hey guys,
well alot to update I guess. I had one roo amonst the bunch and exchanged him for a female. Then my heart went out to 2 Ducks and I took them home with me on a loan. The man told me to take them home and if DW liked them I could pay him later and if DW did not like them I could return them to him. DW liked them! I went to pay the man for the ducks and He gave me another chicken. An Americana, pure white, she is. Beautiful, I couldn't say no, LOL..............
I went out of town last week. While I was gone, my next door neighbor's dogs dug up under the fence and killed one of the ducks. Mt DW was not happy telling me I had lost one of the ducks. I am not mad at my neighbor or her dogs, and had to call her to tell her so. She really made herself invisible, I guess she thought I would be really upset with her. But, animals will be animals. I can not get mad at them for that. We kept the ducks in another kennel at night and let them have free run of the backyarrd during the day. since the loss, measures have been put into place both on my side and the neighbors to keep her dogs from coming over and the remaining duck, KHaki, still gets her run of the yard. she pretty nuch talks to the chickens and hangs around the patio. I know she is lonely and needs companionship, but I can't think os giving her up though I need to. The battle is still going on in my head. DW thinks I should take her back to the man. I haven't decided yet.
New development with the chicks HAS REALLY gotten me worried. I have noticed that their eyes are beginning to close and clear liquid with some bubbles are coming from the eyes.. I have talked to someone about it and they suggested it was a cold so I am treating this with Vetrex drops in their water. Also, I was told to put some Neosporan in the eyes because it could be that they got some fecal matter in them or some dirt or something that is irritaing the eyes. I did that tonight. But only on some of them. To see if it works. If it does than I will apply it to all of them.
I am really worried that they are sick and will not get better. I would hate to lose them. I am letting them run free in the backyard to night to give them some open air and not be all couped up in the pen tonight. My DW was really to busy to properly care for them while I was out of town, and I think that because their cage was not cleaned it caused an unhealthy habitat for them and they have gotten sick. Hopefully They will recoupe and get healthy again.
Alot to say I know but I am sure this isn't the end. I will continue to give updates
calvin
So Excited Hard to contain it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good luck with the chicks - have really been enjoying your updates. Your one duck may bond with the chicks and think it is a chicken, but that might help with it's feeling lonely. Take care. Karla
maybe the guy has another duck? Or maybe your remaining duck likes being an only duck! Give it time.
Sorry about the loss, but it's very upstanding of you not to lay blame about it! That's just nature.
There's a special neosporin for eyes -- neosporin otic. I don't know if you have to get it from a vet. I'll be thinking good thoughts for your little flock.
Ann
thanks guys,
I noticed today, or last night by the time ya'll read this, that my americana's eye that I put neosporine on was opening up. she was looking a lot better. Every time the duck would come close to the kennel she would puff up as if to show a little force. I giggled at her. hehehehe. It was kind of cute. I am going to wait a couple of more days to see if the neosp. does the trick for good. So far it looks promising.
calvin
update,
No photos, but all are fine. The neosporine seemed to work. They are still getting the stuff what ever it is. I think maybe they have just out grown their howm and need a new one. I have been letting them out for free roam during the day and that really helps.
5 buff orpingtons, 1 americauna, and 1 duck (runner/khaki campbell mix). all appear happy and content. I am losing all my plants from their daily feeding and don't mind a bit. Also while digging around the plant beds, I have found that when I dig up an unwanted pest like grub the chickens run around and fight over it. It really is kind of cute.
calvin
It is cute. But just wait until the spring when you plant new bulbs or plants and find that the girls have helpfully dug them all back up for you. Helpful girls! :) Pl;ants vs. CHickens is always an ongoing battle :)
new update,
of the 5 buffs, 1 is a rooster. I had exchanged 1 other because he showed signs early in life, but this one well maybe he is a late bloomer. What a great experience this is. I am enjoying it and learning alot. I can't have a roo in city limits so will cull him out when he reaches 17-18 wks old. Right now they are 10wks old. I want him to plump up a bit. Right now, when you pick them up (if you can catch'm) you can still feel the breast bone and little muscle/fat. once he plumps up I will put him on the table.
Kids have lost enthusiasm since they found out my plans, but they still laugh and point out all the antics they do in the backyard. I caught the neighbors dogs in my backyard yesterday. They dug another hole. every bird was on alert but none were injured. I chased the dog back through the hole and bonked it on its rear, lol. It did not like that at all but was so afraid of me it shimmied under the fence as fast as it could. I covered the new hole with bricks. The dogs are terriors so they are not strong enough to move the bricks. Maybe I should just line the whole fence with bricks to prevent new holes? That would be really time consuming. Course, I could just put the birds in their pen. the duck would hate that but.............?
take care everyone and best of luck in all of yall's animal endevours,
calvin
Things sometimes seem to happen very fast and then really slow and sometimes at the same time. Discouraged, I am!
