cont. As for the scaly legs, sounds like scaly leg mite. The mite is a little grey thing that burrows under the scales on the legs (& can also attack their wattles & combs in severe infestations). The scales crust over & the legs thicken. It tends to effect older birds. It can be difficult to treat & you may end up having to cull (because it goes from bird to bird).but if you want to try treatment, smother the mites with a mix of one part kerosene to 2 parts linseed oil. Apply to their legs every 10 days until the mites have cleared up. Also brush their perches every month. Then coat the legs with mineral oil or warm vaseline to loosen the old, crusty scales but raised scales will never return to normal. You can also control the mites with ivomec (can buy from the pet shop or farm supply at a concentration suitable for chooks) but there is a withholding period for eggs, so check on the pack.
koru_designs,
Feb 4, 10:54pm
cont. As for the limping, it's probably just from pain caused by the mites but you may want to just check her feet as well to make sure she doesn't have any cuts or abscesses, etc. Hope this helps!
nicski,
Feb 5, 3:48am
ooops Silly me. 'worms' turned out to be dirt. silly chook is me.
javlin,
Feb 5, 4:37am
#61 cleverdicky I got my New Hampshires from a man here in Dannevirke. Try looking under "Rare Breeds" website for someone closer to you.
jules.,
Feb 11, 3:04am
bumping. again, we were at #195!too good to lose :)
brendonr1,
Feb 11, 4:06pm
Jules - sorry for the delay in replying. (Grandma here!)I am in Wellington looking after 3 of my grandchildren while #4 in the family is growing bigger after being born @ 34 weeks.I see your query has been answered.Even if it doesn't "work" the smell is just lovely and I'm sure my ladies appreciate the lavender smell.All the best. Grandma.
jules.,
Feb 16, 10:06pm
oh.! we have the 1st of our silverlaced wyandotte chicks hatched today. dont know how the rest will go, the hen thats sitting on them is the surrogate mother and shes not been very good at it. im forever pushing the eggs back under her, she has one or two polking out the side or has them spread every . so hopefully we may get a few more, she is sitting on 8.
maryteatowel1,
Feb 17, 4:00pm
I posted this in another thread but didnt get an answer so just going to repeat it here.Just wanted to see what everyone is feeding their chooks.our chooks have been on 'peck & lay'.which is a pellet but just brought a bag of 'chook chow' which is a mixture of grains, peas, minerals, grit, lime etc.you can actually see the bits.has anyone tried this and if so has it been good for your chooks! TIA
nicski,
Feb 17, 4:25pm
Mary We also use the peck n lay stuff, and up till now the chooks have been gobbling it up, but as I posted in another thread, they aren't very interested in it at the moment (but that applies to all food in general, not just their pellets.) Produces lovely bright yolks
jules.,
Feb 17, 10:37pm
that chook chow sounds good, where do you get it from, i was looking for something like that a while ago but couldnt find any. mine have the peck n lay, wheat, mash (cos i couldnt get the peck n lay at that time) and i have got them some kibbled maize, they love that. they have table scraps, lettuce and silverbeet etc from the garden. i roast their shells and crush them and they like that too, its good calcium to keep the egg shells hard. and LOADS of water in this heat. my chicks have chick starter.
maryteatowel1,
Feb 18, 3:22am
yep they love maize.got the chook chow at our local farming shop.its made by Takanini Feeds in Auckland.it doesn't have animal products so can be feed to ducks etc.and if the sheep eat some its not a drama
koru_designs,
Feb 18, 5:24am
Ours eat a mix that sounds a lot like the chook chow. Plus we supplement with extra grit (although their feed already has it in) & fresh scraps. You could mix the pellets & the chow together & see if they prefer that!
maryteatowel1,
Feb 18, 6:09am
I did mix them both together just to see what got eaten first and they definitely liked it more, I was just wondering if they will keep their condition and continue to lay and if their eggs will be still be yummy.there in no info on the sack unlike the peck n lay.all it had was the ingredients
pamellie,
Feb 18, 12:08pm
Can someone tell me where to buy the grit from and do you just mix it in with their feed! Thanks.
