NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

That was my plan to hatch out birds and eat the extras. Since I like that they forage I don't need to make an extra pen, and I don't have to worry about processing by 4 months before it's heart explodes.


That's cool my son did that and then we forgot all about it LOL

While I don't specifically want to grow for meat, it does take some time to see which birds to keep and breed from. What to do with the rest. Roosters take some time to decide if he's good to breed. Hens of course will lay eggs whether she's a breeder or not.

Now historically chickens were bred for the "after life". After she stopped laying. Then she was put in the stew pot. So having big hens is more than just doing her in before she lays. I don't believe folks got so much meat as we do today.

These two Del boys didn't have a ton of meat on the breast but the legs were good. However roasting chickens need to be cooked just right or the breast will be done before the legs as happened here. I think they would have been much better with dumplings.

 

[rancher hicks]

Hainesta,

I am sorry for your bird. However like some have said once they stop eating it's not likely to be a good outcome.

Some questions though.

1. What breed is she?

2. Where did you get her?

3. Age ? you said about 6 months?

4. What thing have you been feeding ?

5. Any sudden traumas ? Dog scaring them?

6. Any changes in the coop ?

I see many newbies jump right to Mareks as the cause. Mareks is not as common as some believe it to be. It could very well be some genetic thing that happens IMO far to often. They seem to manifest themselves in the first two years.

I am sorry for your trouble.

Rancher

 

[stonykill]

While I don't specifically want to grow for meat, it does take some time to see which birds to keep and breed from. What to do with the rest. Roosters take some time to decide if he's good to breed. Hens of course will lay eggs whether she's a breeder or not.

Now historically chickens were bred for the "after life". After she stopped laying. Then she was put in the stew pot. So having big hens is more than just doing her in before she lays. I don't believe folks got so much meat as we do today.

These two Del boys didn't have a ton of meat on the breast but the legs were good. However roasting chickens need to be cooked just right or the breast will be done before the legs as happened here. I think they would have been much better with dumplings.

lower temps and cooked longer is the trick.

 

[rancher hicks]

lower temps and cooked longer is the trick.

this was DW's first time cooking our birds. She does have a tendency to over cook the meat though. Thanks for the advice I'll have to tell her.

 

[Breella]

For those of you looking for a good local store and can get to the village of Manlius easily Side Hill Farmers is in the plaza behind Snow Top (by the swan pond).

The only drawback for me is that they close before I get out of work. I love seeing their photos on Facebook. They have chefs on staff that make meals to go with the farm fresh foods the farmers in the co-op grow.

 

[Lynzi777]

I need some advice and want to post here rather than open up a new thread or search for one with this problem already. I just got done giving all 6 silkies a bath AGAIN! I few weeks ago I found mites on the lavenders and gave them and the splash cockerel a bath. Today I was looking over the lavenders again and found more. So I decided to give them yet another bath. My lavender roo was the worst. The splash cockerel had a few so I bathed him, I didn't see any on the dark blue chick or the new splash hen but I bathed them anyway and I saw one on the new splash cockerel so I gave him a bath. Everyone is clean and free of mites. However, I did NOT put them back in the coop tonight. since I didn't get done with the last bath until dark I didn't have time to clean out the coop that is now in my shed. I've sprinkled Sevin in the coop AND on them weeks ago when I first came across this problem. It obviously didn't help. I'm ready to burn this coop to the ground and get a new one. I just wanna cry cuz I can't get rid of these stupid things. I'm going to go over to my neighbors tomorrow and ask for some wood ash since they have a wood burning stove that heats their house, hoping they don't mind filling a bucket for me. Problem is, every article I read said to dust the birds but stay clear of their eyes and nostrils. Well, these mites are always in their crest feathers, no where else. What else can I put on their heads to keep things away. Also, does anyone know of a spray that I can spray the coop with that will kill any living mites in there? I feel like dusting it is just not working. I thought about buying some Adams Spray but not sure if that only works against lice and not mites. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I do not want to put these silkies back in that coop until I know this problem is fixed!

 

[miquwid]

I make a station available with DE dirt and sand for dust bathing. Clean the coop then dust with DE regardless if your using sevin or not at night dust the birds with DE as well. I always dust with DE to keep it parasite free. If you want you can also use permethrin. Though once the mites are gone use DE to help prevent them. No you want to treat two more times in 7 day intervals with you sevin.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/mites-chicken-pests-how-to-protect-your-chickens-from-mites

https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=mites

I hope this helps. Good luck

 

[Lynzi777]

Thanks Miquwid! I plan on picking up a litter pan while I'm at CM tomorrow (if they have them) and filling that with sand/DE/wood ash for them to bathe in. But for right now I'm just scared these nasty things are in the coop and I want them to die off before placing the silkies back in there.

 

[armorfirelady]

I sprayed neem oil over everything wood then dusted the girls several times in wood ash over 5 days.. Then ten days later did it again. Mites are gone. I also pulled out all the litter in the coop and threw it away.

Over the summer I didn't epicenter wood ash to dust bathe In. I forgot. But now a litter box full of wood ash and peat moss is available all the time. Once a week or so I refill it with new ash and peat moss. The old stuff I dump in their litter

 

[Lynzi777]

I sprayed neem oil over everything wood then dusted the girls several times in wood ash over 5 days.. Then ten days later did it again. Mites are gone. I also pulled out all the litter in the coop and threw it away.

Over the summer I didn't epicenter wood ash to dust bathe In. I forgot. But now a litter box full of wood ash and peat moss is available all the time. Once a week or so I refill it with new ash and peat moss. The old stuff I dump in their litter

That's what I need to pick up still too, is the neem oil. Is that something I can pick up at Lowes or Home Depot?