I have some Bimectin paste that has 1.87%% ivermectin. I was wondering
if I could use this on chickens before I went and ordered something
else. If so, what kind of dose do i give?

Thanks!

I have been monitoring the amount of layers' pellets my chickens eat for
various reasons, one of them being that I am now administering Flubenvet in
their feed. Jill (who as far as I'm concerned is Chicken Goddess) says they
should be eating about 125g of feed per bird per day, but my four are only
just about eating that between them.

None of them are laying at present (sigh!). One has gone off lay
temporarily, one is just about to come into lay, and the other two are still
just teenagers. Of course I keep them for the eggs, but also for fun, so my
real question is - does the amount of pellets they eat matter only for egg
production, or is it also a matter of their health?

For the last few days I have been leaving them in their run for the morning
to encourage them to go for the pellets, and at present (during the worming
week) I not only do that, but have withdrawn their small wheat treat in the
afternoons. Their run is covered so the food is under cover although not in
the hen house. For the rest of the day (and normally) they free range around
our acre of wild garden.

I am really quite puzzled by this because when I have looked after a friend's
(much larger) flock, when I let them out in the morning they all made a mad
dash for the trough of pellets until every scrap had gone.

roost size - spacing and dimensions

Hello Folks,
I hav the walls of the chicken coop done now, and want to design
roosts and laying boxes.

I have read much, perhaps too much!

So, now I am confused.

What should the dimensions of roosts be - figuring standard size
Chickens?

Could one use the 16" centers between studs in a wall as width
dimensions for neting boxes? this with a piece of 1/2 inch osb should
leave a 13" wide box - The question is what depth and height then?

Advice welcome.
Thanks,
Martin

We have two age groups of chicken. They are four weeks apart. So far
they are living in seperate coups, but we are thinking about mixing
them together. Would the older ones pick on the smaller younger
ones. The youger ones are about 8 weeks, older 12 weeks. Any
suggestions?

thanks.

A couple of days ago it got really hot and we lost a chicken due to
heat. We tried saving the 2nd one by keeping her cool and regularly
feeding it electrolytes. She is showing progress as she has started
to eat and drink on her own, and is also now moving and socializing
with other chicken. However from time to time she stops to breathe
labourously. We are going to the vet soon. In the meantime, any
advice what might be going on with her breathing? or what more should
we do?

thanks.

Is anyone using diatomaceous earth ? for worming. dorothy

A.Lee wrote:

We have found that, if they are given good water, that there is little
difference between the breeds, our Runners have always loved the water just
as much as other breeds.
All our ducks are into their ponds first thing and spend much of the day in
and out.

Go deeper first, 3-4 feet is good, as the birds wil fill it in gradually
with their working away at the backs.
5 - 6 feet across is good, they will make it broader and shallower in time.

If there is no running water into it and out - YES.

As those of you in the UK will know, we have had torrential rain today (2
inches in the rain gauge when I looked). The chickens have all sheltered
under the trees, but got pretty wet. They have then all stood around and
fluffed up and groomed themselves in the odd dry moment. However, the
Orpington, who has had a stressful time lately (lost her mate a week ago, new
chickens arrived same day) has been standing there pulling out quite a few of
her own feathers. She would have been hatched about February, and I believe
they don't moult in the first year, so is it just the rain? or stress? or
could it be something else? (They have all settled in well together and hang
around as a flock, so I don't believe it is her new companions at this
stage.)

Hi,

It would be worth checking out Vadlo (www.vadlo.com) for biology
protocols and databases.

There is powerpoint search and daily research cartoons (http://
vadlo.com/Daily_Research_Cartoon.html)