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hey santa baby posted:Thanks for the replies. Yes, the white thing must have been something else. The inside of her bill looks clean. She does have matted poop around her vent, so I'll give her a bath now because I don't know what else to do. I didn't see mites. Have you dug through her poops for signs of worms? I realize this is a nifty way to spend your weekend...you might consider doing or having a vet do a fecal float test for parasites... http://www.vetstreet.com/care/fecal-flotation-and-giardia-test How-to: https://fiascofarm.com/goats/fecals.htm If you don't have a microscope, your local high school, agriculture extension office, etc. might let you bring in the sample to check.
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Nov 15, 2015 22:16
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Okay, Molly had another "turn" today (see previous post from 18th October). I was about 14:20 and I was sitting with the four hens. They'd all had a good day out in the sunshine and usual treats. Then I noticed Molly, who had only just walked up and down my legs, standing still apart from the others, slightly rocking back & forth. I thought she just might be pooping and having a little trouble (she's the one that came to us with the large hernia), but her Pip, the top chicken, will attack any hen showing signs of illness / weakness (she did that first when Dora had breathing problems) and she made a direct run at Molly. So we got Molly into the kitchen, by half past two, away from the other three with some yoghurt (the three were pretty subdued once separated). Molly also wasn't that steady on her feet walking in over the door step. Despite trying for a couple of blueberries held out in front of her, it looked like Molly was unable to focus on them, she kept pecking either to the left or right. She was now more pronounced with twisting her head upwards, like this:  At this point we wrapped her in a towel and gave her some Loxicom (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug), to try and help. At about 3 o'clock she slowly sat down and for over the next half hour, her beak was pointing up, her head moving side to side: http://i.imgur.com/TgqVcb9.gif - linked as 4.5mb gif Then she suddenly stands up, ejects a very wet poop, and promptly snaffles a blueberry at her feet. She looks at me with no sign of what she went through with the last hour and a half. We've booked a vet appointment for tomorrow morning and he's suggesting blood tests (checking for lead poisoning was one thing he mentioned) and an x-ray. I've edited a very short video of Molly's symptoms taken on my phone to show him what happened, as I expect she'll look as right as rain in front of him tomorrow. Ex-batt, about 3 years old, huge hernia, on suprelorin to stop egg production. None of the other hens have had these symptoms and they all range around together. Anyone have any idea what could be wrong with her? We're also going to send her morning poop off to check for lab tests (got some prepaid tubs & envelopes a while ago). spookygonk fucked around with this message at 23:55 on Nov 16, 2015 |
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Nov 16, 2015 23:01
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Velvet Sparrow posted:Have you dug through her poops for signs of worms? I realize this is a nifty way to spend your weekend...you might consider doing or having a vet do a fecal float test for parasites... OK, this could be interesting, and a microscope is no problem. I'll see what I can do, thanks for the suggestion. Though it'll be hard to know exactly what I'm looking at, I expect there will be all manner of things that could look like worm eggs.
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Nov 17, 2015 00:24
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spookygonk posted:Okay, Molly had another "turn" today (see previous post from 18th October). Ask your vet about the possibility of Stargazing/Crookneck/Limberneck. Check your food for mold, it can be caused by Botulism. It can also be caused by swelling of the brain from fluid on the brain caused by an injury or blow to the head. If Molly is one of the hens on the lower end of the pecking order she may have taken a peck to the head. More info here, scroll to the bottom of the page: http://jackshenhouse.com/Injuries.htm It sounds like the Loxicam reduced inflammation and helped, make sure and tell your vet about it.
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Nov 17, 2015 12:32
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 Carmen, you were a drat good head hen. You took the lead in any situation, you put the drat cock in his place, and you even chased that rear end in a top hat kitten back in the house. Until the very last day, when you were already too weak and could barely walk, the other hens followed you wherever you went. We will all miss you, you bird. ** Yeah, I think we caught the whole thing too late. Although she had the appetite of a wolverine to the end, she had lost so much weight that electrolytes and separate feedings of all the mealworms didn't help. She led the hens out of their house in the morning and then quietly died. I thought I'd cut her open, but couldn't bring myself to do that. It's been emotional. There were no visible parasites on the outside of her. I can only hope that whatever she had, the other hens didn't catch it. Thanks for all the advice along the way.
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Nov 19, 2015 03:21
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Sorry to hear that, she was a pretty bird.
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Nov 19, 2015 03:51
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Mystery bird deaths are the worst  RIP, Carmen.
