***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[miohippus]

it's still early, but your first splash is a cockerel, your second splash is a pullet, and I'm pretty sure your chipmunk will start getting little red patches on his chest/wings very soon!

Also, this is why if someone trying to sell you birds says they feather sex a chicken that is not feather sexable, it's best to walk away from all those cockerels!

That is what i said i was not sure wich breeds are feather sexable and wich are not.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

That is what i said i was not sure wich breeds are feather sexable and wich are not.

To get a feather sexable chick, you take a roo from a line bred for the fast feathering gene (k+k+) and cross it with a line bred for regular slow feathering (K). The resulting chicks are either k+ females (fast feathering), or Kk+ males (slow feathering because k+ is recessive). The roo passes a k+ to each chick but the hen only passes the K to her male chicks.

Long story short- if the line isn't bred to be feather sexable it doesn't work. Breed doesn't matter. There are a few people who say their line can be feather sexed reliably. I've never been able to do that. Anyone who does has a 50/50 shot at being right I guess!

I don't have enough experience, to know what you're talking about. And, unfortunately, the birds have been buried. And, the guineas and turkeys, are eating different food, from the chickens. The chickens, are getting 20% egg maker! while the guineas and turkeys, are getting 28% game bird feed. All, the feed is fresh, ADM feed.

Are they confined to their pens? Any way they could have gotten into a pile of moldy feed? How was the chicken that died acting "off?" Lethargic, any discharge from eyes or nose, coughing, breathing funny, comb very dark or very pale?

The crop feels like a small bag at the front lower side of the throat when it's full. Once you've felt a full crop you will know when you feel an empty one. Go out and catch a chicken tomorrow and feel it so you know what a crop feels like. It's hard for us to diagnose the problem with no description and no pictures.

 

[artsyrobin]

garden question- i just repotted these poor plants in a tote on the porch, with bagged potting soil, is there anything else i need to do to protect them from bugs?

 

[YardBirdMom]

You trade chickens? I'm already attached and it's been less than one week! Eeek! We took the babies out in the yard today...late afternoon, nice and warm. We have an enclosed pen we let them play in and they are just exhausted by all the running around. It is so peaceful just watching them! Thanks for the welcome.

I felt the same way and thought I could never get rid of any I've raised. I was wrong I bought too many, they were overcrowded and I managed to let go of four of my Light Brahmas for their happiness sake, so ya never know The babies are the best and SO much fun to watch! It is a different type of entertainment as they grow older... you'll see!

Quote:

It has been a very hard week. Last week we visited my Husband's dad in Mississippi. Dad is only 71 and in good psysical health but has dymensia and is now in a home. It is very hard for my Husband who hasn't had much time with him since he was 14 and moved with his Mom to Texas.

While we were in MS, our dear dog jumped the fence at DH's Aunt's house, where we were staying, and died. We are heartbroken. Louie was a wonderful dog and my shawdow. I am still looking for him every time I go to sleep, wake up and when I go from room to room and pen to pen.

Dementia is an extremely difficult disease to deal with and I am sorry your father in law is suffering from it. I believe it is much harder on the loved ones because the person sometimes doesn't realize they have anything wrong. I'll say a prayer for you and your family.

I am so, so, so sorry about your dog. They are a part of our family and losing one, especially to a tragedy, really hurts. I lost a dog to a hit and run over a year ago and am still not over it, have not found a new dog, and not sure I will, or want to. *hugs* You will eventually come to a 'new normal', but it's the getting to that point that sucks.

I have two Maran roosters that I need to re-home. One of them is older and doesn't have the tips on his comb I guess due to frost bite ( I purchased at an auction several months back) but a nice rooster, not mean or anything. Also I have a Black Copper Maran cockeral going on 4 months old. I will try to post pictures.

You people are killing me with the offering up of these roosters! I'm a soft hearted "OH please honey, that dogs been dumped can't we catch it" --- My husband, "NO Bev! We are NOT getting a dog". Me: "Fine! God knows my heart" ..... Yeah, he's been married to me WAY too long to fall for that guilt trip lol

Wish I needed a roo, would love to have a Black Copper Marans because ALL of my girls are brown egg layers!!! Aaaaaaahhhhhhh, you're killing me!!!!

Tough morning here. Our favorite little girl, Phyllis, a gray & white Polish pullet, was found dead on the floor of the coop, a short while ago.

I have no advice to offer or explanations as I'm too new of a chicken owner to know anything, but I do offer my condolences. I hope you figure out what happened.

garden question- i just repotted these poor plants in a tote on the porch, with bagged potting soil, is there anything else i need to do to protect them from bugs?

Sevin Dust I assume - or maybe some DE if you are going organic or lower the plant down and let one of your friendly chickens have a go at any critters there ??....... Unfortunately, bugs can fly so it probably won't stop all of them.

