What did you do with your flock today?

[Shetland lover]

Amazing! Is the eruption what brought that amazing sunset?
I was reading earlier that the lava flow is running dangerously close to the lab that collects carbon data, they lost electricity Monday, and are still unable to resume.
Many effects on your island?

I have no desire to move ..lol. DH was talking about Seattle recently...he might be just talking...he's brought the thought up enough times though to be cautious. Goats live a long time while our horse is old.

Bio-dry sounds amazing! No risks from chickens eating it or dusting in it?

It's handy having someone here with such nice access to vets and learning so much!

No risk at all in the time I've been using it - which is just over a year. You only need to use a very small amount at a time. Between that, poop picking in the coop every morning and Digestihealth, I've never had cleaner, drier coops.

It's a great course, so far. In the U.K, a vet trains for 5 years and spends just one day on poultry health. Vet nurses get no training at all. It's no wonder our vets are really reluctant to treat pet chickens. There are a few specialist avian vets but they're scattered all over the country.

I'm not training to be a vet or nurse, I'm taking part to help evaluate how useful it is and if they're covering the right things for domestic chicken keepers. It's fascinating though and I'm learning a lot! It's aimed at existing vets so some of it is quite challenging.

 

[Shetland lover]

This is super helpful!! Thanks so much I am happy to hear their suggestions! She’s been getting B complex and E but I was afraid to give her selenium since it’s easier to OD. I do have some thought so I will look into adding it! I hadn’t thought of Biotin but that’s a good idea! The Poultry Cell I give her has some probiotics what are good prebiotics?

That Bio Dry sounds great! I googled Bio Dry and it’s something you use to soak up oil stains—is that the stuff? I’ve been using First Saturday Lime to help dry out things and the bedding/litter I use has zeolite in it…but maybe something like the bio dry would help in this coop especially!

She is definitely getting her appetite back and her leg is bending a bit better, so I will try these extra suggestions and be patient! I am also gonna Google chicken wheelchairs She’s gonna go on our road trip to the beach I think too. I love the husband, but he will not be a good chicken nurse

I'd maybe give her just a couple of doses of selenium, say a week or two apart? I use biotin whenever my chickens moult as it really seems to help feather them up more quickly. You can just feed a range of prebiotic foods like flaxseed, oats, barley, seaweed supplement, whole grains, physillium fibre, berries, bananas - the list is huge but I'd not feed much of any of it. As far as a supplement goes, I'd totally recommend Digesti - Health:

https://shop.bhwt.org.uk/collections/chicken-health/products/digesti-health-2kg

It is brilliant stuff, contains pre and prebiotic and seriously helps with loose poops etc. I started using it when I had the ex-batts as they had real digestive issues. Within a week we went from diarrhoea to firm poops with no unpleasant stink. I use it every day, a scoop of the powder in their food. Some of the girls will even eat it out of the tub! The only time I ever get loose poops from them now is in summer if they get too hot.
Can you get AviPro products in the States? They do a good range of supplements and are worth checking out.

I don't think the stuff you've found is the same thing. It's called Bio-dri not bio-dry. Here's a link to what I use:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...kQFnoECA4QAQ&usg=AOvVaw0IaEdyLOpTgNC24al6-sEz

I'm so pleased Asha is improving, it's really good news and a testament to your care for her.

I think the photos of Peggy in her wheelchair must be on my old phone as I can't find them. They look just like baby walkers and are pretty easy to construct from online instructions.

 

[TropicalBabies]

I'm not training to be a vet or nurse, I'm taking part to help evaluate how useful it is and if they're covering the right things for domestic chicken keepers. It's fascinating though and I'm learning a lot! It's aimed at existing vets so some of it is quite challenging.

What a terrific opportunity and how lucky for us to be able to glean all that valuable info. I now have a few of those suggestions in my shopping cart cuz they sound so yummy and smart to have on hand. Thank you!!!

? Really? Are you in the same state now? If we didn't own our house free and clear, we may have moved out of this state by now. Too expensive quite recently, among other issues. How long ago were you here? Real estate is insanely high in Seattle, so much so that many are moving away to less expensive areas, like mine, thereby driving our market way up.

I think we are all experiencing that. It is disheartening but lucky us, in the US we have managed to stave off a lot of the bad effects due to covid & the war. Hard not to be worried and hard not to complain but we have it much better than most.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

I went to town to get a few things this morning so I checked the nest boxes when I got back. And there wasn’t any available due to hens laying in boxes. Which I’m sure at least one of them has an egg not belonging to the hen in it. ANYWAY, when I left the coop house an Easter Egger, Diamond, was looking into the nest boxes and kind of getting in them. (I can see inside the coop at the top of my door) I MAY get a colored egg today. But really she could honestly be thinking that I left a treat for them in the boxes. She is always the first one at the door when I come in. We shall see what she does, but I’m not holding my breath…she is always begging for treats

 

[TropicalBabies]

Good morning gang & Happy Thursday!
We had another fabulous sunset last eve. I did not walk out front to get a photo but admired it from the yard as I raked leaves and chicken poop. I absolutely think the volcano is largely responsible for the wonderful colors as our winds have been from the south and that blows the vog our way.
The winds switch back to trades today.

