Peeps in Europe!

[Papa John59]

@BDutch, I love your Janice! The stark contrast of her coloring is amazing!

Now I have a question. I never noticed it before, but my hens no longer roost in the run! All last summer they did, but D1 mentioned it last week and I watched them the last two days. They would rather sit in the sun. D1 moved their ladder outside in the sunshine and still nothing! Are they lazy? Egg production is fine and there is no molting going on. OR are they just too fat? And they never did use their swing, if I think about it! But they do roost at night! Proof being on the poop board

 

[abpatchy]

Maybe they are just getting older @Papa John59
When I look at mine the younger chickens are all over the place.. They like sitting on top of the waterer or anything that I might leave in the run while working. The older they get the less they do that. My older hens don't like to sit on the roost I put up for them.

 

[BDutch]

I've got 5 out of 7 hope to get the other 2 tomorrow. They are 3 weeks now, really hoping for some pullets and a rooster but I think I have more than. View attachment 2190763
Goldie
View attachment 2190766
Grey
View attachment 2190767
White
View attachment 2190768
Squirle or chip? Really have to collor ID
View attachment 2190770
Bandit

I think Grey is female. White maybe female too

 

[AnnaWolf]

I think Grey is female. White maybe female too

I really hope so

 

[Papa John59]

@abpatchy
I hope not! They are only 16 months old! I did an exam of all three of them yesterday, plus clipped their wings. They seem completely fine, no problems breathing, crop was full, weight seemed fine, checked the feet and toes for sores but nothing. I think they are just getting lazy! All they do is, scratch around the garden, digging up ants...they found an ant mound after D1 cut the grass. It was funny watching them picking at ants! I thought they were wood peckers for a few minutes, they were pecking so fast! Then D1 put a large pan of water out for them when it got to 28°C (32°C unofficial by us) and Rease (the Amrock) took to it like it was the greatest thing....standing there in the water like refusing to more and make room for the others. We had to take her out so the other two could cool off.
Where yesterday was a great day for the weather (I love it hot! Too many years living in Texas or the Middle East) today, is cool and not a hint of sunshine. I want my summer time! Sunny and HOT!
Who has summer time weather? Can I come and visit? I will wear my mask, I promise!

 

[abpatchy]

I didn't mean it like that @Papa John59 ... I meant that they are older and not interested to roost like that during the day. Kinda like grown ups now.
I was cleaning the run the other day... put down my bucket and started scooping with my pooper scooper... when I wanted to dump it into the bucket there were 5 or 6 chicks sitting on the rim of the bucket. Now you wouldn't catch the older chicks (well teenagers) doing that... and forget about the hens... they wouldn't even think about it.

I haven't been so lucky with my chickens lately. Remember when I was noticing that something was wrong? Their poop was off and a little bloody? Well, it came back being coccidia and they needed to be de-wormed. I drove up to Gießen and picked up the medication. First the coccidia treatment... then the de-wormer... while I was giving them the de-wormer they still had the off colored poop. Called up there... they were asking me to wait for a few more days. Ok... I did. It got better... and then it went back to being bad. Drove up there to drop off another "sample" and yes, they need another treatment. I upped the weight for them... because I think I might have set the weight too low just estimating it. As well as I gave them the meds in less water than they drink during the day and filled it up with regular water... that might be the reason only some still have the coccidia. Well.. either way... this was the last coccidia treatment. They need to be able to build up their immunity to it... can't keep giving them meda for their whole life.... it's either you make it or you don't. So far I have not lost any... which is really good.
So... now 2 evenings ago I noticed a lot of sneezing in all my 4 coops. I feel like everything is going wrong. They seem to have caught a cold while it was so cold and wet. But (maybe I'm just imagining it) today I thought there was less sneezing going around. I don't want to treat them with anything because it might have an effect on the coccidia treatment.
Well, then last night I'm having a seat with my chicks (the 8 week olds) when I noticed that the other chicks in that group were really interested in that one hen... they kept picking at her behind. I looked and noticed she had a bloody behind. A couple of chicks are having a little hard time pooping. My guess is they don't drink enough due to the medication in their water. So these little guys had nothing better to do than to attack that chick and pick her bloody. I put some silverspray on her... but they kept picking. So I put her in a cage to keep her safe. This morning this little chick had nothing better to do than to fly past me, behind thru the roosters coop and outside where the big bad teenage boys are. I was like... oh no, oh no... ran outside and sure enough.. these guys were trying to mate with this little 8 week old chick. They are like 2-3 times as big. She sure was happy when I picked her up... no trying to get away from me this time. Her poor little heart was pounding. I really do see why you keep the roosters away from the young hens to allow them a life without stress.

