Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Peep-Chicken]

Yep, python dust. Normally I'd recommend a bit of diatomaceous earth sprinked in the coop, as a preventative for mites. But since you already have mites in the coop, you need something to treat, not prevent them.

Ok thanks, I already have stuff to de-mite the birds. I will run up to TSC today

 

[1muttsfan]

Are the sick birds vaccinated for Mareks disease?

 

[SkinnyDragon23]

Having some kind of problem with a lot of my chickens. A couple weeks ago while I was in Canada, my mom called and told me that one of our wyandottes, one that was practically full grown, had just all of a sudden died. She also said that two of our three brahmas were acting sick. By the time I got back, they had died. We watched out for more symptoms from any of our other birds and nothing came up... until one of my mom's young sizzles got a swollen eye. It is acting fine, but about a month ago we had a young tolbunt with a swollen eye die. And today I went out to check on the birds and found that my young white polish was dead. Yesterday it was acting perfectly fine. I checked on my current young tolbunt and it has an eye that is starting to swell, it looks really red, and there is a little blood in its nose. I have no idea what is causing the deaths of all these birds, since not all the birds that died had swollen eyes and not all the birds with swollen eyes are acting lethargic or sick in any way. This is the first time I saw blood. Please help.

 

[1muttsfan]

You really need to have at least one bird necropsied. Sad as it is, you need that information to try to help the rest of your flock. Snowflake knows what needs to be done.

 

[SkinnyDragon23]

If they all had the same symptoms, it would be much easier to identify. All I know is that the ones who died quickly and suddenly displayed no symptoms beforehand, there were some who just became more and more lethargic before they died, and some who get swollen eyes but act perfectly normal. One of the ones with swollen eyes did die, though, but not all of a sudden.

 

[mindylee]

How about a watery filled feeling gizzard? What is that?
I have 2 hens with it. Instead of it being full of scratch grains, it feels like water/fluids.

 

[Opa]

While I consider myself to be an alpha predator carnivore, I have never taken much thrill from the death of any animal. I have killed hundreds of deer, antelope, caribou, rabbits, and squirrels. Shot untold numbers of geese, ducks, quails, partridge, and pheasants. I pride myself on the shot not the kill. I appreciate the beauty of the animal and am thankful for the bounty they have provided me.

There are however, a few animals that I have little remorse about their demise. Raccoons and feral cats never rate more than a casual thought. Today I added another animal to that short list. I have always had an uneasy peace with the woodchucks I would see grazing in my back field. I figured as long as they stayed back there I would leave them alone.

Recently one fool hardy ground hog decided to violate that truce and decided to take up residence under my large coop. While the evidence of his habitation was quite apparent I rarely saw him. Last week I found several places where he had tunneled into my garden. Several spots he has dug under the buried perimeter fencing and breaches into the chicken runs is imminent. While he poses no threat to the flocks, he is providing egress to animals that will.

This past Sunday morning I went to the garden to pick several large tomatoes that we had been anxiously waiting to ripen. From a distance I could see that they had finally reached the deep red peak of flavor. Imagine my ire to discover that everyone of them had been partially eaten.

Since it would be nearly impossible to just sit and wait hoping for his appearance and a possible kill shot. I opted to go for a method that is always on guard. Traps.

When fur prices tanked back in the late 80's I stupidly sold all of my trapping equipment. So Sunday evening I got on the internet and ordered some 160 and 220 conibear traps. The arrived late this afternoon and I immediately head for the garden. I was only able to set two before the storm hit.

After supper Hope and I went to the garden to pick some vegetables and much to my joy one of the traps had worked its magic. Now I must honestly admit that I was extremely happy for that animal to die.

 

[aart]

How about a watery filled feeling gizzard? What is that?
I have 2 hens with it. Instead of it being full of scratch grains, it feels like water/fluids.

You mean crop, rather than gizzard? Could be sour crop.... remove access to food and water, check crops first thing in the morning, they should be empty.

 

[mindylee]

Good job on the trap. Them buggers are smart and with outsmart a live trap so to get one that quickly was awesome. Hopefully ya get them all. Good luck.

My issues here is the main predators for the chickens.... However I have some stupid orange nasty male stray cat the sprays in my barn and eats my barn cats food. I hate that stray and will get him someday.

 

[tntchix]

While I consider myself to be an alpha predator carnivore, I have never taken much thrill from the death of any animal. I have killed hundreds of deer, antelope, caribou, rabbits, and squirrels. Shot untold numbers of geese, ducks, quails, partridge, and pheasants. I pride myself on the shot not the kill. I appreciate the beauty of the animal and am thankful for the bounty they have provided me.

There are however, a few animals that I have little remorse about their demise. Raccoons and feral cats never rate more than a casual thought. Today I added another animal to that short list. I have always had an uneasy peace with the woodchucks I would see grazing in my back field. I figured as long as they stayed back there I would leave them alone.

Recently one fool hardy ground hog decided to violate that truce and decided to take up residence under my large coop. While the evidence of his habitation was quite apparent I rarely saw him. Last week I found several places where he had tunneled into my garden. Several spots he has dug under the buried perimeter fencing and breaches into the chicken runs is imminent. While he poses no threat to the flocks, he is providing egress to animals that will.

This past Sunday morning I went to the garden to pick several large tomatoes that we had been anxiously waiting to ripen. From a distance I could see that they had finally reached the deep red peak of flavor. Imagine my ire to discover that everyone of them had been partially eaten.

Since it would be nearly impossible to just sit and wait hoping for his appearance and a possible kill shot. I opted to go for a method that is always on guard. Traps.

When fur prices tanked back in the late 80's I stupidly sold all of my trapping equipment. So Sunday evening I got on the internet and ordered some 160 and 220 conibear traps. The arrived late this afternoon and I immediately head for the garden. I was only able to set two before the storm hit.

After supper Hope and I went to the garden to pick some vegetables and much to my joy one of the traps had worked its magic. Now I must honestly admit that I was extremely happy for that animal to die.

I also do not mind dispatching woodchucks. I once used a cane since my dog was digging at the fence to help him through. (silly girl) As my boy was going to grab the 22, I had no other choice but to whack it upside the head with my cane to stun it and then shoot it.