Michigan

[Purdy]

We are thinking about having a chicken coop tour when the weather gets a litter nicer .
This would a good way for us to me up people in our West Michigan area.

 

[theron]

Today was an overall good day. Got 4 goose eggs from our birds (three sebastopol and one dewlap toulouse) and one of the eggs was from our lavender sebastopol pair, hatched out some chicks including EE's, seramas, and millie fleur duccles, and received our sebastopol hatching eggs through the mail.

 

[snowflake]

Finally finished reading all the posts,

Here's what I learned from the old-timers: Within 48 hours of birth a pullets primary wing feathers will be longer than her secondary. A males will be the same length. Another way is to lay a chick on it's back in your hand and rub it's belly, if the legs go straight up, or forward evenly it's a boy, if one leg curls in and one goes out it's a girl. Another way is to wait and see whcih bird lays eggs - in that case its a girl.

This is how Amprolium is synthesized.
The drug is a thiamine analogue and blocks the thiamine transporter of Eimeria species. By blocking thiamine uptake it prevents carbohydrate synthesis.




Source:
Sarett, Lewis H. (1960). "The hormones". Journal of Chemical Education 37 (4): 184. doi:10.1021/ed037p184

Based on the date of this published study, I would like to look for recent work so I'll have to dive into the university resources later.

Thanks Raz, clear as mud..... love your little ducks, so cute. and I know you made me laugh a couple times. old age is setting in

I forgot to say that the "weaning off" of the medicated feed does sound like a good idea, and I don't see as how it could be harmful, anyway.

Nova - Yes, it really does take an average of 40 gallons of sap to 1 gallon of syrup! Isn't that crazy?

Surgeries - Ugh, yes, I would definitely try to find out if laparoscopy is an option, even if they do not bring it up. I have an 8 inch incision scar from just over 10 years ago that still gives me problems. Sometimes it aches, and sometimes it twinges and always I can barely feel half my belly. Also it gives me hiccups a lot!

(Which sounds a bit funny, but they "accidentally cut too close" to my diaphragm, and you get the hiccups when your diaphragm gets irritated and starts contracting. So now my scar tissue irritates my diaphragm and gives me hiccups, which was really no joke after the surgery!

Those were some painful hiccups. Now I still need to sit down often when I get them, they are hiccups extreme.

)

all this talk of scars reminded me of what my Dad told me years ago when our son had open heart. Vitamin E inside and out, works pretty good, have to check how much you can take,?

So, yesterday I took my girls (the
Crazy chickens!

and cute pics of your girls and chicks

Was a good day, got a little of this and a little of that done. does any one want any African violets they are over running my house.

Enjoyed all the discussion about the MSU. class, sounds like the vets did a better job then the Agra. guys.

I did ask why he separates the flock (as I do not see why you would after they are able to fend for them selves ) and got an unclear answer The only reason I could think of is if the birds are in a small area they may brutalize the smaller birds.

I told him I have had broody's hatch and take care of their chicks. I keep them in a separate area for about 3 weeks then let them free range together and when the mother feels she is ready she takes them into the big coop and protects them. I have had BO's mother and protect her chick-s for 3 or 4 months. by then the chicks are a good size and yes they get bullied a bit but never to the point of getting hurt.
That was one point I did not agree with, another was putting bleach in the water. 2T per gallon as stock then 2T of that into a gallon waterer. I think he said it was to lower the PH, in the gut witch would make it harder for parasite to live.
I still don't like the idea of b
putting bleach in the water. I know they do it in the city and every one drinks it but ....... we have a good well and don't drink bleach..

Rbahmer way do go with all the chicks.


Welcome to all the newbe's,

 

[RaZ]

Was a good day, got a little of this and a little of that done. does any one want any African violets they are over running my house.

I belong to the Wayne/Washtenaw County chapter of AV people. I love these plants but I have managed to kill every one that I've ever had.
The national convention is going to be here in Detroit this year.

 

[NovaAman]

We are thinking about having a chicken coop tour when the weather gets a litter nicer .
This would a good way for us to me up people in our West Michigan area.

Nah, just come to Chickenstock! You'll meet a whole bunch of us there.

My little guy has an ear infection. Pretty bad. Poor guy was near hysterical from the pain when I got home from work this morning. I got him in to see the Doc, and got him penicillin. They, the nurse and doc couldn't believe that I didn't notice. I told them, I didn't, my mom didn't and his father neither... He never complained about his ears hurting. Makes me feel bad..

Juise, I have accidentally left my door open from the hall downstairs that goes into the garage, (dogs were outside in the yard) and come down the stairs to find the chickens investigating the hallway. LOL. Quite funny.

The littles discovered the garage today...
They made one heck of a mess with the feed, ect... The squirrels also discovered that I stored bread in the garage... Dang little buggers. LOL.

The Dumor chick medicated chick starter says 8 weeks, but the purina medicated starter/grower says 18 weeks... I used to buy the dumor, but with 19 chicks, and the tsc was only getting them little bags, I just could not keep buying those bags when convenience and price were better with the purina. I have been using a lot less lately though, since they are out digging away and ranging.

