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

[thedragonlady]

We had our first snow in NH this weekend ....... my four older girls (28 wks old) loved the snow. It didn't stop them one bit. The four younger girls (18 wks old) would not come out of the coop. LOL It might be a long winter for them. I tried placing two of them outside but as soon as their feet touched the snow they started to fly from one spot to another .... franctically. I put them back in the coop and just left the door open for them to decide on their own. It was just a dusting!!

What a pretty BO !

 

[bobbi-j]

I want wood ash so bad! I can't believe I have no family in this area with a fireplace. I don't get my Chiminea till summer...

Do you have any trees near you? Branches? A bare patch of ground? Maybe some large rocks or something you can use as a fire ring? That's all you need to make a campfire, and a campfire is all you need to get wood ash.

 

[Mountain Momma]

So funny!!!!

But Jake ain't crap...he's the most valuable part of my chicken operation and I've got nothing but good things to say about him. He's more intelligent and reliable than most people I know...honestly. He does his job 99% of the time(and that 1% hasn't been proven...I haven't got to see just what he would do to a dog that chased his birds) and that's more than I can say for any human I know, bar none.

Y'all can say he's crap all you want but I'm not the one whining about predation loss while free ranging...or even while keeping penned birds. No losses...Jake wins. Yeah, I helped him by killing some stray dogs this year because he doesn't have Lucy to do it for him, but I don't mind giving him a little help. He does most of the work and stays up all night to keep everyone safe.

Come to think of it, in three generations we've never had to close and open a pop door for our chickens...that speaks volumes. Out in the country we had never heard about LGDs until recent years. Simple cur farm dogs have always sufficed and done a good job for us when we had one on hand. Of course one has to factor in that fact that out in the country, stray dogs are pretty much shot on sight as a matter of course. No one tolerates them here, even if one has no livestock. Stray dogs are simply up to no good or are unwanted animals, thus are eliminated as a possible pest.

I dont think Jake is crap. I think Willaughby and Darcy are crap. An actual bear was trying to open the garage door and they slept through it! They missed a daylight mtn lion kill 10 ft from the driveway and they were outside that whole day! No, Jake is a fine dog with sense and loyalty. My money is on Emma. She is my girl. She listens, she is totally fearless and when the kids are talking in their sleep she wakes me up. She needs more training and seasoning and she will be a rockstar I can already tell. Usually I'm not so harsh on animals but I've been blessed with outstanding dogs for so many years these two try my patience. I was slacking and should have been much more careful picking a breed and a pup. Now I'm paying 50.00 per month to keep essentially a pair of free loaders. They are aware of how I feel and they still won't shape up!
L

 

[Beekissed]

Gnarly Bunch Update: The Bat and I went up to the coop to apply some BB/NS to the legs of the flock. I'm going to be very aggressive this time on these scale mites. They had all cleared up on all the birds except three and I thought they were done as well but the scales had just not sloughed off all the way. No deal....still had the mites. I'm thinking they have had them for a very long time to be this dug in and flourishing.

I'll kill them if I have to butter up chicken's feet until kingdom come....

Miss Ruby was trussed and will be processed in the morning. She is nice and fat, healthy and shiny....all except that leaky butt. No gleet evidence but still has that weird vent and dried fecal residue below the vent. No bad smell this time except just the smell of chicken poop.

All birds were heavy! Even since the last time I picked them up, which wasn't too long ago. It was so funny because Toby is always first and he knows it. I said his name and he actually tried to crawl up under Raggedy Ann's wing and hide!

I said, "Mom! Look at this big baby!". She couldn't believe it but he just kept trying to hide his head under RAs wing. I picked him up and his hackles went up like a fightin' roo and I had to laugh....hiding under a hen's wing one minute and pretending to get froggy the next. He was the most docile and gentle of all the birds treated, never once fought and laid still as snow as we looked him over and treated his legs. He's always that sweet when handled and he is one huge bird. I really love that old bird!

His spurs are growing!

I took pics of his scales and of Middle Sister's impacted glands and will post them tomorrow if anyone's interested. Cleaned out MS and Katie's glands and they weren't too bad but still needed the cleaning.

All feathers are glossy and thick~had trouble finding vents!! Skin is clean and supple and no signs of lice or skin mites at all.

Everyone was sweet and not too feisty, Jake still didn't like it and kept fussing at us all through Operation Scale Mite. Finally had to tell him to "Hush!" to get him to stop it but he had the last word. He always has the last word...