Chooks are all pretty healthy and drama free. Have not done a photo shoot of new guy yet. He is a passive sweetheart and i enjoy him but not the extra crow 2 boys is enough ♡♡

Today I will scrape boards, fill feeders and scrub waterers, then get back to bags. Yesterday I did the logos for the big stand, it gets placed tomorrow -1 more to gow/ painting, logos and sewing all bags but hoping to have that done by midweek- Also, need to sew bags to freshen up the 4 stands I have had out. Hoping December is a good month. Last big push for awhile. Tired of being behind and ready for a bit of a catch up break.

Will get a photo of Spider art when the sun and my dh rise.

 

[ChicksnMore]

I LOVE Seattle!! I miss it SSOO much! But honestly I am just as happy on my little starter farm. I would have a REALLY hard time leaving my chickens and ducks behind (selling them). But if I could go though for a little I would be the happiest person ever. There or Elizabeth City, NC. Lived there too! Being so close to the beach but not close enough that my house would be wiped out by waves. I was there for a hurricane once and that was crazy!

I love Seattle too but I suspect I'd be bored with out land, garden and animals like I have now. Maybe beach combing could fill my time

? Really? Are you in the same state now? If we didn't own our house free and clear, we may have moved out of this state by now. Too expensive quite recently, among other issues. How long ago were you here? Real estate is insanely high in Seattle, so much so that many are moving away to less expensive areas, like mine, thereby driving our market way up.

I'm in Arizona but used to live in Washington. I love the state. I have a brother, nephew and sister in law in Seattle still, and my mother, sister, another brother and a niece and nephew in Spokane. My Seattle nephew just bought his first house there and it was expensive! Well, he's in Tacoma...but ya, that whole area is high.

No risk at all in the time I've been using it - which is just over a year. You only need to use a very small amount at a time. Between that, poop picking in the coop every morning and Digestihealth, I've never had cleaner, drier coops.

It's a great course, so far. In the U.K, a vet trains for 5 years and spends just one day on poultry health. Vet nurses get no training at all. It's no wonder our vets are really reluctant to treat pet chickens. There are a few specialist avian vets but they're scattered all over the country.

I'm not training to be a vet or nurse, I'm taking part to help evaluate how useful it is and if they're covering the right things for domestic chicken keepers. It's fascinating though and I'm learning a lot! It's aimed at existing vets so some of it is quite challenging.

What a wonderful experience!

 

[FBMcrazy8]

I love Seattle too but I suspect I'd be bored with out land, garden and animals like I have now. Maybe beach combing could fill my time

I'm in Arizona but used to live in Washington. I love the state. I have a brother, nephew and sister in law in Seattle still, and my mother, sister, another brother and a niece and nephew in Spokane. My Seattle nephew just bought his first house there and it was expensive! Well, he's in Tacoma...but ya, that whole area is high.

What a wonderful experience!

That is where I used to live Tacoma/Lakewood area. Military . I miss it and my friends and the way things were…well when my ex was deployed. When he was there it was stupid. Anyway, the crime rate is a lot higher there than where I am but honestly I was concerned unless there was a threat to military families…which happened more often than not. But I couldn’t trade my life now and my animals to go back. Just a nice visit. At least a week or 2. By then I will be broke.

 

[PopoMyers]

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=sweet+pdz+horse&ia=web

Here is a link for the zeolite we can get in the US. I buy the one for horse stalls. Same ingredient, just more economical than the one labeled Sweet Coop. Works great, I sprinkle heavily on top added shavings, after cleaning out poops. Won't hurt if it gets eaten, but granules are tiny. You know, chickens will try to eat anything interesting. They do love styrofoam, and I have chased them down to take it from them. Yeah, in my condition, not a pretty sight. That was before DH put the fenced ranging area in.

 

[ChicksnMore]

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=sweet+pdz+horse&ia=web

Here is a link for the zeolite we can get in the US. I buy the one for horse stalls. Same ingredient, just more economical than the one labeled Sweet Coop. Works great, I sprinkle heavily on top added shavings, after cleaning out poops. Won't hurt if it gets eaten, but granules are tiny. You know, chickens will try to eat anything interesting. They do love styrofoam, and I have chased them down to take it from them. Yeah, in my condition, not a pretty sight. That was before DH put the fenced ranging area in.

I used to have a Mollacan Cockatoo that would try to eat styrofoam every chance she got... it foamed as she chewed it! Had to taste awful, but she always tried if she got the chance . Probably thought it was popcorn!

 

[PopoMyers]

I'm in Arizona

We have maybe 1" of stuck snow, enough to make the trees look pretty and blanket the ground. Other areas got 5" or more, like Poulsbo, Lynnwood, and of course Hood Canal areas. Enjoy some warmth for me, you too, @TropicalBabies .

Well, he's in Tacoma...but ya, that whole area is high.

He is in one of the lower priced areas of city urban areas. For comparison, median house prices, Oct 2022, Tacoma 465K, Kitsap 511K, Seattle 865K.

Anyway, the crime rate is a lot higher there than where I am but honestly I was concerned unless there was a threat to military families…

With the recent law (un) enforcement policies, probably more so than when you were here. It's getting so bad. Lots of stolen vehicles. The Amazon delivery truck was stolen in my little town! Shoplifting is brazen, because they know the store employees cannot chase them down. Police can't chase vehicles in town. WTH!