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

[Beekissed]

really looking good bee. i had them birds written off. i am glad for you and the birds. great job and a

Thanks, Bruce!

 

[chickachee]

Ragged Ann the day she arrived, covered with ashes...but you can still see the poor thing's feathering or lack thereof and how small and malnourished she is.





This is Raggedy Ann at one week...notice the one feather sticking out from the tail. This one feather always makes me laugh...that stubborn last feather that will NOT let go and give up the ghost!

This is Raggedy Ann at week 2 of her reconditioning...still can see the one, raggedy old feather sticking out like a tattered flag.

Take note of the scales on this third picture and see that grey coloring on the front of the leg? That is the old scales beginning the sloughing and raising up into that hard ridge that will eventually just fall off and show new, shiny scales underneath.

You can also start to see more filling out of the chest and thigh and a little extra brightness of the eye, as well as smoother, healthier feathering coming on. She is still a little pale around the eyes, beak and legs but she is coming along, don't you think?

Bee,

Talk about the difference between night and day!! You'll have to change her name to just "Ann". You don't want her to have low self-esteeem do ya??

Sheila

 

[Pullet Surprise]

WOW!!! Just think what another two weeks will do...

 

[Beekissed]

Bee,

Talk about the difference between night and day!! You'll have to change her name to just "Ann". You don't want her to have low self-esteeem do ya??

Sheila

I would but I have a not so nice SIL named Ann...wouldn't wanna name her after that person. I'll probably stick with Raggedy to remind us of how far she has come...pretty soon you won't even be able to see the rags and tags. She is a spunky old gal!

WOW!!! Just think what another two weeks will do...

I know! I've never had a bad flock, so I've never gotten to see a transformation like this....it's amazing to me! I'm having fun with this and it confirms for me a lot of the reasons why I choose this kind of husbandry for my flocks~because it gets good results. I'm pleased with the spunk of these birds and I'm pleased to see them starting to return to their former beauty.

I don't think there is a chicken any softer than a White Rock...for some reason they seem to have the softest, silkiest feathering of any breed I've ever raised. Ya just wanna pet them and pet them....but you can't if you want their feathers to keep that natural, lovely softness and oil distribution.

 

[Beekissed]

This is Little Red waiting on the nest today.....you can't see the walker in this pic, as she had accidentally dropped it in her struggles to get up to the nest

but the old gal was in a hurry to drop that egg! Her feathers have become glossy and richer in color and texture since her arrival. She wasn't in as bad of shape as Raggedy, so the changes are subtle...but she's laying a little now and starting to put on weight. All good in the neighborhood.

 

[aussie pete]

absolutely the best proof of yr husbandry methods anyone could ask for ,what a great job Bee ,i salute u

 

[MsSilkie]

WOW.. That about covers it I think... Other than Well done Bee.

Well this Aussie girl is starting her fermented feed tomorrow.. I am a microbiologist and part of me is a tinge nervous but in for a penny in for a pond as my Nan would say...

 

[galefrances]

Bee, remarkable improvements in just 2 short weeks. Amazing results. I have to ask: Do you feel differently now about culling sick chickens? Has your experiment with this flock changed your thinking in any way?

 

[just me]

Wow, just wow!! Thanks for the updated pics. They look so much better!!

Thanks for sharing!!

 

[7L Farm]

This AM I gave my three flocks their first taste of FF they inhaled it. I never mentioned this about my flock but not too long ago well actually a few weeks ago I found one baby from my newest flock sick on the floor I mean sick. I separated her & new she wasn't gonna make it. I finally decided to put her down I think she died in my arms. I was a nervous wreck my mind was racing thinking the worst I mean thoughts of 50 chickens dying kinda thoughts. I called an avian vet told the receptionist what had happened & wanted to bring the body in for necropsy. Told her I was gonna freeze the body & bring it in the next day along with some fecal samples. She said that would be fine. She never told me not to freeze the dead bird. Next AM the Dr calls & said what did you do with the body I told him & he said the body will not do any good because you froze it. I'm thinking why didn't yall tell me that. I took the vet the samples he calls back with the results.
Tells me he found trematodes I'm thinking what the______ are those. Vet says there worms but are very rare in this neck of the woods. He didn't know how to treat them. I thought about medicine but I don't use chemicals on my farm because I grow veggies,sell eggs, quail eggs, honey ETC. All farm fresh with no chemicals. So, I choose to do treat them naturally & had been seeing this thread & for about the past two weeks I've done a lot of things that have been suggested here & my flocks really are responding & seem a lot healthier. Here's my youngest flock eating FF this morning.