Toulouse Geese Thread

[PAchickenlover]

Thank you, no i have not tried the other threads yet. I have been busy withy Sophie (goose) and one of my silkies who is not feeling well right now. I hate winter time it always seems to bring out the sickies.. I am so done with winter time... Have been trying to chip away at ice so i can get up to and back down from my coops. They are up on a slight hill. Almost fell on my tush more times then i care to remember.. Lol

 

[PAchickenlover]

Oh, i also house almost all my chickens, ducks and goose in the same building. Saw that a few others werr asking about that. I normally do not have any problems with this setup.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you, no i have not tried the other threads yet. I have been busy withy Sophie (goose) and one of my silkies who is not feeling well right now. I hate winter time it always seems to bring out the sickies.. I am so done with winter time... Have been trying to chip away at ice so i can get up to and back down from my coops. They are up on a slight hill. Almost fell on my tush more times then i care to remember.. Lol

This winter has proved very challenging to say the least, we looked like an ice skating rink last week, i had to get out the Yak Trax for my boots.
Do you have any Apple Cider Vinegar, it's a great tonic and I just put it into all water buckets and waterers 1-2 Tablespoons to 1 gallon of water. The un pasteurized is best.

 

[kristen2678]

Has anyone had experience with giant eggs? My Dewlap Toulouse will be two in May. This is her second laying season. Last year she did one egg in and egg. Otherwise, the 30 or so eggs she laid were normal. She's been laying every other day or so for 2 weeks. When she skips two days in a row, the following day she lays a massive egg. So far they have just been double yolks. Today's egg weighs .613 lbs! Is this just normal pluming upstart or something I need to be concerned about?

Thanks
Kristen

 

[PAchickenlover]

Thank you, no i have not tried the other threads yet. I have been busy withy Sophie (goose) and one of my silkies who is not feeling well right now. I hate winter time it always seems to bring out the sickies.. I am so done with winter time... Have been trying to chip away at ice so i can get up to and back down from my coops. They are up on a slight hill. Almost fell on my tush more times then i care to remember.. Lol

This winter has proved very challenging to say the least, we looked like an ice skating rink last week, i had to get out the Yak Trax for my boots. 
Do you have any Apple Cider Vinegar, it's a great tonic and I just put it into all water buckets and waterers 1-2 Tablespoons to 1 gallon of water. The un pasteurized is best. 

I do have acv. And I do normally put it in the water, had the kids take care of the birds for a few days, they probably didn't think about putting it in (and they didn't bother to ask). Ugh, kids.. Hadn't thought about that till you said something.. It was shortly after that when I found my little silky (Trouble is her name) not looking good. I may have to put her down. It is that resp virus, her one eye is swollen. I have her in the house away from all my other birds. None of the others are showing any signs of the virus so I think I might have gotten her out of there in time. Anyhow, I have been tube feeding her as she seemed to be having trouble swallowing. She is making improvements, the eye isn't as swollen anymore. I know she can not join the rest of my flock now. It makes me sad. I don't know what I will do with her. Guess I will have to make Trouble, her own building. She had her name since she was a chick. She was always under our feet and pecking at our toes. Lol so she got the name Trouble.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I do have acv. And I do normally put it in the water, had the kids take care of the birds for a few days, they probably didn't think about putting it in (and they didn't bother to ask). Ugh, kids.. Hadn't thought about that till you said something.. It was shortly after that when I found my little silky (Trouble is her name) not looking good. I may have to put her down. It is that resp virus, her one eye is swollen. I have her in the house away from all my other birds. None of the others are showing any signs of the virus so I think I might have gotten her out of there in time. Anyhow, I have been tube feeding her as she seemed to be having trouble swallowing. She is making improvements, the eye isn't as swollen anymore. I know she can not join the rest of my flock now. It makes me sad. I don't know what I will do with her. Guess I will have to make Trouble, her own building. She had her name since she was a chick. She was always under our feet and pecking at our toes. Lol so she got the name Trouble.

Do you have any Oxine ah? it can be used for respiratory illness, I use it by misting over their heads and letting it fall down on their faces you can also use it in a vaporizer. I'll get the link about it, I also use it to spray out all my houses mixed with essential oil of lavender, this spray I don't use on the birds. Bummer about the oxine is I have only found it on line. Glad to hear your lil Trouble is making improvements. If your flock has been exposed most likely she could join the flock again after she recovers you just would have to have a closed flock, where none could leave your property in other words if she got something the rest have probably already been exposed. No selling or giving away any of your birds. let me go find the link about Oxine ah. http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/oxine.htm

 

[PAchickenlover]

Ok here is a new question, since I only have a few birds left anyhow (getting old). If we we're to cull the rest of the flock (I would like to get chicks this spring anyhow) how long and how do I get rid of the virus? So that any new chicks I would get would not get it... Also could my ducks and goose be carriers? Could they spread it to my new chicks? Gesh, I hate the thought of having to cull everyone. But I want a healthy flock.. :-(

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok here is a new question, since I only have a few birds left anyhow (getting old). If we we're to cull the rest of the flock (I would like to get chicks this spring anyhow) how long and how do I get rid of the virus? So that any new chicks I would get would not get it... Also could my ducks and goose be carriers? Could they spread it to my new chicks? Gesh, I hate the thought of having to cull everyone. But I want a healthy flock.. :-(

Ducks and geese are not immune to CRD but have a better chance of not getting it because if their high body temp. around 107. I'm not sure how long your coop would have to stand empty but you'd have to take out all bedding and spray it out with some kind of solution either bleach or Oxine ah You'd have to do some research on how long to wait before bringing more birds in. Are your water fowl new? In Storey's book on raising ducks they don't give a time line just say house should be thoroughly disinfected prior to reuse. Birds need to have real good ventilation in their houses to keep fresh air flowing inside where they are kept, I keep the windows open at the top during winter to keep fresh air coming in but not hitting the birds. Only windows closed completely are the ones facing North. Here is some info on common disease's poultry can get. http://www.barnyardhealth.com/resinindompo.html

 

[yankeehill]

How do your Toulouse get along with your chickens? I just ordered 2 Toulouse along with 25 chicks.

You are in VT, up north with me I house 4 geese, 5 ducks, and 11 hens in a house. The hens have only laid 2 eggs since December I really do think at this point that it is because of the geese (who hiss at the hens any time they jump down from the roost). Come spring, they will be separated. I am not sure how yet, but they will be.

 

[Miss Lydia]

You are in VT, up north with me I house 4 geese, 5 ducks, and 11 hens in a house. The hens have only laid 2 eggs since December I really do think at this point that it is because of the geese (who hiss at the hens any time they jump down from the roost). Come spring, they will be separated. I am not sure how yet, but they will be.

Breeding season is starting up those geese are not very nice to their companions during breeding season.