Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Bee is an awesome OT and I value the wisdom.

I am about to celebrate my first year of chicken raising in two weeks. So I an nowhere hear the vast knowledge of the OT here (Al is very cool!) Last May, I purchased 15 chicks in 6 week, 1 oops Roo, who is a joy & a first time Daddy two weeks ago. And 14 hens, who all are strong sturdy stock, 6 BO, 3 BR 3 EE & 2 Light Brahmas. That being said, I wanted more this year, out of the 9 chicks I got from the feed store on Feb. 2nd, same store as last years chickens, 2 died in the first 24 hrs, 1 died a week ago. Then a month later I bought the March chicks, 1 died 3 weeks later, and another a week after that. This batch of chicks does not seem as hearty as last year. The ones who survived are eating & growing well, just have to see how they fair in the long hot Texas summer this year. None of my chicks were over $4.00 a piece, I try to observe them before I pick a chick, but you never know what will happen down the road.

Hope you get the issue with your hens resolved, and have a nice healthy flock to enjoy for many years.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Back to the WORMS....

I've read of using Basic H for cattle worming. Does anyone have any expericence using it with chickens?

 

[Beekissed]

I've used it for chickens...not that I ever saw any worms or symptoms of worms but I like to throw preventative measures in there every once in awhile. I've used it for my sheep, cows, dogs and even for myself. I've learned that a very little dab will disperse throughout the water...that stuff is mega concentrated. If you use too much they won't drink the water until they absolutely HAVE to, so use sparingly.

It's bitter tasting, just like any soap.

I can't attest to whether it works or not because it isn't the only method/preventative measure that I used at the time. Salatin swears by it and my old granny used to wash her dishes in lye soap and feed that dishwater to her hogs and chickens for basically the same reason. Soaps work as a surfactant and will dissolve/dissipate the oily, protective coating on a parasite's skin or egg casing, allowing the gastric acids to kill the worm or egg.

Worms cannot "build up a resistance" to this, so I see it as at least one good way of dosing animals that are in areas of high parasite loads in the soils.

 

[Kassaundra]

The soap idea is intriguing to me, but I have a question. If you mix dish soap w/ milk (lactic acid) you get slime, I wonder if the soap properties change chemically before they get to where to worms live in the intestines??????

 

[Leahs Mom]

I've used it for chickens...not that I ever saw any worms or symptoms of worms but I like to throw preventative measures in there every once in awhile. I've used it for my sheep, cows, dogs and even for myself. I've learned that a very little dab will disperse throughout the water...that stuff is mega concentrated. If you use too much they won't drink the water until they absolutely HAVE to, so use sparingly.

It's bitter tasting, just like any soap.

I can't attest to whether it works or not because it isn't the only method/preventative measure that I used at the time. Salatin swears by it and my old granny used to wash her dishes in lye soap and feed that dishwater to her hogs and chickens for basically the same reason. Soaps work as a surfactant and will dissolve/dissipate the oily, protective coating on a parasite's skin or egg casing, allowing the gastric acids to kill the worm or egg.

Worms cannot "build up a resistance" to this, so I see it as at least one good way of dosing animals that are in areas of high parasite loads in the soils.

I've also read Salatin but I remember him using it for that cattle rather than chickens. Maybe I missed something somewhere...

I just like the idea of preventative but don't want to waste my time and dump something in their water if it really doesn't work for a chicken

 

[Beekissed]

Yep, Salatin uses it on cattle. Intestines are pretty much intestines when it comes to where parasites attach, what gastric acids are present and how soap travels through the system. There are some differences between monogastric animals and ruminants but past all those stomachs is intestine, where the worms actually cycle.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I know that preditors have been covered in past posts but I'm torn on this one so I thought I'd post and hopefully someone will have some thoughts.

This is regarding letting the birds have full access to our 2 acre pasture area. I have chickens for the first time this spring. They are now 5 weeks old. Our hen house is a re-purposed garden shed that has not had chickens in it before.

The hen house is setting in a 2 acre pasture area but as of this moment doesn't have an attached run. When they are old enough to go outside on their own, I am really torn regarding setting up a covered run (think 10 x 10 dog kennel size) that they can go out in while I'm away and then letting them run the rest of the property when I'm home ----or just letting them do without the run altogether, letting them have free run of the 2 acres and seeing what happens.

If I didn't do the run, I'd begin letting them outside only when I'm home for a few hours in the late afternoon until they grow up a bit and get used to things. Of course they would be locked securely inside the hen house at night.

The perimiter fence on the 2 acres is 4 ft. high which, of course, wouldn't keep them in if they wanted to go over and, realistically, wouldn't keep out other animals if they wanted to jump in.

