NY chicken lover!!!!

[houseofknauss]

Well i let the silkies free range with the group against my better judgement. I just dont understand how 2 bantam silkies and 1 brabanter can cause so much trouble in a flock of large birds. They did whatever and barely have crest now so they can see that might be the problem. They are something. Gotta buy more straw soon. I love the 40lb bags of DE super wonderful. Have a great day lots of cleaning here then cooking then the Walking Dead¡!!!!!!!!!¡

yes, the walking dead,, I still want to know why the pig died.

on another note I have to integrate the babies in the coop soon. 15 weeks old. the roosters are getting really tall. have snow on my deck again this morning ...................


good morning everyone!!!

 

[Glasshen]

Ke, that's the cartoon! Call me sick, but it still makes me laugh.

 

[hainesta]

Hi guys...I'm looking for a little help. We have been chicken owners for about 6 months now and I have my first sick hen. I'm trying to decide what to do with her. Does anyone in the Syracuse/Lafayette area know of a vet that specializes in chickens? When I went up to open the coop yesterday, she didn't come out with everyone else. I went in to check on her and she was just kind of standing on the floor. She let me pick her up, which she never does! I put her in a nesting box because we are to the point where we are starting to get some eggs. She stayed so I thought maybe that was the deal but in the back of my head, I just didn't think so. She wasn't acting the way our others have right before laying their first eggs. We checked on her throughout the day and she never laid an egg and she just seemed lethargic. When I closed them in last night, she was just sitting by herself on one of the lowest roosts that nobody uses. I but her in the nesting box again just to keep her comfortable for the night. This morning I brought her into the house. She can't seem to keep her head up. She tries to lift it, but it slowly droops back down like she's too weak to old it up. She wont stand for long either, is just laying down on some towels in front of our fireplace. I've searched the internet and I'm just not sure if it's Mareks or maybe egg bound? I gave her a warm bath and massaged like they said to do for egg bound hens but I don't feel anything. Her cloaca looks clear, I cant feel if her crop is full. She will drink if I dip her beak in water but she won't eat. Just not sure what to do at this point. We do not have a vet and I'm not sure what local vet would even know much about chickens!

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

Brella - I suggest that you might use a cornish crossed with what you have now - or just do as the others say (Stoney et al) - and use the extra roos to sell to your neighbors - you will already be raising them until you know they are roos ..... then what I did with my extras was give them a separate pen so they didn't get too much exercise - feed them well - and they were very tasty. still 100 Times more room than commercial chickens have - plus 8,000 times more fresh air and mental stimulation - so while it is not as much fun as free ranging every afternoon like my main flock -they still get to be chickens while fattening up.

So they won't taste exactly like a store bought bird, but you can tell your neighbors that they are pesticide and hormone additive free Cook them slower and longer than a normal chicken and they should be sooooo tasty.

Metella what do you give " feed them well ". I have 12 roos in the bachelor pad. They were getting to rough with the pullets. They are BLRW & Australorps, a couple will get to stay............ the rest are going to freezer camp

They are only 4-5 months old. They are getting hi-pro feed, BOSS, cracked corn. Any other suggestions ?

 

[Breella]

Tip your post standard delivery person well, today's paper sucked. They broke it up into four parts claiming it would be better for the presses, it would be easier to fix problems, et... it sucked. It was harder to put together and the main sections were not complete! I was missing fifty five mains! Not like, Oh, you lost a whole bundle somewhere. Missing about ten-twelve out of each bundle they gave me because I had the correct number of total bundles. I had to leave several angry customers without main sections so I could go pick up more at a drop zone. *sigh*

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

I think someone on this thread was looking for pumpkin stems for a craft project. I have some, if you still want them contact me and we'll figure out a way to get them to you !

 

[Metella]

Well - I get old bread, crackers and other just expired human food ... sure, it is not really organic ... but it is better quality than slop ha ha ha


Most outlet stores have cheap grain/bread things .... and I let them pack on the pounds. Same philosophy as with grass fed beef - they are often "finished off" two months before butchering with grains and such - to add some fat and take away some of the gamey flavor ... but from reading here ... they shouldn't have a gamey flavor if processed at once ?

I am sure more organic methods are healthier, my method I feel, is sort of in between buying chicken/gross/surprise at the grocery story and paying as much as my mortgage for organic meat at the co-op store on top of a membership fee. I wish the fees were smaller and the prices better & I would join, but our local reg grocery store has most of the stuff (minus veggies and meat) at a much cheaper price.

 

[Metella]

hainesta ....

if the hen is not eating ... I think she may be a goner. I would make her comfortable and give her a quiet and dim place to pass away. Or you can actively put her down.

Pyxis may know of vets that handle chickens, but most have no clue - even avian vets rarely deal with chickens. The cost issue is just not logical ... I know dealing with a pet affects this logic, yet still paying hundreds to treat a $5 chicken is something most people won't do and therefore there is little motive for vets.

Please let us know if she makes it ... Good luck !

 

[Lynzi777]

I think someone on this thread was looking for pumpkin stems for a craft project. I have some, if you still want them contact me and we'll figure out a way to get them to you !

That was me. I collected as many as I possibly could and brought them down to a friend in CT who was making velvet pumpkins. Thanks for thinking of me though!

 

[Lynzi777]

Thank you all for your kind words on my little frizzle, Glinda. Just feel bad for my black frizzle now because she's all alone out there with the big girls. Her and Glinda stuck together out there since they were the smallest. She still has the Blue Orp out there with her but that thing is such a spazz. She runs away from everyone and everything and ventures off on her own. She's so fast, I should call her Road Runner. Once I find homes for my splash cockerel and dark blue pullet silkie I'll place Evanora back with the silkies.


I forgot to move my bag of feed back into the bench we have on our porch yesterday and some little critter got into last night. A mouse or chipmunk I imagine. These guys have a mess to clean up this morning...