Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[pagumby]

So...like every other day I let mother hen and her 4 little ones out for some free time. Completely free ranging in the yard. We get home after dark last night, I do a quick check to make sure they were back in before closing the door. I thought all was well. I go out today, open the door and do a head count. ARRGG one chick is missing. Of course it was the favorite. I am sick about it. Mother hen is noticeably upset as well since she was pecking at me. She never pecks!
Any chance anyone close to me has any (approx) 2 week old bantam black cochin/silkie mix chicks available. Not that I need any but I just love these Cochin. They are the friendliest little fluffy butts.
Would she take a liking to new ones or would I be wasting my time?

 

[dheltzel]

I think you'd be wasting your effort to get a replacement chick. It's unlikely to bond like you think it will and would likely die from exposure when the hen rejects it.

Let her raise what she has and she will go broody again sometime to hatch more for you.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Hi Guys!! I need some more help for this girl. She has been inside since last tuesday away from the flock. She looks okay (not see anything wrong with her eyes, nose, legs ect.) She has been eating and drinking fine. I have also been giving her vits that was suggested on here....She still actd like she cant blance herself and then she will just flop over and stay there like in the picture below...She does feel skinner then before......Is there anything else I can try or does she just need to go to the big field in the sky....Help please!!!

Brittany, so sorry your girl isn't improving. I wish I had advice for you.

 

[grandpaw roo]

I hate ticks!Lost a beagle to Lymes years ago.Since I have been to Lymes seminars.Once you have it you never get rid of it.It's always there.I use Advantic on my beagles now.Others are equally as good.I never want to go thru that again.Lymes take the form of every disease know so it is often misdignosed.
The tick must be on for more than 48hrs.The 1st 48hrs it is taking in blood.After that it starts to regurgtate the blood.Thats when it is transmitted.We get ticks on us all the time when hunting.They are not limited to the woods.My wifes cousin has it and lives a developement and never goes in the woods.
Spraying your yard won't help.It will kill the ticks but the 1st rabbit or mouse that returns to your property will bring them right back.Best way is to treat your pets and let them control the ticks.
If you find one and it is attached,use a skinny tweesers.Get as close to the mouth so you don't push the blood back into you or your pet.If they are not attached,don't pick them off and throw them.You are restocking the problem.I BURN 'EM!

 

[chippysmom327]

We use bio spot and they just still go on the dogs.

Don't chickens eat ticks?

 

[SilkieSensation]

The best tick eaters are guineas.

 

[grandpaw roo]

The tick must bite to get it.
Guinea fowl have been known as good tick eaters.Gave a couple Guineas to a farmer I knew and he said that year he had no ticks on his dog.

 

[grandpaw roo]

I have seen them half this size.Often they are the size of a dot made by a pencil.

 

[chippysmom327]

The best tick eaters are guineas.

The tick must bite to get it.
Guinea fowl have been known as good tick eaters.Gave a couple Guineas to a farmer I knew and he said that year he had no ticks on his dog.

That's really funny because I was just reading up on guineas! My dad always said he wanted them, and now that the dog has Lyme's Disease, he suggested it. We're building a larger coop in the spring, and we'll have the room. So we may get some.

 

[dekel18042]

We live in an area of PA where lyme is epidemic. Three of my dogs just got over their doxicyclene. They were symptomless, but blood work revealed lyme.
I used to use Biospot and Advantage but I would see ticks on the dogs before their next dose was due. I haven't seen any on them since I started with Advantix and VextraD (Will alternate and use monthly even during the cold months)
Chickens are supposedly tick eaters, too, although Guineas are the gold standard. Unfortunetly I just got my day old peeps mid August when the dogs were already infected, I'm sure.
At least the chickens hang out here, around the house. They're now in the front shubbery against the house and they scratch and peck at whatever....
When we had guineas a few years ago, they were all over and further away, so hopefully by staying close, the chickens will get more ticks. It's one of the reasons I got them.