To give you an idea of the setup: I live in Northern Indiana on a fairly busy highway; the full property is a total of 12 acres. The 2 acre pasture is open, and borders the highway on the shorter side (159 ft. on highway side width). I'm not really concerned about the highway as there is enough traffic that I think it will keep them from going that direction. (The hen house is set back from the highway approximately 200 ft.) I am thinking it may also be enough traffic to have enough "people activity" going on that it may be less likely for preditors to be comfortable in the open in the daytime. . Conversely, on the longer side of the 2 acres,(apx 630 ft.) the property on the other side of the fence is mostly wooded.

Your thoughts, please!

 

[Beekissed]

I think you should put up some kind of fencing on the side that borders the road or, traffic or no, you will lose birds there~I've been there and done that one. If you are going to free range at all I'd advise a LGD to watch them, even when you are home. I know everyone says that free ranging is something they are prepared to do and take a risk on and if they lose a bird, they just lose one....but there is also a responsibility to at least try basic protection for when they free range. Do the best you can to offer cover, a guardian dog or two or/and some kind of fencing that keeps them out of the road~ or they will go there eventually.

If you have done all you can to provide protection and you still lose one, then at least you've done all you can to prevent it. If you can't provide any protection at all, then I'd build that run or buy electric poultry netting and free range them inside that.

 

[flocksalot]

Leahs Mom I have a similar set up. Our property boarders a major US hwy on one side the long way and on the backside we have the railroad tracks. On one of the short sides is our shared driveway with our neighbor that lives up the hill from us. I have no problems with the chickens going into the road. They just don't do it. Although I do keep them penned until they are old enough to fend for themselves. When they keep jumping the fence I take it down. That's my signal. Currently we have well over 200 free ranging where ever they please. We also have about 150 younguns not yet ready for the big bad world. We have been extremely lucky in that the hawks haven't yet tried to take a bird, though I did see them circling the young turkeys today. Momma had to get over there to ward Mr. Hawk on away. We have a large group of them that live in our horse pasture, but they generally hunt in the neighbors hill or out in the fields. It's not unusual to see a dozen of them swirling around in the sky. We have coyotees running all over the property at night, but not during the day. All the other predators also seem to hang around at night. The chickens roam where ever they please, but none of them have went out into the road. Driveway yes, road no. The traffic is pretty steady so it's been a deterent. Sometimes getting out of the driveway is a you know what. At least none of them have been that stupid yet. Now my pet turkeys on the other hand like to go and watch the cars. People drive by just a honking and I know they have slipped, waddled really, through the brush again. Personally I think they are trying to get the wild turkey that so wants to be their friend out there so they can just give her a push. They really don't like her. My girls are naughty. I think they learned it from me.

I might just be pretty lucky or maybe my setup just works for me. We do not have a dog. I really don't want one either. Not that I don't like them. I just don't want one. Don't want a cat either. My roosters and Dark Cornish do an awesome job catching and killing hugh rats and mice. My horses have been known to stomp them too. Course I'm not adverse to using poison either. I also love my traps. There's usually something in one of them every day. You would think they would be depopulated by now, but they just keep a coming. It makes my husband feel like he's protecting the family taking care of them. Personally it's like shooting fish in a barrel.

I would begin by letting them free roam while you are around and take it from there. If they are going places you don't want them too them you may have to fence them. There are many people here on BYC that have their flock penned during the day and then free range for a period in the evening. It seems to work for them. I would assume their flocks are on the smallish side though. No way on Gods green earth would I try that with my bunch. We would have to have one hugh pen! And the stink oh man there is no way I would even think of corraling these birds. PEEEUuwwww

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thanks for the replies! Lots of good thoughts and I appreciate the details

I do have perimeter fence and that includes the road edge. It is only a 4 ft. fence – not electric.

My flock is very small right now (only 6!) but I foresee increasing to about 30 in the future. I’m thinking that there is a lot of strength in numbers (I remember the flock chasing the fox story), so the initial 6 may not have the numbers to accomplish such a feat!

I am seriously considering electric portable netting (Premier) and almost purchased it but decided to give it a shot without to see how things go. I understand that you can’t use the netting in the winter (and can’t rely on any electric fencing in the winter unless things are wet according to the info I received from Premier) so that would also be an issue. My winter plan was to allow them access to outside if they want to go just like I would in the summer with the freedom to go inside anytime and locked in at night.

Bee - what is your experience w/the electric netting? I'm really interested as I would also use it for a goat or 2 in the future. One of my main concerns is the low height (since birds easily jump that high would they stay in?) Also, not being able to use it for winter is somewhat frustrating. I am in Northern Indiana so the winters will get a good amount of snow. (The winter issue is more a concern for the goats than the chickens.)