TWEEN-AGERS!

The baby chicks I purchased during the Chick Days at Family Farm and Home are now "Tween-agers"!  The Three Tweens were ready to be moved out of the large cage and into the other half of my Hen Pen, and once I did that, I placed the newest batch of chicks (1 month old) into the wire cage for a few weeks until they finish feathering out. 

"The Shunning" - -First Introduction between the new pullets and the TWEENAGERS

Baby Chicks are such fun!  I took a few to my sister's house to entertain the kiddies at a birthday party, and the kids just adored them!  Peeps kept popping out of the box and making the children squeal with delight!  It was fun to watch the expressions on their faces!

Look at those faces!

Popping Peeps!

Presenting: "Lady GaGa", my Columbian Pullet!

 

 

A couple weekends ago, the Hubbs and I went for a road trip....I saw an ad for Cuckoo Marans and just had to have a few more.  Well....I bought 4 of the Cuckoos, and one Columbian Wyandotte pullet - and they went into the pen with the Three Tweenagers!  Remember - "Same Size Keeps 'Em Alive" - and they are all doing well together.  They're not ready to go into the pen with the Working Girls.  The Tweens have different nutritional requirements, and are not up to the size standards of the Working Girls yet.   It's been a little difficult having to take care of chicks in pens, cages, and boxes, but chicks grow rapidly, and - - - in a couple more weeks, the younger batch of chicks in the wire pen will be able to join the Tweens!  That will make Coop and Pen care much simpler.

Opening the Hatch - - by THEMSELVES!

(Photo borrowed- not mine)

Did you know that baby chicks have a little apparatus on the top edge of their beaks that help them drill out of their shells?  It is called an "egg tooth", and as the chick grows, it will fall off because it is no longer needed!
In honor of Spring, and all things Bright and Broody - here's a cute little video that I thought was so sweet and I'm going to share it with you.  Enjoy!

What to Do about Boo-Boos

 In yesterday's comments, Cindy mentioned they have used Mentholatum as a topical treatment for small "boo-boos" with her poultry.  Old Timer's have used that for years with good success!  I use Scarlet Oil over any wounds, or have used Furazone Spray too, if it is handy.  Scarlet Oil covers the scent of blood and has worked well for me, but hens with dripping blood should be kept in isolation until they heal.  Minor scrapes or small pecks can be treated with any of these topicals, but keep a watchful eye out for any aggressive birds that might have it in their minds to pursue other poultry with minor cuts.  The idea is to catch it before it becomes a bigger problem!

"Tina"

I once had a beloved hen ("Tina" - may she rest in peace!) that got torn up by a Pitbull that wandered into our woods.  I scared the dog away, but my hens' skin and feathers on her back were pulled away to the point where I could see a large square of muscle (about 6 x 6), and one of her arteries was pulsing out blood in HUGE spurts!  I did believe we would have to put her out of her misery, but the Hubbs pulled out the Furazone Spray and sprayed her very well.  We set her up in a private and enclosed area with a nice little house she could get in and out of easily.  Amazingly to me, she healed up just fine when she was treated daily with the Furazone for a couple weeks, and  after applying the Furazone the first time, we were able to pull that flap of skin back up over her muscles, and spray on top of it too!  No bandaging needed, as the skin flap served that purpose!  She lived another 3 years!

Thanks for reminding me about the Mentholatum, Cindy!  I'm sure others will be happy to add that item to their Poultry Medicine Chest!
Signed:
the ChickenWrangler

Pick-A-Chick

Recently I made the round of the local feed stores.  CHICK DAYS have started, and I love to see the new baby PEEPS!  In one store there were several people gathered around some metal troughs that contained different breeds of chicks, and as I got closer I could hear comments like, "...Oh - the poor little things!  Just look - their bottoms are all ...DIRTY!....Do you think they're sick?  No, they are moving, but this one is just laying there with its head in the shavings....oooooh, I wonder why no one is taking care of them...."
  I looked into the troughs to see what the folks were talking about - and sure enough, every last trough contained chicks and ducks with manure covering their vent areas!  One lady found a tissue and was helping one of the chicks to get clean - but she was also pulling loose some of the down on the chick's bottom.  When they asked what was wrong, I offered that the chicks were "stressed"  from shipping, and should be cleaned by wetting their butts so the excretement could be removed.  With blocked vents, they would not be able to eliminate waste and could die.  Of course I approached the workers who were standing around in a customer service station, talking.  After briefly explaining the concerns of the customers to the men, one remarked - "....uh, well, we're expecting a new shipment either tomorrow or the next day....".   That comment made me realize that the chicks were "expendable".  I felt badly for the waste of those young lives.

