***OKIES in the BYC III ***

Robin, I'm sorry about Dragon :-( I know how special she was to you. That girl had a nice long run with you.

True5, 5 months is also the age that roundworms hit them hard. They've usually contacted them a month or 2 earlier but it takes awhile for their bodies to run down to the point we notice they're sick. I'd definitely deworm with something like Safeguard then repeat 10 days later.

Still a little concerned about my crop surgery girl. She pooped a pile 1/2 the size of a golfball this morning so I know food is going all the way. But her crop area still looks a little swollen although there's nothing in there. Might be from being cut into. She acts good so far though.

Grannychick55, a lot of people swear by plain Ivomec but I don't like it for mites or lice. It does work on mange mites on dogs though. "Ivomec Eprinex" *does work on mites and lice. I use the Frontline spray for dogs and cats and that stuff works better than anything I've ever used. You can buy it labeled specifically for poultry but it costs 3 times more than labeled for dogs and cats. You can also buy generic Frontline at Walmart-works just great.

I lost an Araucana hen last night. Something took her and dragged her right out of the building they were sleeping in. I still don't see how it got in unless it squeezed through a 2" crack at the bottom of the door. Probably a possum, we have a lot of them. (Betsy, possums will tear their heads off and leave the rest also). I'd lost another Araucana hen a few months back. I immediately moved the Ara rooster and the remaining hen to a 4x8 wooden roofed coop/run. They won't have much room for a few wks but I'll build them their own covered yard when we get back from NC. I am NOT going to lose my beautiful sweet Ara boy. I got chills when I realized I could've lost him instead of the hen, the hen was a sweetheart but he's one of my favorite roosters of all of them.

Kim, Spook is way cool looking! Thank Heavens I have no desire to get baby cows :-/ Because I'd end up with 10 of them.
 
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I want to open art commissions, but I have to get my parents' permission, first. Do you guys think this is a level that is good enough someone would take a commission? I am not sure of myself, so I wouldn't be a good judge. Criticism?
 
Have just read up on at least half dozen predator identification sites, and the only thing that fits the damage is an owl.  However, since I am VERY sure an owl couldn't have gotten in and dragged her across the floor and up and out of that opening, this sort of bolsters my suspicion that a four-legged animal caught, killed and dragged her out and was then chased off by an owl.  From what I read, there are others that will take the head, but they appear to first eat other parts, specifically the crop and entrails.  All the sites state an owl will take only the head and neck.

Am still only able to post through received emails, but BYC is now trying to help me.  It is sounding like it is a problem with my browser, but not yet sure.
owls will eat the breasts out of fowl. I've seen it with my own eyes. But you're right, something had to have went in there, killed them all and took one off for eating. The evidence is in the bodies of your hens still in the house. A mink or weasel would be easily chased off by an owl, right? Is that a likely natural conflict?
Maybe it was a raccoon? They will eat just the neck and heads, crop...
They'll also spend hours trying to get into something they see food in.
Do raccoons kill everything?
 
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Update on attack. I didn't look for the hen as I knew she had to be dead and figured she'd been dragged to the predator's den. However, Vashi found her body only about 3-4 feet from the pen, on the other side of a fence that separates that part of the yard. Her head was gone and her naked neck had been completely skinned. No other evidence of injury. I know there are several animals that will take the head only, but I don't remember which ones. I think owls and some hawks may be among those, but there is absolutely no way a winged creature could have gotten in.

She was a healthy, well-fleshed bird, and whatever got her had to drag her anywhere from a couple of feet (if she had been chased into the end pen) to 6 - 8 feet and over a 2' barrier, then almost straight up 7' to get her out that corner. There were very few feathers and no blood evidence. She was a completely different color from the rest.

That entry has been completely sealed off, and we'll make permanent repairs to the rest of that upper roof edge.
My deduction would be a Coon. They are strong, crafty, and just plain mischievous. A bobcat can climb, but would take the whole prize away. A possum would eat it right inside the pen. Weasels are too small I'd think.
 
I need advice. My chicks are growing and I have picked out several I want to sell (I think lol). I just am not sure if I should wait and take them too POOPS or sell that at an auction. When I mentioned them before no one seemed excited for them. What should I do?

These are the ones I am thinking of selling. All were bought from Atwoods in March and came from Ideal Poultry

White Bantam Cochin pullet
White bantam cochin Roo
Buff bantam cochin pullet
Buff bantam cochin roo

Blue red OEGB pullet
Porcelain OEGB pullet ( not sure about selling her)
 
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I want to open art commissions, but I have to get my parents' permission, first. Do you guys think this is a level that is good enough someone would take a commission? I am not sure of myself, so I wouldn't be a good judge. Criticism?
That depends... how well do you take criticism? I can honestly tell you it's better than most people your age. It's actually better than most people will ever be able to do, no matter what age. If you take criticism personally, or let it make you mad, or post asking for criticism when what you really want is an ego stroke, then I'll stop there.
 
I take criticism in stride with comments; my standpoint on constructive criticism is that the person would like to help me aspire, as an artist. Please do, feel free to criticize. I could use it!!
 

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