Looking for a good safe home for my 10 hens and Roo Barr Rocks

[ladyearth]

Four were born in March of 2014. The other seven girls Feb of 2015. all are spoiled rotten but beautiful
we live in Grayson County...
Right now I am getting one egg a day or so. Lots of them are molting.Maybe one or two, three soft shells a week
at least 4 or more have watery runny poo real bad. some feel as if they lost weight too... wormed them several weeks ago with Safeguard for 5 days Nothing changed...Previously used Valzaben...
Most act okay....
they roam 1/2 acre fenced in then before roost roam rest of acre... and have great very clean, secure coop to sleep at night. They also have several shelters which are truck toppers to dust bath in or get out of the weather in besides their coops...
I have been feeding them Nature Best organic layer feed... also some diff "grains" with maybe cooked Brown rice in the evening just a bowl or so held by me so all get some. maybe a can of tuna or salmon once or more a week... occ some meal worms when I remember.
they have been handled a lot and loved...
we are in our late 60s. I didn't realize it is such a hard never ending, heart breaking job with no vacation.. Looking at little chicks was so nice. I also didn't realize it was such a commitment. I am not a pet person.. But the chickens became my babies...
I am from the "city" so I did not realize it was so involved..
Hubby gave me an ultimatum He wants his life back. sell this place and move to our other home on a lake... Maybe even travel
This place is the biggest mistake of our life. Hubby said he doesn't want to have to euthanize them
Miss Lydia suggested I post on this forum
thanks

 

[FridayYet]

Hi Ladyearth, Sorry about your troubles and hope you can find someone to take your chickens, Really, they shouldn't be such a chore.

One thing you can do is to stop spoiling them and just let them be chickens. Just leave them in the fenced 1/2 acre section. Saves one gate opening a day. Quit feeding them treats. Just fill the feeders up and let them be.

I have a dozen chickens and leave them for long weekends all the time. If I leave for longer, I have a neighbor collect eggs every few days and make sure the food and water are full. I've even left them for a week all by themselves, with multiple food and water stations, and they did just fine.

There are many ways you can make chicken keeping less labor-intensive.

Again, good luck to you on finding them a good home!.

 

[ladyearth]

I am sorry but I dont consider a little baked yam and baked skin, or a cherry tomato or a fresh picked tender green bean, or fresh squash seeds,or a little chopped unsalted dry roasted nuts, or sunflower seeds or some canned fish mixed with dry cracked peas etc once or so a week..... a treat... Plus the forage for weeds and grass seed, etc...
so many people just feed their flock mostly leftovers there is even a guy on YOUTUBE that gets classy resturant leftovers and feed his chickens.. Please!!!!!!
I just think they drank some old water or got something from the outdoor only cat or wild birds
Heck the lady down the street just got geese from her brother and all they give them is cheap old GMO cracked corn... I am trying to get the one gander to go back home to her and his geese parents...Since the sister got run over.....last Thursday
Ill keep trying to get them healthy again
thanks

 

[FridayYet]

I'm sorry, I misunderstood your post. It sounded like you wanted to get rid of them since they took up too much of your time. You sounded distraught because your husband had given you an ultimatum, so I was simply suggesting ways they could take up less of your time. "A hard, never ending job with no vacation" is not the way I look at my chickens.

My chickens get all of my kitchen and garden scraps too, and I think a varied diet is healthy. Hope everything works out well for you.

 

[ladyearth]

I do want to give them up to a good home. I have neglected my eyesight and health....no free time anymore. The house is a dusty mess. Plus so very scared of falling even though I am active...like I mentioned this place is a falling downhill tripping,over mole hills ruts in yard....
I used to darn my socks and every hole.... Now all my ime is spent on my flock and worrying about them and reading this forum trying to solve their terrible terrible runny poo watery problem,, Maybe then someone might take them to a good home Be magical if someone would buy this place as is with my flock , love them and we just ride away...
thank for caring

 

[Gramma Chick]

I do want to give them up to a good home. I have neglected my eyesight and health....no free time anymore. The house is a dusty mess. Plus so very scared of falling even though I am active...like I mentioned this place is a falling downhill tripping,over mole hills ruts in yard....
I used to darn my socks and every hole.... Now all my ime is spent on my flock and worrying about them and reading this forum trying to solve their terrible terrible runny poo watery problem,, Maybe then someone might take them to a good home Be magical if someone would buy this place as is with my flock , love them and we just ride away...
thank for caring

