Zane Made REAL Progress (New Pics Pg 99)!RIP Lorelei...

[Farmer Kitty]

Well, seem as how Cyn has stated she is using breeder flock feed I doubt we are using the same feed but, maybe the same brand. So let's start with that and just see what we come up with.

I'm feeding Lake Country's Honor Country Flock Layer 18%. If it's the feed it has been ongoing for months as I've been seeing these types of eggs for several months. We go through about a bag a week and DH never brings home more than two bags at a time. I will see if he can ask other customers if they are seeing these kinds of eggs. Might as well take advantage of his working in the feedmill and having contact with others!

 

[gumpsgirl]

Good morning Cyn! I'm just checking in on you and the rest of your crew. How is everyone???

 

[speckledhen]

Jody, I just saw this...right after I gave them the molasses flush. My DH had brought up the feed contamination himself, but I didn't know if that would lead to egg issues like these girls are having. I am wondering if it is a seed that could have gotten into the 11-grain scratch somehow. I havent given them the Super Breeder crumble recently because the feedstore has had too many bugs in the feed. Lately, I have been alternating between the Co-op's 22% layer pellets and the 16% layer pellets put out by Faithway Feeds in addition to several handfuls of that 11 grain scratch I mentioned. The scratch has almost no corn at all, whole kernals. It is 13% protein by itself, basically a gamecock feed. It all looks very fresh, no dust whatsoever, excellent quality to the eye, so it can't be bug contamination, at least.
The alternatives I have are the Southern States pellets or Purina Layena. The SS feeds are pretty dusty and that feedstore often has bug problems of late, so I'd probably have to go with the Layena. At least they keep it inside the store, not in a warehouse type place, so they'd see bugs immediately.
Stacey, they are still alive, at least. Zane is in his sling outside and his leg that he holds up at his body is more relaxed and touching the ground at least! He's out in the sunshine and eating and drinking and watching the action. Lorelei is obviously in pain. When I hold her, she groans if I'm not extremely careful. I'm sure I'll lose her, just dont know when. Ruby and Rosemary are acting in an identical manner, just moving very slowly and acting like they feel horrible and hurting.

 

[ozark hen]

good morning Cyn, hope things are at least holding at your place this morning? Prayers and hugs

 

[Farmer Kitty]

It's good that Zane is extending those legs. Hopefully he will start adding weight to them.

It's sad news you bring about the girls. I'm so sorry they so obviously appear to be in pain. That's not something I'm dealing with-thankfully.

It looks like we are feeding two different feeds. It is possible they get their forage part of the feed from the same supplier though. For scratch I'm feeding straight BOSS. No dust or bugs in it or their regular feed.

I have figured out two of the ones with the rough eggs. They are both Browns. The one I suspected as she is smaller and lately seems to be getting smaller. I don't know if it's that she's loosing weight or if it is a difference in her feathers. She hasn't really gone through a molt but, her feathers have gotten lighter. If it was a molt it was a slow one where she didn't loose a bunch of feathers. I have three that haven't laid yet today and they are in the nest boxes with the traps shut. I put two in and Zoe went in on her own. She has been in there since sometime between 6:20 and 6:50 this morn. I think curiousity got her. I'll leave them in for a while yet and see what happens.

 

[speckledhen]

I believe we'll quit feeding this scratch and change to a regular type scratch from a different supplier for awhile. Rosemary did just poop, Jody, and it was pretty solid for once, just greenish since she isn't eating much. Hopefully, the molasses will work soon and get whatever toxins may be in their systems out. Then, not much to do except wait and see what happens with these ladies. You can tell they feel awful since Ruby is the flock leader and Rosemary is at the bottom of the original pecking order and they are laying side by side in the sun with no squabbling. Ruby wouldn't have tolerated that before. Kitty, I hope you figure out your problems really soon, too.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

DH has asked other customers who use the same feed we do and they haven't seen the same problems I'm seeing, so I think I can rule that out.

The only other thing I was wondering and time will tell, is if Sir Roo was being rough with the girls when we weren't around. He has been busy attacking or threatening us lately when we are out there so I wouldn't necessarily know if he was harassing them. I locked him up last night as he attacked me when I opened the coop door and I decided enough was enough. Time will tell if he was stressing them into it.

 

[speckledhen]

We went to the Purina store and got Layena and a bag of their scratch grains. Well, I'd call it cracked corn with a tiny bit of wheat thrown in. Its a far cry from the nice 11 grain scratch feed I had and I hate feeding that much corn, plus it has no sunflower seeds in it. I'll have to add those, I guess. We'll let everyone be on this feed for a time and see what happens. It may not even be the feed. Maybe it was just coincidence that these girls are experiencing these things all at once. Wish I knew. But I'm tired and stressed and this may just be changing some plans I had for my flock.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Oh Cyn. I do hope this helps.

Something has got to for your sanity purposes!

 

[ozark hen]