The road less traveled...back to good health! They have lice, mites, scale mites, worms, anemia, gl

[delisha]

I just started adding calf manna..does that make the poop darker? More iron?

 

[aoxa]

In that case, they don't look too bad for their ages. I can show you what my last batch of CX looked like at 3 wks if that would help? These were a slow growing type of CX and I slowed them down even further with layer mash and whole grains, fermented, and free ranging, so they were approx. a week behind the hatchery recommended growth schedule~which was right where I wanted them to be.

What are those cabinet looking things? They look a littler more feathered out than I remember my chicks being at 3 weeks. However, my first batch I hatched this year were 100% feathered at 4 weeks. I thought that was crazy fast. I did dual purpose crosses for meat. I used my largest cochin hen, and my largest barred rock rooster. Their sons dressed out at 8 lbs @ 19 weeks old. They were beautiful boys as well. Never let out a single crow. I have another 7 of them (all boys - I sold off the girls for egg laying/broody mothers) and they are 14 weeks. I would bet money that their mother is a good 12 pounds. If not more. She is the same weight in my arms as my 12 pound cat. That's what I'm going by. I don't know how I would weigh her accurately. We don't have human scales - they are banned in this house, and our food scale would not suffice. I'm assuming she would flip out, as she hates being handled. Here are some of the results...

15 week old boy on left with his father on right. Jagger (father) is not a great barred rock in appearance, but makes up for it in so many other ways. He is great with chicks, girls and never showed even a slight wing drop in front of a human. His sister is one of my best egg layers.

The girls were quite pretty. Oh and the meat is just awesome.. I don't do cornish x because I hatch too many boys that are not wanted - If I did cornish x on top of that - I'd be overwhelmed!! Also, these guys free range really well. I have heard that meaties don't.. ?

This is the hefty mother... Surprisingly an awesome layer. When she's not molting. Also surprising is that she didn't go broody this year.

 

[Beekissed]

They're getting better all the time, aren't they? I still can't get over it when I look at the pics from before and see them now...it brings a smile to my face! I just want to cheer out loud for the old gals. If they get back to laying, I'll really throw a party! They will get treats all around and I don't care who knows it!

 

[aoxa]

Bee - wow transformation is absolutely astounding!!!

 

[Beekissed]

Those are impressive wts for DP birds! Great looking, one and all!

The cabinet looking things are my nest boxes and the sliding doors for the outside access.


Quote:
Wanna bet?

In all my years I've never had chickens that free ranged like this last batch of meaties...it was worth documenting by video. Sorry about the poor quality of the video...doing this for the first time and on my digital camera.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here are some pics of the Gnarly Bunch taken today...just the ones that I've noticed have made more progress in the past couple of weeks:



Raggedy Ann at 1 wk.



Raggedy Ann today at around 7 wks out of the bad place.



The Partridge Rock hen, Mildred, at 1 wk.




And Mildred today along with Fanny, one of the Barred Rocks, at the 7 wk out of the bad place.





This is Black Betty, a BA mutt, not of my original flock and I'm not sure of her age...I don't know that I have any first week pics of her. She is still in molt in this pic but showing more gloss and feathering here today. I've been kind of worried that she would be my next cull as her feathers have been looking dull and separated for a bit, but they are starting to take on some fullness and gloss just this week. I'll keep watching her.




By now you all are pretty familiar with the pic of Middle Sister at 1 wk..it's pitiful even yet to look upon it.



Here she is at 7 wks out, a little dirty but still looking great. Take a look at those feet! She is moving and looking like she isn't in pain any longer, holds herself tall and proud and her eyes are sharp and bright. Most combs are still pale but I'm taking that as the time of year...legs and beaks have brightened up in color and feathers are in high gloss.



I still can't get over how pretty and filled out Mildred is at 7 wks so I'm putting a few more pics of her in here...completely different looking bird. Solid and fully feathered.

Bee they are amazing, wouldn't even know they were the same birds if hadn't followed along. Great job!

 

[normanack]

Here are some pics of the Gnarly Bunch taken today...just the ones that I've noticed have made more progress in the past couple of weeks:
My comments in purple.

Just look at that attitude! Even if you didn't see the shine on the feathers or how well she has filled out, that strut says, "Feelin' great!"




This is Middle Sister, right? I have to admit, even the pictures of her during the time her feet were recovering made me wince. They looked better, but still so painful.
Now these look like happy feet! And a hen saying, "What you lookin' at? Just a normal, happy, healthy chicken here!"

 

[Beekissed]

I'm happy for her. I was seriously hating the thought of having to cull her because she was in pain with those feet but I'm having a hard time even seeing now where she had a problem. All the loose skin she had from being swollen is starting to decrease and her feet are looking like all the other WRs. She really is moving better inside her body...don't know where she got the grease on her but it shows she is getting out there and exploring more.

 

[galefrances]

Bee: It is just incredible how far your Gnarly Bunch has come. You have proven beyond any doubt that your way of husbandry works. Amazing.

 

[normanack]

. . . She really is moving better inside her body...don't know where she got the grease on her but it shows she is getting out there and exploring more.

Proof of great health: getting dirty and into trouble (the good kind of trouble).