With Spring rapidly approaching so many stores are offering bunnies and chicks for purchase as pets or for starting 4-H projects.  If you are looking to buy chicks to start a flock for eggs, meat, or just entertainment, don't buy unhealthy chicks. It may be possible to cure them, but there is also a good chance that you'll be caring for a special needs flock that may never regain the health they should have had from the very beginning.

Look for chicks with bright, clear eyes, clean vent areas, and chicks with interest in food and drink.  Water should be clean, food should be readily available.  The babies will be wanting to nap alot, but some will be walking about, eating or drinking, and a peep now and then will be normal.

Never purchase chicks with twisted beaks, bent legs, dirty vent areas, or one with dull eyes.  Droopy and hunched over chicks are not healthy.  If you touch a sleepy chick it should respond and move away, but calm down quickly.  If the chicks are very noisy, something is wrong - they may be cold, thirsty, or hungry, or worse!  There should be no blood, raw or sore looking areas on the chicks, no missing fluff on the birds.

Enjoy Chick Days, but be sure to choose chicks wisely.  Healthy flocks produce healthy products for you and your family.

Signed - the ChickenWrangler

Have Mercy - Jumpers for Battery Hens??

Rescued Battery Hens in the UK (not my photo)

 There has been much in the news during the past couple of years concerning the life of hens in the "Battery Farms".  Battery farms, if you are new to the term, are the commercial farms that house the hens producing the gazillions of eggs purchased in grocery stores by consumers like you and me. The horrible housing for hens have been reported on, and much info can be obtained by searching the internet using various key words, so I won't Grand-Stand on proper humane care for poultry here and now.  My readers already know how strongly I feel when it comes to the care of all animals, and my "girls" are no exception!

Battery Hen (photo from Little Hen Rescue)

Many rescue organizations in the USA and abroad have helped remove battery hens from deplorable conditions; the rescued birds are given proper feed and better housing, but some have had feathers plucked by their cell occupants, and are bloodied and bare because of this, or are naked because of "forced molting".  The Rescues have put out an SOS to their members and anyone else who might care to help.  Items needed?  Chicken Jumpers!

Have MERCY!  Can you knit?  More jumpers are needed!  Please click on Little Hen Rescue to read more.  Here's a pattern if you care to help:

Pattern for Knitted Hen Jacket

Materials

Double knitting yarn (100g makes approximately 3 jumpers)

2 buttons or 10cm Velcro

1 pair of number 8 (4mm) knitting needles

4mm crochet hook

Knitted in stocking stitch with garter stitch borders

Cast on 41 sts,

Work 4 rows K

Increase for tabs;

Cast on 10 sts at beginning of next row, k14, p to last 4 sts, k4.

Cast on 10 sts at beginning of next row, k14, p to last 14sts, k14.

Work buttonholes; (work these 2 rows straight if using Velcro).

(K2, yf k2tog) 3 times, work to end keeping edges in garter st.

Repeat this row for buttonholes on the other tab.

Cast off 10 sts at beginning of next row.

Next row – cast off 10 sts, k4, p2 tog, p to last 6 sts, p2tog, k4.

Dec 1 st at each end on every fol 6^th row until 25 sts remain.

Divide for neck;

Work 11 sts, cast off 3, work to end – complete this half first.

1)     k4, p to end

2)     cast off 2, k to end

3)     k4, p to end

4)     k2tog, k to end

5)     k4, p2tog, p to end

Work 4 rows straight

  10) K to last 5 sts, inc in next st, k4.

  11) K4, p to last st, inc in next st.