I do hope things will calm down.... Oh yeah.. I forgot the mites... they probably have mites... I can't find them in the coop anywhere... but I had some crawling on me... so I know they are there.... spread some DE yesterday... hope it helps. Don't want to do more chemicals in my poor chickens.

 

[chickengr]

That would be great. But I doubt it will work. I got an advice last year to feed hemp seed but that didnt help for my Bantams.
How old are you’re chickens and what breed are they?

Why are tou sure this will help?

I have different breeds, different ages and cayenne pepper works. but I have to say I live in a warm climate.

 

[abpatchy]

extra lighting works.... when they have about 14 hours of light they will start laying. I only have the lights on in the morning... I don't have a dimmer. They need to be able to find their roost. That won't work in total darkness.

 

[chickengr]

@abpatchy
I hope not! They are only 16 months old! I did an exam of all three of them yesterday, plus clipped their wings. They seem completely fine, no problems breathing, crop was full, weight seemed fine, checked the feet and toes for sores but nothing. I think they are just getting lazy! All they do is, scratch around the garden, digging up ants...they found an ant mound after D1 cut the grass. It was funny watching them picking at ants! I thought they were wood peckers for a few minutes, they were pecking so fast! Then D1 put a large pan of water out for them when it got to 28°C (32°C unofficial by us) and Rease (the Amrock) took to it like it was the greatest thing....standing there in the water like refusing to more and make room for the others. We had to take her out so the other two could cool off.
Where yesterday was a great day for the weather (I love it hot! Too many years living in Texas or the Middle East) today, is cool and not a hint of sunshine. I want my summer time! Sunny and HOT!
Who has summer time weather? Can I come and visit? I will wear my mask, I promise!

we have summer!

and I refuse to wear mask as many other people do.

155 old people died (out of 10 million) - they destroyed greece for no reason.

 

[chickengr]

I didn't mean it like that @Papa John59 ... I meant that they are older and not interested to roost like that during the day. Kinda like grown ups now.
I was cleaning the run the other day... put down my bucket and started scooping with my pooper scooper... when I wanted to dump it into the bucket there were 5 or 6 chicks sitting on the rim of the bucket. Now you wouldn't catch the older chicks (well teenagers) doing that... and forget about the hens... they wouldn't even think about it.

I haven't been so lucky with my chickens lately. Remember when I was noticing that something was wrong? Their poop was off and a little bloody? Well, it came back being coccidia and they needed to be de-wormed. I drove up to Gießen and picked up the medication. First the coccidia treatment... then the de-wormer... while I was giving them the de-wormer they still had the off colored poop. Called up there... they were asking me to wait for a few more days. Ok... I did. It got better... and then it went back to being bad. Drove up there to drop off another "sample" and yes, they need another treatment. I upped the weight for them... because I think I might have set the weight too low just estimating it. As well as I gave them the meds in less water than they drink during the day and filled it up with regular water... that might be the reason only some still have the coccidia. Well.. either way... this was the last coccidia treatment. They need to be able to build up their immunity to it... can't keep giving them meda for their whole life.... it's either you make it or you don't. So far I have not lost any... which is really good.
So... now 2 evenings ago I noticed a lot of sneezing in all my 4 coops. I feel like everything is going wrong. They seem to have caught a cold while it was so cold and wet. But (maybe I'm just imagining it) today I thought there was less sneezing going around. I don't want to treat them with anything because it might have an effect on the coccidia treatment.
Well, then last night I'm having a seat with my chicks (the 8 week olds) when I noticed that the other chicks in that group were really interested in that one hen... they kept picking at her behind. I looked and noticed she had a bloody behind. A couple of chicks are having a little hard time pooping. My guess is they don't drink enough due to the medication in their water. So these little guys had nothing better to do than to attack that chick and pick her bloody. I put some silverspray on her... but they kept picking. So I put her in a cage to keep her safe. This morning this little chick had nothing better to do than to fly past me, behind thru the roosters coop and outside where the big bad teenage boys are. I was like... oh no, oh no... ran outside and sure enough.. these guys were trying to mate with this little 8 week old chick. They are like 2-3 times as big. She sure was happy when I picked her up... no trying to get away from me this time. Her poor little heart was pounding. I really do see why you keep the roosters away from the young hens to allow them a life without stress.

I do hope things will calm down.... Oh yeah.. I forgot the mites... they probably have mites... I can't find them in the coop anywhere... but I had some crawling on me... so I know they are there.... spread some DE yesterday... hope it helps. Don't want to do more chemicals in my poor chickens.

it is better to give the pills to each chick for cocci. ask your vet to prescribe them to you.

and you don't need chemicals for mites: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...e-of-your-coop-recipe-cheap-and-easy.1096237/