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Nov 19, 2015 19:12
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poo poo. RIP Carmen, you glorious head hen, you. Go join my head hens that have gone on ahead and kick rear end together.
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Nov 20, 2015 07:18
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Thanks everybody.
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Nov 20, 2015 17:29
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hey santa baby posted:
Really touching, what a great Hen.
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Nov 22, 2015 06:32
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Well, today was Turkey Murder Day, in time for Thanksgiving (Turkey Eating Day) on Thursday. Holy. poo poo. So, our 3 turkeys weighed in (dressed) at: 50 lbs. 42 lbs. 38 lbs. Also, it took us about 6 hours to get them killed (the quick part), plucked (jesus christ we're buying a plucker next year), gutted, and parted in the case of 2 turkeys that we spatchcocked. But yeah, the biggest tom weighed 59 lbs. before being butchered. It was an experience. My brother brought his son and his 3 friends (all teenage boys) and my little nephew who's 8. They all got pretty into it, and helped with the plucking and the gutting. Apparently they were the envy of their friends, and a bunch of parents want to know if they can send their kids out next Thanksgiving to kill turkeys.
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Nov 23, 2015 05:25
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Lynza posted:My brother brought his son and his 3 friends (all teenage boys) and my little nephew who's 8. They all got pretty into it, and helped with the plucking and the gutting. Apparently they were the envy of their friends, and a bunch of parents want to know if they can send their kids out next Thanksgiving to kill turkeys. Part of me wants to say that's kind of morbid, but honestly it's good for kids to know where the food on their table originally comes from.
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Nov 23, 2015 05:58
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That is awesome, Lynza, and I hope the kids do get to come out next year if you can handle that many teens/youngsters hanging out and pulling feathers  Also, what in the dickens were you feeding those birds?! 50lbs, my goodness~!
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Nov 23, 2015 06:33
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A 50 lbs turkey? That's a fuckign dinosaur not a meal.
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Nov 23, 2015 16:40
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Yeah, I don't know. They're broad-breasted Bronze turkeys, which are not a heritage breed. They're sort of the turkey equivalent of the Cornish, I think. Of the 4, 2 had pretty significant mobility issues (knock-kneed, foot problems). The one we didn't butcher is the healthiest, also the smallest, and a hen. We were buying about 50 pounds of feed a week for all the birds, but the majority of it was going into the turkeys. They were about 9.5 months old, which is older than "standard" for the breed, I think. For the last two weeks, they've got nothing but scratch to help fatten them up. I figure it's good for the chickens, too, since our weather is rapidly cooling way way down (into the 20s starting around Thanksgiving, and possibly lower) and I want them to be as fat and comfortable as possible for winter.  Next year I think we'll get heritage birds, and something a bit smaller. We'll probably keep some, too, since the eggs are fantastic.
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Nov 23, 2015 18:30
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Cythereal posted:Part of me wants to say that's kind of morbid, but honestly it's good for kids to know where the food on their table originally comes from. Yeah, I was a little nervous about it when I thought it was just my older nephew (he's 15). Then my brother said he was bringing my little nephew and the two boys who were having a sleepover (also 15). But they did real well! Teenage boys aren't as weirded out by the "gross" factor, I think. Each kid got a chance to see the organs, to see how the turkey looked inside, and to help with plucking and dressing. It was a real experience for them, I think. My husband's a natural teacher, and he did a great job showing the guys how to do the butchering. Next year we're absolutely buying a plucker, though. And if some city folks want to send their kids out, I think it'd be fun. Also, we're gonna charge them for turkeys. It'd be nice to make up the cost of some of the feed, at least.
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Nov 23, 2015 18:35
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Lynza posted:Yeah, I was a little nervous about it when I thought it was just my older nephew (he's 15). Then my brother said he was bringing my little nephew and the two boys who were having a sleepover (also 15). poo poo I would buy and pay to ship a goon turkey!
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Nov 23, 2015 22:29
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Errant Gin Monks posted:poo poo I would buy and pay to ship a goon turkey! Same. Even more with geese. I'm thinking about a goose or two for the holidays next year, although that would be a drastic change to the backyard population.
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Nov 23, 2015 22:40
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hey santa baby posted:Same. Even more with geese. I'm thinking about a goose or two for the holidays next year, although that would be a drastic change to the backyard population. Geese are unequivocal assholes, just so you know. They have no redeeming qualities besides their feathers/down and flavor. Turkeys, on the other hand, poop a lot, but are super chill. EGM: We're doing then again next year, so I'll keep you in mind for one if you're still interested.
