The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[potagergirl]

I somehow missed the first post you made. I can identify with the problem you are having and all the tears. Hubby brought some older chicks home 27 pullets he got from the local farm store. I did not even think of the "medicated feed" because I have never used it. I hate to say we had to resort to Corid for the cocci. That's when I realized they were feeding medicated feed =(.
We actually ended up giving a second round of Corid just 5 days after the last dose from the first set. Why? because the cocci came back with a vengeance! It took out three birds in 2 days.
So with the second round of Corid I also got a bag of medicated feed (never thought I would ever say that one). I began with 100% medicated the first 2 days then went to 75% medicated and 25% un-medicated. I gradually decreased the amount over the next two weeks until we were at 100% un-medicated. At that point I opened the tractor and said "FREE RANGE!!!"

This is what worked for me and I have not lost any more birds since. If I thought I had another choice at the time I would have taken it but I have the lives of 75 other birds on my farm to think about with 25 of those in the same large tractor as those cocci filled pullets. I know it was those pullets because those are the only ones that died from it and the only ones I ever saw pooping blood.
It is a very hard decision and the one I did not want to go with so it was with great reluctance. I am not glad we did, I wish it hadn't happened in the first place. Now when I go to water the first thing in the pail are several cloves of cracked garlic. I firmly believe if I had put garlic in the chicks water in the first place it wouldn't have happened. All my other chickens had garlic in their waters I don't know why I didn't give it to the new chicks in the tractor. It won't happen again.

Good luck with your birds and I hope you are able to fix the problem soon.

 

[mlowen]

http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/05/herbs-and-their-uses-for-your-chickens.html

Here's another list of herbs for chickens and there are other health articles, too.

 

[COChix]

So here is Lacey she is 2 months old she looked just like your little one when she was a baby. She isn't the largest pullet but she sure is a pretty EE with those gorgeous green legs!

Pretty! I hope our girls have beautiful feathers like Lacey. For those of you who sprout seeds for your flock, at what age can you give sprouts to the chicks? I ask because when we got the flock as babies last year, I didn't sprout. Now I do and have been wondering. Thanks in advance!

 

[Lacy Blues]

I need to get some sprouts going again... on top of all the other things I'm trying to get done around here!

Anyway... sprouts for chicks... I think would depend on the type of sprout. I wouldn't give them BOSS sprouts until they're quite a bit older, just because of the size/thickness of the sprouts.

Barley sprouts or something that grows as grass, I cut into very small pieces with scissors... call it mowing but taking of just little bits off the top and stir them into their regular feed. I use fermented feed so the trimmings don't dry out at all.

 

[rides2far]

I gave mine sprouts at about 4 weeks of age. I sprouted green lentils for them. I did cut them up into small pieces.

 

[PheobeLover21]

I have a coop that is 4 feet long and 3 feet wide and is 1 I half feet tall the coop part where they go into is 4 feet wide 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. I currently have 3 sillies is that enough space for them. Or not

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Good news my tweeking of the incubator levels seems to have worked!!! Out of the 23 I moved over 3 pipped but quit, 14 pipped and hatched within 24 hours of first pip and 6 were unfertile with huge yokes!!!!

So of 17 growing only 3 failed to exit the shell. 14 of 17 isn't bad I don't think for 3rd try!!! Especially compared to 1 from 42 first round. Second round after I tried adjustment to humidity and heat gave 14 slow hatchers of 30. So one more trial with a full incubator.....

For now here are all three groups together..... and yes the UNO from first attempt is care taking all of them. Maybe I was wrong and it is a pullet???? Time will tell... Here are what I could catch for the photo

 

[COChix]

I need to get some sprouts going again... on top of all the other things I'm trying to get done around here!

Anyway... sprouts for chicks... I think would depend on the type of sprout.  I wouldn't give them BOSS sprouts until they're quite a bit older, just because of the size/thickness of the sprouts.  

Barley sprouts or something that grows as grass, I cut into very small pieces with scissors... call it mowing but taking of just little bits off the top and stir them into their regular feed.  I use fermented feed so the trimmings don't dry out at all.

Thanks, I have wheat grass I could do, I was kind figuring BOSS was out due to the seeds. I sprout BOSS and lentils mostly for the flock. I ferment so I will add it to there feed. I just switched everyone over to grower and free choice on the grit and oyster. Wow that has reduced some work load having different ages and such. Just wait until my broody Cornish hatches. Will I have to have them separate out for feed reasons and give them starter?

I gave mine sprouts at about 4 weeks of age. I sprouted green lentils for them. I did cut them up into small pieces.

Thanks, since I already due lentils for the adults I will give them some cut up.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thanks, I have wheat grass I could do, I was kind figuring BOSS was out due to the seeds. I sprout BOSS and lentils mostly for the flock. I ferment so I will add it to there feed. I just switched everyone over to grower and free choice on the grit and oyster. Wow that has reduced some work load having different ages and such. Just wait until my broody Cornish hatches. Will I have to have them separate out for feed reasons and give them starter?

No. You can give them the grower feed just like everyone else.

 

[SherrieC]

I have just discovered lice eggs on my 3 Australorps. What do you guys treat it with? I really don't want to use pesticides if I don't have to.

Last weekend I discovered one of my new wyandottes was laying fertile eggs so I started saving them up thinking I would put them under my broody this weekend if she was still broody but when checking her for lice I could feel she has lost lots of weight.