Thank you all.
Thank you all so much. I don't know what to say. (And that's rare, believe me...) I know I'm not really an idiot but, you know, these things can really drive a guy nuts.
Of course it's been heavy on my mind the last couple of days and there's some things I need to add I guess. I think I may have misframed my concern with the heat lamp coming on. I try hard to not allow my hens to get dependant on the heat or the additional lighting. I totally agree that it can make them dependant on it, and the added stress from forced laying is not healthy for them at all. The birds that died were already fatigued as it was I believe. The first one was a complete shock, but the second has been a weaker bird for some time. Both had suffered some frost bite on their combs this winter and I think they were just weakened in general. That's one of the reasons I was adamant about making sure they got some heat in the coldest hours of the morning.
Rachel, I've been thinking the same thing and have been giving them apple cider vinegar in their water every few days because of it. I will keep doing it for some time.
I think Anonymous #1 put it best in his/her comments. "If you have stock, you have problems." It's true to a point isn't it? As embarrassing as it can be to admit that I didn't know what to do, or that what I did do may have been the wrong thing, I do it because I know there's a chance someone else out there will have or does have the same problem. If I can't give the solution, I know the input from you all will most likely cover it.
Thanks for being a part of the process with me. And thanks for the support.
P~
Of course it's been heavy on my mind the last couple of days and there's some things I need to add I guess. I think I may have misframed my concern with the heat lamp coming on. I try hard to not allow my hens to get dependant on the heat or the additional lighting. I totally agree that it can make them dependant on it, and the added stress from forced laying is not healthy for them at all. The birds that died were already fatigued as it was I believe. The first one was a complete shock, but the second has been a weaker bird for some time. Both had suffered some frost bite on their combs this winter and I think they were just weakened in general. That's one of the reasons I was adamant about making sure they got some heat in the coldest hours of the morning.
Rachel, I've been thinking the same thing and have been giving them apple cider vinegar in their water every few days because of it. I will keep doing it for some time.
I think Anonymous #1 put it best in his/her comments. "If you have stock, you have problems." It's true to a point isn't it? As embarrassing as it can be to admit that I didn't know what to do, or that what I did do may have been the wrong thing, I do it because I know there's a chance someone else out there will have or does have the same problem. If I can't give the solution, I know the input from you all will most likely cover it.
Thanks for being a part of the process with me. And thanks for the support.
P~
Labels:
2009,
chickens,
urban chickens
1 comment:
Anonymous #1 was exactly right, Paul! My family first got poultry when I was 8 years old. We knew nothing about caring for them other than that you give them food and water every day. The first year, we lost so many birds.
Our guineas flew up into the trees and refused to come down at night. We lost ducks and chickens to hawks. That's how we learned that we needed to put wire over the top of the pens. Then the raccoons broke through the chicken wire and killed most of the birds...That's how we learned that chicken wire was incapable of keeping most predators out. We had built inadequate housing, exposed them to stress, fed them an inadequate diet and then wondered why we received so few eggs. Luckily, a friend of the family took us under her wing (all puns intended) and showed us the ropes. It was then that we learned that sometimes,despite our best efforts...animals expire. All we can do is give them our best effort and endeavor to learn as much as we can.
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