I woke up three days ago and found 4 dead chicken bodies lying in my backyard. My neighbors dogs also in the backyard. My only remaining duck, Khaki, squacking like crazy and my only remaining Buff orpington chicken trying her best to hide under all my yard tools. I was LIVID! I chased the dogs back under the fence and plugged the whole. Cleaned up the bodies. Put the remaining birds in the dog kennel and after a moment of remorse and morning, Started a large enclosed pin. I am almost finished and will add new birds to it when done. I am determined to have my chickens. Wife only wants 4 total which would mean I return the duck or find it another home. I think that might be the best answer. I am still thinking about it.
Today, I went to the kennels to give the birds their daily fresh water, and in Khaki's kennel, half-buried in the hay was 2 eggs. I completely missed the first egg probably layed yesterday. What a Wonderful surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to take her and hug her and kiss her. It feels like I was a part of/ or witnessed a passage of life ritual. I am Excitted!!!!!!!!!!! all over again. Makes my decision harder. it is personal to me. the eggs were dirty and after washing them They came out off white. They look when wet like white marble with light brown swirled in the shell. Beautiful. Campbells lay brown eggs, so I think she is a runner with no campbell mix. I am still not sure and don't really care. I just like her. Decision is getting harder as I write.
Anyway wanted to share my new eggs with everyone reading.
calvin
Calvin...that is way exciting....I'm happy for you. What a find! But also sorry for your loss....hang in there.
calvin, I'm SO sorry about the chickens! That's brutal. But I'd see whether the duck and three chickens couldn't be good friends. That could be your four.
Ann
I'd agree. You can't give her up now!
And you could give her the official name of the Unsinkable Khaki Brown.
Hi all,
update................
I couldn't give her up!!!!!!!
The "unsinkable" now has a companion duck, a female now named Blondie. I just could not give Khaki up. hehehhehehe
I also added 2 more chickens, both Americanas. 1 is white with a tint of light brown around the neck and 1 that is light brown on the head and dark to black feathers that are spotted and solid from the neck to tail. She is called maccaroon. She also looks like a hawk or eagle. Very pretty, Though she has not feathered out completely yet.
I am within fowl city ordinance limit and wish I could have more. OH Well............
All are in a pin I finished the day I got the new arrivals. The pesky dogs can not get into the pin. The birds are co-habitating nicely. I am getting 1 egg a day from Khaki and I am anxiously awaiting the rest to start laying.
YAY!!! I call that a real success story.
The unsinkable khaki brown! LOL! LOVE IT
Hey all
well, I stored Khaki's eggs till the count was 11 eggs (11 days). Family ate duck egg omelets with onions and tomatoes from the garden. what a treat to sit at my table and eat what came from own and not store bought. The family really liked it and the kids said thank you to khaki for feeding them. Kind of cute if you ask me.
The taste was no different than store bought chicken eggs. DW and I did not mention it to the kids until they had gobbled up the omlets, then we told them they were Khaki's eggs.
What a joy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
calvin
Life is good.
Enjoy reading about your adventures. Looking forward to more updates and photos!
Haven't forgotten about taking pictures just not alot of time to do it.
We have been really enjoying the duck eggs. both ducks are now laying 1 egg a day consistently. and the chickens are still growing. We had a few nervous moments with one of the ducks, we found her laying on her stomach unable to move her legs at the joints. Her feet would move but not her legs. My DW and I brought her inside and spent about an hour researching on the web and books tying to find the cause of this paralysis(spelling?). We ruled out most and after warming up in the house and fresh water with tetramycin added she was waddling about the house within about 3 hours. She went back out to the coop and has been doing great since. the Incident never effected her egg laying either.
I have come to find out that the ducks are bullieing the chickens. the chickens tail feathers are being pulled out. not much I can do about it right now. when cash flow returns after these holidays I will build a new coop for the ducks and then the chickens can molt and grow feathers to their fullest.
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am really enjoying the experience. DW is too. just the other day she bragged about needing eggs for breakfast and going out to the coop and getting 2 fresh eggs. I think she loves the shock factor of telling everyone we have the birds more than the experience, though. I keep my mouth shut around others but she blurts it out within the first 5 minutes of a conversation.
I will end here. I have to goto work now. my shift briefing starts in 10 minutes.
take care everyone
calvin
Hey calvin, maybe you could put up some cloth or chicken wire to seperate the gang until you get to building another pen. What i've done in the past is set up a chicken wire enclosure with scraps. You might be able to just separate them in the coop with an old sheet or something nailed down. Is the bullying happening in the day or night? Do you have any high roosting places for the chickens? That might help.
Hey backyard,
The bullying is happening from what I see when the chickens get in the way of the ducks, hehehehe. The ducks just go at their tails and the chickens move away quickly. Can you blame them, though. It has got to hurt.
I built the coop out of scrap and used up all of it, even took some scrap form neighbors and co-workers. I will have to buy new materials for the ducks pin. I am trying to just hold off right now and hope that they work it out and the chickens figure it out-- get out of the way of the ducks. I know they see each other as one family, cause when I get the fresh eggs in the morning after coming home from work, all 5( chickens and ducks are curled up together or near each other. I forgot to nail in some roosts for the chickens. I will add them when I can. The coop really was a quick fix, since I was combating the neighbors dogs.
Still have some more raised beds to plant and when I get the lumber for that I will get the pin materials also.
calvin
Nivlac
How are things going with the ducks and chickens? Hope all is well.