Chicken updates thread! 6/28

[SmoothSavage]

So good and bad updates. The girls have settled in nicely and are absolute darlings. They follow me around the yard and Sylvia likes scritches on the back of her neck. They gobble up their home made feed and any scraps I throw them with great enthusiasm, haha. Tillie was being picked on pretty heavily at first but is fitting in better now and hanging out with the other girls.

The bad news is I found lice on Gladys today. Which means they all have it or will have it even though I haven't seen any on the others. sad I've been checking them over every couple days and haven't seen anything before, but Gladys has it now. Apparently wild birds flying over can drop lice!

I got some stuff called Poultry Protector that kills mites and lice without harsh chemicals. I sprayed it on the girls and then cleaned out all the bedding in the coop and sprayed the walls and dirt with it. Once it dried I rubbed diatomaceous earth over the walls, nooks, and crannies, coated the floor, and put fresh pine shavings in. The guy at Wilco said I wasn't putting enough DE in their dust bath holes, I was coating them with it but apparently it needs to be 3" or more deep. So I fixed that too. Hopefully soon we will be lice free!

Gladys checking something out:


Berta says hi


Sylvia and Tillie love perching on this chair! They're rarely apart from each other too.


Everyone wanted to check out my coop cleaning stuff!


Berta also got a bath on Tuesday because she laid in poop and it matted her belly feathers. She was surprisingly perfect for the bath and blow dry!

[Nelo777Neko]

Nice birds. My neighbor kept a flock of red hens a few years back but they had problems with raccoons and opossums.

[xXFurygeistXx]

emotion_kirakira They're all so pretty! You got a nice looking flock there. Sorry to hear about the lice. Hopefully the spray and the d-earth treatment do the trick.

[SHD]

I'm sorry to hear about Gladys! But it's a good thing that you are nipping it in the bud before it got worse.

Great pictures! Are they laying nicely for you?

[SmoothSavage]

SHD

I'm sorry to hear about Gladys! But it's a good thing that you are nipping it in the bud before it got worse.

Great pictures! Are they laying nicely for you?

I've gotten 3 eggs so far, it's pretty sporadic. But Gladys and Berta were the only ones laying at their old home, Sylvia and Tillie weren't yet. Between stress of moving and now being handled more than they ever have in their lives thanks to the lice and stuff, I'm not surprised they're not laying well.

[Latrans]

I have nothing of substance to say, but please post a billion pictures of your chickens. Thx.

[Flutter Fox]

Your chickens are gorgeous!
I'm sure you'll be swimming in eggs before you know it.

When I had chickens as a teen we couldn't give enough away.

[SmoothSavage]

Latrans

I have nothing of substance to say, but please post a billion pictures of your chickens. Thx.

I just got done rubbing wood ash into their feathers to help with the lice and they are not amused. lol Tillie won't even come down off her chair.

"Screw you, lady."


Puffy Gladys!








I added a tree limb next to the chair for them to climb/perch on as well. So far they are shunning it.

[Friday_Dora]

They are sooo cute! whee Too bad about the lice, it sounds like you're on top of the situation though.

[SHD]

Savage Destiny

SHD

I'm sorry to hear about Gladys! But it's a good thing that you are nipping it in the bud before it got worse.

Great pictures! Are they laying nicely for you?

I've gotten 3 eggs so far, it's pretty sporadic. But Gladys and Berta were the only ones laying at their old home, Sylvia and Tillie weren't yet. Between stress of moving and now being handled more than they ever have in their lives thanks to the lice and stuff, I'm not surprised they're not laying well.

I'm sure with your gentle touch and some TLC they will start laying consistently for you soon. 3nodding

[MinteeCutee]

I love all the old broad names. XD

[SmoothSavage]

SHD

Savage Destiny

SHD

I'm sorry to hear about Gladys! But it's a good thing that you are nipping it in the bud before it got worse.

Great pictures! Are they laying nicely for you?

I've gotten 3 eggs so far, it's pretty sporadic. But Gladys and Berta were the only ones laying at their old home, Sylvia and Tillie weren't yet. Between stress of moving and now being handled more than they ever have in their lives thanks to the lice and stuff, I'm not surprised they're not laying well.

I'm sure with your gentle touch and some TLC they will start laying consistently for you soon. 3nodding

I hope so! I want to start scarfing down eggs!

MinteeCutee

I love all the old broad names. XD

For some reason old lady names just seem to suit chickens!

[MinteeCutee]

It's true! You need a Louise!

[SmoothSavage]

So the girls got sprouted alfalfa for breakfast!


It's been my goal to feed half sprouted grain and half fermented feed, but I had trouble with sprouting at first. Now I seem to be on track!

Awaiting breakfast:


They were not amused by my "sprouts for breakfast" shenanigans.


This is not breakfast.


Does she expect us to eat this?






Sorry they're blurry, they're just cell phone pics. They did eventually eat the sprouts after I hand fed them some. rofl Silly birds.

[SmoothSavage]

I gave them some Napa cabbage this afternoon to appease them a bit, haha.

What is this?


We think we like this.


Double checking.


Gladys contemplating taking it from me.


I love Sylvia's fluffy butt!


Gladys was eyeballing a paper towel in my hand. Yes, she tried to eat it.


Tillie got some grit to wash down the cabbage.


And Sylvia observed!


Berta missed out on picture time because she was in the nest box laying an egg! emotion_kirakira