***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Kassaundra]

Ksane, hope your experiment is good and you hatch healthy chicks.

I am so much of a "survival of the fittest" type chicken keeper. I give them good for chickens food (fermented, sprouted grain and bugs), shelter, shade, and grass under their toes, those that thrive under that husbandry I hatch eggs from, those that don't thrive ..................... well, I don't hatch their eggs

. I am not that many generations in and only about 3 years, but so far very few losses to sickness. I seem to have some genetic issue w/ boys, haven't isolated the female who passes it. It is not a sickness, but a genetic thing I believe only affecting some boys causing them to overgrow many many testicles. I have a suspicion on who carries this, and if I figure it out I will cull her.

 

[miohippus]

Hi!! I have a question!! Two of my 6 young silkies (too young to sex) have wonky toes! They're all twisted and backwards! Is this a birth defect? Is it genetic?

I would send a pic but they're already in bed!

several of my birds i got from the hatchery have crocked toes also. I heard it could also be from inbreeding as well as bad incubation but i no expert ether.

 

[NanaKat]

Working with Beau my Columbian Wyandotte rooster. He had a few mites three weeks ago so I used a couple of drops of Ivermectin on the back of his neck. I knew it would also worm him so I've kept a close eye on him.
Three days ago I noticed that his crop was enlarged...more so than usual and that as he dropped his head to pick up the cracked corn I had thrown out, he was dribbling fluid. This is not a typical reaction to worming.j
So he has been in a separate pen. I was able to manually purge his excess load of food in his crop. He is now getting daily massages for his crop and a very strict diet. Fortunately he is processing his feed and the crop is not impacted or sour. But it is still going to have to retract back to a more normal size before I put him back with the flock.

As a side note: I have been doing some reading on Adams Flea and tick spray....If sprayed on the rear end of a bird for mites, Adams can affect the fertility of the male birds until it wears off. Also this information was confirmed by our cherished Don Gibson....a long time poultry breeder.

Hope everyone is having a great week.

 

[Kyzmette]

Has anybody started a thread for the upcoming swap in Tahlequah?

 

[prairiehen74301]

Thanks for the suggestions never had one sick like this she does not appear to have a cold . I'll try the scrambled eggs tomorrow.

Had the eggs ready opened the door to let Cheepers and her friends out to graze she hopped out and started to graze fed the eggs to her and the other girls. She's not doing a 100 but seems to be much improved. Sure didn't want to have to report to gdaughter Cheepers had passed away. Maybe she ate something that didn't agree with her. Thanks for the help.

 

[Kyzmette]

YEAH!!!! Glad to hear Cheepers is better!!!

 

[FlyingM]

Are you talking about the one that Cherokeebirds is putting on?

 

[NanaKat]

So...there comes a time in your life when you realize you are paying more for a pair of hearing aids than you paid for your wedding rings.
Got them Monday...at least now I can be selectively deaf by turning the volume down...

 

[Kyzmette]

Shelbydog just sent me the invite on FB. I'm not sure who Cherokeebirds is, but the FB event says Four Season's Handyman created the event, it's 10/12,13,14th, 8:00-4:00, 14490 Hwy 62 Tahlequah Ok 74464, at Coop Dynasty.

 

[Jeansrie]

Well, you all convinced me to try fermented feed - I have an almost full bag of scratch that my chickens won't eat. I have a small flock, so I rinsed out an empty kitty litter bucket really well and poked some holes in the lid. Should I keep the bucket in the garage - does the weather getting cool at night affect the fermentation process?