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Nov 25, 2015 04:48
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Someone documentarying (sp?) raising chickens in their backyard. Nice photos. http://imgur.com/gallery/ePe1h
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Nov 25, 2015 11:48
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spookygonk posted:Someone documentarying (sp?) raising chickens in their backyard. Nice photos. Lots of "Feed bird egg? Is cannibalism??????" in the comments. 
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Nov 25, 2015 12:16
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Find a chicken, keep a chicken. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/inuvik-n-w-t-teen-cares-for-chicken-found-abandoned-at-dump-1.3338858
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Nov 27, 2015 16:14
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Nokanoh posted:Find a chicken, keep a chicken. Frostbite on its comb? That little one knows it's onto good thing with the new keeper. Reminds me of  (click for bigger)
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Nov 27, 2015 22:59
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Lynza posted:Geese are unequivocal assholes, just so you know. They have no redeeming qualities besides their feathers/down and flavor. Yeah, I might be interested too! If not for the actual meat, I'm a huge weirdo that loves feathers and would love to pay for some of those plucked feathers that are probably just going in the trash.
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Nov 28, 2015 02:32
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Chaosfeather posted:Yeah, I might be interested too! If not for the actual meat, I'm a huge weirdo that loves feathers and would love to pay for some of those plucked feathers that are probably just going in the trash. Totally happy to save any and all feathers that you might want. We're probably going to raise Royal Palm and Bourbon Reds next year, so the feathers should be gorgeous.
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Nov 28, 2015 08:59
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My wife and I moved into our house 2 years ago. From the start we both wanted lots of animals both indoor and outdoor. We decided on rabbits and chickens for outdoors. For the chickens I got to work building a temporary 5m x 6m pen. I used donated chicken wire, fence posts from the local farm shop, and a wooden tool shed from the DIY shop. I laid a foundation for the shed using paving stones. This is the finished temporary pen:  The shed is a standard tool shed not built for chickens. I bought a heavy duty 2m x 1m plastic sheet and placed this folded in the bottom. I then poured miscanthus (a.k.a elephant grass) into the bottom and then straw on the top, then sprinkled mite powder over the straw. This set up is incredibly easy to clean out. I simply grab the edges of the plastic sheet, lift up, then pour the soiled bedding into a regular bin bag, wash off the sheet, once dry place back in the shed and pour new bedding on top.  We decided the chickens should be hybrid battery rescues rather than cooler looking breeds so we could give them a good life after being in a factory for a year in poor conditions. Essentially my aim was to make a retirement home for chickens. We found a local charity, the hen welfare trust (http://www.bhwt.org.uk/), and they gave us advice on keeping chickens and details of their next event. After buying all the stuff we needed – feed, feeder, water bowl etc – we went down to one of their rehoming events and picked up four bald and scruffy looking chickens. Here’s a picture of all the chickens being rehomed on the day:  We got them home and placed them into the pen and they sat on the floor straight away and didn’t move. We put some layers pellets around them and decided to leave them for a while. When it started to get dark we came out and they were still sat in the same position so we picked them up and placed them in their nice warm and dry shed. It went on like this for a few days with both of us having to pick them up to let them out and put them away again at night. The first time it rained they were utterly confused and sat there getting soaked until we put them away. But after a few days they began walking around, eating, drinking, and putting themselves away before dark. After a couple of months they were much stronger and jumping up at the neighbour’s raspberry bush to steal his berries. Their feathers had grown back completely and they had gained weight and looked very happy. Here they are from left to right: Maud, Meredith, and Margo (Mildred not pictured). We decided to give them old lady names and for some reason the letter M generally stuck.  