# It's cold!



## enthusiast07 (Jul 27, 2013)

This evening I decided to bring two separate flocks together due to the extreme cold. One coop had 7 and the other had 4. I brought the 4 from the small coop and put them in with the other along with their heat lamp and they now have both lamps. With it going to -20 here without the windchill we don't take any chances. Their runs were up against each other and they had gotten to know each other so the introduction went extremely well! Only two chickens were pecking a little but it quickly subsided and after watching for a little while I left them to their grub. I hope everyone is staying warm in this harsh Northeastern weather!


----------



## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

I'm counting down the hours till the last of this cold front rolls on by. This is ridiculously cold. We don't even have much for snow to bank the house and coop with. At least the sun has been out during the day here. That sure helps warm up the house and coop for a little while. 

Glad your 2 groups are meshing in together fine. They'll be warm and snug as can be now.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

15 here this morning just North of the FL line. Frozen waterers and I thought I had left that part of chicken keeping behind.


----------



## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

if i can find Al Gore i'm going to have some unkind words for him
where is that global warming.... we are freezing out butts off up here in new hampshire
5f & windy was no fun for me or the flock today


----------



## enthusiast07 (Jul 27, 2013)

I'm just shocked that mine are laying eggs here in eastern Ohio. The high is 18 today which is nice compared to what we have had! And if we could talk to Al Gore I would kindly ask if his scientists pals would give some of their expensive gov't sponsored money for research into "climate change" back. Lol and I hope the Florida crops don't all die. I like my strawberries!


----------



## rob (Jun 20, 2012)

cant believe the weather you guys are having, stay safe everyone and look after your flocks


----------



## minmin1258 (Nov 5, 2013)

I have an issue (Robin416) hoping to get some assistance with. 






this is Redman, my RIR Roo. This morning when I went t let the babies out of their coop he had greenish white gunk frozen to his eye. He was constantly shaking his head. I've called every vet within a two hr drive in every direction and there are none who treat farm fowl. So I went to TSC and purchased Vetercyn gel (a treatment for eye irritation and pink eye) then to Walmart and purchased Bausch and Lomb sensitive eye wash. Brought him into the house and he got his first ever bath and blow dry. Wash his face as good as I could then after he was dry I washed his eye with a few drops of the eye wash then applied the gel ****. His eye is open and clean, bright and shiny. Unfortunately he is still shaking his head occasionally. Is there something else I can do and did I do the right thing to begin with?






also is the discoloration on his comb from frostbite?


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If that's frostbite that's the weirdest pattern I've ever seen. But yes, it probably is. 

Don't consider Vetricyn to the cure all for anything. It might a good topical cleanser but it is not everything the hype says. He could have gotten something in his eye and it irritated it. You probably should have some antibiotic eye ointment, most feed stores carry it. Many vets will sell it without seeing the bird. 

I don't know what's up with the head shaking. Quite often it nothing more than a sound that they don't recognize. I see my own do it when they hear a voice they don't recognize.


----------



## minmin1258 (Nov 5, 2013)

I asked several of the vets I spoke with if they would sell me an ophthalmic antibiotic ointment, everyone of them made an excuse not to. I checked the four feed stores I know about and couldn't find anything for chickens. Everything was either a vetericyn spray, or gel and they were all for bovine or swine. Even tried two Pet stores thinking I could find something for parrots or pigeons, nothing! he seems to shake his head more when he brings it back up after nipping at grass or foraging. Kinda like he's light headed and doesn't know how to handle it. 
Another thing when I picked him up out of the bath water he opened his mouth realize and hissed at me???? What's that all about? Could that have been wheezing maybe???


----------



## minmin1258 (Nov 5, 2013)

Stupid auto correct- NOT realize was supposed to say " real wide".


----------



## enthusiast07 (Jul 27, 2013)

It sounds like your doing everything you can do! I hope he heals fast. Would it be possible to use a diluted vinegar to help around the eye?


