AuntieWeasel
Songster
How cute!
I’m one of those people
Ugly little things I think and them being called squabs just makes them seem even worse! How pigeons in the wild manage to raise anything amazes me with the bizarre, bare, twig nests they make
Oh, if only they were bare twigs. A couple of years ago, I saved a pair of squabs out of a tree that had been cut down in the wrong season, and the nest was held together entirely with pigeon poo. I felt unclean until I could foist them off onto a proper animal rescue.
I'm okay with adult pigeons, though.
Hope you have air con!?
You shouldn't really have to worry about cocci again. Normally if they have a bad bout with it they build a resistance and shouldn't suffer so badly again. Broodiness is a pain, I know. I have two Brahmas that seem to be taking turns in the cage and my pekin bantams although not ad bad have also had cage time. Have you wormed your girls recently? If not, do it. You can get flubenvet powder from most feed stores and some can get pellets that already has flubenvet mixed in. 7 days job done. Cut out the treats. Just give a handful of corn late afternoon and they will still love you! Make sure they gave plenty of grit/oystershell mix. I'm not sure if fleas actually live on hens, I'd have to check. Regardless, get some nettex total mite kill. It's neat so you mix it with water and spray all around in the coop after you have emptied it. Let it dry then put some poultry lice and mite powder down. I have started using all mite powder. It's effectively DE. Know people will say it doesn't work but I've had a red mite problem ongoing for the last two years and this seems to have worked after all the other methods. Don't lose heart. I know that it can get hard work but be proactive and determined and things will improve. Some of mine are looking a bit lousy at the moment because of the weather but so long as they have clean fresh water, shade and decent feed they will be fine.
