For the MINIMALISTS - those who think less is more in chicken keeping - Please help

[KyCoop]

Awww very pretty girls. Have no fear before long you won't be able to do anything without them under your feet and you will feel terrible about stepping on somebody's toe!
It's pretty normal in a young flock to go out and have to figure out who's bleeding. They will figure out their pecking order by literal pecking. This is why we got our first aide kit before we got the chicks.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

That's a good looking flock you got yourself there.

Are you enjoying them? Is the minimalist advice working?

You guys are the BEST. I wouldn't know anything if it wasn't for this group. I mean, we're up to 55 pages of information in this thread, right. You saved me.

I do have some questions. Our run is wood chips, grass clippings, straw and dirt. Do I need to remove the poop? I can't even really find it. I move the bedding around everyday. Is that enough?

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Lovely flock! Glad you are enjoying them. Funny how they often "find" their names as the grow up.

They are so funny. It cracks me up that they all want to eat out of the same food receptacle, instead of using the other that's available. Or the same water nipple even though there are more. Or the same spot on the roost. Why is that?

 

[RoyalChick]

You guys are the BEST. I wouldn't know anything if it wasn't for this group. I mean, we're up to 55 pages of information in this thread, right. You saved me.

I do have some questions. Our run is wood chips, grass clippings, straw and dirt. Do I need to remove the poop? I can't even really find it. I move the bedding around everyday. Is that enough?

You will get different views on this. I don’t even stir it up. It just disappears into the bedding and I add more bedding on top sometimes to make it look nice or because the chickens will have fun with a pile of leaves.
There are some cleaner people than me out there however.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Awww very pretty girls. Have no fear before long you won't be able to do anything without them under your feet and you will feel terrible about stepping on somebody's toe!
It's pretty normal in a young flock to go out and have to figure out who's bleeding. They will figure out their pecking order by literal pecking. This is why we got our first aide kit before we got the chicks.

I still don't know if it was a scuffle with someone else or she cut herself. I did notice another one pecking at the injury. I knew they do that to each other but it was disturbing.

Side question, their poop is really gross looking sometimes. How do I know when the poop isn't normal?

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

You will get different views on this. I don’t even stir it up. It just disappears into the bedding and I add more bedding on top sometimes to make it look nice or because the chickens will have fun with a pile of leaves.
There are some cleaner people than me out there however.

Okay this is the stance I've been taking, too. I can see the bedding gets brown and then kind of disappears. I assumed the poop goes away too. They do like it when we add piles of stuff. Little worker chickens getting to work.

 

[3KillerBs]

I do have some questions. Our run is wood chips, grass clippings, straw and dirt. Do I need to remove the poop? I can't even really find it. I move the bedding around everyday. Is that enough?

I let my chickens do the work for me. Once they're big enough and strong enough they can shift awesome amounts of material. I only stir it up if it's gotten crusty.

They are so funny. It cracks me up that they all want to eat out of the same food receptacle, instead of using the other that's available. Or the same water nipple even though there are more. Or the same spot on the roost. Why is that?

That's part of being flock animals. They stick together most of the time.

I still don't know if it was a scuffle with someone else or she cut herself. I did notice another one pecking at the injury. I knew they do that to each other but it was disturbing.

Do you have BluKote or something similar on the wound?

Side question, their poop is really gross looking sometimes. How do I know when the poop isn't normal?

Here is an article about poop:

Chicken Poop: All There Is To Know​

 

[NanaK]

They are so funny. It cracks me up that they all want to eat out of the same food receptacle, instead of using the other that's available. Or the same water nipple even though there are more. Or the same spot on the roost. Why is that?

Who knows what's in those heads???
Flock mentality?
Maybe hers is better???

I've had 4 hens squish themselves into 1 nest box even though there are 3 more empty right beside them!

I love to sit and watch them when I have the chance. They always have a way of making me smile no matter how tough the day.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Friends. I need your help. We have a very lethargic chicken. She's been out of it all day. It has been very hot here. I don't see any wounds. She did drink some water but isn't really eating much. Right now I have her in the basement in a crate so she can cool off. What do you suggest??? Thanks so much!

 

[RoyalChick]

Friends. I need your help. We have a very lethargic chicken. She's been out of it all day. It has been very hot here. I don't see any wounds. She did drink some water but isn't really eating much. Right now I have her in the basement in a crate so she can cool off. What do you suggest??? Thanks so much!

Give her some electrolytes and some sugar water. If you have Nutridrench that will cover both.
See if you can get her to drink it on her own. Sometimes if you put a drop on the end or side of their beak it will encourage them.
You can also use a dropper to put some carefully at the front of their beak.
The above is assuming she has heat stress. How hot has it been?