***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[NanaKat]

I have a question. Do you take your chickens to the vet or do you treat them yourself?

. Glad you joined.

I usually treat the birds myself. There are a lot of good threads on BYC with information on maladies and treatments. Most vets are not avian vets so it is hard to find one near by.

Do you have a bird with a specific need? None of us are vets but experienced poultry folks can offer some help. Listing symptoms and posting pictures helps give information on what is going on with the bird.

 

[Crisa]

No. I haven't got my chicks yet so I was just wondering what others did just in case I had a sick or injured bird. I called some local vets and there's one in my area that does chickens, but was just curious what the general poultry pop. did. Thank you!

 

[jrjoplin]

The RV went in for service and the repair bill is about $4000 more than I expected. There goes my chicken coop budget plus some of my other spring projects. I'm debating scaling back to a small (5-10) mixed flock just to have a few to play with and get back into the chicken keeping routine. I had always planned on building a small breeding coop later so that may become the first build with larger plans down the road. I had also planned some elevated garden beds as last years garden (before it was pulverized by a hail storm) was difficult to work. My back can't handle that up and down off the ground too well. It looks as though I'm going to have to choose between one or the other provided I can do anything at all. I'm not complaining (maybe just a little) as we're blessed; it's not taking any food off the table or keeping any bills from getting paid just cutting into my hobby money.

 

[Ironsights]

I really need some ideas to prevent Hawks and owls.

 

[Poco Pollo]

I really need some ideas to prevent Hawks and owls.

Great Pyrenees : )

 

[NanaKat]

No. I haven't got my chicks yet so I was just wondering what others did just in case I had a sick or injured bird. I called some local vets and there's one in my area that does chickens, but was just curious what the general poultry pop. did. Thank you!

The only time I used a vet was when one of my BLRW had lumps in her wing, head and chest...it was a form of skin cancer and the lesions were removed under anesthesia...$189. She was a special breeding project bird...otherwise.....

The RV went in for service and the repair bill is about $4000 more than I expected.  There goes my chicken coop budget plus some of my other spring projects.  I'm debating scaling back to a small (5-10) mixed flock just to have a few to play with and get back into the chicken keeping routine.  I had always planned on building a small breeding coop later so that may become the first build with larger plans down the road.  I had also planned some elevated garden beds as last years garden (before it was pulverized by a hail storm) was difficult to work.  My back can't handle that up and down off the ground too well.  It looks as though I'm going to have to choose between one or the other provided I can do anything at all.  I'm not complaining (maybe just a little) as we're blessed; it's not taking any food off the table or keeping any bills from getting paid just cutting into my hobby money.

We have raised beds for the same reason. Treated 2x12 X 16 lumber....five boards will make two 4 foot X 16 foot beds.
Also three 4 X 8 foot sheets of 3/4 inch plywood and 2x4 lumber makes a serviceable coop for 8 to 12 grown birds.

I really need some ideas to prevent Hawks and owls.

Those fake snakes don't do anything....try Mylar ribbons, fish line and old CDs hung to twirl in the wind. Chicken wire over the pens or shade cloth. Attract crows...they sound the alarm for Hawks and often will attack the hawk. A loaded shotgun at the ready.
My birds free range almost every day. I've lost several to hawks and owls over the years...2015 has been the worst for flying predators.

 

[NanaKat]

Today I set fertility test eggs under two broody hens....so hatching for 2016 officially begins. One hen has 6 Delaware bantam eggs from two pens, 3 Columbian Wyandotte and 3 Blue Columbian Wyandotte eggs. The other hen was already sitting on 6 Bantam eggs from three pens, so I gave her 4 eggs from the White Wyandotte pen.
Will candle next week and if there is development, then I'll collect eggs from the breed pens and calibrate the incubators.

There are five broody Bantams whose eggs should hatch this week and next week. They refused to break brood, so I let each keep a clutch. The Duckwing is sitting on her own eggs so I'm hoping she does better than the incubator. The others have a collection of eggs...Serama, Delaware Bantam, Rosecomb and d'Anvers.
And Pansy and Ansel now have 8 eggs in the nest box in their pen...sure hope she goes broody soon. I've dated her eggs as she laid them. Now, I'll remove the oldest one each day until she decides to brood. Pansy usually goes broody when she has three eggs...not so this time.

On another note, three days in a row, I have picked up pecans under our last tree to drop pecans. So far three 5 gallon buckets full ready to go to the cracker.
Today was cage cleaning day...I'm bushed!

Roger has a procedure in the morning ...oblation on the nerves in his lower back...sure hope this gives him some relief.

 

[mjgigax]

I'm only bringing three this time, and only one of them is from you. The others are broody. I'm bringing very few to sell, and they are a couple of years old.

Will see you there!

How young have you had a Silkie go broody?
I have a little girl, that isn't even full grown, making little nests in the coop and sitting on eggs that other girls lay.
I wasn't even sure if she was a boy or girl yet. but I think this behavior is a clue. She isn't laying yet and is not much bigger than 1/2 the size of my grown birds.
I have a bantam Easter Egger that was so flighty in my layer coop. I put her in with the Silkie/Showgirls and it was instant success. They treated her like he has been there all along and she suddenly became a calm and friendly bird. It is her tiny blue eggs that my little Silkie is trying to sit on.

 

[mjgigax]

The RV went in for service and the repair bill is about $4000 more than I expected. There goes my chicken coop budget plus some of my other spring projects. I'm debating scaling back to a small (5-10) mixed flock just to have a few to play with and get back into the chicken keeping routine. I had always planned on building a small breeding coop later so that may become the first build with larger plans down the road. I had also planned some elevated garden beds as last years garden (before it was pulverized by a hail storm) was difficult to work. My back can't handle that up and down off the ground too well. It looks as though I'm going to have to choose between one or the other provided I can do anything at all. I'm not complaining (maybe just a little) as we're blessed; it's not taking any food off the table or keeping any bills from getting paid just cutting into my hobby money.

We are working on raise beds with corrugated tin sides. My back and knees can't handle gardening so well anymore either.

 

[mjgigax]

Today I set fertility test eggs under two broody hens....so hatching for 2016 officially begins. One hen has 6 Delaware bantam eggs from two pens, 3 Columbian Wyandotte and 3 Blue Columbian Wyandotte eggs. The other hen was already sitting on 6 Bantam eggs from three pens, so I gave her 4 eggs from the White Wyandotte pen.
Will candle next week and if there is development, then I'll collect eggs from the breed pens and calibrate the incubators.

There are five broody Bantams whose eggs should hatch this week and next week. They refused to break brood, so I let each keep a clutch. The Duckwing is sitting on her own eggs so I'm hoping she does better than the incubator. The others have a collection of eggs...Serama, Delaware Bantam, Rosecomb and d'Anvers.
And Pansy and Ansel now have 8 eggs in the nest box in their pen...sure hope she goes broody soon. I've dated her eggs as she laid them. Now, I'll remove the oldest one each day until she decides to brood. Pansy usually goes broody when she has three eggs...not so this time.

On another note, three days in a row, I have picked up pecans under our last tree to drop pecans. So far three 5 gallon buckets full ready to go to the cracker.
Today was cage cleaning day...I'm bushed!

Roger has a procedure in the morning ...oblation on the nerves in his lower back...sure hope this gives him some relief.

I cleaned and fired up my incubator today. Looks like it is holding temps spot on so I will load up my first hatch Wednesday
My Chocolate Orpington pullets are throwing eggs at me and I saw my Chocolate Cuckoo cockerel doing what I got him for, (besides looking pretty). I had thought he was still too young.