Maine

[quailtrail]

Ok so went in just a bit ago...9:30...they were awake!!??? But we were able to thoroughly check one out head to toe and nothing other than a pine shaving tucked under a wing. Am I safe thinking if one is clean so are the others? Will still continue preventable measures of course...

 

[quailtrail]

Tried at 1030pm too....still awake...I'm guessing us sitting by the fire kept them awake?? They let DH pet them until he tried to take them off the roost...quite the scene and I have to admit I couldn't stop laughing. Doubt he will be willing to help anytime soon. Tho it was comical!

 

[IZZYBELLA]

Wow - I guess your flock knows how to party on a Friday night... so funny they were still up at 10:30!

I don't think there is a right answer here... you just have to do what you are comfortable with. Don't you hate that answer?! After losing one of my girls unnecessarily to roundworms, I've switched from the wait and see attitude to a better safe than sorry approach when it comes to treating for any potential illness/infestation.

 

[suzMEchicks]

L.G. I also applaud you for taking measures to control your dog. I live out in North Waterboro. In the country but in a "neighborhood". We have such a dog problem now . Out of control. There is a black lab loose daily and my next door neighbors have a hunter type dog( mix of some sort ) that has attacked my chickens 3 times . Has actually gotten a chicken 2 of the times.The dog officers are not what they used to be around here. I also want to ride my bike and walk but there's always the fear of a loose dog. I also have had bad experiences. Bit by a collie in the face when I was 8 and on the back of the leg walking to school when I was 14. Both families said the dog had never bit anyone before but we found out it wasnt true for both of them.
I'm still waiting for the guy I hired to come help me move my chicken house. Then I can build a run for them. I like the sound of the tractor you are building. Have you posted any pictures of the panels? I hope you all enjoy the day today . It looks beautiful out there. Of course I am working!

 

[LOVEMYCHICKS03]

How many birds do you have? My dad had about 40, I have 3 in my coop.

 

[Widget]

For the person looking for Guinea Keets you can order them from Longhorn in Buxton. Orders close on May 11th for the early June shipment. Not sure if they have any in right now but they might. Blue Seal in Windham has nothing. I have a friend who works there and she said that this year they decided to focus on pre-orders for birds instead of just getting an assortment in. Not too many people pre-ordered and in the past two weeks they have had lots of customers come in looking for chicks probably because the weather has finally warmed up.

 

[lazy gardener]

SuzMe: I don't have a dog. I've been dogless for 10 years now. I was talking about other people's dogs. We live on a dead end road, so everybody likes to go walking on our road. I have also been bit by a dog. Had a GS latch himself onto my butt when I was a teen ager, and walk me all the way up to his front door, with teeth firmly embedded into the pocket of my jeans. My son might as well have been wearing a sign on his hind side that said "bite me!" At one time, he had to have a series of rabies shots b/c a collarless dog ran out of the woods and bit him, only to disappear again, never to be seen. The ER doc had the B***s to suggest that it wasn't worth treating for rabies, as there had yet to be any cases reported in our county that year, and the treatment "is expensive". A family Doc friend was appaled at such an approach. In spite of these issues with dogs, I love dogs... except for GS!

Quail Trail: If I were you, I wouldn't treat for mites/lice unless you see something that needs to be treated. Why expose the girls to any thing unless there's an issue. You can do a white cloth around the ends of the perches, and inspect it in the morning for blood stains, or creepy crawlies.

I will post pics of my tractor when I get it finished. I'm also putting a pop door in the other tractor so the chicks can move from one unit to the other. They're getting crowded in the 3 x 6. I think there's 28 of them in there! As soon as they are ok to be outside without a lamp, i'll separate the pullets. They can go into the 4 x 8 space under the big girl's loft, leaving the 2 tractors for the roos.

 

[quailtrail]

@lazy gardener they have been fine all day as I've been watching them amd nothing. ..then they come onto the patio and glass doors and all they are doing is preening away... ughhh... I read about micro mites... maybe thats what it is???

Anyone ever try the saddles for their girls. I have 3 that have bald spots from our roo. He is great protective roo of his girls just his nails and spurs are stripping the girls

 

[LOVEMYCHICKS03]

i have not tried them before but am thinking about getting some soon.

 

[buckabucka]

Quailtrail, I think there are two kinds of chicken mites. One kind comes out and dines at night, but I don't know if they stay on the bird all the time (northern red fowl mite?). The kind I had was the other kind. You need good light (at least I do) to see them, but they are definitely visible to the naked eye, like little specks of sand moving around. Chickens do preen a lot, but mine started scratching and preening more hyperactively when they had them.

Chicken saddles work pretty well. I had a hen that needed one. She got a little freaked out when we put it on. In fact, it was quite comical. Not only was the rooster petrified when he saw it, but so were all the hens, including the one wearing it on her own back. Eventually things settled down, but sometimes the saddle would get flipped up and I'd have to sneak up on her and readjust it. Eventually the snaps wore out. I have seen a pattern online that was all one piece stretchy fleece, no snaps involved.