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I wonder if this is a case of different states, different laws on the eye ointment. Check online at one of the animal supply sites like Jeffers, see if they have it. Its worth having around for other stuff. Now I need to go see if my new state is different.

enthusiast, really bad idea on the vinegar. Vinegar is an acid and can/will do damage to the eye. We should never use anything in or around the eyes that is not formulated for the eye.


----------



## enthusiast07 (Jul 27, 2013)

Thank you for letting us know that vinegar would not be a wise solution, I was unsure that it would. 

I have heard of people who have had eye infections with turkeys and have used something called Terramycin eye ointment. I would assume that it would be safe for chickens. Is this something that could help?


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

There is a terramycin eye ointment, I'll assume that is what they were referring to. It is formulated to match that of the eye to prevent irritation and possible exacerbation of the existing problem. Our eyes are delicate organs and once we've done permanent damage to them it can affect everything we do. Same goes for our birds.


----------



## enthusiast07 (Jul 27, 2013)

Here is a good link to a discussion on eye treatment on BYC:

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/396543/should-i-try-terramycin-eye-ointment

there are other options here too


----------



## minmin1258 (Nov 5, 2013)

Wow he's soooo much better this morning! No gunk!! No head shaking! I put the gel in again this morn. He wasn't happy about it though. Thanks for all your help.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

And this is why you have be careful what you believe: from the site "sure its not eye worm? I had one that the eye was huge and I squeezed and this big white blob of hard stink stuff came out. I was told it was eye worm. Vet rx or tylan drop in the eyes for the worm if thats what it is? good luck!"

That was not eye worm, it was pus from an infection. This is when my not very diplomatic persona gets away from me. Vet Rx should never, ever be put in the eye. I challenged someone else once to put it in their eye first to see how that feels.


----------



## minmin1258 (Nov 5, 2013)

When I read that I thought YOU were saying to use Vet RX in eye...kept thinking NO NO NO!!! Lol. Reread it!!! Wow didn't see quotation marks first time. I thought maybe you had celebrated New Years too much and were still feeling th effects. Lol. That stuff is like liquid Vicks. That would definitely burn!!!! Talk about eye irritation!!!!


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

minmin1258 said:


> When I read that I thought YOU were saying to use Vet RX in eye...kept thinking NO NO NO!!! Lol. Reread it!!! Wow didn't see quotation marks first time. I thought maybe you had celebrated New Years too much and were still feeling th effects. Lol. That stuff is like liquid Vicks. That would definitely burn!!!! Talk about eye irritation!!!!


That statement by that OP is the reason I'm no longer on that site, besides the messiness of it. I absolutely can not believe anybody could be that stupid. I left when a mod, that should have known better, recommended doing it. And yes, I did call her on it.

What happens is the everybody and his brother sees all the hype and without thinking about it further jumps in with both feet. I question everything unless I already have the knowledge about what it is or what the ingredients are. It would benefit our animals if we all did that first.

I also saw where someone was recommending Denagard. The misuse and over use of that drug is going to make it ineffective for when we truly need it. I wish that one could have stayed under the radar like it had been for so many years.


----------



## minmin1258 (Nov 5, 2013)

So true! I hav gotten caught up in the hype a time or too but questioned things too more often! Being new I sometimes believe what I read first then 
Question it and research more. I've grown t trust what you have said/say. You've never lead me astray yet. Lol


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Be careful, sometimes I say things backwards. I've gotten so I stop and think for a while before I answer anything a bit off the beaten path.


----------



## minmin1258 (Nov 5, 2013)

Wish everyone would do that. Lol


----------



## nj2wv (Aug 27, 2013)

Minmin my rooster has a similar pattern on his comb like red man has. It looks like someone took a sharpie and drew a line across his comb. Lots of weirdo people here in this area so hard to know for sure.


----------



## minmin1258 (Nov 5, 2013)

Lol NJ2WV I so know what you mean! There is one lady here in town that was going around telling everyone not to buy my eggs because they were old. When I confronted her about it she said...well they are why else would they be brown or green! Sometimes I'm embarrassed to tell people I'm from WV, there are so many "ODD" people around here they automatically think you are an inbred idiot! Glad to know there is two of us...at least...who have SOME common sense! Lol


----------

