The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lalaland]

Darn it!! here I was thinking everything was going well with the chickens and now I have a lethargic 8 week old cream legbar pullet. Doing the traditional hunched posture, sleepy thing. Scooped her up (and she normally wouldn't let me do that) and popped her in an isolation cage. She has a full crop, clear eyes, no discharge, vent looks great, no sign of mites or anything. She was fine this morning but by 5 pm was not.

Going to check her in the morning and see if her crop empties. For tonight, water with acv....keeping my fingers crossed. I did have a 4 year old hatchery hen go down a week ago - noticed she was slow one day and she was gone the next. I don't know if that is coincidence or totally unrelated to the pullet. They shared coop and run space.

After the hen died last week, I checked each hen individually, and did a little dosing with probiotics, and sulphur.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Darn it!! here I was thinking everything was going well with the chickens and now I have a lethargic 8 week old cream legbar pullet. Doing the traditional hunched posture, sleepy thing. Scooped her up (and she normally wouldn't let me do that) and popped her in an isolation cage. She has a full crop, clear eyes, no discharge, vent looks great, no sign of mites or anything. She was fine this morning but by 5 pm was not.

Going to check her in the morning and see if her crop empties. For tonight, water with acv....keeping my fingers crossed. I did have a 4 year old hatchery hen go down a week ago - noticed she was slow one day and she was gone the next. I don't know if that is coincidence or totally unrelated to the pullet. They shared coop and run space.

After the hen died last week, I checked each hen individually, and did a little dosing with probiotics, and sulphur.

Is it possible they might have gotten into any poison? Neighbors spraying herbicides or spraying for termites, etc.?

 

[lalaland]

the only thing I can think of that worries me is the wet wet summer and the grass hay bales from last winter. I kept them in the run, and the hens have been scratching them apart and finding grubs...so I've left the bales there. We have had record rains and things have been unusally wet and damp. I noticed the hens nibble at the old hay - it isn't stiff and scratchy, but ....kind of wet and limp . So maybe botulism? that could explain the hen, but not the pullet as I have never seen them interested in the hay.

No poison, no spraying....no neighbors within sight of the coop.

She was alert and complaining about being in the cage when I went to add the waterer. I have the cage in the coop - her two hatchmates were outside the cage chirping in distress so I just tossed them in with her. She drank immediately and thirstily when the waterer went in.

If her crop doesn't go down overnight, I will dose her with oil. But right now I have no idea, of course, what might be up.

 

[ki4got]

the only thing I can think of that worries me is the wet wet summer and the grass hay bales from last winter. I kept them in the run, and the hens have been scratching them apart and finding grubs...so I've left the bales there. We have had record rains and things have been unusally wet and damp. I noticed the hens nibble at the old hay - it isn't stiff and scratchy, but ....kind of wet and limp . So maybe botulism? that could explain the hen, but not the pullet as I have never seen them interested in the hay.

No poison, no spraying....no neighbors within sight of the coop.

She was alert and complaining about being in the cage when I went to add the waterer. I have the cage in the coop - her two hatchmates were outside the cage chirping in distress so I just tossed them in with her. She drank immediately and thirstily when the waterer went in.

If her crop doesn't go down overnight, I will dose her with oil. But right now I have no idea, of course, what might be up.

not botulism... MOLD. most molds produce toxins of one kind or another, and the kind that builds up in hay is usually not friendly with anything that comes in contact with it.

 

[Turk Raphael]

I have heard that more times then now, but have never had the courage to try it. I have had one anaphylactic reaction (not to pi ) but NEVER want to repeat that again.

I'll be the first to say that we might be able to eat a small piece of this devil herb because we are simply not prone to reaction from it. That's why I would never recommend anyone else do the same crazy stuff. Next year I might have my usual 'spring salad' and have my mouth involved in a super-reaction! I keep a couple 'tools' on hand, just in case. I feel badly for those who suffer from reactions to anything like the nasty plants because I have seen some folks in such misery, they can hardly stand it.

One person told me that the best relief, on a temporary basis is extremely hot water. It makes the affected area itch SO badly for a second or two but then it has relief for quite a while. If someone gives that a try, I'd like to know if it actually works....

 

[lalaland]

well, I got 1/4 tsp of olive oil down her. massaged her crop, which was tight and full of gritty stuff or corn kernals...I'll give her a half hour and try some more.
No droppings so far. I don't think she pooped last night either.

