What did you do with your flock today?

[ChicksnMore]

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[TropicalBabies]

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

I'm saving this! Definitely need to do a mini version of this... in my spare time. Hence the save.
@ChicksnMore are you blessed with soldier flies too?
Actually my compost was doing something similar but I really want to try this for fun

 

[Shetland lover]

Ok, a description of where and how big.

It's only about 1cm across, barely anything. Told you it sounded more dramatic than it was! I was about 17 at the time too so it's faded a lot.

 

[Shetland lover]

We are all beautiful in God's eyes. We are just too hard on ourselves. How did your test go?

It's not until next week. I am starting to panic even though it makes no difference how I do in terms of it not leading to a qualification. I want to do well for my own satisfaction.

 

[Shetland lover]

I have a Black Sexlink hen and I worry about things like that for her. She lays rather large eggs and she lays daily. I didn’t specifically order her, she came with a mix flock. I do think they are doing too much to these poor birds and not letting them be. I had a lady buy some from me and I told her that this year has been really good since it is their first but they probably won’t lay this coming winter. Her response was put a light in the coop. Which cool if that is what you want to do to your birds but I don’t. That ends their life much faster and causes so many problems for them. Just doesn’t make since to me.

Me neither! Yes, they are domestic birds who have been bred to do a job but surely there has to be a point when we must stop 'improving' them?
I don't use artificial lights, either. Battery farm and barn raised hens are subjected to 23hrs a day artificial light to make them lay round the clock. My girls all have a winter break and i think it's important to let their reproductive systems rest. I reckon laying an egg must be akin to having a baby daily! So what if I have to buy eggs for 5-6 weeks a year as long as they're sourced responsibly? I didn't get chickens for any other reason than i love them
I appreciate it's different if you are raising for eggs and /or meat and I think most owners will still do the best for their flock, whatever their reason for having them.

 

[Shetland lover]

Here’s the first baby!!!

How adorable! I really would love ducks

 

[Shetland lover]

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

That's a great looking system! Much easier to extract the larvae from that than my wormeries. I feed dried soldier fly larvae to my lot but they definitely prefer mealworms. Wonder if you could make a similar system for them?

 

[Shetland lover]

No worries!
Here you go.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/anyone-and-everyone-please-help-me.1568844/

I think it is most likely a vitamin and/or mineral deficiency too. I'd give her a decent all-round nutritional supplement so you have all the bases covered. Without knowing what she's deficit in, a level of caution is needed as you can overdose on some vits and minerals. If, as seems likely, it's one of the B vitamins you can safely use larger amounts of this as she will just excrete what she can't use. It may take upwards of a week to see an improvement once you start vitamin therapy.

This is a really good resource to use for diseases, nutrition, etc:
http://www.poultrydvm.com

It has a handy food comparison table and also breaks down how much of each element is required in their diets, as well.

I totally feel your pain on the commercial feed issue you have, albeit from a different perspective. My chickens absolutely refuse to eat feed pellets. I cannot get a grain only balanced feed for them so I'm currently buying them the most expensive food available in the U.K. as it is around 2/3rds mixed grain and a 1/3rd pellet. I have tried starving them into submission to no avail. Given up on that. I also think a grain diet is more natural and varied. But I constantly worry that they're nutritionally deficient, which is why I don't mix my own feed. I also ferment a small amount of their main food, which I feed 2-3 times a week. They do eat most of that so i know they're eating the pellets a couple of times a week. I also feed greens and/or sprouted grains daily. My birds are normally free-range in the confines of my very small garden (at the moment they're on flockdown due to our bird flu regulations) so I imagine they get some small nutritional benefit from that. Oyster shell and grit are available at all times. I'm lucky enough to be able to get a product called Mina Vital which combines all their trace element requirements in one product. It also has grit, oyster shell and egg-food biscuits in it. I feed a good scoop of it 2-3 times a week, they all go crazy for it. If you want to keep mixing your own feed, see if you can maybe get something similar?

It is entirely possible that there's something else ailing your little girl (she's so beautiful btw) but a good supplement and plenty of eggs will do her no harm. Getting her hydrated and eating are a great foundation for healing whatever is wrong with her.

How is she today? Any improvement?

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I currently have chicks only right now and they’ve gotten so big! I’ve been holding them and letting them explore! View attachment 3433400View attachment 3433401View attachment 3433402View attachment 3433402View attachment 3433403View attachment 3433404
I love them all so much!! Proud to be their mama View attachment 3433405

Welcome to the thread! And such gorgeous colors!

 

[TropicalBabies]

So cute! Seeing everyone’s birds is giving me chick-fever.
What breeds did you get?

Sure... starts with the ask lol.
Ya know what they say...? Go to the barbershop enough your gunna get a hair cut!

Hey @FrankieDoodle ! Good to see you pop in! How's the flock?!