Texas

[lovingmyhens]

I am a very lazy chicken Momma. All this talk about feed. I buy what the farm store has. The chickens like the layer crumbles. I can't even remember the name on the bag. And I give them scratch grains. Mainly they freerange. They get treats in the way of peels and scraps. Sometimes mealworms. I use DE in their food on the 1st of the month as a worm preventative. Watched a video on it and it sounded like a smart idea. They take dust baths all over the yard in all sorts of medium. Seems they like the dirt best. My chicken tractor has a little tray under the roosting area. I began sprinkling sand in the tray to make clean up easier and noticed the little bugs all went away. I check my girls and have never seen any bugs on them. I did have on my reading glasses so I think I could see bugs if they were there.
Now I am going to go read my feed sack.

Haha that sounds just like me!!

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Converse Texas... no chickens yet....a bunch of research!!

I am a very lazy chicken Momma. All this talk about feed. I buy what the farm store has. The chickens like the layer crumbles. I can't even remember the name on the bag. And I give them scratch grains. Mainly they freerange. They get treats in the way of peels and scraps. Sometimes mealworms. I use DE in their food on the 1st of the month as a worm preventative. Watched a video on it and it sounded like a smart idea. They take dust baths all over the yard in all sorts of medium. Seems they like the dirt best. My chicken tractor has a little tray under the roosting area. I began sprinkling sand in the tray to make clean up easier and noticed the little bugs all went away. I check my girls and have never seen any bugs on them. I did have on my reading glasses so I think I could see bugs if they were there.
Now I am going to go read my feed sack.

Pumpkin is a natural wormer. I think there are some herbs out there that help too.

If DE is in the food will the mere fact you are feeding them keep them free of worms?

Totally adding Garret to my list. One thing I have read and understand about addictions is that is starts little or mild but the urges increase. Often marijuana just doesn't cut it after a while. The user needs more and goes for harder stuff. Kids are using all sorts of things to fill that need for a bigger rush or whatever it is they crave. Sadness-when a personal relationship with Jesus would take that all away.

So very true.

MsJellybean if I were you I wouldn't worry too much about grass. Your chickens will scratch it all up for awhile. But if you can keep it watered they will keep it fertilized.

I know the back yard will really get a good going over by the chickens when they are out of their big run, but the rest of the yard won't. I need grass everywhere! The back yard actually has the best coverage right now. Work in progress.

 

[lovingmyhens]

My husband built my second coop. It is funny that most of the chickens like to roost in the smaller coop/tractor. When I had 8 all but 3 would cram in there at night. Now I am down to 6 and still they prefer the little coop. One lone brown leghorn sleeps in the bigger one. It has 2 nesting boxes so they all lay in them. Go figure.

You make me laugh at the picture of them all squished. Mine are just like that-they rise very early but sometimes one just stays. I guess she's like "there were 4 in the bed and the little one said rollover and they all rolled over and one fell off there were 3 in the bed and the little one said roll over and they all rolled over and one fell off there were two in the bed and the little one said rollover and they all rolled over and one fell off and the little one said I GOT THE WHOLE COOP TO MYSELF!!"

 

[Brookshire11]

You make me laugh at the picture of them all squished. Mine are just like that-they rise very early but sometimes one just stays. I guess she's like "there were 4 in the bed and the little one said rollover and they all rolled over and one fell off there were 3 in the bed and the little one said roll over and they all rolled over and one fell off there were two in the bed and the little one said rollover and they all rolled over and one fell off and the little one said I GOT THE WHOLE COOP TO MYSELF!!"

 

[ClovisMan]

Got a little work done on the coop. It has a door now!!! I need more hardware, hinges, latches....BLAH!!!

 

[magpiesing]

Haha that sounds just like me!!

Me too. I always did like the KISS method

 

[SlipsWife]

Is it squishy?
I had an EE chick that had something like that in the same spot.

Its crunchy? I'm not sure that's the right word...it feels like a very full crop, only it is no where near where it should be. Think of a balloon filled with crumbles. Its not showing any signs of discomfort and appears healthy.

The size of it has gone down some from earlier. I've thought about separating it and taking food away for the night to see what happens.

I'm worried we will find it dead at some point but I can't imagine culling since it seems fine. If it starts showing any signs of distress we will have to make a hard choice. I'm also concerned it might be a deformity that might cause an issue later if it makes it to maturity.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

You make me laugh at the picture of them all squished. Mine are just like that-they rise very early but sometimes one just stays. I guess she's like "there were 4 in the bed and the little one said rollover and they all rolled over and one fell off there were 3 in the bed and the little one said roll over and they all rolled over and one fell off there were two in the bed and the little one said rollover and they all rolled over and one fell off and the little one said I GOT THE WHOLE COOP TO MYSELF!!"

Got a little work done on the coop. It has a door now!!! I need more hardware, hinges, latches....BLAH!!!

Wow, that is looking really good.

Its crunchy? I'm not sure that's the right word...it feels like a very full crop, only it is no where near where it should be. Think of a balloon filled with crumbles. Its not showing any signs of discomfort and appears healthy.

The size of it has gone down some from earlier. I've thought about separating it and taking food away for the night to see what happens.

I'm worried we will find it dead at some point but I can't imagine culling since it seems fine. If it starts showing any signs of distress we will have to make a hard choice. I'm also concerned it might be a deformity that might cause an issue later if it makes it to maturity.

Have you asked a vet about it? They will probably just say to bring the bird in and not offer any help over the phone. I miss the days when you could call and get help. Now all they seem to want is your money. :/ What is the E forum saying?

 

[topdycke]

Converse Texas... no chickens yet....a bunch of research!!

welcome from Magnolia Tx. I grew up in Universal City

 

[SlipsWife]

Have you asked a vet about it? They will probably just say to bring the bird in and not offer any help over the phone. I miss the days when you could call and get help. Now all they seem to want is your money. :/ What is the E forum saying?

I haven't asked a vet. I might take it in just to get an xray.

No one else but you has responded...I know at some point, some where, I saw a picture where someone had a chick with a mass between its legs, causing the chick to almost waddle, they had a suggestion of it being a hernia. The OP said it cleared up on its own...I can't find it to see what she said it felt like. This honestly feels like the crop is in the wrong place, also, when I've felt where the crop should be, its been empty. Is it actually empty or is it malformed?