Here are the classic sick chick picks:





she will not lay down - at 4 am, in the dark, her sibs were in "nesting" position, and she was standing.

 

[ronott1]

well, I got 1/4 tsp of olive oil down her. massaged her crop, which was tight and full of gritty stuff or corn kernals...I'll give her a half hour and try some more.
No droppings so far. I don't think she pooped last night either.

Here are the classic sick chick picks:





she will not lay down - at 4 am, in the dark, her sibs were in "nesting" position, and she was standing.

Do you have corid? The first thing to do is treat for coccidiosis.

Edited to add: I just read the first post--natural chemical free--

The chick likely has cocci. You can try plain yogurt and whatever vitamins you can give and be chemical free. Cocci can kill in three days depending on how bad the load of cysts are.

Going the natural way, to build resistance in the flock, you may want to cull her, meaning to not use for breeding.

Look up coccidiosis. It is very painful for the chick. euthanize if she is suffering too much.

 

[armorfirelady]

Yes I certainly am. Little grey is not so grey anymore. New feathers are coming in black. And her comb is pinked up I've got them for a couple more weeks. My mom went on vacation and I promised I wouldn't rehome them until she got back. The guy taking them doesn't care. He just got 15 day olds Friday. He wants to give me eggs to hatch for him. I told him if he gets a broody hen next spring he won't need my girls to do it lol

I want to zip tie the ones I think are boys and see if I got them sexed right. I think my chances of grey being a girl are slim. Guess I need to look at Edie's pics at the same age and see if she looks the same.

@Sally8 grey came out of the blue egg, so she will be an EE. But I'm curious if you got grey chicks whose new feathers came in black. I'm really curious to see what she feathers out as. And I noticed today she has grey feathered legs now. She certainly didn't have them before now. It's fun to see how much they change. Of course the black one with the white tux breast is adorable as well

Usually the grays' neck and head feathers turn dark and the rest stay gray. I have a lot of grays this year. I'll try to take pics tomorrow. My son has my computer but I'll try with this iPad.

Thanks Sally. I got home from a 4 day vacation and it amazes me how much they have grown in those few days.

Hard,to tell grey from the black chicks from a distance but once they get a little closer I can usually spot her

Been discussing this on the Indiana thread.  Taking all ideas on [COLOR=FF0000]removing poison ivy from the property.    [/COLOR]

I can't use chemical herbicides.  Has to be "people and animal safe". 

THE STORY
I have a very bad case of PI which I've never had before this year ever.  I finally realized that every time I'm around the chickens I'm being exposed to it as there is PI in the wooded area that they run in.  They are carriers on their feathers.  I think I may have be exposed every time I gather eggs since it's on them and they are likely to leave some residue in the nests and possibly on the eggs.

Anyhow..I've gotten some ideas from the folks on the IN thread and I wanted to put it out here, also, to see if anyone has had any great success with it.  I think I really need to try to remove the roots somehow if possible too.

  Your experience would be greatly appreciated.

I spent the weekend camping and traipsing in And out of poison ivy unintentionally. As did the dogs. Continued that for the day unintentionally. A friend finally helped me practice identifying it. I did go to the store and bought some anti itch cream thinking I would break out. Never did which is weird since I get random break outs of hives for no reason and have a lot of outside allergies I get shots for. I'm certainly not complaining. A friend camping with us said to use vinegar on PI areas on your skin.

 

[ronott1]

I'll be the first to say that we might be able to eat a small piece of this devil herb because we are simply not prone to reaction from it. That's why I would never recommend anyone else do the same crazy stuff. Next year I might have my usual 'spring salad' and have my mouth involved in a super-reaction! I keep a couple 'tools' on hand, just in case. I feel badly for those who suffer from reactions to anything like the nasty plants because I have seen some folks in such misery, they can hardly stand it.

One person told me that the best relief, on a temporary basis is extremely hot water. It makes the affected area itch SO badly for a second or two but then it has relief for quite a while. If someone gives that a try, I'd like to know if it actually works....

Hi Ron!

 

[lazy gardener]

When I've been around PI, I wash exposed skin with straight ammonia, then rinse very well. It's not skin friendly for sure, but better than a 6 week bout of PI!!!!