Minnesota!

[Bogtown Chick]

I think we as chickeneers like the idea of uncaged food. and take lots of pride in raising our own. There's a common thread for that at least --or you'd at least think so -- here on BYC.

@The BlanchRanch 1 pea size push of paste for standard chickens. 1/2 pea-sized for bantams. on Safegaurd.

for Valbazen 1 cc for standard-- 1/2 cc for bantams.

Signs of worms are weight loss, no eggs, eating like crazy but no weight gain. weird looking poo. etc.etc. secondary complications

 

[scandiafowl]

I am proud to announce my little Blue Cochin banty Freck is a new mom!!!

Congratulations, grandparent!

 

[duluthralphie]

Holm Grats on the babies...

 

[nordicacres]

Congrats on new babies!

 

[scandiafowl]

Regarding Deworming

What is then the best overall product for general deworming?

 

[ejb3810]

Ralphie, I feel compelled to comment on your long post re your piece of the earth. I must say that I agree whole heartedly.
I take no pleasure in killing things, but sometimes it is necessary if one employs common sense.
I do not eat any chickens which I have raised, but I am not against those that do. It is a personal choice. I have a flock of egg layers and raise birds as a hobby in an effort to maintain and hopefully improve the breeds I enjoy.
I like most vegetables and fruits, but I don't subscribe to the vegetarian theory. Most people in the world as we know it would be ecstatic to have access to the food stuffs produced by U.S. agriculture.
The negatives related to GMO crops are contrived by some who have a political agenda, and the useful followers are all too happy to take up the banner. One of those who initially started the negative GMO rhetoric has recently admitted that the position is not supported by reliable scientific data.
Ok, I just fell off my high horse.

 

[lalaland]

interesting discussions today!

I wouldn't personally kill a feral cat - would prefer to provide protection to chicks, and I've never had a feral take a grown chicken, not even some of my smaller breeds. There are always ferals passing thru around here. never bothered my garden or chickens or anything.

I would put down a feral that was ill....and had a "feral" that turned out to be someone's dumped cat - way too approachable - thought it was so used to people that he would make a good coop cat to help out with the rats/mice/varmits...but when I took him to the vet ( I have indoor cats and needed to have him tested for feline leukemia since it is a very contagious virus) he tested positive. Poor baby, had the loudest purr. The vet put him down ($$ouch).

I would kill coons bothering my coop or threatening my coop, but I have electric fence on the run surrounding the coop for that reason. It hasn't been on for a year now, but last night I had a mama and her kits in the yard so that is my project for tomorrow - get the fence up and running. The flock is totally safe from coons at night, but I'll be gol-darned if I want to risk losing the feed in the trash cans in the run. THose coons will just bite thru bungee cords .

I figure if you are a meat eater, you probably don't have much to say about not killing things.

Totally agree with Ralphie on prefering to eat meat raised cage free. I wish I had the courage to raise pigs, I've heard they are so darned intelligent that it makes it hard to butcher them.

Plus, I figure killing shouldn't be the first option most of the time. Some things (weasels!!!) I don't think you can really protect your flock against, but some you certainly can, and probably should take the steps to fortify the coop or the run to provide safety first before hitting the slaughter option.
Anyway, I was celebrating last night because I was broody free....for about 12 hours!

 

[nordicacres]

I couldn't do it, either. In fact, my DH gets mad at me because I feed and try to befriend every stray that comes along. I show my Ragdoll and have plans to breed. I love cats . To each his own. Cats are detrimental to wild birds.

 

[scandiafowl]

I couldn't do it, either. In fact, my DH gets mad at me because I feed and try to befriend every stray that comes along. I show my Ragdoll and have plans to breed. I love cats . To each his own. Cats are detrimental to wild birds.

Yeah, I do the same thing. It's hard to suppress the maternal instinct.

Wild creatures are overall a problem for birds. Feral cats in our area are likely to become food for coyotes. We have a coyote pair with one pup on our land. They stay away because of stupid dog. What she lacks in intelligence she makes up in presence.

 

[duluthralphie]

I being a big heartless old man can turn any stray away with an evil stare and laugh.

I have taken in strays in the past, I doubt I would take one in now, as I like to let my chicks free range too. I have also found I am allergic to cats, I think. We had cats for years, and I had a stuffy nose for years, our last cat disappeared, I assume an eagle or critter got her. After she was gone I found my stuffy nose cleared up, both my kids are allergic to cats, and years ago (45) a doctor did a allergy test on me and said I was allergic to cats, I did not believe him, so I kept my cats. Who could have guessed he was right?

I have not had anything take my chicks in about a week, I think my just placing the traps has them scared. I had a conversation with "Mom" yesterday. It concerns predators and egg laying. As you know one of the hardest things about free ranging chickens is getting them to continue to lay eggs in the nest boxes in the coop. Here is the conversation:

Mom: You had a predator yesterday in the wood shed.


Me: How do you know did you find a dead bird?

Mom: NO, the eggs were laying outside the nest on the ground.

Me: what nest?

Mom: the one on the floor of the woodshed.

Me: I did not know there was a nest there, I thought I had broke them of laying their

Mom: They did stop laying there so I got worried they were hiding the eggs, so I put some fake eggs in the nest

Me: why?

Mom: So they would lay the eggs there.

Me: How long have they been there?

Mom: I think, right after you went to Florida.

Me: What happens to the eggs?

Mom: I eat them

Me: You can take eggs from the coop or I can bring you some.

Mom: Oh No, I don't want to take your eggs.


Only 4 more months until she goes back to Florida! I tried to explain to her some of the chickens can tell the fake eggs and kick them out of the nest, that conversation was too ugly to repeat here, and I was crying like a baby when it was over....