The Old Folks Home

[chickisoup]

WOW Ron!!! An extra prayer for you and your roos tonight for sure!

Up until other things in life got in the way, I did my own tomato hybridizing, etc. and even created a new variety. Can be done almost as fast as chickens

I still save my own seeds as I prefer using open-pollinated "heirloom" plants. Soaking overnight works to break down the connecting tissue making it easier to separate the seeds. You can even leave them till things begin to "grow" a bit making the separation even easier. I also use a nice sieve for helping in the separating and then spread them out on a paper towel to dry completely before storing them in a baggy in a tight can with desiccant in the fridge. I have had as much as 70% germination rate on seed stored for several years doing it this way.
BTW-I use the wet papertowel thing too for pre-sprouting when I want to test my germination rate/time.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Saturday I went outside and was surprised to see a lot of smoke.

Winters is where my Roosters live on an egg farm.

http://news.msn.com/us/california-wildfire-burning-in-triple-digit-heat

Oh Ron, I hope it misses the egg farm by miles and miles!

 

[ronott1]

Oh Ron, I hope it misses the egg farm by miles and miles!

It sounds like he will be fine. They have it moving away from him now.

I hope the get it completely under control soon.

 

[bamadude]

 

[chickisoup]

beautiful!!! but it just makes me sad. still haven't figured out why mine stopped laying over two weeks ago now. I know all the usual "suspects" , feed, predators, too hot, too cold, stress, too fat, too thin, worms, parasites, etc. and have checked them all. Nada. Now just trying a hail Mary and giving them antibiotics. (BTW-it's 3 1 yr old sex-links-1 broody- and a 2 yr old leghorn "mutt"). My new Aussie pullets are just 3 months old and I am now getting concerned they may be effected as they are in their grow out pen right next to the big girls and sleep in their own pen inside the big girls coop.

 

[ronott1]

beautiful!!! but it just makes me sad. still haven't figured out why mine stopped laying over two weeks ago now. I know all the usual "suspects" , feed, predators, too hot, too cold, stress, too fat, too thin, worms, parasites, etc. and have checked them all. Nada. Now just trying a hail Mary and giving them antibiotics. (BTW-it's 3 1 yr old sex-links-1 broody- and a 2 yr old leghorn "mutt"). My new Aussie pullets are just 3 months old and I am now getting concerned they may be effected as they are in their grow out pen right next to the big girls and sleep in their own pen inside the big girls coop.

Try sprinkling some red pepper flakes on their feed.

I would also get them a good poultry vitamin.

Anti biotics kill bacteria. If they do not have symptoms of a bacterial infection, do not give them anti biotics. I have heard about this before and it seemed to make things worse.

I read an article about us moving into an age where anti biotics do not work. In Africa and India they have resistant TB. When a patient comes in with it, they send him home to die. It is going to be a big problem over this and the next century.

 

[Lacy Blues]

You can try the red pepper flakes. Much better than antibiotics.

When I've had hens quit laying in the past, I read about a concoction to give to make them lay... Cornmeal mixed to a mush with buttermilk and lots of cayenne pepper added to it. Tried it once when some birds I thought out to be laying weren't and it seemed to do the trick.

Also, if you check for external parasites, be sure and check beyond the vent area. Two times, I and my daughter had birds get mites and we checked many many times in the vent area and saw no mites. My daughter ended up losing her bird because they were everywhere on him than the vent area. My bird also had them all over his body except the vent area. Grant it, these were both males but I don't think mites can tell the difference.

I'm sure you know and have checked but lice are really fast and can clear out at a moment's notice. I've found that many times it helps to have someone help you. They can hold the bird while you put fingers underneath a section of feathers and then be ready with a flashlight. Lift the feathers and shine the light all in the same movement and have your eyes in focus too (that's the hard part for me).

 

[ChickenCanoe]

beautiful!!! but it just makes me sad. still haven't figured out why mine stopped laying over two weeks ago now. I know all the usual "suspects" , feed, predators, too hot, too cold, stress, too fat, too thin, worms, parasites, etc. and have checked them all. Nada. Now just trying a hail Mary and giving them antibiotics. (BTW-it's 3 1 yr old sex-links-1 broody- and a 2 yr old leghorn "mutt"). My new Aussie pullets are just 3 months old and I am now getting concerned they may be effected as they are in their grow out pen right next to the big girls and sleep in their own pen inside the big girls coop.

Yeah, I don't mean to tell you what to do with your flock but please don't.
It will do absolutely nothing to help and will make matters worse. If there were something wrong medically (which there isn't because they have no symptoms that you're aware of) it wouldn't necessarily be bacterial. Problems could just as easily be viral, fungal, nutritional or environmental - none of which will be cured by an antibiotic.
If they have no symptoms of anything, they're just taking a break (simultaneously). You really only have 3 laying age birds that aren't broody. Not at all that unusual to go 2 weeks without eggs from 3 birds. I had 11 hens and pullets all laying and I'm down to about 3 eggs a day. I did move some around and then had the mink thing. It will all settle out. They could even be about to molt.
There was a story a few days ago about a huge chicken recall because they had drug resistant salmonella.
My recommendation is to cut out all treats and switch from layer feed to a starter/grower till they resume. Also a probiotic.
Antibiotics will stress them and wipe out their gut bacteria.

 

[ronott1]

You can try the red pepper flakes. Much better than antibiotics.

When I've had hens quit laying in the past, I read about a concoction to give to make them lay... Cornmeal mixed to a mush with buttermilk and lots of cayenne pepper added to it. Tried it once when some birds I thought out to be laying weren't and it seemed to do the trick.

Also, if you check for external parasites, be sure and check beyond the vent area. Two times, I and my daughter had birds get mites and we checked many many times in the vent area and saw no mites. My daughter ended up losing her bird because they were everywhere on him than the vent area. My bird also had them all over his body except the vent area. Grant it, these were both males but I don't think mites can tell the difference.

I'm sure you know and have checked but lice are really fast and can clear out at a moment's notice. I've found that many times it helps to have someone help you. They can hold the bird while you put fingers underneath a section of feathers and then be ready with a flashlight. Lift the feathers and shine the light all in the same movement and have your eyes in focus too (that's the hard part for me).

This is very good information!

The Fire in Winters called the Montecello fire is more than 45% contained and not progressing any more. Evacuation orders have been lifted too.

Good job Cal Fire!

 

[Highcotton]

Good luck on your bird but whenever I've had one like that closer to maturity, I have never been able to reverse it. I think it's a combination of things that causes it, genetics being one of them. Keep us updated.

Pre-Columbian Native Americans would burn forests to open them up for grasses encouraging bison and other large grazers to range farther east.

Woodland and Pine Forests were burned by farmers through the 50s to let the grass grow for grazing and to prevent large forest fires. They would wait for the right conditions with enough moisture and the wind from the right direction so the fire would burn slowly against the wind.