North Carolina

[Mimis hen house]

Good Morning . Hope to catch a mess of crappie myself! Good luck Wild! Hope U all have a awesome WeekEnd!!! Oh and my chicks Survived there first night in there coop .. Yay. Ran out at daylight to show them out to the run!! You go Girls! Mama's Proud!!!!

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

He's a handsome little devil! And he looks happy. You done good!
. NH, where in Raleigh do you get the feed and what is it called? And...more questions...how much do you go through for how many birds. I assume it's somewhat less in summer. I know my birds feed intake drops by nearly half when the pastures are in good shape for ranging. I hadn't thought about kelps as a protein source...doh! That would decrease the amount of insect food to supply...or eggs to give back. Mealworms are easy. There are lots of threads about them on BYC if you search. I usually use aquariums, simply because I have them. I'm planning on starting at least one colony back up because they are good for the button quail.

Teach? During summer? Are you crazy, Woman!

Ahem. Sure. I can help you set up. No problem.

I'm thinking we have a fair few educators in here... 2 Sesslers?

I order my feed through Fifth Seasoning Gardening in Raleigh. They carry 2 different types of feed companies: Reedy Fork Farms and Countryside. In my experience, Countryside tends to be more "chunks" whereas when we were ordering from RFF, we were getting almost nothing but powder. The powder - well...that caused a LOT of waste!! Last winter, we went through a bag of feed a month (50# with 15 young pullets, 5 ducks and 8 adults, plus 2 roosters and a few teenagers)...This "summer" so far (and last year) we have averaged about a 50# bag every other month or so (give or take...if we have to lock them up for a few days, we tend to feed them more as they are unable to graze and free range). We are surrounded by woods though, so I do know that even in the winter, there are a fair amount of grubs to be found under the pile of leaves and needles. In the summer, I substitute with free clippings from the garden, weeds, left over fruits/veggies and the chickens are my primary compost before things get sent to "the heap". I hope I am not under/over feeding. They all look solid - I have had a few die unexpectedly, but upon closer examination, they usually have a heart problem/defect. My one rooster that was getting a bit aggressive towards the DD - when he was processed, he had CHF (don't know if that's the term to use on a chicken or not, but you get the idea). The last rooster we processed just wasn't "thriving"...he ended up having a deformed breast bone and TINY heart (in comparison to the size hearts are normally in chickens). So, I THINK they are all doing fine with this feeding arrangement.

I'll check out the forums on meal-worming...it will be a good Science lesson for my little girl (who wants to start school NOW...LOL)

2 Sesslers - PM away...I'll do my best to help!!

Have a wonderful Saturday everyone...can you believe it? It's JUNE 1st already!! that means...THIRTY MORE DAYS (give or take depending on how cooperative this little one is) until we have another addition to get addicted to chickens!! Just so you all know, I am aiming for 12 more days (June 13th) so keep your crossables crossed and start praying!!

(There's no significance to 6/13, I just don't want one SO close to my DD1's bday or my mom's/nieces' birthday so...2 weeks early sounds good...LOL)

 

[CJJenkins]

Good lovely morning to all! Another Busy day and Happy June! Hard to believe the year is almost half gone, seems only yesterday it was Christmas!
Congrats Luke that is a beautiful baby! We are looking forward to another grand in about 2 weeks, will be the first boy in our family in 15 years! He will be born rotten.
Have to share a pic of my beautiful roo, Wendell. He is so sweet and really protective of his ladies.



Have an awesome day all!

 

[dutchbunny83]

Can't believe it's JUNE already!!!
And even better my husband should be home in a WEEK!!!!

I hope yall have a great weekend!

 

[chris4kdz]

I got a question. If my boxer got pregnant by a three legged dog will she have three legged puppies?

Bout to find out real soon

She had them and still is. They all have three legs. Okay they don't. they have four legs and they look healthy.

I love puppies. I know they make a mess but. I love puppies...

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

I got a question. If my boxer got pregnant by a three legged dog will she have three legged puppies?
      Bout to find out real soon 

She had them and still is. They all have three legs.  Okay they don't. they have four legs and they look healthy.   I love puppies. I know they make a mess but. I love puppies...

Puppies!!! I adore puppies of all ages! I want your puppies!

This is why I have four dogs...a five-year-old, a four-year-old, two-year-old, and almost-seven-month-old! Puppies!!!

He's a handsome little devil! And he looks happy. You done good!

. NH, where in Raleigh do you get the feed and what is it called? And...more questions...how much do you go through for how many birds. I assume it's somewhat less in summer. I know my birds feed intake drops by nearly half when the pastures are in good shape for ranging. I hadn't thought about kelps as a protein source...doh! That would decrease the amount of insect food to supply...or eggs to give back. Mealworms are easy. There are lots of threads about them on BYC if you search. I usually use aquariums, simply because I have them. I'm planning on starting at least one colony back up because they are good for the button quail.


