hi
As a total newbie I am learning the basics. I hope I have the incubating and chick feeding down. What do I need to know about worming. What do I need to it and when?
I have bantams, marans, guineas plus I am getting a couple of turkey and plan to feed everyone the same. Is it ok to feed everyone game bird starter or should I feed game bird? the turkey are for thanksgiving this year (shhhh don't tell them) If they are free range I heard you don't need grit, as it gets colder and they don't go out as much (NH is COLD) do I need to add grit to thier food or in a seperate container? And what should chicken/guinea food be then?
Also, my chicken house will be done this week (we need to shingle it). It has two windows and is on the south side of the house, when can my chicks go out to it? I have hopefully sealed it from lil critters.
Lora
worming and chick scratch
Ok, I'm sure someone with more info will come along but heres my take ::
Food, I am feeding game bird starter to everyone ( I have assorted chicks both standard and bantam, along with turkeys and guineas) mixed in with a chick starter.
I moved my birds out to their coop once they were feathered out pretty well. The first 10 days I kept them locked inside with their red lights on. I got them use to my coming out to the coop twice daily morning and night with a treat or scratch mix ( I make my own variation of scratch mix). I have 3 separate feeders inside the coop (2-trays and 1-wall mount) . I have 2- water units in there as well.
Now I am the first to admit I moved the birds out before the "book" says to. But the days were nice and they have flourished. The lights are hung low enough they can huddle underneath if they choose to. I have several inches of pine shavings on the floor of the coop. Unless it is raining and cold during the day I go out in the morning now (they range in age from 4-7 wks of age, some were just added to the flock from a later hatch) open the chicken door and they all roll out to their pen. I then turn off their lights and crack both windows for added ventilation. I re-fill the water units and give them a treat.
I came to the decision to move them out after seeing how much they enjoyed getting out for an hour or two in a small pen to scratch around. I figure if they were hatched in the coop naturally they would be out there already and while they would have mom to help keep them warm etc.... they seem to have done on their own with lights. The hardest part is convincing all of them they need to go back to the coop to roost at night. Once dark comes I want everybody in the coop... they're starting to get the idea and now almost all go up the ramp after I lay out the scratch/treat in the coop at dusk.
Grit and later oyster shell should always be available in separate containers inside the coop/house.
As for wormers this is a copy paste from another site regarding poultry remedies. I am pasting it here in it's complete content as I find it very useful overall. I don't think it will be an issue to post it...
The Medicine Chest By KJ
Posted by Longfeathers on 2/21/2006, 7:11 pm
Board Administrator
The Easy Chicken Medicine Chest
* A good online board for when you need help fast….like the EASY CHICKEN for instance, haha!!
* Alcohol
* Apple Cider Vinegar
* Auromycin/terramycin-tetracycline type antibiotics-follow label directions. Use if the whole flock might have the sniffles.
* Baby shampoo- for chicks, when they get wet on the bottom and get that sticky chick start gunk underneath. Just be sure to hold their little heads above the water. pasty butt
* Bag Balm - for leg mites, also use on comb and wattles to aid in frostbite prevention.
* Ball Pickling Lime-for wounds. It dries it up and deters infection and flies.
* Betadine Solution-for cuts and scrapes
* Bleach-use for cleaning every thing, including visitors
* Blood Stop Powder (Quick Stop),Sugar, (it also helps in fighting infection.),Styptic Powder or flour to stop blood flow.
* Boots, coveralls, or coats that you do NOT wear anywhere but to the coop. Sanitize the boots with Lysol (or other disinfectant virucide) once a week.
* Camphophenique- topical antiseptic
* Cat Food-Dry, 30-40% Protein, used to increase protein to ward off feather eating & cannibalism. Usually protein problem, use only a couple of times a week when necessary. Dry cat food can also be used during molt to up protein levels to aid in new feather production.
* Cat Claw nail clippers for trimming toe nails
* Cayenne pepper-natural wormer-also used as feed top dress when birds are sneezing or turkeys present with sulphur yellow poop indicating blackhead or similar bug.
* Colloidal Silver-added to water to help fight off infections.
* Corona (small yellow and black can) for any cuts, bruises, or other injuries.
* Cotton balls, Cotton swabs and/or Q-Tips
* Diabetic syringes-used for giving injections. Can also be used without needle to administer oral medications.
* Digital Camera
* DE Diatomaceous Earth
* Dubbing shears-sharp (1 pr each, curved and straight)
* Epsom Salt - flush for botulism
* Eyedropper
* Eye ointment with saline solution
* First Aid Tape
* Fish oil gel caps-for general good health. Squirt it on feed. Can also use tuna as a healthy treat.
