Hi, we inherited this hen when we moved into our rental, does anyone know what kind of bird she is?
Linda, I am sure your chickens were thrilled with the grass. I haven’t experienced this, but have heard that mowed grass fed to chickens can cause them to have impacted crops. I think it is because the mowed pieced are too long – unlike eating it from the lawn and biting it off in smaller pieces, the mowed grass is long enough to get tangled up inside their crops. Just a warning………….I would hate for any of them to end up with that problem. It can kill them if not treated.
Tonight, while tucking in the girls, my daughter said one of our turkey hens is squeezed into the chickens nest box and when she tried to shoo her out, the hen hissed at her and wouldn’t move. Can we say B-R-O-O-D-Y……………….I have 14 turkey eggs that are going in the incubator next Sunday………..I never thought I would need an incubator, and I swear, I need two!
Laura
Laura Roberts
R Half Pint Farm
From:
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2012 8:33 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [CHICKENS-101] Re: Thin shell
Marla,
Great! They love grass too. I mow,then give them huge
hand fulls.
Linda Gephart
I don't feed grass. I do give chickweed and grubs to the ones in pens though. I mowed their pen because it's so big and the grass/weeds are growing faster then they can keep up with. That's the layers pen. The bantam and other show birds pens are smaller in order to have them covered so they keep up with theirs. The layers have a covered area that has a gate to the outer pen.
Marla
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Marla,
Great! They love grass too. I mow,then give them huge
hand fulls.
Linda Gephart
From: Marla <marlajulich@yahoo.com>
To: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2012 5:32 AM
Subject: Re: [CHICKENS-101] Re: Thin shell
Oh yes I didn't say that did I. I feed mine a complete laying ration. They're also out in a large area but not free range. Big enough though I mowed it this week because it was getting tall enough to mow.
Marla
Can you force a hen to sit on eggs by putting her in a small pen?
Thanks
Fran
the other chicks are fine. I did give all of them some medicated feed and they are getting the "special" water. thanks!
Kathie Raap
What lies behind us and what lies before us
are tiny matters compared to what lies Within Us.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
----- Original Message -----
From: CathrynTherese Fitch Walden
To: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2012 6:13 AM
Subject: Re: [CHICKENS-101] sick chick--NOW Shavings?
I would use rag towels and or course textured paper towel for the first week. Are the rest of the chicks ok with out medicine? No other chicks are sick?
Cathryn rainbowsilkies MI
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Thank you for all this information!!!!
Can you recommend a good starter book on raising Chickens??
Kathie Raap
What lies behind us and what lies before us
are tiny matters compared to what lies Within Us.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
----- Original Message -----
From: Laura A. Roberts
To: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2012 11:44 PM
Subject: RE: [CHICKENS-101] sick chick--NOW Shavings?
The chicks can slip and slide on newspaper which can cause spraddle leg, so you want to avoid that as their top layer of bedding. I use newspaper underneath everything to be able pick it all up and roll it up for trash. NOW, having said that, ideally, the first few days you want their bedding to be something they won't slip on or try to eat. I use bounty paper towels or old terry cloth towels and pitch in the wash at least once or twice daily. Paper towels are more convenient, but can get costly if you have lots of chicks pooping their brains out.....and this they do!
After the first few days, you can use a shredded wood bedding or corn cob or fluffed bedding....by then, they know what to eat and what to drink. I do use newpaper underneath the bedding to 1) absorb spills of water and 2) enable me to roll up their dirtied bedding for the trash. NO CEDAR shavings. Cedar has a heavy oil content, which is why it smells heavenly in a closet and repels insects, but it is also very hard on the respiratory system. It is never recommended for animals in a confined space, not even horse stalls. The only place I use cedar shavings are INSIDE a zippered dog bed...but, that is neither here nor there. Pine shavings and Aspen shavings are good.
I always start my chicks, one at a time coming out of their shipping box...first a dip or two of plain water and then I sit a plate of grow gel plus down for all of them to devour...it is full of vitamins and minerals and the B vitimins increase their appetites, too. It is colorful and attracts them.
As far as electrolytes, don't use them everyday. It is better to use them for 2-3 days, then plain water. While electrolytes have lots of good minerals and vitamins, they can be hard on their little kidneys.
You will hear differing opinions and advice.....for peace of mind, get a good book or read the directions the hatcheries give. You can weigh the advice and try different things on your own.
My suggestions work for me, but admittedly, I am not the most experienced poultry person here. Also, there may be several correct ways to do something, which means differing methods are not necessarily incorrect.
Keep the temperatures where they need to be, allow room for them to get away from the heat and plenty of ventilation without a draft. Keep them dry.
Feed a chick starter crumble. I do not feed medicated feed. I only medicate if they need it.
Good luck. It is a learning process and it does get easier, although I still get very upset when a chick dies despite trying to save them. Unfortunately, by the time they look and act sick, they are usually too far gone. Same with grown chickens. Actually, same with lots of animals.
Laura
