Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Chickielady]

Ochochias, how is your birds that were sick ?
Is it "over" yet ?

 

[ochochicas]

Ochochias, how is your birds that were sick ?
Is it "over" yet ?

They all died, and I mean just about ALL of them. I ended up with two resistant australorp pullets that are healthy and laying up a storm. I also have one broody raised Legbar x Sussex pullet that survived by some miracle. She is 5 1/2 months old and laying, but I'm not sure if she's out of the woods or not. Marek's killed the rest - three full hatches. Very sad.

Being crazy like I am, I hatched some eggs from my resistant australorps. I vaccinated the chicks at day 0 and then put them under a broody hen. Fingers are crossed that she's not a Marek's carrier since the vaccine takes 3 weeks to build immunity. They are isolated in a different part of the farm with the hope that they don't come into contact with any infectious dander. In 6 months or less we'll know how bad of an idea it was. My broody wants to come out and free range with her babies, but she'll just have to wait a bit longer.

 

[Chickielady]

They all died, and I mean just about ALL of them. I ended up with two resistant australorp pullets that are healthy and laying up a storm. I also have one broody raised Legbar x Sussex pullet that survived by some miracle. She is 5 1/2 months old and laying, but I'm not sure if she's out of the woods or not. Marek's killed the rest - three full hatches. Very sad.

Being crazy like I am, I hatched some eggs from my resistant australorps. I vaccinated the chicks at day 0 and then put them under a broody hen. Fingers are crossed that she's not a Marek's carrier since the vaccine takes 3 weeks to build immunity. They are isolated in a different part of the farm with the hope that they don't come into contact with any infectious dander. In 6 months or less we'll know how bad of an idea it was. My broody wants to come out and free range with her babies, but she'll just have to wait a bit longer.

Fingers crossed for you !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chickielady]

Awesome chicken Feeder~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.hogslat.com/feed-o-matic-chicken-feeder

If you visit the web site, don't forget to sign up for the Upcoming Pork Convention !!!

We actually get alot of farm supplies from HogSlat, inculding a couple "Dosatrons" which we use to add chlorine to our well water...it doses as the water runs into the tanks...very cool !

 

[Shanny050]

Look at the comb....is there 1 row of "peas" ?
Or 3 rows of "peas" ?

1 row hen, 3 rows rooster?

 

[Lil Go Peep]

We

So, you must have covenents in your neighborhood developement ?
They (Covenents) are good for a few things (no one can paint their house florescent pink, for example) and fencing needs to be approved (usually) but some developers go far enough to say you can only park a vechicle in the same spot for 2 days, after that you have to move it (even in your own driveway !) and no RVS and no this, and no that...all curtesy of your Home Owner's ASSociation.

'

We're on a reservation- we found a larger piece of property we're hoping the sellers take offer-

 

[OverEggstended]

I've never bought scratch for my chickens. Is there some reason I should? I let them free-range forage, eat crumbles free fed, and give them my parrots cast offs (they eat a pelleted diet and have seed treats). I cook lentils and beans and pasta for everybody weekly. Should I buy a bag of scratch when it goes on sale anyways?

 

[Chickielady]

1 row hen, 3 rows rooster?

Exactly, and sometimes, if the bird is very young, it can be very difficult if not impossible to tell....if you have any other Light Brahmas, you could compare 1) Shanks, a male at this age has much thicker shanks
2) the 3 rows of peas in a pea comb breed...
3) Emerging hackle feathers would look like pointy-thin feathers coming in , in the bird's cape (neck) and saddle (lower back towards the tail base) and females do not have hackle feathers.
Sometimes you have to pick up the bird in question & dig into the area to see emerging hackle...

 

[Chickielady]

We
'

We're on a reservation- we found a larger piece of property we're hoping the sellers take offer-

best wishes for you !

 

[Chickielady]

I've never bought scratch for my chickens. Is there some reason I should? I let them free-range forage, eat crumbles free fed, and give them my parrots cast offs (they eat a pelleted diet and have seed treats). I cook lentils and beans and pasta for everybody weekly. Should I buy a bag of scratch when it goes on sale anyways?

I have always had scratch.
The birds love it beyond love !
You can always cook it as you would do rice (1 cup of scratch or rice to 2 cups of water) and follow the same directions.
Scratch grains also invite the birds to do what they love: scratching & pecking.
It occupies them, and gives them something to do.
It is also a great food source for going into winter (to store fats) and excellent to get young un-broody raised started birds a whole food source.
It is comparatively less cost, and is more of a "whole" food, although I supplement it ( as a treat) a handful per bird per day or every other day for fat birds.