* Fishzole - for blackhead (turkeys & pea fowl)
* Gallamycin injectable- A 1/2cc dose will cure a sick bird over night, cool stuff!
* Garlic-feed additive
* Gun powder/for attitude, camp ax/for too much attitude
* Hydrolyzed garden lime in powder form for treating runs & surrounding areas if blackhead is prevalent in your area. This changes the PH & helps remove risk of blackhead.
* Iodine stuff w/tea tree oil in it. Good stuff for wounds
* Ivomec Eprinex Cattle Pour-On-1/4 cc for bantam and 1/2 cc for large sized fowl. Use a syringe with needle removed and administer directly to the chickens skin (not feathers) at the back of the neck, right behind the head.
*Levamisole- (tetramisole) treats Capillary worms, Gape worms, Wide variety of nematodes-10 ml per gallon of water-1 day only. Affects the nervous system of the parasite, paralyzing the worm.
* Molasses - flush for botulism
* Neosporin-cuts
* Oxine for treating birds & coops in event of any nasty outbreak. Also use it to clean the brooders & incubator.
* Oyster shell-crushed, available free choice for added calcium
* Pam cooking spray or some other spray on oil, olive oil for leg mites and scale problems
*Panacur - general wormer-follow label directions
* Pedialyte-used to restore electrolytes and hydration to dehydrated chickens
* Penicillin - injectable
* Pipe stem cleaners - for making shoes for chicks with curled toes caused by incubation problem & for treating splay leg.
* Razorblades
* Red Cell-small bottle (*Red Cell should be available at any feed store that sells stuff for horses and cows. Red Cell is a blood fortifier and should be used very sparingly as too much is bad, but for an injured animal it really gives a boost.) .
* Rifle with a long distance scope for sneaky dogs and raccoons!
* SAND play sand, very important for them to dust and help keep down the buggies! Chickens need to dust bathe to get rid of “stickies” on their feathers.
* Sevin Dust 5% - over Bag Balm when treating for leg mites. 5% Sevin is also 'lightly' added to sand for dusting & after coops & nestboxes are cleaned before new shavings. Sevin dust is an effective parasite control.
* Sewing needle & cotton quilting thread, for administering stitches
*Sulmet - coccidiostat to treat coccidiosis-use exactly according to label directions. (various brands:Albon, Corid, Corid Amprovine, Di-Methox, Sulfaquinoxoline, Sulmet Oblet, Bovatec Premix, & Deccox) –Only treat for Cocci if fecal exam warrants. Coccidostats are very hard on the chickens system.
* Surgical gloves - makes cleanup easy
* Sweet PDZ - this helps in runs & under raised cages. Neutralizes ammonia smell fast. It's bio-degradable & non caustic unlike lime.
* Terramycin eye ointment
* Tweezers
* Tylan - powder form very effective
* Tylan 50-injectable- reserved for pets only when all else has failed & culling the next step
* Vaccinate for Coryza and ILT if you exhibit your birds at shows
* Vet Rx-for colds, sniffles, congestions, general respiratory aid
* Vetwrap
* Virucidal cleaner-Use for cleaning every thing, including visitors
*Vitamins & Electrolytes powder (or Gatorade)
* Vitamin K tablets- tablets are given 1/2 hour before dubbing to minimize blood loss, and K and Colloidal Silver (a great antibiotic for people and animals, both internal and external) is available at health food stores or vitamin shops.
* Wazine 17 (piperazine) - wormer for Round worms-follow label directions
* WD 40-spray the coop with it for buggies.
* Wonder Dust – Antibiotic dust-the first thing I grab for injuries, usually nothing else needed once I use this and I've treated some very nasty injuries.
In addition to the helpful list of items to keep on hand, here are some general words of wisdom from The Easy Chicken Folks.
*There are some things on the list I wouldn’t bother keeping on hand for the small poultry farm. For example Tylan 50, its very expensive, expires, must be refrigerated, and is an injection in most cases. If you were too need it you could buy it, or improvise with a different product.
*Back up food and water! Most people forget about this! I keep a weeks supply of food in the garage, also don’t forget to keep swapping it for fresh feed so it will not go bad. I also have 50 gal drums that are already filled with water serving another purpose, but if I ever need to get water I would have plenty.
*Add a little vinegar to waters to keep algae and other critters from growing in the water-1 Tablespoon per gallon. It also helps with the digestion and calcium intake.
