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

[MyGardenHelper]

Yes, I will post a pic when they are looking new...they are currently lifting off and don't look pretty yet. I'm opposed to motor oil because it's motor oil...and your chicken's feet go there and feet absorb quite a bit through the skin. If I'm going to eat traces of substances absorbed into my chickens, I don't want it to come from the souped up oils they use today..particularly not used and dirty oil.

The cooking oil won't provide a deterrent, it will just make your roosts oily..could do the trick but never tried it. You could try it and let us know how it goes?

I would also do neem oil. I love old-timer advice, but motor oil just doesn't make sense to me if you are going to eat the eggs or meat. In case some of you do not know that this exists for free:


Remedies for Health Problems of the Organic Laying Flock:

http://www.google.com/search?client...of+the+Organic+Laying+Flock&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

I do not agree with about 2% of this...but the rest has taught me sooooo much

 

[Miss Lydia]

I had a look at my girl Snows bottom this evening, the redness has diff calmed down and there isn't any discharge now. And there really are feathers coming in... Since it will still be hard to tell much from the other pic I posted I am going to wait too and do a comparison. I am so thankful I found this thread.

 

[Beekissed]

I am so very pleased! I can't wait to see that butt all clean and healed up.

I looked at Ruby's butt last night and noticed she was a little prolapsed...put some Preparation H on it and will check it tonight. I think she has had to strain so much to get around all the swelling from the gleet. She wasn't real prolapsed but did have the end of the cloaca visible in the vent and it was swollen and inflamed looking. She has a very large egg, so I'm not surprised she has had some trauma there after all the tenderness from the gleet.

Funny thing is that this chicken looks the most healthy and beautiful of all the hens and I just don't know how when you think of what she has been through. But she just gleams in the sunlight and her comb is so red now...she sure is a pretty hen.

 

[MyGardenHelper]

Gnarly Bunch Daily Update: Two eggs today...one was from my Little Red Hen. She is 6 yrs old and is laying nearly daily now, right in the middle of molt and natural slow down. What a trooper! She is the most inquisitive and friendly one of the bunch and is also Toby's fave...which also leaves the back of her head a little thin on feathers but she's holding in there.

Middle Sister's feet and ankles are definitely less swollen and inflamed in appearance today. Not my imagination. I really observed her today and watched her feet and her walking closely...it's really happening. She is also looking more...I don't know how to describe it exactly but I guess she looks more at ease and active. She even looks more smooth in her feathering and has a more upright stance. No hunching when she stands. I'll take pics soon so you all can see the difference. She just might have missed the cull on this one.

I'm thinking that your flock had a 'molt' as in 'no egg-laying' in the last 1.5 years since you've been gone. They have lots of eggs in their system to make up for...poor girls and one boy that was also abused (cutting off his spurs...he is looking handsome though...) You should expect more since FF and the new health they are experiencing with you. I wouldn't be surprised if they laid all winter for you! They had a HUGE BREAK...although 'HEART-BREAKING'...they just might make up for it this fall, winter for your extra-special care...or they will give you eggs for past their 'normal egg date Me...I go for heritage breeds for longer laying. Although...looking for true breeders now...not hatcheries (thanks to one of the 3 threads that I'm reading). OT, FF and this one. IMO...the only 3 worth reading.

Please point me in a direction of other threads if worthy

Thanks!

 

[Beekissed]

I will! Here's a good one that I don't follow but a lot of the OTs are on there with solid info on heritage breeders: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/400344/heritage-large-fowl-thread


Actually, these birds have been laying real steady for all this time until at the end of this summer...which is normal slow down for molt. The folks that had them reported getting "buckets" of eggs..and I believe them~this is a well-honed flock of layers that I spent a long time developing. They had cartons upon cartons of eggs in their spare fridge and said they couldn't use them all...knowing what condition the birds were in I can't imagine how anyone would want an egg that came out of them.

It remains to be seen if they will snap out of this slump of molt, considering what has been done to their systems. These birds are pretty old to be laying steady anyway, though I've had 7 yr. olds in my flocks that laid steady too. I always plan and cull for egg laying and laying longevity...I don't like having to replace hens all the time. Just when you get to know your flock you'd have to get all new ones. Just not my thing...I like the old tried and true gals.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Well, this one's a bald eagle.

LOL I am Australian and have never seen a Bald Eagle (is that even how you spell bald ?) but I would have be believed it was one .. Really I would have..

Still laughing. It does look like a miniature one.

Looks kinda like one.

Yes, indeed, that is my Baldy.
I've also a few that are Falcon-ish, and a big handful of devilish ones.
But, I am a bit upset w/ the hatchery ...

... in addition to the Eagle, they sent an Ostrich, a Turtle, a Turkey and about 2/3rds of a Mouse ~'-)​

 

[Beekissed]

Are these birds sick in any way?

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Gnarly Bunch Daily Update: Two eggs today...one was from my Little Red Hen. She is 6 yrs old and is laying nearly daily now, right in the middle of molt and natural slow down. What a trooper! She is the most inquisitive and friendly one of the bunch and is also Toby's fave...which also leaves the back of her head a little thin on feathers but she's holding in there.

Middle Sister's feet and ankles are definitely less swollen and inflamed in appearance today. Not my imagination. I really observed her today and watched her feet and her walking closely...it's really happening. She is also looking more...I don't know how to describe it exactly but I guess she looks more at ease and active. She even looks more smooth in her feathering and has a more upright stance. No hunching when she stands. I'll take pics soon so you all can see the difference. She just might have missed the cull on this one.

Great news for both your methodology and your Middle Sister (I'll just call her Medium Foot for now ~'-)
If she could read? She'd surely be relieved.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Are these birds sick in any way?

No, ma'am ... they're just hunkered down over bein' stuck into an aquarium turned on it's side -- they're accustomed to glass, but didn't seem too comfortable, and it was fairly cold, but I wanted to document their 21st day-after-their-birth-day.

(sorry for the off-topic posts)-;~

 

[griffinkid02]

you know, I really love this thread, as well as the FF thread. I have truly enjoyed reading your wisdom Bee, and I am in tears right now, Because at this moment I truly have no intention of returning to BYC. I just had a thread locked regarding #15, when I asked (in pm) for further explination, because I had not questioned or criticised any mod or admin, in fact I had made a comment in prase of their handling of things, I was told that there was no recourse and no one cared to hear my complain. And that rule #15 could be invoked even without any discussion of the administration. And this bothers me deeply because the thread was about a subject matter that is very personal to me, and I have basically just been told that a prejudiced admin can shut down anything I have to say, without me even actually breaking the rules. I hate to go, but I just don't feel welcome in this community any longer. I have your website saved to my fav's though. Good luck witht he Gnarly Flock and the FF