes to the other side of the coop.They have a dirt floor. The nests have the same type of shavings and there is roosting and standing space on top of the two boxes. Oh and they have one feeder and water (refilled twice daily) and I also either clean their shaving or they kick them out for me.

Icant think of how they could be exposed to ammonia.

 

[zowieyellowflame]

Could u measure the condo? what kind of wood shavings? this is all indoor stuff? do they go outside? what does your condo smell like when u enter? like feathers and feed or does it smell like poop? if u have someone visit, what is their reaction to the coop? do they comment on the birds or do they talk about smell? can u try to honestly answer each of these questions? i think it is important. just pretend you are answering as though we are all coming for a visit tomorrow.

 

[lildinkem]

Natalie, you seemed to have an interest in what many would call my backwoods or Neanderthal like ways chicken rasing. You are very lucky. I wished I had a book like that a year ago. It was a year ago when I had a bought of this stuff like The Wolf Queen.
And unless I never met my buddy here, in Indy, who is almost older then dirt, I would be very skeptical.
But, I did what I did, and I really think it worked. And cause of that he sent me these chicken ideas.
Glad to share and hope to be of some help.

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Well I would call them neither backwoods nor Neanderthal ways of raising birds! I was raised with stories of "how things were done", which were passed on to me as traditions (though I think I just recently realized what treasures they were), which hopefully will be passed on by me - someday - to a kid, but if not they'll be shared with others.

The thing is with traditions - people did things certain ways before we understood "why". Just that they really worked. They're basic, and the basics aren't passed on now. So hey - yes, I'm interested!

My friendship with Glenda Heywood has been one of the biggest blessings to poultry, but especially to my life. My grandparents, great grandparents, etc - had chickens out of neccessity. THey didn't really have an interest in them quite as much as I do just "because". Glenda on the other hand had the best of both worlds. She and I talk a lot about 'then and now' and how some things just don't change. But there's good from both time periods. I like a hybridized way of keeping birds, myself. But I'll be honest - I still love the old ways.

So any time you want to share, please email me. You were lucky to meet your dear old friend!

 

[threehorses]

In addition to Zowie's great questions, I'd ask how many birds (of what age) do you have in how many feet of space.

Like: I have 20 three month old birds in a coop and run that (combined) are 20' x 15 feet.

Literally stick your head in the coop part - what does it smell like, and is any smell strong at all? Even pine? Do they usually have droppings in their coop or out in the run?

 

[lildinkem]

Natalie
I agree, any old timer who blesses us with their knowledge is very okay with me. I have 2 friends who are my mentors, Larry and Chris have held my hand the whole way thru same crud that is killing this poor ladies birds. Initially I medicated, and I think that hurt my birds as much or more.
Since I learned to calm down and relax, and let nature take over, for what ever reason, my birds are as healthy as horses. No more sickness that they can't handle. I raise hundreds of chicks with under 10 deaths. Like 5% die, IF that. And that is with breeds know to have health issues.
I appreciate your sincerity, anytime I have a new idea of older knowledge I'd be happy to pass it along to you, and same for me. Anything you deem as a great idea, PLEASE send it my way. I am too stupid to trust just one source. I guess that makes me seem smart. But, I am not. Enjoy your birds.

 

[The Wolf Queen]

zowieyellowflame wrote: Could u measure the condo? what kind of wood shavings? this is all indoor stuff? do they go outside? what does your condo smell like when u enter? like feathers and feed or does it smell like poop? if u have someone visit, what is their reaction to the coop? do they comment on the birds or do they talk about smell? can u try to honestly answer each of these questions? i think it is important. just pretend you are answering as though we are all coming for a visit tomorrow.

threehorses wrote: In addition to Zowie's great questions, I'd ask how many birds (of what age) do you have in how many feet of space...Literally stick your head in the coop part - what does it smell like, and is any smell strong at all? Even pine? Do they usually have droppings in their coop or out in the run?​

Both of the enclosures are outdoors. Not sure on type of shavings. Ive always used them in all 3 pens and never had problems. The condo is, except for the nest boxes. is completely open and aired out. The condo never smells, but since day one of this year the sleeping area in the hutch has a weird smell (last year I used straw...hmmmm). Not poo I dont think. If they havent kicked out all the shavings in both juvenile pens I scoop them out and put in new ones every 2 or 3 days. I think the smell in the hutch is cuz its pretty stuffy cuz there is only one opening to get to the outside part and its not big but its not to small for them to go in and ou either. Most of them sleep in there and it gets cramped so the smell stays I guess. I have to admit they are a bit crowded in the hutch and a little crowded in the condo. The ones in the hutch are around 2 months and in the condo maybe 2 1/2 to 3 months. Im building a few more coops out of dog runs https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=211014 and im thinking that since both juvie flocks have been exposed to the "pink eye" and no others are showing symptoms, would it be ok to move them into one big new coop until they are old enough to move in the adults coop and/or the 2 weeks to a month of quarantine is up? Oh and they poo on top of the nest boxes, on the ground, and I suspect in the boxes.​

 

[threehorses]

OK the first thing I would do for these birds, hearing this, is move them into bigger, more airy quarters. Cramping spreads disease. And the smell you're describing - that could be mildew, or something, that could have caused all of this.

Each bird should have 4 square feet of space - that's a 2x2" space - absolutely totally minimum. They should have lots and lots of air with shelter for the night. Make sure the shavings you're using are not cedar, but are white pine or aspen.

Stuffy can cause illness, believe it or not. Their respiratory systems are wayyy more sensitive to things like that. (Remember the canary in the coalmine stories - if you're not too young heheh).

I'd make building the new coops a big priority, like this week. And yes - move them into the new coop til they're old enough to move in with the adults if it's safe. And you should keep them separate until they're no less than 5 months old. Really you're supposed to keep different ages separate at all times to keep from spreading disease, but I know that's not always practical. So I wait til 5 months or more.

Clean up the droppings on top of the nest boxes - they're a source of irritation to the respiratory system. Clean up that on the ground, and in the boxes.

I think honestly that this is the main problem. Even if there's a secondary illness, this is the primary cause. And they won't heal until you do this. And the longer that they're in these conditions, the more likely it will be that they'll never heal but instead become chronic carriers with lifelong problems.

So a little elbow grease, some soap and water, some nails and boards and wire.

 

[zowieyellowflame]

I agree with three horses..... more space, more health. Clean and roomy quarters are essential......
Good luck wolf queen!