Right now I have small grasshoppers who are eating up my basil, but the chickens are checking that plant each day now lol

Hubby was afraid they were going to knock the blooms off his tomato plants OR eat them, but so far they've done more good then harm.
Plus I kind of wanted to know if we could de-bug with chickens while not using pesticides and compare our results to years where we've only used pesticides. Time will tell ....but so far I'm loving the chickens in the garden!

Do any of you let your chickens roam the garden once plants are big and established?

 

[hotcurltr]

It's probably a congenital defect and you can't "fix" it, if the poly-vi-sol and egg yolk aren't helping. So sorry. If he breeds the hens all the time- could he be "shooting blanks?" Some roosters are infertile or have low fertility just as humans. Or are the hens particularly "fluffy" in the rear end- preventing him from making contact?

I realize these are older posts, but I just now finished getting caught up. I'm going through some really rough times right now and need to talk, so I know there's a forum on BYC to talk about us and our life so I'll try to find it. I'd rather talk to all of ya'll because I know what a great, intelligent, and caring group you all are. Not to mention how much some of you crack me up and I smile and laugh. Anyway, Rinda, I did answer this post immediately, but I have to blame it on one of the dogs. (Oh yah, blame it on the dog) She was under the computer desk and unknowingly unplugged it. I was tired and stressed and went back to take care of the chick. I thanked you for answering, told you that it hadn't ever opened it's eyes, and if there was a way to put it in a cup. It always toppled to one side. I did end up bandaiding the legs together, but the cup was too big so I stuffed it with paper towels to keep the chick upright. It died in the night slumped over

I didn't get much compassion as hubby said I shouldn't try to save one that's already unthrifty. He's probably right, since it had never opened it's eyes.
Still.

@hotcurltr that looks like spraddleleg to me. There's all sorts of theories about why it happens, but it's pretty easy to correct. I've found sports tape is the best... that fabric that sticks to itself that the doctor wraps your arm in after they take blood. You cut a short strip to wrap around each leg, then a longer strip that goes around both legs and holds them the correct length apart. It can correct overnight like that if you catch it fast enough.

I'm not sure why you're not getting fertile eggs, because he was a love machine with my hens. Several of his girls are just now getting old enough to be chased by Orlando and Einstein. I just farmed out several of his boys, and one of them was velociraptor size; he'll feed a family and provide sandwiches on saturday.

Okay, you guys tell me what you think. This is Marshmallow... Toasted Marshmallow. I've been convinced she's a she, and I think it's become apparent. Am I wrong?




And just because, I have to show off my Einstein! I know he's not perfectly colored, but I think he's gorgeous!

Einstein is gorgeous. He has been siring more fertile eggs than not since the first batch. I've just had a run of bad luck. One hen quit the nest, put some in the bator and it got unplugged somehow. I need to get a new incubator. I usually have really good luck w/ setting hens as I've said before. Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that there was something wrong w/ his fertility. I've hatched eggs from all his girls before w/o a problem. Maybe they did have too fluffy of butts at first. You will be happy to know that he went to a new home tonight and a really good home. One of my neighbors(across the two hundred acres over the fence and through the woods neighbor. But we can always hear them.) He takes excellent care of his chickens and we have done business before w/ goats. He's been raising EE's, Ameraucanas and different types of Marans w/ really really dark dark eggs. Right now he'll have 10 or twelve ladies and a much bigger and nicer pen than I had him in. I don't know about nicer, but bigger for sure. He just didn't seem happy being locked up while the others were out and it made him competitive and nuts. And yes, he is a sex machine. I'll go visit him in a few days. He said he wasn't going to quarantine him, because mine were just re NPIP tested and I haven't had any illnesses since I've had him. Each to his own. Seriously, he's as big a baby over his chickens as most of us ladies are. He has a pen of old hens that quit laying and they just get to live out the rest of their days, because he can't eat them since they were so good to him. As he says.

sounds like it could be a nutrition deficiency in the flock...what are they eating (not yours, the poster you quoted in this).

They eat good. I may over do it, because i was going to ask @Ksane how she does it and has more chickens than I do w/ a reputation of being an awesome chicken mom.All my hens have laying crumbles at all times in self feeders, they either get a mash or fermented feed which usually consists of wheat, milo(not much corn in summer), oats,BOSS, brewers yeast, vita supplements, Purina Gamebird Growth and Plumage 30% protein, chicpeas, and or spit peas, A feeder full of Oyster shell, and one of Limestone(calcium carbonate) Calf manna if I feel one needs it, so then they all will get it, but that isn't often. And losts of treats, and if they are locked up and not free ranging (which they all do except the young ones) and certain ones I want to make sure I get purebreds from now and then. And that's not for a long time, since I raise for me and don't sell except the roosters. I haven't been able to butcher them yet. If someone else does the killing I could probably dress them out. That's what i do w/ the ducks. The geese are a different story. They have pet statis and not freezer camp, though now and then I have a gander I threaten. Let's see I got off track as usual, they get greens when the don't have access to them. Oh, and I do feed with the grains or fermented feed 20% creep. I don't worry about the calcium since they have it free choice, and the young birds after they are off starter feed grow and get nice and fat w/ it and the Gamebird. And I don't have to worry about too much calcium for them, because it will cause kidney problems in young birds if fed too much calcium

@hotcurltr , even if it isn't typical splay legs I would treat like Kyzmette said just like it was, and put in a standing position in a cup or Dixie cup or something like that, if it's legs are to weak to hold it up, but it is feisty it's legs may just need extra training to get strong and hold the standing postion. I had to do that w/ Rudy.