  12) Cast on 2 sts, k to end, (11sts)

  13) K4, p to end

  14) K

Break yarn and rejoin to the other side of neck. 

Work to match, reversing shaping’s and ending at winghole edge.

Next row – k, cast on 3, k across sts from other side of neck.

Next row , k4 inc in next st, p to last 5 sts, inc in next st, k4.

Inc 1 st at each end of every fol 6^th row until there are 41 sts on the needle.

Work 6 rows straight.

Change to gst and knit 4 rows.

Cast off.

Sew on buttons or Velcro as desired.

Work double crochet around neck. 

I don't knit, but I'd sure love to have one of those jumpers for Miss Lizzy!  Isn't the striped one in the above photo just the "Chick's Pajamas"?!?  I adore that bow - what a stylish addition!
Have a great day!
the ChickenWrangler

Benefits of Water in Winter

 Things are still frosty cold here in Michigan.  Up our lane at the top of the hill we have 1 1/2 feet of snow!  It is sure deep!  The Working Girls still venture out of their coop daily, but when the temps have been sub-zero they stayed huddled beneath their Chookie Palace, sharing a bit of warmth from wing to wing.  Evening temps have been as low as 15 below zero.  BUR-R-R!

Miss Lissy, at left

During the recent drop in temperatures, Miss Lizzy began her MOLT, of all things!  Yep, believe it or not!  She has a voracious appetite, so she's regaining what has been depleted in her system from creating those yummy fresh eggs all this time.  I'm willing to be that perhaps in March she'll start laying again for us.  But at this point in time, she's the little firecracker that keeps the rest of the girls in line!

Hope you are remembering to provide fresh water daily to your livestock - the chickens, in particular.  Water from a warmed device is best - warmth encourages them to drink.  If they are on pelleted feed and aren't drinking, the feed can get stuck in their crops and cause blockages.  The blockage will look like a hard lump off to the side of the birds neck, and it will be semi hard or rock hard.  The bird will have stopped eating or drinking anything at all, which is not a good sign!  The bird will have nothing to excrete, either.  It is blocked from both ends.  The bird may take on a sickly posture - head tucked down, tail tucked down, and may be trying to eliminate, with no success.  When blockages happen, there are several ways to open things up again, if you are not squeamish.  (If you ARE, then call your veterinarian - - -  IMMEDIATELY!)

Blockages can be opened by inserting a thin tube into the opened mouth of your chicken and, moving it past the opening to the airway; pipe in small amounts of tepid water and mineral oil.  Not too much all at once - you want it to go into the throat, not the windpipe.  If you pipe it too quickly, it can be inhaled, and your bird will "drown" in the fluids that were meant to save her.  Another way to assist in blockage removal is to hold the chicken upside down, head near the ground, and massage the blockage in its crop until it "vomits".  Do this in increments of 30 seconds only, then let the bird rest upright, and then turn it again and massage for 30 seconds, then let it rest.  You should have success in a short amount of time if the blockage isn't too horrid.  Keep the bird isolated in a separate area where you can keep an eye on her to be sure she's eating, drinking, and "emptying out" on a regular schedule.  When all looks well, return her to her flock-mates. 

Happy Winter -
the ChickenWrangler

Q&A: Chicken Dance - Cold Feet!

Dear Ms. Lizzy,
Since your January weather predictions for 2011 I got to wondering:  How do Chickens keep their feet from freezing in the cold Michigan winters?  Is it necessary to have heat in the coop in winter?
Signed: Fretful Frieda

Dear Frieda,
Poultry and birds of the air have many little tricks up their leg shanks to keep their tootsies warm in winter!  As I said yesterday, No Dumb Clucks HERE!!!   Standing on one leg with the other leg and toes tucked up beneath the body is one thing the ladies do.  Chickens are able to keep their feet warm and blood flow circulating wonderfully in temps down to -30 degrees - but this comes at increased energy expenditure - So Remember - -  - the more the energy usage, the more chicken feed must be increased!  Eggselent treats for cold weather include cracked corn and SUET!  The girls love it!  Another idea for keepers of the coop might consider is offering outside roosts that are square, rather than round.  The square roost offers greater foot and ankle support, and allows the bird to lower its body more directly on top of those cold and featherless toes, making for more warmth in icy temps!
  That's all for today!  Any more questions, feel free to add questions in comments, or email Lizzy in care of the ChickenWrangler!
Signed - Ms. Lizzy

