TULSA area Cluckers

[cathiesue]

Hey Jen, just noticed, we're at opposite ends of Tulsa county. I got a few sprinkles at around 7. Cloudy and cool but no rain. Sad.

 

[Elbert Garrett]

Good Morning! It`s sprinkling a little out here but nothing to get excited about....

 

[Reagor]

No rain at all here =(

 

[jens-hens]

Yeah, yeah, wishful thinking. It did sprinkle the slightest bit, nothing to get excited about though.

 

[jlfreije]

Rinda,
The Ameraucanas are doing great. The kids aptly named them Sleeping Beauty and Chubby. The CLB ate great up until yesterday afternoon, when she started making a click every time she took a breath. She passed away last night & I am really sad. But, thanks for letting me give her a try. She clearly had more going on than spraddle leg with the neurological issues she was showing (balance, head tilt, abnormal leg extension). I do a lot of exotic pet medicine in my practice (ferrets, rats & other rodents, rabbits, lizards, and turtles) but generally avoid avian medicine unless it is wildlife. I used to work for an avian vet and I treated a fair number of birds when I had to because the boss was out of the office. I now own my own practice and employ a vet who also owns backyard chickens. She told me the other day we should become the local backyard chicken vets. Sounds fun... have a bit to learn, though. I got a total of one day of poultry medicine in vet school. That one day was taught by a fellow vet student because her family owned a poultry farm, making her more knowledgeable than any of the clinicians on staff. There are no poultry medicine textbooks geared toward the backyard flock; they are all written for the large-scale factory farm situation. I enrolled in a continuing education backyard poultry medicine class that will take place in October. I can't wait. Sorry to hear about the Isbars. Do you think the outside temperature was too high for egg shipping?
Lori

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Rinda,
The Ameraucanas are doing great. The kids aptly named them Sleeping Beauty and Chubby. The CLB ate great up until yesterday afternoon, when she started making a click every time she took a breath. She passed away last night & I am really sad. But, thanks for letting me give her a try. She clearly had more going on than spraddle leg with the neurological issues she was showing (balance, head tilt, abnormal leg extension). I do a lot of exotic pet medicine in my practice (ferrets, rats & other rodents, rabbits, lizards, and turtles) but generally avoid avian medicine unless it is wildlife. I used to work for an avian vet and I treated a fair number of birds when I had to because the boss was out of the office. I now own my own practice and employ a vet who also owns backyard chickens. She told me the other day we should become the local backyard chicken vets. Sounds fun... have a bit to learn, though. I got a total of one day of poultry medicine in vet school. That one day was taught by a fellow vet student because her family owned a poultry farm, making her more knowledgeable than any of the clinicians on staff. There are no poultry medicine textbooks geared toward the backyard flock; they are all written for the large-scale factory farm situation. I enrolled in a continuing education backyard poultry medicine class that will take place in October. I can't wait. Sorry to hear about the Isbars. Do you think the outside temperature was too high for egg shipping?
Lori

Oh Lori I'm so sad you lost her. Yes I could tell she had some serious issues, I wondered about neurological problems myself, also noticed she was very "trembly" in addition to the balance and leg issues. Skeletal defects also crossed my mind. But wow I will definitely pick your brain next time I have a chick that needs help! You have WAY more experience than I do, my college degree is mathematics... VERY not helpful when working with animals!

The first batch of Isbar eggs started great, up until we chilled them. This second batch just went in Thursday night so it will be a few days before I can tell how they take. I guess we will see. Love the names of your chicks!

 

[jlfreije]

Our Ameraucana chicks are soooo cute! I just love their tufted cheeks. I don't care that I might get Salmonella; I can't help but smooch them.

On another note... Going to make Indian fry bread tonight and eat some more of your delicious honey. When I was in undergrad at KU (like a zillion years ago) there was a biology of the honeybee class that I wanted to take so badly but could never get it to fit into my schedule. Your hives are so cool. Might have to pick your brain about that some more.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Our Ameraucana chicks are soooo cute! I just love their tufted cheeks. I don't care that I might get Salmonella; I can't help but smooch them.
On another note... Going to make Indian fry bread tonight and eat some more of your delicious honey. When I was in undergrad at KU (like a zillion years ago) there was a biology of the honeybee class that I wanted to take so badly but could never get it to fit into my schedule. Your hives are so cool. Might have to pick your brain about that some more.

We love to educate people about bees and honey! There is a really awesome bee association in Tulsa that has monthly meetings, we used to go regularly but with little ones that need to get to bed (and it usually wraps up at 9 or 9:30) and Lonny working night shift we haven't been able to go in a while. Let me know if you are interested and I can send you all the info for them, it's free to go but they do like you to get a membership (you get a monthly summary newsletter, e-mail, etc) it's only $20 per year for your whole family. That biology class sounds fascinating. Someday maybe when the kids are bigger I can go back for some classes like that... already have my degree, just love to learn for fun! Right now the learning curve is chickens for me!

 

[Reagor]

Made some progress today. It was not easy to get anything done with the kids "helping", but I got enough done for now. Had to stop here. Bath and bed time for the kiddos. Any ideas/ critiques are very welcome! Thanks.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Reagor-
Looks great! I can't quite tell, do you have a space at the top to allow for air circulation? My understanding is that top airflow is critical for chicken's health, even in the winter. An extra hindged door (with wire in the opening) for summer ventilation isn't a bad idea either, especially as hot as the last two summers have been. LOL at your "HELP" description.... I can totally sympathize! But they sure do love to help and what better way to teach them than do it alongside them?