The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[salt and pepper]

While I've never had the need to cull a chick, with a adult birds I take the neck right off the bird ( like breaking it, just pull harder ) I think that way, I at least know the bird is completely dead, not just immobilized. Never done the chopper block method, knowing me, I would probably miss. As for cutting the jugular vein, I can't help but think that's it's less humane, at least with the other two methods, you KNOW it's dead, with cutting the jugular vein, you're just letting it bleed to death, and really don't know if it's feeling pain or not.

 

[salt and pepper]

http://www.weedemandreap.com/2013/06/are-plant-based-diets-fad.html
I need to share this article with you guys. It's so interesting. I'm sure none of us here are vegans - because I'm sure we are fans of eggs here on BYC.

AWESOME article!

 

[Elliemae 77]

Hey everybody,

I'm having a terrible time with mites. I put DE in there favorite bathing spots.....dust with poultry dust occasionally....they are getting ff with garlic, cilantro and oregano. I want to keep things all natural, but I had to break down and get the big guns out and spray my birds with permetherin.....but the mites keep coming back......I've cleaned the coop all out and sprayed it down also, and add new bedding every other month.....so what am I missing? I will be moving.them to my new coop, and I'd really like to have these nasty little buggers gone before I move anybody. My walls in the old coop are painted white(just paint). My nest boxes are wooden crates with one side taken off.....lots of little nooks and crannys for those little critters to hide I guess. That seems to be the worst area for them since my laying hens are the ones that keep getting mites repeatedly and have the highest concentration of them. Poor girls. Would it help to whitewash the new coop instead of paint? Any other suggestions?

 

[aoxa]

While I've never had the need to cull a chick, with a adult birds I take the neck right off the bird ( like breaking it, just pull harder ) I think that way, I at least know the bird is completely dead, not just immobilized. Never done the chopper block method, knowing me, I would probably miss. As for cutting the jugular vein, I can't help but think that's it's less humane, at least with the other two methods, you KNOW it's dead, with cutting the jugular vein, you're just letting it bleed to death, and really don't know if it's feeling pain or not.

If you saw the jugular done properly you would not question them in pain. The amount of time it would take them to feel it (think shock here - Ever get cut really bad? It does not hurt for quite some time).

By the time they WOULD feel it, they are dead. Very obviously dead. 30 seconds is all it takes before their heart stops. They just fall asleep. Being carried to the cone is the worst part for them. I'm thinking actually laying them down on a chopping block and seeing the axe come at them is more traumatizing for them. Plus I miss. I have missed. Therefore never doing it again.

By missing I mean we got it, but not the right way. Head was not off. It was traumatic and terrifying. :S

 

[aoxa]

Hey everybody,

I'm having a terrible time with mites. I put DE in there favorite bathing spots.....dust with poultry dust occasionally....they are getting ff with garlic, cilantro and oregano. I want to keep things all natural, but I had to break down and get the big guns out and spray my birds with permetherin.....but the mites keep coming back......I've cleaned the coop all out and sprayed it down also, and add new bedding every other month.....so what am I missing? I will be moving.them to my new coop, and I'd really like to have these nasty little buggers gone before I move anybody. My walls in the old coop are painted white(just paint). My nest boxes are wooden crates with one side taken off.....lots of little nooks and crannys for those little critters to hide I guess. That seems to be the worst area for them since my laying hens are the ones that keep getting mites repeatedly and have the highest concentration of them. Poor girls. Would it help to whitewash the new coop instead of paint? Any other suggestions?

Where are you getting the bedding? Sometimes they come with the mites.

It would help to white wash to keep them from living in the coop. Provide proper bedding (not straw, as that is a mite's dream home) like shavings, dried grass clippings, leaves, etc.

Dust them with wood ash thoroughly. I provide a big bath for them to self apply.

