Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[SkinnyDragon23]

Ugh, I've had a stressful week with these chicks.

So originally, I had 12 chicks that I got from a breeder near us, which included two Tolbunt and some nice little silkies. Being a first-time chicken owner, I had no idea that I had to prevent coccidia, and had two die from that before I got it under control. Promptly after that, they got respiratory infections, and are now being treated for that. But today while I was at school (I'm a sophomore, got the chicks for 4-H), my mom's Yorkie got into the box that my now 3 week old chicks were in, and killed 5. My mom saved the remaining frizzle Tolbunt that was in its mouth, and a Mille D'Uccle huddled in the corner and didn't get noticed. The other 3 surviving chicks I had separated the night before because of their respiratory infections. If that stupid dog had been left out there any longer, it would have definitely killed all those chickens and the 12 week-old chicks that were in the box behind the first one. Having taken care of these chicks by myself, I was so upset, my brother and I cried because his beloved partridge silkie named Chip and my most beautiful Tolbunt had been among the killed. It's just been a terrible week for me.

 

[Trefoil]

Ok, I have had them on chick starter for 1st 8 wks. The chickens are 12 wks now and on chicken crumble and the 2 bbw n bbb turkeys are almost 8 wks now and my starter food is about gone. Could they just eat the chicken crumble then with the chicken
If you are talking about turkeys. Kent has 28% medicated star

If you are talking about turkeys. Kent has 28% medicated starter for them and I think the grower is 24%.

 

[tori8780]

Went out to check my broody this morning and she had pushed one egg away from her and it was cold They are due to hatch tomorrow. I put it back under her, but it is probably already too late.

 

[chickflick]

So sorry, skinny! That's just horrible. Hope you find something more secure to put the remaining and future chicks in!!?

 

[Maah]

Our EE Mabel looks just like your bird on the right!

How is your porcelain doing? The kids are what, 6 weeks now? I "almost" think you picked us out 4 pullets. I say "almost" because the Old English has me on the fence. But I'm thinking all the d'uccle are pullets (knock on wood). We had one mille fleur try to escape the brooder the other day and got herself wedged on her back between the layers of cardboard. She was probably only wedged down in there for a few hours (she was in the bin that morning, and then later we noticed 1 was missing). We rescued her & taped up the cardboard part that she got into. She rested for a while and was behaving normally by the next morning.

Ah the wonders of nature. Can a hen lay 2 eggs in the same day? I don't see why not.
Conventional thinking says that one egg per day is the norm. But when did a hen subscribe to that theory?

I bought a FBCM pullet from Wynette last summer. She was probably a bit stressed out from traveling, hanging out at Chickenstock, traveling some more, and then again, etc etc. Through the stress of the day she probably held back laying and we got 2 eggs from her the next day. We had checked on her that morning and there was no egg, but she laid later that morning and again in the afternoon.

 

[Stacykins]

So when I picked up the duck eggs this morning where the ducks lay, the eggs had mouse droppings stuck to them. I honestly haven't had a problem with mice...until now.

How can I go about dealing with mice in the coop? Without hurting the chickens?

I AM going to build a barn owl box, by the way, and mount in a tall elm tree. But it can take a couple of years until a pair decides to nest there. I'd rather not get a mouser cat, because they often kill songbirds, and we have plenty of those around here.




I really like this plan. But how would I best attach it to a tree trunk? There are no branches to support it.

 

[lbrykowski2011]

If you are talking about turkeys. Kent has 28% medicated starter for them and I think the grower is 24%.

Thanks, I picked the grower up yesterday at the feed store. The lady there doesn't have chickens or anything so I'm glad you guys are here to ask questions. They all have their own runs and coops. They free range during the day and I leave all their runs open so they can get back into them if need be. So they always go into each others to see what's in there and eat each others food. I just want to make sure they can all eat the same food or if need be, have separate food but they won't get sick if they sneak some from another run. So the chickens and 12 wk old chicks are all on chicken crumble, the ducks have pellets and corn and the turkeys have grower feed. Hope this works

 

[lbrykowski2011]

Turkeys need a higher protein percentage than chickens while growing. Try asking in the Turkeys section
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/20/turkeys

To clean anything properly, a soap of some kind is essential - vinegar and water is a poor cleaning agent and a VERY mild disinfectant that will not deactivate many kinds of bacteria and viruses. To disinfect anything, it must first be CLEAN. There are oxygen-based cleaner/disinfectants such as Accel-TB that are much safer than chemicals such as triclosan, quaternary compounds and bleach.

Disinfection is the reduction in number of pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria. Sterilization is the complete removal of all living matter, which can only be achieved with pressurized steam or certain chemical agents. We live in a bacteria- and virus-filled environment, and need those organisms to function properly. They only cause disease in individuals that are susceptible, either due to a lack of immunity or poor health in the individual affected. Makers of antibacterial soaps, wipes,and water treatments are playing on people's fear of organisms that we live with just as we live with other animals, and tend to downplay the risks involved with the chemicals they are promoting.

Thanks, I knew there was a few people on here that had chickens, ducks and turkey's, that's why I was asking here. I am on the turkey thread, they seem to deal more with heritage birds until Thanksgiving time, lol
I'm sorry, I do use 7th generation all natural soap, I should have said that. After I clean I use the water and vinegar for sterilization purposes, so was wondering if that is strong enough?

 

[fuzzybutt love]

 My mom saved the remaining frizzle Tolbunt that was in its mouth, and a Mille D'Uccle huddled in the corner and didn't get noticed.  The other 3 surviving chicks I had separated the night before because of their respiratory infections.  If that stupid dog had been left out there any longer, it would have definitely killed all those chickens.  

(((Hugs))))
I think those kinds of dogs are in the terrier family, they were bred for vermin killing- squeaking-sigh. Hopefully as they get older he will lose interest but now is a good time to go over your coop and run setup: hardware cloth? Solid bottom/ wire under? For the run did you lay down a trench of hardware cloth 3 ft down and attached to the pen edge securely? Having a terrier will help a little in discouraging the actual varmits, but to be safe it is imperative he can't dig his way in! I understand how you feel, every one i have had is named and cried over when they are lost or have to be rehomed. I get flack occasionally for it because a lot of people don't understand crying over a food item but when they SEE mine hug and cuddle...

 

[Stacykins]

I'm sorry, I do use 7th generation all natural soap, I should have said that. After I clean I use the water and vinegar for sterilization purposes, so was wondering if that is strong enough?

That will still not sterilize. It will sanitize, but not sterilize, as 1muttsfan already explains.

Sanitizing or disinfection reduces the number of pathogens on a surface. Use of cleaning solutions will reduce the number of pathogens on a surface.

Sterilization completely eliminates all pathogens on a surface. Surgical equipment is sterilized in an autoclave. In the home environment, sterilizing is not an easy process.

I just wanted to clarify, since there is a big difference in the terms. It means a lot more to folks in the medical field, but still, they shouldn't be used interchangeably.