By now they were much more knowledgeable on how to be a chicken but despite this when it snowed that year they didn’t know what to make of snow at all and went from running around in panic to deciding that it was food and eating the snowflakes before they hit the ground. We were getting a steady stream of eggs which were too many to eat so we started selling them which we still do. We sell them to the doctors and physiotherapists my wife works with. These are all health conscious people who appreciate organic eggs. They give us egg boxes previously used for shop bought eggs and we fill them up for them. Our eggs are much bigger and we often can’t close the lid. After a year I found myself with more time on my hands and I decided that the temporary pen was no longer fit for purpose. The chicken wire was old and flimsy, the posts small, and the fencing wasn’t straight. I decided to build a more professional and sturdy pen. I bought nine 2m x 10cm ‘Deer stakes’, 5mm diameter metal wire, and 50m x 900mm tall chicken wire. I pulled down the old wire, dug up the old posts then got to work thumping in the massive fence posts. I attached the metal wire round the outside of the fence posts all the way round to provide support for the chicken wire and keep it straight. When I attached the chicken wire I dug it 20cm into the ground to deter any burrowing. I also aerated the soil and compacted it down. Progress pic:  We decided we wanted more than four chickens so we bought a new purpose built coup with a nesting box and stilts to keep it off the damp ground. I placed four large bricks in the ground to act as foundations so the coup didn’t sink into the mud when it rained. Finished pen and partially built coup:   In total it took 4 weekends to complete fully. When I finished we contacted the hen welfare trust and attended another one of their events. We picked up three more chickens. We housed the new chickens in the new coup and kept the old chickens in their familiar shed. I segregated the pen with large gauge wire, enough so that the new and old could interact but sturdy enough so that they couldn’t attack each other.  Pictured here are left to right: Camilla, Sarah, and Mel. It’s not obvious in this picture but Mel was and still is notably smaller than the others. She’s also the most friendly. They all follow me around the garden when I hang out the washing but Mel is the first to run over and if I squat down to feed/stroke them she’ll jump on my knee or even my shoulder and let me walk around with her up there. When I pick her up she makes no fuss what so ever and just looks up at me as if to ask “where are we going?”. She’s my favourite and I’m glad she survived her first few weeks (details below). After a month I was confident they could be mixed so I removed the temporary fence and bar a few fights they got on very well and now all sleep in the coup. Over the course of the two years we have had chickens we have had ten and lost three: Maud, Mildred, and Sarah. I found Maud one day when I got home from work collapsed in the pen with very red eyes. She was fine in the morning but by then she was weak and wouldn’t eat. We made her comfortable, made her a hot water bottle and she seemed happy bawping softly to herself. That night when I checked on her she had died peacefully. Mildred went very much the same way after 18 months of a happy, warm, well fed retirement. Sarah and Mel were one of the three new chickens we got to replace Maud and Mildred however they were very ill from the start. I tried various things to help recovery including if it rained I would towel them off at night so they were dry and I made them porridge which they loved. Mel recovered brilliantly and grew in size rapidly and her feathers all grew back on porridge alone before moving on to pellets. Unfortunately Sarah never recovered. After two years I have not regretted owning chickens. They are a big responsibility; we can’t just go on holiday at short notice and they need feeding, cleaning out, and generally looking after. However this is no more than for a dog. Our chickens have made great pets, they are fun to watch and have their own personalities. I’ve managed to train them to a small degree. If they are roaming the garden and it’s time to go away I’ll stand at the bottom of the path and whistle and they will coming running in single file and put themselves away. Sometimes Meredith refuses but if I point at the coup with a stern look she’ll come running. The money we make from the eggs pays for their food and bedding but not the initial outlay on the shed, coup, fencing etc so like any pet they cost money but much much less than a dog. With such a large pen and garden to roam around in we are considering whether to get more chickens or a pig or goat. We’re very lucky to have no predators. The local cats and dogs aren’t bothered at all by them. We spotted a fox a couple of streets over a few months ago but there’s no sign it has come sniffing around. For the more experienced here my only question would be: What can you advise to stop the chicken run turning into a mud pit when it rains? I’ve just started using grass protector plastic mesh to try and bind and support the mud:  I’ll see how it works out but perhaps you can offer a better suggestion. Here’s a bonus picture of the rabbits I mentioned earlier who also live outside. Harry behind and Ron in front (named after the Harry Potter characters). 
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Nov 28, 2015 18:41
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Final Cause posted:Birds and bunnies. I know it's the chicken thread and all, and I don't want to derail too badly, but would you mind posting a couple more pics of the rabbit setup? I've got mine in hutches in the shed, but we'd really like to get them outside and reclaim the shed for shed-type stuff. I'm just not sure what the best design is and the more I can lay eyes on, the better my final decision will be. Hopefully.  I wouldn't put it past me to cock it up somehow.
