***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[CayuseRanch]

Sorry for the double post - my editor was acting weird.

Different topic:

I am hatching some chicks in a little brinsea and have the humidity WAY up in them. Because if such high humidity - it doesn't seem as the ones that have hatched are fluffing - but instead staying damp. I could lift the lid to relieve some of the humidity...but there are pipped eggs and they are the reason why I have it so high to begin with. Do you think the extended damp time be a problem?

I leave my chicks in if there are chicks zipping, or large pips. If there is not condensation on the windows, they will be fine. If you are getting condensation, your humidity is probably too high. You may try opening the vent all the way.

Newbie here! I live in Midwest City and if all goes according to plan (and code) I'll be getting my first chickens soon!!! We are in it for the eggs. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good breed for the central Oklahoma climate?

Thanks!

Since you live in the city, you probably aren't going to have a rooster or breeding. If I lived in town I would have a colorful flock of birds that lays a variety in color of eggs. For instance you could get blue marans who will lay a nice chocolate colored egg, An ee or Americana, or cream legbar for blue or green eggs, I like Faverolles for their beard and muffs, and cochins for their fluffy bodies and feathered feet. (They lay cream to brown eggs) I like Golden Comets or red sexlinks for the huge brown eggs they lay. And if you want a freaky looking chicken that anyone comes to visit will question your sanity, try a naked neck. Someone who loves Naked Necks...what color eggs do they lay?

Speaking of spoiled here's a picture of Brody. This is how the grandkids have to spend the night unless they sleep w/grandma

Funny picture...the dog looks like he needs a bigger bed

 

[bardies]

yeah I figured raccoon. I don't know if my dogs would take down a raccoon. I think they would, but they are in the house at night. I haven't had anything mess with the big chickens but I just put the babies outside. I kept them in the run attached to the coop. I just wasn't careful last night. I want to try the lights, but I don't like throwing my money away. LOL

We have had issues like that. Come bed time, I, or my daughter goes through the pens and pushes anyone sleeping by a non solid wall (chickn wire) over so they are out of the reach of paws. I've also put boards or other solid surfaces along the edges to help deter.

 

[RetiredArmyWife]

We have had issues like that. Come bed time, I, or my daughter goes through the pens and pushes anyone sleeping by a non solid wall (chickn wire) over so they are out of the reach of paws. I've also put boards or other solid surfaces along the edges to help deter.

Our chicken yard is a very large dog pen. The predator pulled on him where it connects and it forms a triangle. I think I will make sure everybody is in one of the coops and it's locked up tight. Putting solid surfaces along the bottom is a good idea. I'm glad he didn't get to eat him. That gives me some little bit of satisfaction.

 

[hotcurltr]

Sigh. The Neverending (Sob) Story... I think one of my Buttercup girls is blind. I noticed the last couple of weeks she was losing color in her comb. I also noticed the skittish girl was letting me get closer to her, but I thought maybe she was just getting used to me. A couple of days ago she was right at my feet, so I reached down and she let me get all the way to touching her, then jumped a mile. I brought her inside and in two days her comb pinked back up. Her poop was totally water, no solids, and she's starting to poop real poop now. So... she was starving and likely dehydrated.

She has no cataracts I can see, no distension of the orb or misshaping of the iris. I'm not inclined to believe it's Mareks, so for right now I'm just going with non-disease-related loss of sight. Unless anybody else has ideas?

So... what now? She'll let me almost touch her eye without flinching one minute, then turn her head the next. I'm not sure if she's blind or not. And if she is, does anybody have suggestions on how I can help her be self-sufficient? I thought about setting up a timer over the food dish that would make a tapping sound or ring a bell. Although I suppose if she's blind, a life in a cage wouldn't be the worst thing.

I really need chicken diapers.

It seems we all get the Neverending (sob) stories. It does sound weird. I wish I knew more about those things so Icould help. I keep saying Ineed chicken diapers too. I made one for the goose but that was easy because of size. I think I'm going to order some and make some. Then I can let some of the kids in more often. They're always at the sliding back door for mealworms and sometimes just walk right in so I have to chase them out. Did u get my PM about trying to pick up Floyd tomorrow, since we'll be in Tulsa. I thoughtit went through, but let me know if it didn't. Your littl blind girl would probablylove beong a house chicken. Youcould put her with the roo when u want fertile eggs.

 

[NanaKat]

@hotcurltr your Bull Mastiff is massive! Glad to hear the kids are better.

Kyzmette, my EE named Angel lived well for two years after she lost her sight. I would carry her to patches of green grass and she would indulge to her heart's content. A couple of her hatch mates in the layer flock would cluck to her and that helped her keep her bearings. In the hen house Angel had a nest box on the roost and would lay her beautiful blue eggs there. I hung a feeder at one end of the roost and a water container at the other end. She would pace back and forth on the roost for feed and water ...made nice daily exercise. When she went broody, I gave her a Cochin chick and she raised it in her cage. She learned to respond to cues like saying her name and a short whistle would cause her to make a pecking motion with her head so I would move my hand to her to get treats out of my palm.

 

[TRUE5]

Robin, yes she gets along with the hens very well. It's just butt head Thorin that I have a problem with.

 

[artsyrobin]

Robin, yes she gets along with the hens very well. It's just butt head Thorin that I have a problem with.

if you really wanted to keep him, i'd make him his own little yard and coop- like the ones you have done for the splash boys, until his hormones settle down

 

[hotcurltr]

@hotcurltr your Bull Mastiff is massive! Glad to hear the kids are better.

Kyzmette, my EE named Angel lived well for two years after she lost her sight. I would carry her to patches of green grass and she would indulge to her heart's content. A couple of her hatch mates in the layer flock would cluck to her and that helped her keep her bearings. In the hen house Angel had a nest box on the roost and would lay her beautiful blue eggs there. I hung a feeder at one end of the roost and a water container at the other end. She would pace back and forth on the roost for feed and water ...made nice daily exercise. When she went broody, I gave her a Cochin chick and she raised it in her cage. She learned to respond to cues like saying her name and a short whistle would cause her to make a pecking motion with her head so I would move my hand to her to get treats out of my palm.

What a beautiful story. It made me cry. It doesn't take much anymore. Yes Brody is massive and that picure is two years old. Tha's the last time that particular grandson was here. He's really gained weight since then. Old and lazy, but a gentle giant.

 

[greenbeetle]

What do you all do for chicks with pasty butts. I am sure there is a thread on here, but asking my Okie buddies. I have two Serama chicks about 2 weeks old that just now are getting pasty butts, the other serama chicks are fine. I took a warm wash cloth and cleaned them up last night, but I am so scared that I might loose them and wouldn't you know they are my two favorite serama chicks.

Thanks
David

 

[Kyzmette]

What do you all do for chicks with pasty butts.  I am sure there is a thread on here, but asking my Okie buddies.  I have two Serama chicks about 2 weeks old that just now are getting pasty butts, the other serama chicks are fine.  I took a warm wash cloth and cleaned them up last night, but I am so scared that I might loose them and wouldn't you know they are my two favorite serama chicks.

Thanks
David

I've gotten several through that phase. I keep them clean and wash them as needed, but the single best thing I've found that helps is trimming their butt fluff. Make sure they can get out of the heat of any heatlamp you've provided them, because getting too hot can contribute.