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

[Leahs Mom]

I have a trough feeder, so it wouldn't work for me but probably would for those who use different style feeders. I could just hang a warming light over the feeder but I don't want to keep that power going all the time. When the coop is winterized, I think the feed will be the same temp as their water and shouldn't be too cold....just waiting on my hay bales to be delivered next week.

Wondering - on the hay bales, do they actually end up eating a good amount of the hay throughout the winter or does it stay pretty much in-tact?

 

[Beekissed]

Nah...they don't eat much hay if they free range. I use the hay bales for insulation in this very open air coop and for different places of being on days when they are confined to the coop due to deep snows, hard rains, etc.

And I just love the way the hay smells in the winter coop. My old coop didn't need such fortification but this is a cattle panel coop and only has a tarp between the birds and the elements.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

That theory has a flaw as well. When all your birds come from the same genetic pool, as did these White Rocks, and were raised to have strong immune systems. as did these White Rocks, then one can safely assume that any bird of that group that has recurring illness or who heal poorly, despite good nutrition and management of environment and health, are genetically inferior.

One doesn't just go through the flock and point arbitrarily in the direction of poorly birds without weighing the probable causes and even the nature of their life. Did they get wounded and did that put them behind everyone? That is something considered in the mix. Like this old WR. The only reason she is still here is because I know this bird...I know she has superior genetics and that under normal conditions she can perform like all the rest. I do not, however, know what was inflicted upon her while she was out of my care...but that means little. If she does not recover from this joint edema within a certain time, she will still be a cull. Why? Because it is not necessary to keep a bird in misery under the guise of having "feelings" or "giving her a chance"...it's just cruel.

A bird that has the same nutrition, same environment, same care and life as other birds of similar age and breeding in the flock and still has recurring illness, reproductive issues or parasite infestations can only have one end conclusion....that bird, out of all the rest, has some underlying genetic predisposition towards weakness in health and production.

When you keep a flock for more than just a season you have time to observe and determine underlying causes for such things. Would I get a new flock and immediately start targeting birds for cull based on their general health at that moment? Nope. For other traits like disposition, maybe after awhile of observation. Production? That has to wait for peak laying season to determine if this bird is a layer, cannot judge that during molt, winter slow down or broody days.

Entirely/completely/absolutely/etc. agree w/ what you're sayin' there, in regard to the "to cull, or not to cull" question ... my Wile E. analogy was aimed at that unknown period, during which there was no certainty of anything, save for that it most likely wasn't anything good.

As to the rest? I'll be takin' notes (beyond the limited scope of my expertise, for now ~'-)

Now, I'm gonna ask you to wish twenty-six of my birds a happy 21st day-after-their-birth-day, 'n show off a bit ... just have the one picture of the many taken today, which I'll point you towards later this weekend ...

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True Blue "baby's got *no* back" Aracauna? She's tough to spot amongst the rest, and quicker/smarter ... and, a bowling ball to twenty-five pins, when she wants to get anywhere. Hopin' you can rally the rest to put in their two cents as well, once I get more of the other images on here.

 

[Beekissed]

Daily update on the Gnarly Bunch: Removed packing from the enlarged glands on Middle Sister's feet and the cavities look clean and good. Placed more NS in the hole and will hope that they do not get impacted with filth again. With her cleaner living conditions, I doubt it will be a problem.

Found another bird with the exact same condition and removed large pieces of impacted filth in her foot glands as well. They were not as swollen as MS's but they looked like it should be uncomfortable.

Examined other feet and could spot the gland on their feet but it was not enlarge, open or impacted with anything. In their normal state and appearance the gland is no bigger than the eye of a needle and even smaller on the smaller birds. MS's and this other bird's glands were the size of a lentil and MS's were very deep. Can you imagine what it felt like to be walking around with impacted glands between your toes?? Ouch.

One egg today.

When examining birds tonight I was amazed at how heavy they have grown in such a short time...very happy with the muscle growth and mass of all of them. They have all, each and every one, gained weight and muscle mass to their frames. I'm very pleased.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Daily update on the Gnarly Bunch: Removed packing from the enlarged glands on Middle Sister's feet and the cavities look clean and good. Placed more NS in the hole and will hope that they do not get impacted with filth again. With her cleaner living conditions, I doubt it will be a problem.

Found another bird with the exact same condition and removed large pieces of impacted filth in her foot glands as well. They were not as swollen as MS's but they looked like it should be uncomfortable.

Examined other feet and could spot the gland on their feet but it was not enlarge, open or impacted with anything. In their normal state and appearance the gland is no bigger than the eye of a needle and even smaller on the smaller birds. MS's and this other bird's glands were the size of a lentil and MS's were very deep. Can you imagine what it felt like to be walking around with impacted glands between your toes?? Ouch.

One egg today.

When examining birds tonight I was amazed at how heavy they have grown in such a short time...very happy with the muscle growth and mass of all of them. They have all, each and every one, gained weight and muscle mass to their frames. I'm very pleased.

 

[galanie]

If anyone still can't see the pictures feature take a look here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...atures-thread-image-view-recent-images-module

If your screen doesn't look like that post then you have "Remove right hand column" checked in your forum settings. Uncheck that and you'll see the pictures thingie.

 

[galefrances]

She's a very pretty bird. Makes me envious. Happy "21" days....

 

[galanie]

[quote url="[URL]https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5363005/[/URL]"]

​

True Blue "baby's got *no* back" Aracauna? She's tough to spot amongst the rest, and quicker/smarter ... and, a bowling ball to twenty-five pins, when she wants to get anywhere. Hopin' you can rally the rest to put in their two cents as well, once I get more of the other images on here.

She's a very pretty bird. Makes me envious. Happy "21" days....
[/quote] x2

Except.. are you sure that's a girl? Big comb, heavy legs, "bowling ball" personality... hmmm.

 

[Beekissed]

x2
Except.. are you sure that's a girl? Big comb, heavy legs, "bowling ball" personality... hmmm.

I was thinking the exact same thing!

No tail, upright stance, big comb, thick legs....could be a HE.

I could be dreaming, but I think MS has less swollen feet today....when I'm fully convinced, I'll take a good pic and post the comparison. It is most definite that she is moving better and looking more smooth in her feathering in just two day's time but that too could be mere coincidence. It will all come out in the wash, as Grandma used to say.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I was thinking the exact same thing!

No tail, upright stance, big comb, thick legs....could be a HE.

I could be dreaming, but I think MS has less swollen feet today....when I'm fully convinced, I'll take a good pic and post the comparison. It is most definite that she is moving better and looking more smooth in her feathering in just two day's time but that too could be mere coincidence. It will all come out in the wash, as Grandma used to say.