*Also sprinkle garlic powder over food and use colloidal silver in water to help fight off infections.
*I use apple cider vinegar with 'mother' in it. Besides cutting down on algae, 1 Tablespoon per gallon helps the chickens absorb nutrients, like calcium, easier.
*I do add both cayenne & garlic to my feed along with Red Cell for horses (selenium) 2 Tablespoon each per 50lbs. Be careful using the Red Cell. Too much can build up toxicity in the birds.
*Meds should be stored in a cool, dark, dry spot. (basement) When opened some things have a very short shelf life. Most of the powder forms V&E will last around 7-10 days once the pkg is opened. I no longer use these, I've switched to pedialyte
*I keep track of who is treated for what, how, why, length of treatment and any reoccurrences. If a bird has recurring problems then I will cull it and I don't mean cull as in sell to someone else. If you hatch eggs even for entertainment then you are in essence breeders and have responsibilities. You do not want a sick bird procreating chicks for you. No matter how pretty, it does not belong in your gene pool to be passed on to neighbors & customers when you sell extra chicks & birds. If you have a favorite that has problems then do not allow it to breed.
*New birds are quarantined for a minimum of 1 month and that is not a guarantee you won't have problems. But it does help.
This message was edited May 23, 2007 5:48 AM
Whoooooeeee! My poor Babies ! they dont have a medicine Chest! I just give them Game Bird Starter grower (Medicated) and then wean them off onto Wild bird seed with sunflower seed , and laying mash at about 16 weeks!
Since I havent raised enough large breed chickens to eat, usually the game bird feed was sufficient with the free ranging,for my bantam breeds!
I now have growing an assortment of brown egg layers and have 2 Barred Rock Hens laying! I dont particularly like the idea of Chemicals in anything I eat if I can avoid it,(nearly Impossible), so i really only give layer mash in the winter and if the the hens have to be penned for a length of time! I think the more natural I raise them the better they will be, and me too!
I like the idea of vinegar in the waterers to avoid the Algae. I try to clean them everytime I change the water with good old scrubbing and dish soap!
the cleaner the chicken area the healthier the bird I say! I know a lot of you probably dont have the time I do as a retired person , so it is more than likely you cant always keep ahead of some problems! But I am with the chickens so many times a day that I notice everything, or try to ,anyway!
So what Im trying to say is , LoraK, if you arent raising a whole lot of birds, 25 or more, just think..... Cleaner is better and if their Mama raised them they would be on the ground immediately and eating anything and everything that moved! Then at night until they got their own feathers and sometime even later,depending on the weather, they stayed under Mama for the warmth!
E.
Thanks you both for the answers! I am a stay at home wife with 5 days to herself. So I think I can keep up with the chickens. I do like the idea of cider vinegar though, when my husband is home I tend to stay busy with him. Thanks again and I will collect up some emergency supplies!
LoraK-Apple cider vinegar with the mother in it (unpasturized, unfiltered) really is better. I take a shot (mixed with water) a day myself. I figure between that, garlic and a clean area, I am done (me & them). Low maintenance is my motto, compost & bug patrol is why I got into them. The eggs are just a great healthy benefit.
Eufaula - is there a certain age that they go for the sunflower seeds? Mine are not even 2 monthes and they just ignore it.
Hey MQN, I dont know! Seems to me that the seeds just dissappear! Could have been the helping beaks of the local black birds too! I think it depends on the type of Chicken,Bantam or Standard! I Do know that the standards gobble them up and have been for as long as they have been out of the brooder! Now I will say, the Sunflower seeds in the Wild bird mixture are small too!
My adult birds gobble it up in the winter when it is cold. I bet your chickies don't have strong enough beaks yet.
As to the medicine chest, woowee, I went crosseyed just looking at it. I think it is a great idea but all I really have on hand is a packet of antibiotics ( for emergency use only) food, water, lots of egg trays. I've put unpetroleum jelly on cuts and neosporin to heal and seal.
As to grit, I think they'll be fine if they have access to dirt to pick out their own grit. Some people will boil and reuse egg shells for calcium. ( The boiling is to chance the taste)
A medium sized dog crate has been worth it's weight in gold for me. I keep chicks in there, I've kept sick or injured birds in there, or just quarantined birds in there if needed. GOod TImes!
Thanks for the tips, Jab!!
Yep, Jab I too say thanks for all those tips! I never thought of so many things before for Chicken first aid, but now if I have a problem I know where to go!