 

[beccasev]

I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this. We live in a "country estate" type subdivision. 5 acre lots, lots of woods, no livestock allowed with cloven feet. ThIs morning when I went out to let the chickens out, I heard this really strange bird call, like an injured duck. I heard the same thing yesterday in a different area. After realizing that my neighbor's hunting son was over, I figured he was out hunting. But for what? Turns out it is coyote season, and only coyote season. So I'm not sure how I feel about him calling coyotes into the area near my chickens. Sure if he gets one that's fine. I haven't actually seen one or heard one in the area, though we did see a fox yesterday. I guess that could have been a coyote? It was across the field in the neighbor's woods. So now I am feeling anxious and unsure about letting the girls out of their run. :-(

 

[Kassaundra]

If you saw the jugular done properly you would not question them in pain. The amount of time it would take them to feel it (think shock here - Ever get cut really bad? It does not hurt for quite some time).

By the time they WOULD feel it, they are dead. Very obviously dead. 30 seconds is all it takes before their heart stops. They just fall asleep. Being carried to the cone is the worst part for them. I'm thinking actually laying them down on a chopping block and seeing the axe come at them is more traumatizing for them. Plus I miss. I have missed. Therefore never doing it again.

By missing I mean we got it, but not the right way. Head was not off. It was traumatic and terrifying. :S

Same here, will NEVER do the hatchet again, I think I have post traumatic stress disorder from it, one of the worst chicken experiences of my life. I use a pellet gun for the adults, have not had to do a chick yet.

 

[aoxa]

Same here, will NEVER do the hatchet again, I think I have post traumatic stress disorder from it, one of the worst chicken experiences of my life. I use a pellet gun for the adults, have not had to do a chick yet.

We still cringe Kass. Really not a pleasant experience. But for those of you who use this method and don't miss, props to you. If you are coordinated that is.

Seems females are less coordinated. Not being sexist, as I am a woman, but Susan can't hit it either.

God help me if I have to chop fire wood. I'm renting a wood splitter.. I am not good with an axe.

 

[aoxa]

I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this. We live in a "country estate" type subdivision. 5 acre lots, lots of woods, no livestock allowed with cloven feet. ThIs morning when I went out to let the chickens out, I heard this really strange bird call, like an injured duck. I heard the same thing yesterday in a different area. After realizing that my neighbor's hunting son was over, I figured he was out hunting. But for what? Turns out it is coyote season, and only coyote season. So I'm not sure how I feel about him calling coyotes into the area near my chickens. Sure if he gets one that's fine. I haven't actually seen one or heard one in the area, though we did see a fox yesterday. I guess that could have been a coyote? It was across the field in the neighbor's woods. So now I am feeling anxious and unsure about letting the girls out of their run. :-(

Probably not a good idea when he is home.. Are you even allowed to hunt in residential areas? Aren't you supposed to be quite a distance away from a residence?

 

[loanwizard]

Time for a cold hard pragmatic natural person step in. Nobody feels good playing God with a creature unless they are a sociopathic serial killer. It is a necessary evil that comes with the territory. You have accepted dominion over a rather helpless being and have to make these life and death decisions.

Let me tell you (again) the few experiences that I have and remember in the last 4 years.

Chickens on the chopping block... Partial misses. I felt bad, but in retrospect it was all over in less than 30 seconds. I am quite certain the animal was in shock, not pain. That said, I now stand on a broomstick and pull hard and decisively.

Pigs- I bought some pigs that did not do well last year. They stopped being aggressive at the feed trough, then stopped eating. Yes.... I medicated and tried to treat. 1st one, on her last night, I carried her to the dog kennel and laid with her in straw for 2 hours. When I returned in the morning she was gone. Sounds sweet, but I let her suffer way too long. 2nd one, I shot..... 3 times with a 22. The look in her eyes still haunt me every once in a while.

Worst one was a cat that I lost a couple weeks ago. She got into some tanning bed cleaning solution that was nasty and tore her all up. Kids had used all the ammo except a 20ga. slug. I partially missed at point blank range. She ran to the garage and I had to retrieve her to do it all again correctly.

Does it hurt? Absolutely, but it is my responsibility, one which I face, and accept


as the head of household.