***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[shelbydog]

I like that thought.  If it looked like a fence no one would bother...

Put a high voltage sign on it

 

[SimplyMe_AngieD]

I like that thought. If it looked like a fence no one would bother...

I have seen rabbit hutches with flower garden boxes on top. Maybe that woudl be an idea for the "roof" of a chicken tractor too?

 

[i-love-my-honey]

BAHAHA! That is a great idea!!

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Everybody's answers to my previous question were wonderfully explanatory. Great answers! I had that question in my mind for a while, and decided to ask the chicken community.

 

[artsyrobin]

Sonny update, i did his feet with neosporin twice yesterday and it shows-

 

[erinszoo]

Well, no more duck problems so far. Keeping the goats out of their yard seems to be doing the trick. Not sure what the rambunctious four footed kids were up to, but it's obvious they can't be with the ducks.

Robin - you'll be happy to know that our little silkie girl is brooding some eggs. And boy is she determined about it!! What a great gift she has been. Unfortunately we lost our boy a few weeks ago, so she's on her own right now but we gave her fertile eggs so she can have babies, even if they aren't silkies. She's happy as a clam in mud. We plan to get another boy this spring for her. Our cochin bantam would love to be with her, but she hates him.

 

[NanaKat]

[@=/u/198671/hotcurltr]@hotcurltr[/@]

The moorman showtec is what get.

Thanks. Is it all you feed or do you add it to their ration? That's what hubby got. He liked it because it has 20% protein. He said the others had less.

Yes...that is all I feed for two weeks when I treat the entire flock.

Dusti, the Lemon Blue is laying nicely so will try breeding her to see what pops. Also have a Columbian cock running with the girls so that explains the cross chicks I've had hatching...10 so far over the past few weeks.
Moving them to the brooder room today as they are feathering up nicely and I need room in the big brooder for the chicks that hatched yesterday.

Beautiful day outside even with the wind. We sorted 70 calves and ivemeced the bulk of them. The six that are going to market we did not spray. Sunshine has grown into a nice sized heifer. The boys decided that they did not want to keep her for a breeder so she is going to town too. She has only one toe on her back hoof and a bobbed tail...but looks great otherwise. I would have liked to give her an opportunity to raise a calf but was outnumbered on that decision.
Norman is happy out in the pasture with his mom and two calves close to his age. They do a lot of running and butting heads. He come up to us on the Ranger and I get out to rub his back.. He tries to play by bucking and nuzzling. His back hips are even with my hips now...must weigh about 150 now.

 

[shelbydog]

Dusti, the Lemon Blue is laying nicely so will try breeding her to see what pops. Also have a Columbian cock running with the girls so that explains the cross chicks I've had hatching...10 so far over the past few weeks.
Moving them to the brooder room today as they are feathering up nicely and I need room in the big brooder for the chicks that hatched yesterday.

Who are you going to put her with??? Blue columbian or blue birchen??

 

[hotcurltr]

I love the pattern for the aprons. I will have to make some banty size. I found you on FB.. I think. It has a Cheryl True from California? If that is you I just sent you a friend request. I am Angela Childress


These are very valid points. However. I really think that a lot of diseases can be avoided from responsible care and handling of the birds. A lot of these diseases became rampant in industrial chicken houses. They are unsanitary and are impossible to keep disease from brooding there. The disease gets spread from the chicken houses to backyard flocks by birds. And then back to chicken houses from backyard flocks by birds.

Those chicken houses deal with disease by medicating when disease really could be delt with by not overcrowding their chickens. But they do and here we are.


While the thought is nice. A responsible breeder or a responsible pet owner really requires a breeder and owner that has ethics and morals. You really can not regulate and legislate to make some one moral. If you make something illegal, the irresponsible breeder will find a loophole and find a way to breed and sell their stock under the table.

The other issue is that as fun and personable as chickens are, chickens are still livestock and are mainly raised for food, in one form or another. Yes they can be pets and yes some do keep them indoors as a housepet, but that does not change the role chickens play in our world.

The best thing to do is not to give business to irresponsible breeders. And educate your freinds who become interested in raising chickens. And when they lose interest in their chickens give them a good home or make a good chicken stock out of them. Buy chickens from breeders you trust. Buy your food chickens from farmers/growers you know treat their birds well. The more money we get to the good guys, the irresponsible guys won't be making as much profit.

You can also start to bug your senators/congressman/representatives about laws to make it easier for non industrial food growers to raise good food for us!

My thoughts too. I am just not articulate enough in speech or writing to get my points across. Somehow they don't come out like I wanted. I did some research and my understanding is that all big commercial growers vaccinate their birds, per USDA requirements. Plus if MG or one of the others that are carried to the egg it would be a huge financial loss for them. Just my thoughts.

 

[NanaKat]

Dusti, the Lemon Blue is laying nicely so will try breeding her to see what pops. Also have a Columbian cock running with the girls so that explains the cross chicks I've had hatching...10 so far over the past few weeks.
Moving them to the brooder room today as they are feathering up nicely and I need room in the big brooder for the chicks that hatched yesterday.

Who are you going to put her with??? Blue columbian or blue birchen??

Am thinking about using the Blue Columbian Wyandotte or the Blue Birchen ....she is out of one of the Iowa hens. So I want to put that hen with a Columbian pattern.

Right now I have High Stepper in a quarantine pen treating for sneezing. The other two Cochin cocks are in breed pens with lovely Blue, Black and Splash hens. Going to send eggs to Colorado and then hatch 50 from each pen. The Black hens decided to stop laying when I set up their pen but the other pen gave three eggs from six hens yesterday.