Teach? During summer? Are you crazy, Woman!


Ahem. Sure. I can help you set up. No problem.


I'm thinking we have a fair few educators in here... 2 Sesslers?

I order my feed through Fifth Seasoning Gardening in Raleigh.  They carry 2 different types of feed companies: Reedy Fork Farms and Countryside.  In my experience, Countryside tends to be more "chunks" whereas when we were ordering from RFF, we were getting almost nothing but powder.  The powder - well...that caused a LOT of waste!!  Last winter, we went through a bag of feed a month (50# with 15 young pullets, 5 ducks and 8 adults, plus 2 roosters and a few teenagers)...This "summer" so far (and last year) we have averaged about a 50# bag every other month or so (give or take...if we have to lock them up for a few days, we tend to feed them more as they are unable to graze and free range).  We are surrounded by woods though, so I do know that even in the winter, there are a fair amount of grubs to be found under the pile of leaves and needles.  In the summer, I substitute with free clippings from the garden, weeds, left over fruits/veggies and the chickens are my primary compost before things get sent to "the heap".  I hope I am not under/over feeding.  They all look solid - I have had a few die unexpectedly, but upon closer examination, they usually have a heart problem/defect.  My one rooster that was getting a bit aggressive towards the DD - when he was processed, he had CHF (don't know if that's the term to use on a chicken or not, but you get the idea).  The last rooster we processed just wasn't "thriving"...he ended up having a deformed breast bone and TINY heart (in comparison to the size hearts are normally in chickens).  So, I THINK they are all doing fine with this feeding arrangement.     I'll check out the forums on meal-worming...it will be a good Science lesson for my little girl (who wants to start school NOW...LOL)

2 Sesslers - PM away...I'll do my best to help!!  

Have a wonderful Saturday everyone...can you believe it?  It's JUNE 1st already!! that means...THIRTY MORE DAYS (give or take depending on how cooperative this little one is) until we have another addition to get addicted to chickens!!  Just so you all know, I am aiming for 12 more days (June 13th) so keep your crossables crossed and start praying!!     (There's no significance to 6/13, I just don't want one SO close to my DD1's bday or my mom's/nieces' birthday so...2 weeks early sounds good...LOL)

50 pounds in two months with thirty-some birds? Wow! I need to come see your place, because you must have the best free-range on the planet if that's all they're eating! I'm jealous! Of course, I usually have one or two that stay in the coop and eat feed instead of ranging...although once I've identified their lazy butts, they are gone! I will look at that feed and my egg sales though, and see if it's worth it to me to isolate a few on special feed. If the market is there, I will work on it.

 

[chris4kdz]

Puppies!!! I adore puppies of all ages! I want your puppies!

This is why I have four dogs...a five-year-old, a four-year-old, two-year-old, and almost-seven-month-old! Puppies!!!
50 pounds in two months with thirty-some birds? Wow! I need to come see your place, because you must have the best free-range on the planet if that's all they're eating! I'm jealous! Of course, I usually have one or two that stay in the coop and eat feed instead of ranging...although once I've identified their lazy butts, they are gone! I will look at that feed and my egg sales though, and see if it's worth it to me to isolate a few on special feed. If the market is there, I will work on it.

I can deliver LOL!!

 

[3ChickensinNC]

There is a flock swap in Castle Haynes at the Hudsons feed store the first of every month for those in the Wilmington area. It is from 8-12. Forgot who was asking for laying hens in this area

 

[2StrayRoos]

Had a friend over to look at my hen who also has chickens and when she checked her over just above the vent area she let out a hollow. Something is going on internal. Egg busted inside maybe and shell still inside? She told me somebody to call and of course nobody home. I know she needs an antibiotc of some kind. She is taking a little sugar water now. Got her in the house with me in a little tub with a towel seems to like that. I'm going to read on here further. Any ideas please let me know.

 

[dutchbunny83]

I don't know anything about egg binding/breaking, but as far as antibiotics (recently whole flock picked up something respiratory from adult birds I brought in) I had the best results with Tylan 50 injections. I did 1 CC injection to the breast, they sell both the medicine and syringes at feed stores. But that may be a high antibiotic for an egg stuck?

I had no luck with Duramycin, either the 10 soluble or the injectible.

If you do injections, stick with the breast. I didn't think I could get a clear shot at the breast since my chicken was losing weight so I put it in her thigh and must have nicked a nerve because she hobbled around for a week.

Try googling about egg binding or typing it in the search here, sorry I can't be more helpful on that.
Best of luck to you, sending chicken prayers your way

Keep us updated!