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

[Beekissed]

I just don't know what it could be! Weird, huh? That must be disappointing. Sometimes my chickens don't eat it as well but I just leave it there...they eventually eat it. Then I feed them more but less than last time.

Maybe the mixing with whole grains will help. I know my chickens like to pick out all the whole grains first and then, finally, will eat the mash.

 

[lalaland]

Leah's mom,

That was a great score. I have to say that I am doubtful whether it will provide adequate hawk protection.

I have a construction trailer that is the coop - so the hens can get underneath it easily. There are also 5 large (20 year old) pines next to the trailer, with weed trees growing up too. The pines aren't trimmed, and the branches are low to the ground and it is dense - you can't get to the trunks. Still, I've lost hens to hawks even with all the cover the trailer and pines provide. So, it is hard to see how a hen could make it to the shelter in time.

I also have a neighbor who took a full sheet of plywood and set it on cinder blocks to give his hens cover, and it wasn't enough either.

But maybe we just have more hawks here.

 

[aoxa]

I just don't know what it could be! Weird, huh?  That must be disappointing.  Sometimes my chickens don't eat it as well but I just leave it there...they eventually eat it.  Then I feed them more but less than last time. 

Maybe the mixing with whole grains will help.  I know my chickens like to pick out all the whole grains first and then, finally, will eat the mash. 

 

Mine are the same way.

They know what they like!

 

[colburg]

Quote: What breed are those?

 

[lalaland]

I just don't know what it could be! Weird, huh? That must be disappointing. Sometimes my chickens don't eat it as well but I just leave it there...they eventually eat it. Then I feed them more but less than last time.

Maybe the mixing with whole grains will help. I know my chickens like to pick out all the whole grains first and then, finally, will eat the mash.

Yeah, it is disappointing because I think FF would be so good for them. Well, if you don't see any issues, I am going to go ahead and assume there is something in the mash mix that makes it not work, and try whole grains. Thank goodness for Bulldogma's blog, so I don't have to search this for the whole grain mix.

thanks for taking a look at it.
And Delisha, it does seem like it is mostly corn doesn't it? will have to explore some other feed options, I don't want to go the factory food route, and was hoping this feed mill's mash was better.

 

[delisha]

Well now me too. Came home to a slaughter. 2 pitbulls probably about 9 months old in one of my pens. Lost my 3 barred banties and two of the BO pullets. Lost 2 Muscovy girls. I have 2 Muscovy ducks, a drake, my BO roo and two pullets in the house with severe injuries. Not really a lot I can do for any of them. Trying to get some molasses and ACV water down them for shock; washed off wounds and covered with NS> I have a light on them to keep them warm b/c they are all in shock

the dogs will not be going home

Hugsssssssssss I am so sorry

 

[delisha]

Sorry about the mispelled words etc was typing in the dark ....doen't look like a cat or animal attack just a clean cut half way down all the neck feathers parallel to the ground

Well watch your bird closely for a few days. I doubt highly your chicken would walk into a weed whacker. Chickens are not exactly road scholars, however they are not stupid. I would also watch your neighbor. The feathers will molt out and be replaced. I would do an exam in the light of day and make sure it is just feather loss.

 

[pigeonguy]

Is that a good thing or a bad thing at your place?

I'm sorry last night when I posted that I had put in about 18 hours of hard physical labor and was dead tired. It was a good thing first eggs laid from my flock. They both came from the same Easter Egger (I got them 6/22/12) The eggs were pink guess I missed one on the night before so yesterday I got 2 and today I got 1.
I'm excited not excited . Excited because I got my first egg. Not excited because that's what chickens do lay eggs. Been around them my whole life. I do think the FF had something to do with getting an egg at 20 weeks old in the cold with short days though. That's probably the part that excites me is it happened with cold short days.

 

[pigeonguy]

Yeah, it is disappointing because I think FF would be so good for them. Well, if you don't see any issues, I am going to go ahead and assume there is something in the mash mix that makes it not work, and try whole grains. Thank goodness for Bulldogma's blog, so I don't have to search this for the whole grain mix.

thanks for taking a look at it.
And Delisha, it does seem like it is mostly corn doesn't it? will have to explore some other feed options, I don't want to go the factory food route, and was hoping this feed mill's mash was better.

Mine go nuts for the my mash. The feed mill has there own mix that is corn and poultry base I wanted more so I ask how much protein was in the poultry base 36% and then told them to give me 100 pounds poultry base 100 pounds corn and 100 pounds of wheat somewhere between cracked and ground. That leaves some pretty good size pieces of the two grains. Once fermented watch out at feeding time likely to loose a finger.
Like they say though every bodies chickens like different things.

 

[delisha]

Quote: You can still use the mash..just add your grains. It is a lot of corn so the addition of grains will be perfect. Your feed is High in Vitamins..so that is good. I would also try picking up a small bag of Calf Manna and sprinkling it on top just before feeding. Your birds will not starve themselves. They will eat it. It will be OK.