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Nov 29, 2015 01:08
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Final Cause posted:Ex-batts & bunnies. As for stopping the run area from turning into a mud pit, I found it was human footsteps doing that rather than the chickens, so put some paving slabs as stepping stones down to walk on. The rest of the lawn is seemingly unaffected apart from a couple of new holes that are simply the best place to dig into. Also: Woman Knits Tiny Sweaters For Rescued Chickens To Keep Them Warm
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Nov 29, 2015 13:06
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snakecharmer posted:[...] would you mind posting a couple more pics of the rabbit setup?[...] Sure, I should mention they are dwarf rabbits (10 inches from nose to tail) so they don't need as much space. Here's the only picture I have at the moment of their hutch. It's a standard wooden design with two compartments: one sheltered and one with a metal (prison bars) type mesh. It has a metal tray at the bottom which slides out and a cover to keep out the wind and rain. In this old picture we were moving the gravel on the patio aside to lay a paving foundation for a new metal tool shed which now houses the chicken feed and bedding. The hutch is sheltered behind the shed and that wall from the wind.  When we are home and the weather is nice we put them out in this run separate from the hutch and on the garden.  We don't need to mow the lawn, we just move their run periodically. It's very windy, rainy, and generally cold today so I made some toast and fed it to the chickens while it was still warm. I'm lucky to have all my fingers.
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Nov 29, 2015 16:13
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It's really hot today in the land of the Chazzwazza. Watermelon, and shady spots are on the menu. I have had to step up the de lousing game, as they have had an outbreak.     
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Nov 30, 2015 04:09
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Final Cause, you have a lovely garden/chicken setup and I'm very glad you're giving battery hens a new lease on life. It's a heartwarming thing to do and they seem to make such great and grateful pets! The bunnies are adorable. My husband would like to raise rabbits here (for meat more than anything) but we don't have the space for it right now. Some day! Meanwhile I'll live vicariously through you I can feel the sunshine from here, Kharnifex. It's cold and nasty outside here, and the chickens blame me as usual. They've been giving me horrible stinkeye when I come to let them out and worse when I have to chase them back in. I can't let them run freely in the yard (still no fences AND increased hawk sightings since the leaves have dropped) so I'm stuck outside supervising them which works out poorly with my work schedule, the days being so short and me generally hating the cold. So they're bored and I'm trying to keep them occupied. I'm going to pick up a bolt/chain setup like VS's at Home Depot to put things like cabbage and apples on for them... also, what's the best material to use for a chicken swing?
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Nov 30, 2015 06:06
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A-Alecto?! Such beautiful chickams 
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Nov 30, 2015 06:50
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My mother has purchased a small farm as part of her retirement plans. She has just informed me there is an all brick(and so undiggable?) chicken coop next to the house and she is planning on getting some chickens.  If it does happen i'll post pictures of the chickens.
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Nov 30, 2015 07:55
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Looks good Final Cause, some would be surprised at the lengths a fox will go to, going the extra length to deter burrowing etc is worth it. The person I donated one of my Roosters to had a fox dig a hole in, slaughter 5 chooks, and then one by one extract them all over 2 hours. RIP.
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Nov 30, 2015 10:21
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Kharnifex posted:It's really hot today in the land of the Chazzwazza. Thank you for sharing the gorgeous photos
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Nov 30, 2015 17:14
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AtomikKrab posted:My mother has purchased a small farm as part of her retirement plans. That is exciting! WOW! Any idea of what breeds she is perusing? Are you close where you would be able to visit or assist with the chickens?
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Nov 30, 2015 17:17
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Final Cause posted:Sure, I should mention they are dwarf rabbits (10 inches from nose to tail) so they don't need as much space. Yeah, my guys are a meat breed so I have to build on a bigger scale. But thanks for the pics! Every bit of research helps. And so this isn't an empty post: Finally got my new and improved chicken coop delivered from the nice Amish man that I paid to build it because I have a toddler and no free time anymore. The peepers have been grownup for some time and should have started laying a month ago. Apparently they were waiting for the new coop and the bigger space, because on day 2 of the new coop being installed, I started getting tiny beginner eggs. I forgot how small and stupid new layer eggs are. It's like I have button quail. 
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Dec 2, 2015 02:34
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holy poo poo chickens are soft like super soft oh my goodness  in other news, my roommate and I just got 4 lil' ladies! an Australoorp, a Barred Plymouth, and two Americaunas. I'll definitely post photos when it's not dark and stormy and we've got a proper space for 'em all set up but CHICKENS ARE CUDDLY AND IT BLOWS MY MIND
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Dec 2, 2015 02:57
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the escape goat posted:holy poo poo chickens are soft like super soft oh my goodness Yes they are quite fluffy little dinosaurs. My four new girls are finally gaining acceptance from Strawberry. She doesn't attack them on sight anymore only when they try to eat food... Which is hers it's all hers everyone else can go die. That took 3 months. Also here are the idiots hanging out from a few weeks ago. 
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Dec 2, 2015 05:23
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Errant Gin Monks posted:Also here are the idiots hanging out from a few weeks ago. So awkward!
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Dec 2, 2015 05:53
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