***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Kassaundra]

I've done this before I planted some mixed grass seed only I had a taller cage around it and moved it a lot, at the same time I found a sheet of expanded metal that was flat and laid it flush with the soil, I planted Bermuda grass on it and after a while when the roots had grown to cover the whole sheet I was able to use a square blade shovel to cut sod chunks off the surface and sprig it around the yard till I had a full lawn, I haven't done that here cause I have no desire to become a slave to the lawn again I would rather have a dirt yard like my Grandmother had she wouldn't allow any grass or weeds to grow near the house LOL I'm not quite that bad really I do think it's better to zerascape and grow other plants that don't need mowing and use less water the trouble it finding things that the chickens and goats and other critters don't eat or kill out so far I've found they don't like the Morning glory, Vinca (periwinkle) or
4-O'clocks I'm hoping I can grow Castor bean plants next year and nothing eat them, I have a bunch of gourds to plant also but I'm guessing that the goats will eat those LOL

4 Oclocks are poison to most things

 

[Kassaundra]

Yea, the last thing we need are inbred cockroaches

 

[Ksane]

I put my 5 month old Silver & Gold Laced Cochins and the 2 Orps in the bigger yard with my older 3 Cochins and the Black Ameraucana. I hope the younger ones don't get some sickness :-( But they grew up separated by only a fence next to this group their whole lives and have had contact through the fence, etc. This way my last remaining Cochin boy (a Silver Laced) will have 9 girls-jeez I hope that's enough. They'll all share a nice solid building, I adore my Cochins.
Then I put the little Blue Bantam Cochin with her 10 Stolen-Egg-Babies in the 10x10 pen, it's one of the few pens I have that's completely lined up the sides with chicken wire. Those babies are still so tiny they'd go right through the holes of chain link. They have a safe cozy 4x4 covered section inside a building for their coop. She's so proud of her babies, man she's a good mama! I know she stole those eggs because some of those babies are coloring up just like Bantam Cornish. She was always stealing eggs from the other hens and trying to sit on them

 

[cathiesue]

Yea, the last thing we need are inbred cockroaches

Um...how could you tell?

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Can anyone give me a little advice, I have some chicks I am trying to get out of the house, two 7 1/2 week olds, three almost 5 week olds, and 5 three week olds. I figured now was the time so they can acclimatize, I put the older two groups out but kept the three week olds in. It got down to about 56 degrees last night, which I wouldn't think would be too cold. This morning one of the 5 week olds was very lethargic looking, so I brought it in the house. It hasn't moved all day, eyes closed unless I pick it up and move it around. I forced some baby vitamins and a little water down it but I don't dare do much since I have no idea what is wrong, I have it next to the brooder so it gets some heat from the brooder lamp. Worried I am going to lose it- this is the only splash Isbar that hatched. Anyway my question is, was it too cold last night for them? Should I bring the 5 week olds back in? In a couple of nights it is supposed to be down in the lower 40s. Is THAT too cold and should I bring them in then? I read a good rule of thumb was 4 week olds could take 40 degrees, but now I am seriously doubting that.

Anyone think this is hypothermia in the chick, and if so is there anything I can do besides wait?

Rinda

 

[Ksane]

I don't know, they'd have 3 eyes or something? lol!

 

[Ksane]

Rinda, it quite possibly is too cold for them. They need to be fully feathered and the 2 younger groups probably aren't. Is there a way to put a heating pad underneath where they sleep? Like in a pillowcase or something so they don't get it dirty? I'd use a heat lamp but be very very careful to secure it in 2 places. People have lost their chicks when the heat lamp fell and burned everything up.

 

[jcatblum]

Can anyone give me a little advice, I have some chicks I am trying to get out of the house, two 7 1/2 week olds, three almost 5 week olds, and 5 three week olds. I figured now was the time so they can acclimatize, I put the older two groups out but kept the three week olds in. It got down to about 56 degrees last night, which I wouldn't think would be too cold. This morning one of the 5 week olds was very lethargic looking, so I brought it in the house. It hasn't moved all day, eyes closed unless I pick it up and move it around. I forced some baby vitamins and a little water down it but I don't dare do much since I have no idea what is wrong, I have it next to the brooder so it gets some heat from the brooder lamp. Worried I am going to lose it- this is the only splash Isbar that hatched. Anyway my question is, was it too cold last night for them? Should I bring the 5 week olds back in? In a couple of nights it is supposed to be down in the lower 40s. Is THAT too cold and should I bring them in then? I read a good rule of thumb was 4 week olds could take 40 degrees, but now I am seriously doubting that.

Anyone think this is hypothermia in the chick, and if so is there anything I can do besides wait?

Rinda

With the major temp drop I would still have a light for them. I think it is going to be WAY too cold the next wk for them not to have some heat source. Just my opinion, but think how cold we get when the temp drops 30 degrees & we have had yrs to acclimate.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Thanks so much, then I think I will just put them back in the house brooder, we don't have electric out to the grow out pen yet.

My little splash (I think hen) just passed. I hate all this "learning the hard way" stuff...

 

[jcatblum]

Thanks so much, then I think I will just put them back in the house brooder, we don't have electric out to the grow out pen yet.

My little splash (I think hen) just passed. I hate all this "learning the hard way" stuff...

Sorry you lost her! When we lived in town I kept an industrial type extension cord ran to the coop. Even here on the farm I had to use ext cords this summer to run fans to the broody hens in their own coops.