Tonight, I got home from parent teacher conference for Jace, and I went to close everyone up, and the littles were not even in their coop. They were roosting on the walk up and piled up in the yard. I turned of the red light, they don't need it lately, and so, they didn't go in their coop. That, and I think they are too crowded and feel it. I hope to be able to build a new 4x8 this month yet. I am going to dismantle the winter run, and use the 2x4s from that for some of the framing. I am also thinking that I might also use the roofing panels for roofing on the part of the coop itself. It will leave ventilation all the way across the top of the new coop. OR I could change the angle of those roofing sections, get the 4x8 walls, and turn the current winter run into a coop itself... That might be even better in the end... oh... the thought... an 8x7 walk in coop and a storage area! I could turn the original part of the coop into a nesting/broody/grow out area on one side, and storage area on the other! See, talking to you guys gives me ideas! AND since the panels are not clear, It won't get to hot in there in the summer, and will still keep warmer in the winter! Yes, thats what I am going to do. That sounds so much better since the structure is all ready there! I just need walls.

Anyway, I am tired. Just pooped today. Have a nice night all. Cross fingers I don't get to soaked working tonight...

 

[antlolli80]

Nova - a friend of mine in Grant has been paying $6 for a half dozen duck eggs.

Wow I should put my waders on and get some out of the water.

 

[NovaAman]

I belong to the Wayne/Washtenaw County chapter of AV people. I love these plants but I have managed to kill every one that I've ever had.
The national convention is going to be here in Detroit this year.

I had beautiful violets for a while... Then they were introduced to the cats... And that was the end of them... I haven't been able to keep house plants since before my kids were born. When my parents and I moved together when my dad became disabled, all my plants were murdered by the cats. THEIR CATS. They'd either eat them or pee in them...

 

[NovaAman]

Wow I should put my waders on and get some out of the water.

No kidding!

 

[fuzzybutt love]

TSC finally got another shipment, but only of the "reds". we only have 3 kinds of chickens here! Sounds like if i wanna get my banties from them i'm gonna have to do a roadtrip too. Might have to fire off an e mail and let these guys know that the reason they are selling more of the cool ones at certain stores is a certain site, and our roadtrips....? lol. I don't suppose anyone is selling any porcelain de'uncles? or ordering from ideal? Can't get 25...... They have self blue too (lavendar) as well as the regular colors of them.

Purdy

Hi! you are not far from me.

snowflake That was one point I did not agree with, another was putting bleach in the water. 2T per gallon as stock then 2T of that into a gallon waterer. I think he said it was to lower the PH, in the gut witch would make it harder for parasite to live.

Mabie, but not THAT much bleach. I think it would also wipe out the friendly bacteria, too. And what about eggs? whew. That would be a flavor. And i thought it was bad that the "egg factories" dip the egg in bleach so many times.....

 

[1muttsfan]

Yes, I agree. I have always just stopped the medicated feed and gone to the non medicated feed. What I learned was that by gradually switching them over it allows them to create antibodies slowly to the coccidia. Just stopping the medicated might give the cocci a chance to grow before the chick has an opportunity to develop some resistance. So I will use the medicated chick starter next time until 6 weeks and then add 1/4th non medicated the 7th week, 1/2 non medicated the 8th week and 3/4 non medicated the 9th week.

That's pretty much what I do too

My chickens do this but I have never had them in the house!! But you know mine always show up and give me those looks because they know I'm a sucker and will throw them something. We also have the guineas that show up and won't shut up until you feed them.

It was a bad day today, woke with tooth pain, car's starter died in Petoskey, then the Michigan Treasury didn't give us the right refund because there was a blank line where there shouldn't have been.

They need a smiley pulling it's hair out!

On the good side, I am in amazement at how much snow we lost today! If it hadn't been for that stupid storm I could be digging in the dirt today! We are down to about a foot to a foot and a half. I tried to get medicated chick starter today for the little ones about to hatch. I don't usually feed medicated until I move them outside where they will be exposed to cocci. But the little ones who will be hatching in the coop need it right away. Anyway I couldn't get any. Chick day's don't start up here till next month. So I sterilized the little coop as much as possible with cleaning and bleaching. Tomorrow I will spay with Premritrin - bad spelling - and get it set up to move broody mama in. Will mama be enough heat for the little guys? I don't have power in the little coop as I have never used it for winter, but I could do an extension cord if I need to. I counted up yesterdays eggs and got 25, out of 28 hens, including one broody and one not laying yet, that means only one lazy Polish!

Sorry to hear about the tooth and the car

Very glad to hear about the snow - I am still in Florida and hope it will ALL be gone before I come home

Well I just won a dozen eggs on ebay, then got an email from a breeder that I bought eggs from last year that had brown red cochins (as well as lemon blues) and will send me some of each! I am going to have a very full incubator.