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

[Bulldogma]

Holy cow! 3,001 posts on this thread!!

And here's tonight's blog entry - I couldn't wait until tomorrow to put it up because I was too excited about the before and after pictures!

 

[Beekissed]

I love it...so much easier to see than on here.

I sent you some befores and afters on the Shaklee's and ACV. I don't know if they will find a place on a chicken blog but it's pretty impressive.

 

[aoxa]

I find Raggedy Ann is your biggest improvement. At least to my eyes

She looks like a frizzled chicken in the first picture. So strange to see the amazing transformation!

 

[Beekissed]

She certainly does look like she was the worst one because she was so chopped up but she still had meat on her bones. Middle Sister was thin as a knife and was, in all reality, in much worse condition overall. If I had to pick one bird out of all of them that I thought was not going to make it, it was Middle Sister.

This is her on the very first day. Her keel bone was prominent, her feathers were eaten away by lice and her feet were pale, scaly with mite infestation and swollen from impacted and inflamed glands. Her legs and beak were so pale that she appeared bloodless...she was truly in the worst shape and took the longest to rectify, in the long run.

 

[maryhysong]

Oh Bee, I loved the video of the cornishX running around! You have a beautiful place there; how I long for woods and green grass.... will probably never get them tho as my roots run deep here where I am.

I'm thinking you have a pop door at the back of your coop that you can open with a rope? Maybe you could show us some details on how to make one like that? I think that might come in handy in some places.

Can't get over how good your chickens are looking; they look like totally different birds! Got the Nustock today so tomorrow I'm out to doctor mine up!

 

[Beekissed]

It's pretty easy...just a piece of plywood that slides inside two frames of scrap tongue in groove wood. Anyone can make one of these with just scrap lumber. I debated on just putting one on hinges as a flap like I used to have but it was going to be difficult with having a place on which to attach the hinges when dealing with the cattle panels but making a double frame was much easier and worked out great in opening it from the front of the coop. The door slides down into a groove at the bottom so that it can't be pried against from the inside or outside and a predator can't slide a paw under it and pry it upwards. Coon are pretty sneaky and quiet and the coop's backside was away from where the dog was sleeping at the time...I finally moved his dog house to be closer to the pop door just like old times.

Here's a pretty clear pic of it. The end of the rope has a dog clip on it, that fastens easily to the cattle panel wire to keep tension on the rope for when the door is open.

 

[aoxa]

It's pretty easy...just a piece of plywood that slides inside two frames of scrap tongue in groove wood.  Anyone can make one of these with just scrap lumber.  I debated on just putting one on hinges as a flap like I used to have but it was going to be difficult with having a place on which to attach the hinges when dealing with the cattle panels but making a double frame was much easier and worked out great in opening it from the front of the coop.  The door slides down into a groove at the bottom so that it can't be pried against from the inside or outside and a predator can't slide a paw under it and pry it upwards.  Coon are pretty sneaky and quiet and the coop's backside was away from where the dog was sleeping at the time...I finally moved his dog house to be closer to the pop door just like old times. 

Here's a pretty clear pic of it.  The end of the rope has a dog clip on it, that fastens easily to the cattle panel wire to keep tension on the rope for when the door is open. 

Your hoop coop looks like it has a face!

More than a face.. That's Pikachu!

 

[Mumsy]

Raggedy Ann is my favorite transformation. It warms my heart and following along on this thread had changed my feelings and knowledge about poultry husbandry forever. Truly.
Congratulations Bee. I'm so satisfied to see the end result from horror to health.

I got to spend a few hours with my oldest Grandson tonight. He is eleven years old and bright as an evening star.
He and his momma have six layers that are around four, five, and two. They haven't laid eggs in some time. My daughter says that after their dog attacked and killed two, the rest stopped laying at that moment and she just feeds them. She is not interested in culling them. Too much trauma recently in the pet department.

Grandson and I went out to the coop and I gave him three packages of Johnny Cakes. I told him open the door and let them out on the grass and let's give them some cakes. Dewormer Delight and "Look at me!" Luster cake. We crumbled them and those old hens went crazy for them.
I had a long conversation with my Grandson about the difference between Heritage breeds and feed store hatchery chickens. I told him it costs the same to feed either. We discussed poultry health using the old natural ways and the difference between Production Reds (what Johnny is) and Heritage RIR. We have a plan to raise both. Him and me. Using the old ways and keeping records on egg production, health, and ease in husbandry. He will be my pupil and I will supply him with what ever he needs for his flock.
This will be forth generation raising back yard chickens in my family and it thrills me that I can teach my Grandson.

Today was a good day.


Letting loose the girls for Johnny Cakes! My Grandson's old hens.

 

[maryhysong]

Thanks Bee! Your hoop coop looks pretty cool; so just a cattle panel for the hoop, wood for the base and end wall framing....are the ends more cattle panels or just some kind of fencing? Is any part of the roof solid material or is all just a tarp? Love the little shade porches on the sides ;-)

 

[maryhysong]

Aw Mumsy that is so cool. My granny had chickens but they were gone before I came along. I had chickens when my kids were little but none of them keep them now; tho if she gets her way my oldest grand daughter will have some, some day.