jules.,
Feb 18, 12:43pm
maryteatowel. can you give me the name and location of the farm shop, also the price per bag, i have family going thru there on the weekend and they may stop and get me some. also thought i may give RD1 a go. thanks :)
nicski,
Feb 18, 1:26pm
you can buy grit from most farm supply shops, or where ever you get your feed from. Get oyster shell grit. Give them a container of it beside their food. They'll eat what they need. I use peck n lay pellets, which contains grit, but have since discovered they need extra.
koru_designs,
Feb 18, 4:50pm
Re #145 As long as it's been specifically formulated for chooks, it should be fine. But you may need to supplement with extra grit (we find we need to with ours). Our girls have definate favourite "bits" of the mix they get & will eat that first.so we have to leave their feed until they've eaten the rest of it (otherwise they'd just gorge themselves on sunflower seeds, for example).
maryteatowel1,
Feb 18, 5:38pm
We got ours from 'the farm & lifestyle center' approx 10kg bag $16 25kg $34.they were about $2 per bag more than peck n lay.it has mussel and oyster shells crushed in it that you can see. and lime etc for calcium.I guess it takes a few weeks for any sort of noticeable change.not that they needed to change but I'll let you know if anything bad happens like soggy eggs.chooks are all happy today.they just found the grape vine so I'm hoping they dont get drunk or eat to many.i think they like being underneath it to scratch up all the bugs and its cooler for them
jules.,
Feb 18, 6:02pm
maryteatowel. bahahaha, i have been giving mine the grapes that dont look so good, or rather that the kids wont eat and they love it, but never thought of them getting drunk, will have to watch them. i got some oyster grit and more kibbled maize from bin inn today, much cheaper there than at the pet store. will give the name of the farm place to father in law and he may get me some on the way thru, i think the chooks will love it. do you have the road name the store is on to make it easier for him please!
maryteatowel1,
Feb 18, 8:59pm
yep its on morrison dr.just off woodcocks rd which is on your right before the first set of lights.they are open till 12.30pm on a Saturday.we had rabbits years ago and their hutch was under a peach tree.they ate the green peaches and they fermented in their guts and one died.the other two we put down at the vets when we took them there to see what was wrong with them.it was very sad for us kids because they were our pets.I had never thought it could happen but I remember the vet saying that certain animals will do this.have know idea about chickens
jules.,
Feb 19, 2:25am
wow, how bizzare! i will have to watch the kids rabbit, he lives under the peach tree in his hutch, but dont think the wire holes are big enough for the fruit to get thru, and anyway he doesnt standa chance to get them, my son and i got the ladder out a few days ago and climbed and picked a few bucket loads, yum!i think chooks are pretty robust, as long as they arnt eating truck loads of grapes they should be ok. i have just started fencing a new area for the momma hen and her 3 babies (5 1/2 weeks old).
jules.,
Feb 19, 2:31am
. they are getting too big for their hutch now. we let them out in the afternoons to roam the section. but i want them along the fence line now to eat and scratch away all the wandering jew. and i have managed to get 2 from 8 of the silverlaced wyandottes, the broody was useless, she seems to be a good mum, but kept scattering the eggs, so im really surprised we got any babies at all. i know not to use her next time! but they are going to go into the hutch when i get the fence finished for the others. hopefully we wont get too much rain and i can get it done tomorrow, fingers crossed, touch wood etc!
jules.,
Feb 21, 2:58pm
bumping. for tracey731
tinart,
Feb 21, 3:45pm
one of my chooks has laid ( twice now) a really small egg as well as a normal one same day. its about the size of a large marble. the first one was revolting and icky inside and second one was laid today so dunno what thats like yet. why does that happen!one hasnt been laying well for a week or 2 so would the little egg be messing her up! also mine eat rhubarb leaves no worries too.someone told me they eat them at certain times of the year when they can tell they are not toxic.smart birds!
maryteatowel1,
Feb 21, 5:10pm
well I've found a new free feed source for my chooks but will only last a few weeks I think.cicadas.we have a few thousand around here.and have been collecting them.the chooks love them and we are glad to get rid of them
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