Little Red is really, really in full molt~finally~and is one big pin feather, poor thing! That has GOT to be uncomfortable to have all these stiff, itchy new feather casings all over your body.

All the white ladies are really heavy, soft and fluffy and doing well. The BRs are recovering from molt but heavier than last time I held them. Black Betty is so fluffy that I seriously had a hard time finding her vent. She has put on more weight too. Mildred is simply beautiful to see and feel...her feathers are so lovely and full. She is Toby's new best lady since Little Red is cranky, ugly and molting. Ain't that just like a man?

 

[Bulldogma]

Excellent and well written! I already posted a comment and I encourage anyone else who likes it to do the same so that Leigh can get her numbers up and get more sponsors. In the midst of all this stuff, she still finds time to help others by building this site. Thank you, BDM!!!

Thanks Bee -

Culled Frederic today and it went better than the first time. My 9-year-old is doing really well with this... in fact she told my hubby and me that we could process the 4 guineas tomorrow - LOL! They must have heard her because they're sleeping on the roof tonight instead of in the coop. If we can catch them, we'll be having guinea for dinner tomorrow and 3 more attending "freezer camp."

Need some prayers - so far the rest of our little flock seems to be healthy as healthy gets (knock on wood). Even my silly, runny-butt Lavender Orpington (always figured she'd be the first one to die of something). I need the rest of my flock to stay healthy!

 

[Bulldogma]

Gnarly Bunch Update:

Great update, Bee!! I'm looking forward to the pictures

 

[Beekissed]

Thanks Bee -

Culled Frederic today and it went better than the first time. My 9-year-old is doing really well with this... in fact she told my hubby and me that we could process the 4 guineas tomorrow - LOL! They must have heard her because they're sleeping on the roof tonight instead of in the coop. If we can catch them, we'll be having guinea for dinner tomorrow and 3 more attending "freezer camp."

Need some prayers - so far the rest of our little flock seems to be healthy as healthy gets (knock on wood). Even my silly, runny-butt Lavender Orpington (always figured she'd be the first one to die of something). I need the rest of my flock to stay healthy!

Definitely will pray over your flock and your family, B.

I've been thinking a lot about your flock and hoping that no more comes of this illness.

Your little girl is a HOOT!

And so very smart....I would kill the guineas too. I think I'd rather slide down a bannister made from a razor blade right into a vat of alcohol than listen to guinea hens.

 

[Melabella]

Great update, Bee!! I'm looking forward to the pictures

X2

 

[aoxa]

 

Clem is beautiful I hope the sheep help with her training. They are def as big as she is an dont seem to be as big of puchovers as the chickens will be

What is the bag/vest Clem is wearing? Is it part of her training so she knows she is *working*?

The backpack is there to make her feel like she has a job, as well as a signal to her that it's time to work. As soon as it goes on, it's business time. She wears it from morning until we get back from work. At which time she has time with the sheep, then inside the house for a few hours and then back to the barn to guard for the night. On weekends she spends much more time with the sheep. We are working up to being almost full time with them, but want to trust her before doing so. I think this weekend she will have full nights with them.

She needs a routine right now. Once we have her respect (she needs to understand NO, and that NO has consequences) - we will train her to the underground fence as per Bee's suggestion. Right now she can't be lose with the birds. For her safety and theirs. Our road is busy. If she were to run in front of the cars.. Anyway.. We'll have her loose next summer I'm sure.

I have never seen her so well balanced. Even when she had time to run around the yard and take off on us - she was very bad. Jumping all over us, mouthing the birds, barking like mad. She needs direction. She soaks it up! She smiles so much now

Also, Bee: Do sheep jump hurtles? I want to put a baby gate or something between the main part of the barn and the sheep's pen. That way Clem can jump it to do rounds through the whole barn without the sheep going in the people part of the barn (where the wood is stacked and the food is stored).

 

[Ashdoes]

I want wood ash so bad! I can't believe I have no family in this area with a fireplace. I don't get my Chiminea till summer...

Do you have any trees near you? Branches? A bare patch of ground? Maybe some large rocks or something you can use as a fire ring?  That's all you need to make a campfire, and a campfire is all you need to get wood ash.  

You know what's funny? We bought this big piece of land so we could do whatever we want, and now I'm unsure of this one thing. I think living on bases for 12 years ruined me, lol. If my husband was here he'd be burning up anything I handed him...maybe I'll try this weekend?