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[beans2]

I havent' heard of using ginger. Do you use powdered or fresh and in what quantities? And same for the garlic? One of the things on my list to find out about / do but for the moment too bogged down on getting my flock all hatched to do anything else!

fresh is always best but I do sometimes use powdered because its convenient and cheap (it does degrade quickly so theres no use in buying alot at once)

with garlic, you can just mash loads up and offer it freely to them, they'll decide how much they need.
sprinkle a treat over the top and make a pecking motion with your hand so they get the idea its food. they'll give it a try and probably love it.

with ginger, i put a tablespoon full of powdered ginger in their water container every now and again.
I also give them free choice of mashed ginger root.

paprika is also great in water. they really love it.

i don't think quantities matter much. it doesn't have to be complicated.

 

[504707]

@beans2 I just ordered the red top bag. I can't stand them anymore.
BEES! I just don't have enough space for bees (not to mention having allergies), but how difficult is it to start with one hive?

 

[beans2]

@beans2 I just ordered the red top bag. I can't stand them anymore.
BEES! I just don't have enough space for bees (not to mention having allergies), but how difficult is it to start with one hive?

they don't take up much space but they can take up alot of time.
they'll often sit quietly all year, needing checking once every 2 weeks then a warm spell hits and suddenly they need you. you have to be able to drop everything and deal with them.
it was great for me and my mum because we both work from home and there was 2 of us.

If your really interested, the Cambridgeshire beekeepers association is the best in the country.
you absolutely MUST do a course with them before keeping bees.
They are really wonderful and supportive, you get a one to one mentor and access to practice hives so you can experience different situations.

its important to do the course because badly kept bees will damage other beekeepers breeding efforts and disease management.
plus if you can't keep up with them you'll end up with swarms being sent off and landing in people's gardens - they're not really dangerous but can look alarming.

when bees swarm they begin by filling themselves with honey, this makes them unable to bend in the middle and therefore they can't actively sting.

 

[JemimaP]

I think my girls definitely have coccidiosis there was a LOT of bloody poops in the run this morning. Managed to get an appointment at vets but was worried about cost of consultation plus faecal test plus high price of meds so I posted on Facebook and managed to find someone local who can sell me some baycox and I can get it today.
I’m confused tho because the birds all seem bright and cheery.
Is there any other reason for blood in poop? It can’t be intestinal lining there’s just too many bloody poops for that.

 

[504707]

With hens it would be all good good and then they will just keel over. They don't like showing they are ill

 

[Aerliss]

Prey animals, which chickens are, particularly social prey animals, will hide illness until they're very, very sick. It's not only a way to get picked out by a predator as an easy target, but will also get you pushed down the hierarchy. It's why it's important to watch them as much as possible, to Lear what is normal for each animal (if you don't have too many), do daily butt, eye, comb, nose, poop checks... body parts dependant in the animal. With layers you have the added bonus of egg checks.

I also like to weigh my animals regularly, as weight loss, or low/no weight gain in growers is an indicator of illness.

 

[JemimaP]

Thank you.
I managed to pick 3 of them up today but they protested a lot by which time the fourth one wouldn’t come anywhere near me. I know I need to pick them up every day so they get used to it but I hate stressing them out lol

 

[PouleChick]

I have no idea what to do with mine - the 3 big chicks hate me and run so fast - I dont' think I've touched any of them as thier mum always attacked me when they were tiny and now that they are bigger they just run a mile. I thought having chicks would help but my girls I got at 5 weeks and handeled a lot (carrying them every day from the house outroom thing to thier pen and back etc) love me and come running and follow me every where but the others hate me

So sad too - candled the eggs I got in the incubator and threw 2 out and I'm not sure about the others either. After realising I may have been knocking / tilting the tub she is in when I lock up (I slide a pallet down over the front and I realised it tips the whole structure she is in) I am thinking I could have tipped those eggs out on Satuday night and didn't find them until Sunday

 

[beans2]

Thank you.
I managed to pick 3 of them up today but they protested a lot by which time the fourth one wouldn’t come anywhere near me. I know I need to pick them up every day so they get used to it but I hate stressing them out lol

pick them up and hold them till they thoroughly calm down.
Then feed them a little of their favourite treat.

soon they'll run to you from a mile away to be picked up.

its really handy if you pair this with a specific sound so they learn to come when you call.

 

[beans2]

[QUOTE="I thought having chicks would help but my girls I got at 5 weeks and handeled a lot (carrying them every day from the house outroom thing to thier pen and back etc) love me and come running and follow me every where but the others hate me

So sad too - candled the eggs I got in the incubator and threw 2 out and I'm not sure about the others either. After realising I may have been knocking / tilting the tub she is in when I lock up (I slide a pallet down over the front and I realised it tips the whole structure she is in) I am thinking I could have tipped those eggs out on Satuday night and didn't find them until Sunday [/QUOTE]

whenever you deal with living creatures there are some deaths.
the thing to do is learn from them and try again.

if a chicken is aggressive with you, focus on picking her up every day (wear gloves if you have to), hold her til she calms down then feed her while making comforting noises.
Chooks may be creatures of habit but in my experience they are smarter than most people know. They can re-learn habits.
so make a habit of being firm but gentle and they'll start to like you.