South Carolina

[WestKnollAmy]

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Check him/them over for mites. That is going through all the threads I am on. Everyone, everywhere is complaining about it.
However, they are at an age where they get all molty and ugly but sometimes they go right through it and you never notice so I check over mine that have funny feathering going on.
I have a few that are weird looking now but have been using the Poultry Protector spray on them and DD says she doesn't see any bugs crawling on them. It is just so darn hot they are probably falling out because they want to be cooler!

But I have 12 weeks SLW roos and pullets and they still have all their feathers. They are so purdy! I really enjoy the SLWs. But a few bantam Cochins and even some of the free ranging LF Cochin chicks are looking ragged. They have dewormed but I need to take a sample to the vet and float it. This is the month to do it. I try to check stool samples in March, June, Sept. and Dec. Since tehy free range and I move tractors all over the place I know wild birds and mammals are going to bring in parasites.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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OMG! That is funny....and terrible!

But you are so smart to show it to her before you move them into it.

I just hope no one sings out when you are showing it off. You would have to holler over to the direction the noise comes from and say "Honey, Mommy told you to take something for that!"

And yeah, hens should be legal! Til one decides to crow!

Blast those hens that try to be macho!

 

[CarolinaChickenKeeper]

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Well, If you ever need any Guinea eggs just let me know cause we've got em

 

[CarolinaChickenKeeper]

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A hawk got one of mine last week with me only a few yards away. Pretty scary!!! I haven't let mine out to free range since.....I've kept an eye out for that hawk, but haven't seen him since, but of course I didn't see him that day either until his attack

And regards to Guineas......They cackle and chirp, but only when strangers come around. I'd compare it to your dog barking when a stranger drives up. Loud, but not unpleasantly loud.

 

[DickGJ]

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I've got a "mixed bag" of breeds that I bought from TSC on March 10th, that makes all of mine around 12 weeks old as well. That said, I can tell you that my coop/run looks like a pillow fight occured...because I have feathers all over the place. It started about a week and a half ago and I noticed it when I came home from work. It was so bad, I immediately started doing a head count to see if they were all present and accounted for. I am very pleased to report that none were lost and they all look pretty nice to me in terms of plumage. I never raised chickens from day one (or two or three) before so I assume this is a common molt process. I did notice that one of my Red Star hens with a white rump had two tail feathers left from the full tail she had before. So it appears mine are going through a similar thing as yours. I'll follow Amy's advice and check for mites though I powder the coop and run with DE and pemethrin powder. As I've told some others on BYC before...if you see a big dust cloud coming from Sumter, SC....it's probably me putting out DE!

I agree that the chickens are prolly trying to get as naked as they can in this incessant heat! If I had feathers like them, I would be one miserable son of a gun!

 

[mrc]

I've read on here where some folks are getting their feed from Williams' in Campobello. That's not far from me and I just found out that's where my bro-in-law has been buying his feed. What do they offer and what do you folks recommend?

 

[DickGJ]

Is buying feed cheaper at a feed mill/store than say a big commercial business like TSC? Personally, I would rather support the "little guy/gal" in town than the nationwide business chains. Anyone know of any feed stores near Sumter/Wedgefield?

 

[tiffanyg2]

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OMG! That is funny....and terrible!

But you are so smart to show it to her before you move them into it.

I just hope no one sings out when you are showing it off. You would have to holler over to the direction the noise comes from and say "Honey, Mommy told you to take something for that!"

And yeah, hens should be legal! Til one decides to crow!

Blast those hens that try to be macho!

Ohhh no no no ~ the master plan is to move the chickens into the garage at the time of the showing~ get the *aka* Playhouse all perfect in the backyard and then put the chickens up~ then run down the street and drag her back to show her my lovely playhouse. Then I shall proceed to have her exit the property and then move the chickens out to their princess castle! LOL

You know my bylaws in the neighborhood are very sketchy so if the day ever comes I will fight to change them~ times are changing and people have to do what they can to eat healthy and affordable~

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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That's where I get some of mine, too. It is 6 miles from my house. I just came back a few minutes ago and now need to go unload it because storms are piling up and I hear thunder. Need to lock up Jolie, too before she has a heart attack. Though she is better now that I put her dog house inside the dog/roo pen. I guess she figures Jerry will take care of her!

Williams sells chicken layer mash and starter, llama, goat, sheep, cow and hog food. They mix and grind their own. It is not trucked in commercially. A 50# bag of starter is $9.75 and laying mash is $9.50.
Dog food has gone up considerably but Jolie likes it pretty well. I think the last bag was $18. They do not make that there, though.

 

[DickGJ]

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That's where I get some of mine, too. It is 6 miles from my house. I just came back a few minutes ago and now need to go unload it because storms are piling up and I hear thunder. Need to lock up Jolie, too before she has a heart attack. Though she is better now that I put her dog house inside the dog/roo pen. I guess she figures Jerry will take care of her!

Williams sells chicken layer mash and starter, llama, goat, sheep, cow and hog food. They mix and grind their own. It is not trucked in commercially. A 50# bag of starter is $9.75 and laying mash is $9.50.
Dog food has gone up considerably but Jolie likes it pretty well. I think the last bag was $18. They do not make that there, though.

Wow! That sure beats the $14.95 I just paid at TSC for Purina Flock Raiser! I plan on using Flock Raiser or something similar since it has 21% protien. At around 17/18 weeks I plan on making sure I'll use Oyster shell as a calcium supplement since it doesn't have calcium in it for layers.