Backyard Brahmas!!

[Gryphon]

Congratulations on the egg! You could always blow it out and make it into an ornament.

 

[Vickis Girls]

Oh, that's a great idea! So do I poke a tiny hole in each end?

 

[Gryphon]

How I do it is to give it a few good shakes (be sure you have a firm grip so it doesn't go flying!) and with the tip of my can opener on my multitool I spin it around until a tidy hole forms, and repeat on the opposite end. (I used to use needles and so forth but I found more often than not they'd skip off the surface of the egg, thereby risking my hide, or they'd take bigger chunks out of the shell than I wanted.) If the egg is thick, having a toothpick poked slightly into the exit hole helps break the surface tension when you're blowing it out.

 

[Huntress78]

Anyone else have problems with their brahmas getting gizzard impaction and consequently starving? My older flock has free-ranged and grass impaction in the gizzard (not crop) has been a huge battle. So this winter, I thought I would be sure to add grit directly into their feed and it should grind everything up and impaction would be cleared. This I have done, but yet I am not getting any weight gain with this group of brahmas. The hens are extremely thin (basically skin and bones). When I think of a brahma, I think of large 5+ lbs. not 2-3 lbs. So I'm really not sure if I should end their lives now and give up hope or wait and see if they are able to gain weight? I guess I'm considering worming, but I really wouldn't suspect worms since I see nothing in their poop. The Easter Eggers seem to be better, not big, but not starving like the brahmas. What to do?

I guess you're not 100% sure it's impacted gizzards if you are considering worming right? If they were my birds I would consult a vet.

If it's impacted gizzards then adding grit to the feed may have made it worse. Home remedy...Take away all solid food. No grit, whole grains, grass etc. The gizzard would need to be flushed out just like an impacted crop. Feed only soft, wet food...their feed made into a wet mash, maybe add some oil. A little yogurt on the side. Add vitamins/electrolytes to the water and try to get them to drink as much as possible. Keep them warm.

Worms...I would not consider worming birds in a weakened state without consulting a vet. If something else is causing the weight loss (external parasites, illness, etc.) you could kill the birds by worming and waste money on the wormer and time doing it.

Good luck....let us know what you decide.

 

[Huntress78]

Congrats on the egg Vicki!
I'm with Gryphon...blow it out and keep it.

 

[livininbrazil]

I guess you're not 100% sure it's impacted gizzards if you are considering worming right? If they were my birds I would consult a vet.

If it's impacted gizzards then adding grit to the feed may have made it worse. Home remedy...Take away all solid food. No grit, whole grains, grass etc. The gizzard would need to be flushed out just like an impacted crop. Feed only soft, wet food...their feed made into a wet mash, maybe add some oil. A little yogurt on the side. Add vitamins/electrolytes to the water and try to get them to drink as much as possible. Keep them warm.

Worms...I would not consider worming birds in a weakened state without consulting a vet. If something else is causing the weight loss (external parasites, illness, etc.) you could kill the birds by worming and waste money on the wormer and time doing it.

Good luck....let us know what you decide.

Hi huntress, good advice here, but I was thinking that if it were impaction, then the chickens would have been very sick, but apparently they´re just skinny. And her other chickens aren´t affected. I have free-ranging brahmas, but they also eat a prepared chicken food beyond just forage.

Also, if they ARE weak, then you´re right, worming would not be a good idea yet. but it seems they´re just skinny. ?

Summer, how are the chickens now?

 

[Huntress78]

Quote:
Right, I went with the impaction because Summer said she'd been fighting it for a while. BUT, it could be other things too. Are they getting a high quality feed and in ample amounts? If the feeder is empty at the end of the day the EEs might be eating more of it and keeping weight on. Is scratch being fed? Maybe the Brahmas are filling up on scratch (low protein) while the EEs are eating the higher protein feed. Or it could be some illness or parasite. You don't always see adult worms in fecal matter even if they have worms...that's why I think a fecal test should be done by a vet before any wormer is given.

Lots of questions...maybe Summer will let us know.

 

[Vickis Girls]

Don't mean to take away from Summer's hens, just have a question. You mentioned that maybe they're eating too much scratch. I have a feeder in the coop with layer feed, and another one in the run with layer. I give a little bag of lettuce, apples, or whatever from the kitchen and also toss a couple small handfulls of scratch. Should I not give the scratch every day? How much is too much? Oh I should say I have five chickens, two of them are cockerels. No one is skinny or fat, although one cockerel really is big. Any ideas?

 

[livininbrazil]

Don't mean to take away from Summer's hens, just have a question. You mentioned that maybe they're eating too much scratch. I have a feeder in the coop with layer feed, and another one in the run with layer. I give a little bag of lettuce, apples, or whatever from the kitchen and also toss a couple small handfulls of scratch. Should I not give the scratch every day? How much is too much? Oh I should say I have five chickens, two of them are cockerels. No one is skinny or fat, although one cockerel really is big. Any ideas?

Sounds like the chickens are on a very ample diet. Chickens are fine with scratch if they´re getting the necessary nutrients in the other foodstuffs...sounds like they´re doing great!

 

[SD Bird Lady]

It only becomes a problem is they are eating scratch instead of a balanced diet. Think of it as giving your kids junk food every day. If they are having a piece of cake after dinner that is one thing but if they are eating cake and then not eating their supper you will have a problem eventually. I'm not saying that is what is happening with summer's birds but its just an analogy to explain why people are asking about what else they are getting. Moderation is key.