Kayla’s Flock!

[MROO]

What is your favorite breed of chicken?

Nankin Bantams ... tons of personality in a teeny-tiny package ... but I'd love to "try" a few others. Maybe someday I'll have more room ... and more time ... and more money ... {{sigh ...}}

 

[HuffleClaw]

What’s everyone planning to do today?

 

[Chick Chick McGee]

What’s everyone planning to do today?

Get together with the neighbors.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Get together with the neighbors.

Sounds fun!

 

[HuffleClaw]

Nankin Bantams ... tons of personality in a teeny-tiny package ... but I'd love to "try" a few others. Maybe someday I'll have more room ... and more time ... and more money ... {{sigh ...}}

Do you have pictures of the tiny little ones?

 

[MROO]

So how’s everyone doing this morning? my flock is doing very well.

We're hanging in there. I'm fighting my first (and hopefully only!) outbreak of coccidiosis. Man! I've heard the horror stories, but never realized how quickly it strikes - and how HARD! Luckily, the response to Corid is just as dramatic, so today looks better, if not great. It looks like it might be the first time in three days that I don't have either a loss or a new "critical case" on my hands.

My poor babies! It's been so hot and humid that I've been really focused in on cooling measures. My older birds are molting, too so we didn't pay much attention to the dulled feathers. I should have!

When this latest heat and humidity wave set in ... and it's been a killer, literally! ... I lost a young OEGB cockerel (RIP my sweet Cornelius) to heat stroke. I nearly lost my Porcelain D-Uccles cockerel to it, as well, but caught him early. When I brought Fella in and cooled him off, he responded immediately (thank goodness!) but didn't improve the way he should have. That's when we discovered the coccidiosis. In a matter of hours, I had two more sick and lost my Fern, my smallest D-Uccles pullet. I brought the other two from that pen in and started treating them right away, even Peanut, who didn't look even remotely sick. Turns out, it was good timing, because by morning, even with a dose of Corid in him, he was one sick little boy. If it hadn't been for the medication, I probably would have lost him overnight.

Corid is MAGIC! So - lesson to everybody new to chickens - read up on the indicators for coccidiosis - and keep enough Corid (amprolium) on hand to treat your whole flock at the first signs. Thanks to some wonderful people here on BYC (THANK YOU @Eggcessive and @micstrachan for your prompt and supportive help!) I was able to catch and treat this before it got totally out of hand. It looks like we may just make it through this without further losses!

 

[HuffleClaw]

We're hanging in there. I'm fighting my first (and hopefully only!) outbreak of coccidiosis. Man! I've heard the horror stories, but never realized how quickly it strikes - and how HARD! Luckily, the response to Corid is just as dramatic, so today looks better, if not great. It looks like it might be the first time in three days that I don't have either a loss or a new "critical case" on my hands.

My poor babies! It's been so hot and humid that I've been really focused in on cooling measures. My older birds are molting, too so we didn't pay much attention to the dulled feathers. I should have!

When this latest heat and humidity wave set in ... and it's been a killer, literally! ... I lost a young OEGB cockerel (RIP my sweet Cornelius) to heat stroke. I nearly lost my Porcelain D-Uccles cockerel to it, as well, but caught him early. When I brought Fella in and cooled him off, he responded immediately (thank goodness!) but didn't improve the way he should have. That's when we discovered the coccidiosis. In a matter of hours, I had two more sick and lost my Fern, my smallest D-Uccles pullet. I brought the other two from that pen in and started treating them right away, even Peanut, who didn't look even remotely sick. Turns out, it was good timing, because by morning, even with a dose of Corid in him, he was one sick little boy. If it hadn't been for the medication, I probably would have lost him overnight.

Corid is MAGIC! So - lesson to everybody new to chickens - read up on the indicators for coccidiosis - and keep enough Corid (amprolium) on hand to treat your whole flock at the first signs. Thanks to some wonderful people here on BYC (THANK YOU @Eggcessive and @micstrachan for your prompt and supportive help!) I was able to catch and treat this before it got totally out of hand. It looks like we may just make it through this without further losses!

I’m glad you’re seeing improvements!

 

[HuffleClaw]

The man that is picking up the last of the chickens (that I was giving away) today should be here in just a bit.

 

[Eggcessive]

MROO glad that you are seeing some improvement. Hopefully everyone else will be okay.

 

[MROO]

Do you have pictures of the tiny little ones?

Pepper with her first brood. She goes about 18-20 ounces (about a half kg)
For perspective on the babies in that pic, below is a picture of our newest cockerel, Jackie, on the day he was hatched. He was an abandoned nest rescue (see Pepper, above, the stinker!) The egg beside him is less than 2 inches (5cm) long, which shows how teeny tiny these babies start out. They're so cute it almost hurts to watch them!


Above is Feisty, our largest and only single comb rooster. He goes about 28 ounces (under .75 kg) And yes, he is indoors, helping me with the laundry, waiting for his bath and longing for the converted playhouse coop out back.

And this is Yosemite Sam, our BIS County Fair Rooster! He goes a straight 24 ounces (.68 kg) and is my personal pet. He rides on my shoulder and sleeps there while I work on the computer. He is currently in full-molt-mode and sports a single long feather in his once beautiful tail ... just in time to miss the Maryland State Fair!