What did you do with your flock today?

[FBMcrazy8]

I feel you with this so much! I've been so sidetracked by chicken issues that Christmas just hasn't even been on my mental radar and now it's 12/13 and our tree is bare and I have a ton of presents left to buy...I'm starting to stress out a lot. Gotta love the holidays!

Oh yes I can see how that can happen with your chickens and everything that is going on. Luckily I have all the presents but I have to wrap them all now. But I decided if I don’t get them all done by Xmas it will be birthday presents. I have kids birthdays starting February 14th so not a lot of time after Xmas to get that going. I love the holidays but this year seems to be a hot mess! I didn’t even get all the decorations up or anything…for sure have to love the holidays!

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Im gonna try REALLY hard to catch up on all this…just so much going on so please forgive me. We are getting snow tonight on top of it all. We decided not to get the pregnant goat. We found their particular ad and they have 3 different types of goats, basically all are pregnant and in the ad said they were due in January/ February. Which he told us in text that the one we were looking at was only 3-4 weeks pregnant. Which would put her at the end of March, beginning of April. And I could do that but not knowing for sure, as he seemed like he didn’t know much talking on the phone with him, I couldn’t risk it. Taking in a pregnant goat and her have babies in the middle of winter and I not know could be terrible. I don’t one loosing ears, hoofs, or tail or anything because I didn’t know. Knowing a better time frame I could easily just keep an eye out. So, we just let the guy know that we didn’t feel comfortable taking a goat that was pregnant and due in winter for our first pregnancy with a goat. We would rather her go to someone who has better knowledge with it. No one we have spoken to either has given the CD-T vaccine which I am also blown away with. But we found another little girl. Who is younger and isn’t pregnant. We get her Christmas Eve!

 

[FBMcrazy8]

I'm no vet either but I can't see as it would do any harm to treat her for both. Like you said, they're two separate diseases with different causes. My only worry would be overwhelming her with too many meds at once. I'd definitely keep her indoors for now though, whatever you decide to do. Trichomoniasis (canker) I've no personal experience with but from what I've read can present more danger to the bird as it can choke them if it builds up in the throat. It looks like it's nearly always yellowish and has a caceous (cheese-like) look and texture if that helps with diagnosis? Could you try treating for a few days for one of them and if there's no improvement, treat for the other? I'd maybe acidity her drinking water too. And thyme oil is supposed to be effective for both conditions. Blueberries and greens like cabbage and kale are brilliant prebiotics so should help feed the probiotics and allow them to do their job more efficiently. I hope she gets better soon.

We've got a rat problem in the run, it's driving me crazy. I thought we'd managed to drive them out by flooding the tunnels repeatedly but yesterday I noticed a new tunnel going into the flower border next to the run. They're clearly too bright to fall for the traps we have down. I'm reluctantly coming to the conclusion we're going to have to put poison down the main tunnel. I really, really do not want to do this!

I have done almost nothing to prepare for Christmas either. I have made my cake and plum puddings but I've bought hardly any presents yet or written cards or anything else yet! I just can't seem to get my act together this year and I'm now panicking...
We did get the tree last weekend but it's out the back until the weekend. You'd think the chickens had never seen a Christmas tree the way they booted off when DH carried it out, with Ferdy ably leading the chorus of course

Oh I’m sorry but I’m so glad I’m not the only one! I honestly didn’t even want to put up a tree or do Xmas . I know I’m a horrible mom. I just have lacked so much motivation! I just feel like I’m on auto pilot right now. Moving but not sure how. I normally have already done cookies and candies and presents are normally ready to go, except the ones from Santa. But no, not this year. Mother of the year award right here . But the kids have a tree and presents starting to go under. HOWEVER I can’t for the life of me find the tote that has our Xmas star and stockings in it. .We started moving stuff in the house last year right after Christmas, so it is probably hidden deep in the depths of “haha, good luck finding me” nowhere to be found. I have a backup plan that I’m going to do tomorrow. I think it will be fun for the kids, just hope my mom has them in her store this year.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Yeah, my two cockerels are brood mates, hatched the end of July. Ertugrul was the first to try crowing, and is larger. There was another Sapphire Gem cockerel before them, their dad, who died suddenly at around 5 mo. in August, so these boys of his are coming into their own.

Went to open the temp coop door, and what do I see? Leaves piled into the corner. Some chicken is making her own nest from the leaves I had raked into the run. Is this a strange behavior? There are already shavings in there.

Got a heated water thingy for them since temps next week will certainly freeze the bucket. Lazy me does not want to cart water out there twice a day. Something I did not know is that if you are in the Tractor Supply loyalty program (points for $spent), they automatically give you an extra 2 years extended warranty, worth $14.99. If this breaks down before 3 years, I could get a replacement. Pretty worth it to me.

Sweet! I didn’t know that! I just joined that when I found they have duck food at the one closest to me (still like 40min away). I was given one that I very well may use. We have temps getting down below zero at night next week too. I’m so not ready for those cold temps.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

I just love reading about all you guys bird antics. Everyones got such adorable fluff balls!

