Reviews by Shadrach

Informative article on a very vauable winter food source.

Well done your mum. This really needs some details about how it was built and at least one picture showing where it went in the coop.

Should one even rate an article like this? Oh yes, most definitely.
Three million views. Heading towards one hundred thousand posts. Real stories of real chickens from real people. There is a wealth of experience and knowledge in the thread from all over the world, from backyarders to free rangers hosted by the kindest person on BYC.
Read this article. Go and take some pictures of your chickens so you can pay the tax and join in.

I have given this article a four star rating mainly because of the pictures and the details of treating in the ear and around the eyes. But I do have some concerns.
The article seems to deal with one type of mite; the so called Red Mite. But, the Red Mite does not live on the chicken! The Red Mite lives in the coop, or environment. It tends to feed at night and return to its place of hiding in daylight, or when exposed to light. It is easy to mistake lice for red mite because the Red Mite has a similar colour to a Louse until it has fed. It is the blood the mite sucks from the chicken that turns it's body red.
There are many other mites that live on the chicken. The number of different types of mites on the planet has yet to be established. My point here is that the most common mites that live on the chicken are not red and some are very difficult to see with the naked eye. I doubt that many people have seen the Scaly Leg Mite, or The Straw Itch Mite. You can see The Northern Fowl Mite and The Feather or Depluming Mite with the naked eye.
While it is true that an accurate application of coconut oil wil kill a mite and such a method may be suitable for dealing with mites one can see in sensitive areas such as the ear and eyes (The mite drowns or is suffocated by the oil) this isn't a practical method of treating a large scale infestation.
I liked the mention of alternative chemical treatments to the standard most commonly recommended. This is helpful for people who live in regions where Permethrin and Ivermectin may be difficult to source. I have no idea of their efficacy but any insecticide should do the job. The concern is allergic skin reactions to some common insecticides.
I also need to point out the very common mistake in the belief that dust bathing will erradicate mites. Chickens dust bath primarily to absorb the waste oils that condition their feathers. While it may be true that some mites, and moreso lice, may be dislodged during dust bathing, a major infestation will not be addressed by dust bathing.

I enjoyed this article. It raises an interesting issue with regard to assisted hatching. My view in the past has been if a chick doesn't hatch or if a chick does hatch but the mother abandons the chick then I accept nature, or the mothers decision and don't interfere.
This article demonstrates the risk the keeper takes in interfering with what would seem to be natures way of ensuring that the overall health of the species is preserved.
I have read a number of threads where hatching has been assisted, sometimes the chick is reported to be healthy directly after the hatch but rarely does one get to read whether genetic problems became apparent at a later time.
Should one do it? I believe not and this article demonstrates why. However, in the end there is a human moral judgement underlying many assisted hatchings and those chicks that do lead a normal life afterwards are I dare say pleased to be alive.

There is a general reluctance to use such remedies as this to treat serious debilitating health problems. An article that is trying to promote such treatments really does need some evidence based text, preferably with pictures of progress through treatment and any research into the efficacy of such treaments.

I have to admit I didn't know how to rate this article. The behavioural observations are good and I agree with many of them. The problem I have with the article is the politics and the references to the auther's own family. It's a bit of an emotional melting pot.

I enjoyed reading this. I have two reservations.
The title. One might read this as no knowledge prior to getting chickens required.
Pictures! Every article is better with pictures but you know I'm likely to write this given the number of pictures I post.

You can thank By Bob for the rating. I would not have come accross the article without Bob pointing it out.
I don't know how, or why you got three and half stars. It's a lovely article. It could do with more pictures of the build and the finished product, but this artcle is primarily about the story of the build and I really enjoyed the style of writing.

This is a very well presented article.
My only issue with it is fertile eggs shouldn't be handled any more than is absoultley necessary and people should be discouraged from candling eggs altogether.

The article itself is a decent account of a persons experience with trying to hatch chicks with a broody hen.

It's the chop bit that's important; and what you chop of course. I chop everything I feed to chickens. I found they eat a wider range of foods if they are chopped into very small bits.
I've never frozen veg for them. I've always cooked it, let it cool and then chopped. Most of the chickens I've known won't touch raw carrot but serve it cooked and chopped and they'll eat it.
Good call on the limitations of commercial feed.
I've only cared for free range chickens and the nutrients they'll get from your feeding method they've got from a wide range of forage in the past.
I'm glad someone has written an article in improving the variety of a chickens diet. I think it's a very important topic which tend to get snowed under in the promotion of commercial feeds.
For the backyard keeper your mass production may just be an answer for providing a varied and balanced diet with minmum fuss.

Getting a chicken to come to you beats trying to dive on them in some rough undergrowth.
A link to the cited study would have been good.
Two things I would like to know.
Does this work with sick chickens.
If the chickens are well fed does one need to change the treat as boredom sets in.

I must admit, after seeing June Bug in the first picture I would have read and rated no matter what the content.I think she's gorgeous.
Next came the camo combats. I've worn them for years. Some say I've worn the same pair for years but I have actually got three identical pairs.
Oh! The article!
Way above average. Could have mentioned how to make a foot pad while you were at it but never mind. Love the pictures. Good script. Great actors. Have an oscar.

I enjoyed this article and having had roosters crowing in my house about 3 meters away from my bed I know how loud they can be.
I measured the decibel level at Im away with a condensing microphone and I got readings of around 100db. Different roosters produced different loudness.
A point worth mentioning in your article is that hearing damage is not just dependent on loudness, or decibel level, exposure time to that level is an important factor regarding permenant hearing damage. Of course, at a few meters away the loudness declines so distance from sound source is also a factor.
I found I could sleep through a roosters morning crowing using ear plugs that gave a 35db reduction in decibel level.

Well explained. Drawings and pictures. Good article.
I have no idea if the system works though.

I would have liked to give this 5 stars. The information is good and well laid out.
It needs a bit of work in the spelling and abbreviation area.
@Hoopla Have a read through and sort the spelling out

You get 5 stars from me just for doing it.
I liked the article but felt there was information missing that might help future Ex Batt keepers.
Making sure you can access vet care for chickens is a sensible thing to do before you get them.
I know BHWT can assist in this.
Feed the same feed if possible while making a gradual change over to a higher protein feed .
Don't let them free range the garden as soon as they arrive. I know you've covered this and as you write, most will be reluctant to leave the safety of the coop initially. The problem is, out in the big wide world, they don't know what is andd what isn't good for them to eat. Quite a few Ex Batts end up with crop problems because of this.
Anyway, loved the article and hope the experience doesn't turn out too hearbreaking.

Despite having seen lots of pictures and videos on your thread I was often confused as to where everything was. I know now.
Well detailed. The PDFs work fine for me. Love all the pictures.

Doesn't get much better than this. Fabulous article.
The right medication (Metacam) The right syringe technique (disconnect the syringe body from the needle) Good obsevations on the causes of egg binding and very unusual, recognising where the egg is stuck.
I'm a bit of a softie so I feed whatever they will eat for the first few days but I can't fault the advice.
Stick these symptoms on many forums and people will call Mareks. Lovely to see that someone has thought and come to the correct conclusion.
Well presented. Great pictures and videos.
I hope you won't mind if I link this around the threads I frequent.