Thanks for your input too. I love the new pics today. They are all gorgeous. I love the all black, but by the looks I assume it's a pullet. Send me some pics of the boys you are thinking about for me
@YardBirdMom I'm thinking it's you that said you have some Partridge Rocks for sale. I bought a straight run and ended up w/ 4 pullets so if they are still fro sale please PM me. Welcome all the newbies sorry about my grammar and spelling. Not my best strength.

Would love to comment on so much more but this is already an overload.

 

[hotcurltr]

I did want to let
@SharkmanDan know that he can call OKC Dept Of Ag, Poultry Division and they will pick up your dead bird for free and do a necropsie on it. If it's not over a day old. They don't pick up on Fridays or weekends since the bodies will have already started to decompose before they get it. It's a free service and you can take it yourself, just not on Friday or week-ends. But as I said they will pick it up for you too, and w/ multiple unexplained deaths they prefer if you let them know. Part of the biosecurity plan. You don't need to be a member of NPIP as a lot of people think , to get this service. It's for anyone w/ poultry. (Chickens, ducks, geese, guinees(sp) etc.) So if you have another death in the next few days or even later just give them a call. I have the number and will post it later since it's so late. You can also find it online. Sorry for your losses

Needed to edit to let u know to put the bird in a ziplock or tight bag and put in the fridge. Do not freeze. They'll give you all the instructions. But u need to put the dead bird in the fridge asap

 

[NanaKat]

Hotcurltr...glad to see you posting...was wondering how your were doing. Hope the leg is healing up now. Sounds like you have your birds on a very healthy diet!

 

[SharkmanDan]

@hotcurtlr
Thank you for that info. Unfortunately, all three died on Sunday.
@YardBirdMom
Thank you. It's no fun losing ones that seemed to be thriving.
@lonnyanddrinda
Yes, we were starting to free range them, but after completing the work on the two newest coops, and changing their living quarters, I have been keeping them cooped, due to wanting them to know this is their new home. The Polish was out, a bit, the day before, as she was always the easiest to deal with. And she was very sweet to the littler ones. I have two, nearly fully feathered pullets, that I am starting to bring out of the grow out pen, and put them in a portable run, and Phyllis, would go in with them, as she typically would just go hang out next to their run, anyway.
On acting different, the best thing I can say to describe it, is that, she was "clingy". She always wanted to be around us, but wanted to even more so. Maybe somewhat more lethargic, but not greatly so. She just wanted to be held, and wanted to be social. Her best coop ate, was the black frizzle. I'm going out there in a bit, to see how she's doing. We got them together, and they loved hanging out together. But, the frizzle, would make us chase her, to go back in the coop, where Phyllis would just hang out by our feet, and walk in completely voluntary.

 

[Ksane]

@hotcurltr I don't have as many birds as lots of people on the board, the difference is mine are pets only. I'm in awe all the time how some of the manage to keep up (thinking of you @NanaKat ) I don't have gardens and cattle and canning, I just have the birds and dogs. Anyway, Super Women I am NOT and some days it's a struggle all day to get them taken care of.
Dan, I can't imagine what on earth could be killing them....maybe some sort of bacteria or parasite that not all are susceptible to. Feel their breast bone and see if they have nice padding there. 5-6 month old birds should have a thick layer of padding. Best thing for worming is Safeguard horse paste. Everyone always says to give them a pea-sized drop but i give an inch long ribbon of it for my standard sized breeds and the pea sized drop goes to little Bantams. Be sure to repeat in 10 days. The wormer can't kill the eggs, just the adults. So you have to go back a 2nd (and even a 3rd for good measure) to kill the worms that hatch out of the eggs still in their system.

 

[SharkmanDan]

The good news for this morning is, nobody is acting strangely, and most everyone seems healthy and active, in all three coops. Maybe yesterday was just an anomaly.
But, 9 days ago, when we got our 16 newest adult birds, one had a slight infection, on the top of the web of a foot. The breeder treated it with antibiotic, and it seemed to be improving. This morning, she has a second pustule, on the same foot, and seems to be favoring it. When she stands, she raises the bad foot. I'm about to head out for supplies. Any suggestions on what to treat it with, and how?
I'm going to contact the breeder also, and ask what he used, 9 days ago, as she may need something a bit stronger.