I'm fighting mice again here. It happens off and on. Luckily none have made it into the house...but that's undoubtedly because they're better fed out at the coops...lol. I have tons of multi-catch traps that I routinely set. I used to set poison too but the eldest has asked me not to because it worries her. So I don't any more. But the traps by themselves are woefully inadequate. I'm feeling very frustrated with it! We have two kitties of our own outside and one feral Tom that's adopted us, but they're not enough either. I've never had a time when I couldn't get rid of them before, but this year has been mouse bad.

I could probably get away with poison being used as my chickens are afraid of mice. I wish I could help you all with all the mice problems but I’m having troubles myself. Not in any of my runs but in my house . I have heard about putting hot pepper flakes or even cayenne pepper around the run or in their feed. I guess it doesn’t bother the chickens. Forgive me if someone has already said that.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

I'm sooooo sick if all this dadgum rain!!!
I've used so much PDZ and Stall Dry...3 bags of pine shavings and bark....ugh just nasty mess!!!

I am dealing with this too! I’m worried about putting PDZ down. Maybe I have the wrong thing but isn’t it harmful…maybe I’m thinking of something else. I feel like I can’t keep anything straight anymore. Sorry. I’m going to get the straw out and lay it down for the chickens to walk on. I don’t know what else to do with it not being covered.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

I strangely said yes to chick sitting 12 big chicks for 2 weeks. Absolutely madness on my part but it is for a super good reason. So cleaned out the 2 roo coops, spread fresh mulch etc. All good, cute gang.
Had to do some shuffling with my peeps. Have 3 boys in the main coop now Moved some old biddies back into the main coop.... just think, only 2 more weeks of doing the chicken shuffle every night

Got 30 bags finished and dropped in Lihue town. Feels great to get that off of my plate. Gotta start back up but not with that kind of pressure.
I am going to treat myself and chooks to some fresh mulch in the run this week! Gotta go load it up but heck, finding the time was the hard part.

I don't even have my Christmas pillows out. Some years, this year it was not important. Maybe next year right?

Sorry about the rodents and the cold weather folks. I hope all fares well... except for the

30 bags!!!! Wow go you!! I’m glad that it can slow down soon. You will be a great person to watch the big chicks. At least it is for a really good reason! You can spoil them but don’t have to take them home .

 

[Shetland lover]

@Shetland lover well please let me know how the papers and sand do!
I'm enjoying the amazing compost I get from all the woodchips and bark n poo but their feet just don't look as beautiful as they should LOL!

@TropicalBabies been thinking bout you often and praying you are doing well with everything you have going on over yonder.

Miss Daisy is finally broody no more!!!
And the temps were fairly warm last night but super windy so since the lil babies have been venturing out of the brooder most of the day I tried them inside the coop with the big babies!
They did amazing!!! No bullying or picking on and came down the staircase and came to me no problem! I and they too enjoyed the lullaby they got in the coop since I could more easily stand than sit in a chair and fall over LOLOL!

Will do! If I ever get it finished, that is. It's definitely easier to clean already and although I feel bad they can't scratch in the sand yet, they can't scratch outside either as the ground is too frozen. In the space of a week we've gone from absolutely soaked to frozen solid

Good news about Miss Daisy. Do you leave your girls to be broody? I don't normally try to break my girls, I have a weird theory it might ultimately benefit them giving their reproductive systems a much needed rest. I've seen how badly ex-batts suffer from reproductive disorders because of the intensive laying they do. My girls certainly don't starve for the time they're sitting as there's food and water within reach at all times and I provide breakfast (and supper) in bed.

Even better news that the babies have integrated without fuss. It's so nerve wracking that first time you put them together, isn't it?

 

[Shetland lover]

You used to be able to buy them at feed stores. They're harder to get now. But at least you can buy terramycin again. For a while there they made that illegal and I had to buy it from overseas.

Is that due to worries about antibiotic resistance in the human population? I know that's why they're not available to buy here. I get the reasoning behind it, it's sound, but in this country vet care for chickens and other fowl is very poor. More often than not, I have to tell the vet what I think is wrong and get them to confirm or disprove my 'diagnosis' with tests. I also usually have to tell them what treatment I need for them too. It's very frustrating. Luckily, I have an excellent vet who does listen to me and wants to learn about chickens. She's brilliant and I hate having to see anyone else.

Tetramycin is a great broad spectrum antibiotic. It's great you're able to get it legally again!

 

[Shetland lover]

II was at work till 3, and with the short days, cold, and snow, I try to get right home for some time with them. They were out on Sunday during the mild snowstorm. Then the temp dropped. Today they went out briefly, in the area I had shovelled. I lightly steamed some cabbage for their treat and hung out with them in the dome until they went in the coop.
I stayed in the coop for a while as usual, talking to each one and petting them. I ended with the usual, " good night ladies. Be good to each other, keep each other cozy. Thank you for the beautiful eggs. Sleep well and have good chicken dreams. I will see you in the morning"

Aww, that's so sweet! And very much the same as i do with mine on winter evenings... not so sure if it's confirmation I'm as crazy as DH and my family think or validation that I'm imperfectly normal...