Watery poo sounds like a yeast infection ...have they had anything moldy ?
I wouldnt give them anymore rice ...high carbos converts to high sugar in blood .
Raw Veg are better for a treat than cooked ones .
.I use the probiotics at the bottom Yougurt and apple cider vinegar with mother in their water ( do they have braggs where you are ?)
Try Craigs List - that will get someone near you ...Good Luck Deborah
VENT GLEET
Vent Gleet, also known as cloacitis or thrush or mycosis, is an uncommon condition in young and adult birds. It is an avian yeast infection that can attack the whole digestive system from beak to vent, and also effect the reproductive system. It's usually caused by eating moldy food. It is sometimes confused with pasted vent, which is not caused by an infectious agent, and is common with chicks, but rare in adults.
Symptoms
Birds can show some or all of the following symptoms:
Depression Loss of energy Rough feathers Diarrhea Distended sour cro Slow growth Weight loss
Decreased hunger and increased thirst Soiled vent feathers White sores near the vent Loss of feathers near the vent
Reddened or swollen vent tissue Gray powdery or black waxy substances on the ven Very bad smelling droppings
Patches in the throat that look like yeast or wax Unexplained laying problems Swollen vent
TOXIC fLUSH -Treatment Laxatives
The purpose of laxatives is to flush the digestive system of toxic substances, in this case yeast.
Molasses: Offer one pint of molasses to 5 gallons of water free-choice to the affected birds for about four hours. Treat severely affected birds individually if they cannot drink. Return the birds to regular water after the treatment period. (Solutions Used For Poultry, 2008)
Epsom Salt: 1 lb Epsom Salt per 15 lb feed or 1 lb Epsom Salt per 5 gallons water for 1 day. Give the epsom salt feed mixture as the sole feed source for a one day period. This feed can be used only if the birds are eating. If the birds are not eating, use the water solution. If the birds are unable to eat or drink by themselves, use individual treatment with 1 teaspoon of Epsom Salt in 1 fl oz water. Feed the bird with a syringe. (Solutions Used For Poultry, 2008)
Castor Oil: Dose individual birds with .5 oz castor oil. (Solutions Used For Poultry, 2008)
***TOXIN FLUSHES ***are something everyone should be aware of, and have the needed items on hand to mix and offer. We would rather you be informed and prepared than to be in a panic and in need.
Epsom Salt Flush:
3 Tsp. Epsom Salts. , 1 ½ Cups water , ¼ – ½ gram vitamin and electrolyte powder * Optional
2 – 3 times a day for 3 days or until a full recovery is made.
Molasses Flush:
1 cup Molasses , 2 ½ gallons water , 5 – 6 grams vitamin and electrolyte powder * Optional
! !Do not exceed 8 hours ! ! After 8 hours replace Molasses flush with vitamin and electrolyte water
Activated Charcoal Slurry
1 tsp. Activated Charcoal Powder 8 oz. – Pure Water Dose 6 – 8 times daily
**These flushes will cause slight to moderate dehydration as they work to expel toxins and foreign matter from your birds system. After giving a flush, offer a steady supply of vitamin and electrolyte fortified water until a full recovery is made.
we prefer to use steamed oats (quacker like humans eat) and mashed egg when a bird is ill. Isolated into a dog kennel, covered to keep darker and quiet and keeping stress to a minimum.
Internal Anti-fungals
Copper Sulfate: Sometimes used as a follow-up treatment after flushing with a laxative. Dissolve 1 oz copper sulfate and 1 tablespoon of vinegar into 15 gallons water. Use as the sole water source during the course of the disease outbreak. Copper sulfate is often referred to as "bluestone". (Solutions Used For Poultry, 2008) Copper sulfate in a single dose of greater than 1 gram is fatal.
Potassium Permanganate: A solution of 1 tablespoon powder in 4.25 gallons water is an old remedy for diarrhea in adult chickens.
Nystatin: 62.5-250 mg nystatin and 7.8-25 mg sodium lauryl sulfate per liter of water for 5 days. (Saif 2003)
Garlic: Milder than chemicals, 1 clove of garlic (1/4 teaspoon dried) per gallon of water is a traditional treatment that does not effect the taste of the eggs.
External Anti-fungals
Fungicides can be applied externally to the vent and around the beak to reduce sores and waxy patches.
Sulfur: sulfur powder dusted on the vent area can greatly reduce sores and tissue buildup around the vent. Do not dust sulfur on the head. Sulfur can be found in garden centers.
Fungal creams designed for humans, for instance for athletes' foot, can be applied to both vent and head.
Prevention
Keep food sources clean, do not feed bird spoiled food, and store feed in a dry place. In young chicks, it may be caused by fungus on the surface of the egg. For future hatchings, dip the eggs in an iodine solution before incubating. (Saif 2003)
Probiotics
Probiotics are live beneficial gut bacteria that occur naturally in all animal digestive tracts. Various probiotics are in yogurt, liquid human probiotic solutions, or powdered livestock probiotics. If you specifically want to prevent thrush, use a probiotic that contains both Acidophilus and B. bifidum.
Acidify the water using apple cider vinegar (2 to 4 tablespoons vinegar per gallon of water) to inhibit yeast growth and up to 1 Tbsp live-culture yogurt per bird.

 

[ladyearth]

only symptoms are very SQUIRTY watery poo. UNDIGESTED FOOD.. Maybe weight loss. none of the redness except Goldie has a bit. I think cause she has a bald butt(leftover flystrike damage) so I imagine the poo is irritating to her butt...
they are also molting but getting them back now...
I dont know what would be moldy. Cause they free range /their food is brought in every night in clean wide mouth jars. Changd out lots. Washed quite often. the glass jars.. Plus it started with Baby Girl then more girls getting it. If it there bought feed then why didnt they all get it at once? The bagis kept in the garage closed up...
after all the reading I think its that" col PERFiGINES " stuff...
Oh did the copper sulfate route while back.. saw no difference.

thanks