Ms. Lizzy Predicts - Brisk Winds, Big Snows for Michigan in January 2011

 oooOOOOoooo!  Ms. Lizzy has been MIA for a bit over the Christmas and start of the brand New Year.  But today, she is back with a prediction of blowing snow and cold for January in her grand state of Michigan!  ooooOOOOooooo!  WhooooOOOOooo could have guessed it!  Ms. Lizzy is so very pleased to say her predictions are coming true, and she is so sorry she could not get on line to post about it sooner!

Many poultry handbooks advise folks to start putting lights on for better winter egg production, and they say to add 4 hours of artificial light to the start of the day, to be sure the hens come in to roost at dark.  With those remarks, they seem to insist that hens are "dim wits", who would stay outside until LIGHTS OUT, before coming inside for the evening.  Wrong-O, Buttercup!  This flock gets extra daylight added at the END of the day, and after evening snack time, all girls tippy-toe up the ramp and rest on roosts until the extra 4 hrs of light shuts down on the timer.  There are no DUMB CLUCKS in OUR hen house!!!  We're smarter than we're given credit for!!!

Happy New Year -
Signed:  Ms. Lizzy

Chicken Health Report

I'm glad to report that Robyn is feeling better after her round of Penicillin injections!  Her tail is up, she's got interest in all treats brought to the girls - Robyn is on the mend! 

Signs of illness in chickens: 

• pale and shriveled comb, wattles, and ears (should be plump, and bright red, but color is dependent on breed)
• bird keeps to itself, for the most part
• little interest in feed/water
• tail held low or tucked under the body nearly all the time
• prominent breast bone (signifies extreme weight loss)

If you see any of these symptoms, or notice any watering of the eyes, cough, wheezing, foul breath (yes, foul, not FOWL - bad breath in hens denotes "sour crop" and should be treated immediately), abnormal feces, loss of balance, - anything visually unusual - these things bear looking into and your vet should be consulted! 

Tricks or Treats (hens prefer TREATS!)
the ChickenWrangler

Lena Says "I's in Trouble"!

Lena (L) and Miss Emily (R)

This past week I've noticed that one of my hens has been looking at the world through a squinted eye.  Lena, seen above, is normally bright eyed and perky, but this past week she has kept more to herself than normal.  I enlisted the Hubbs to hold Lena while I had a look at her little eye to figure out what was the problem with it.  I grabbed some tissue and a small amount of peroxide just in case.

Chickens have a sort of "pouch" beneath their lower lid, and that seemed to hold the mystery.  The pouch of skin had a build-up of dirt, and it was STUCK there.  Lena needed some help to remove it, so as Hubbs stroked her breast feathers to relax her, I took the tissue with a dab of peroxide on it (careful not to get it into her eyeball), and  gently rubbed till the dirt was completely removed.  There were some tiny pin feathers on that tender skin as well, so I was careful not to rub on those and irritate anything further.  I had some antibiotic ointment that I sometimes use to treat my critters, and Lena got a small blurb of that under her lower lid.  When treating those tiny eyes, it's important to be sure the hen is very relaxed because they can move quickly and no one wants to loose an eye!

infectious laryngotracheitis

It's important to give your birds a "once over", to be sure all is well with them.  The chicken eye shown above is a hen (not MY hen!) with a viral respiratory disease called laryngotrachetis.  The eyes are the windows to the soul....  See the bubbles in the corner, and the sticky yellowish discharge?  This illness progresses slowly through a flock of birds, and is mainly found in broilers, but can infect any bird, young or old.  The birds will become lethargic, and will sometimes cough or stretch their necks out as they struggle to breath when the disease gets severe enough, and finally, the birds will expire.

Prevention is the best medicine, and so, keep your eye on your hens, and try to catch trouble before it gets worse.

the ChickenWrangler