***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[miohippus]

I have Larry's contact information and the information of all the people showing cochins at the show.. I bought a list and marked the breeders I was interested in seeing.



Have you considered going a more natural route with worming?? I use diatomaceous earth and crushed red pepper, like the kind you put on pizza, every couple of months to worm my birds. The DE is also a wonderful source of calcium and the peppers raise their body temp which is helpful in the winter time.. The additional benefit is you can still eat the eggs...

A friend of mine was thinking of getting some Australorps in the spring was there anyone on that list that has some of those OR dose any one on here have some? She is not look for sq though but i thought maybe that way she would have to get so many birds like ordering from a hatchery.

I have thought about using crushed red pepper but i read that there was inconclusive evidence that it actually works so i have not yet.

 

[NanaKat]

Another natural wormer is pumpkin. The chickens eat the seeds as well as the pulp. I simply cut one in half and let the birds go to town.
Giving the birds red pepper also helps stimulate laying.

 

[Elbert Garrett]

A friend of mine was thinking of getting some Australorps in the spring was there anyone on that list that has some of those OR dose any one on here have some? She is not look for sq though but i thought maybe that way she would have to get so many birds like ordering from a hatchery.

I have thought about using crushed red pepper but i read that there was inconclusive evidence that it actually works so i have not yet.

I use Cayenne Pepper,it improves blood circulation which in turns helps to and improves the digestive system. It will also to add heat to your birds during bitter cold temps. I have been using Cayenne Pepper in and on my birds for years with a great deal of success a natural wormer and as a blood stop. I just mix the powdered Cayenne in with some scrambled egg to ensure that the birds consume it and then mix it into their feed.

 

[Kyzmette]

hummm maybe a leash is the key? every time he chases a cat i yell no stop don't do that and he just ignores me and keeps on running. lol

I got the best advice from a friend who has a dog trained to do things most people could never get their dog to do. You tell this dog to get a rope, it gets a rope, you tell it to get a ball, it gets a ball. He said "If you're trying to stop the dog from doing something, you have to tell it in its own language. Youre the packleader, so BE the packleader."

So when my dogs do something I don't want them to do, I growl at them. And I mean seriously growl, like a dog would, lips pulled back, sounding like I could bite a postman. If they're far away, I get their attention by yelling their name in a growly manner. Deepen your tone and add gravel to your voice. It changed the way my dogs responded almost overnight. If you can catch them doing something wrong, grab them by the scruff and hold them, growl and say NO in that deep voice.

That one change also helped me realize something else. I have one dog that whines and whimpers constantly when she's around me, and what I perceived as a sycophantic and grovelling nature was annoying. I was raised to believe that dogs, like babies, hear better in higher ranges, so I talk to them sometimes in that high pitched singsong babytalk voice. One day I realized she wasn't whining and whimpering... she was talking to me in her happy voice... the one she'd learned from me. She wasn't grovelling, she was communicating her joy. She was smart enough to use my language before I figured out how to use hers.

The growling will help to alter their behavior, but you still have to worry about how they behave when you're not around, and the only way to do that is to train them to believe that chickens are part of the pack and need their protection. Take them into the pens with you, on a leash at first, let them see you handling the flock, growl if they assume a stance or get that hunting look on their face. When they're no longer jumping or lunging, let them off the leash and keep watching them. It'll take a while, but the more they see you treating the chickens as part of your pack, the more they will be driven to treat them well as an extension of you.

 

[Kyzmette]

Another natural wormer is pumpkin. The chickens eat the seeds as well as the pulp. I simply cut one in half and let the birds go to town.
Giving the birds red pepper also helps stimulate laying.

I use Cayenne Pepper,it improves blood circulation which in turns helps to and improves the digestive system. It will also to add heat to your birds during bitter cold temps. I have been using Cayenne Pepper in and on my birds for years with a great deal of success a natural wormer and as a blood stop. I just mix the powdered Cayenne in with some scrambled egg to ensure that the birds consume it and then mix it into their feed.

Thank you guys for these suggestions! I love using more natural means of treating myself and my animals. My cholesterol finally dropped out of the red and into superhealthy levels when I stopped using lowfat, fatfree substitutes and just started using real butter and cream.

I've also heard that garlic is fantastic for chickens, and have been adding that into their food. It's supposed to be good for their immune system and have anti-parasitic properties.

 

[muesky]

Thank you guys for these suggestions! I love using more natural means of treating myself and my animals. My cholesterol finally dropped out of the red and into superhealthy levels when I stopped using lowfat, fatfree substitutes and just started using real butter and cream.

I've also heard that garlic is fantastic for chickens, and have been adding that into their food. It's supposed to be good for their immune system and have anti-parasitic properties.

I am so happy to hear this and that you were able to control your cholesterol by not using those fake fats.. That stuff is killing people and the food companies just keep pushing it... Have always used real butter, cream, etc. and even though I am over weight my cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure have always been in the healthiest of levels...
Garlic is good for chickens but I have heard that it does give the eggs a taste of garlic, which is good for most things but not so much for french toast... hehehe!

 

[SimplyMe_AngieD]

A friend of mine was thinking of getting some Australorps in the spring was there anyone on that list that has some of those OR dose any one on here have some? She is not look for sq though but i thought maybe that way she would have to get so many birds like ordering from a hatchery.

I have thought about using crushed red pepper but i read that there was inconclusive evidence that it actually works so i have not yet.

@miohippus I got my first Australorps from a gentleman in Inola. J. Warner. He mainly breeds for egg production so his birds are not SOP. . But I loved the pullets I got from him and I will be getting more this spring. He also had Buckeyes, Wyandottes, and a few other heritage breeds If you are close to Tulsa/Inola PM me and I will be happy to send you his number.

 

[Kyzmette]

Garlic is good for chickens but I have heard that it does give the eggs a taste of garlic, which is good for most things but not so much for french toast... hehehe!

I read a study where people were given the eggs of chickens who were fed garlic regularly and those who weren't, and the study participants couldn't tell the difference. The birds actually start to smell garlicky, though, so it may make a difference in a meat bird's flavor. Mmmmm, garlic rotisserie chicken.....

 

[unkljim]

Before that first ice storm we had this month when it got so terribly cold, we had a Bantam EE go broody. Hmmm....She had two eggs and I ended up putting two more Silkie eggs with her. We really didn't think she could hatch them in all that bad weather. She is in just a small 4 chicken coop. Anyway, as of this morning we have 2 half Bantam EE and half Bantam Welsummer, and 1 full Blue Silkie in our livingroom.

And she is still hatching a half Blue and half White Silkie egg. These are our very first eggs to ever hatch and we are really excited. LOL! The 3 little ones are already eating and drinking and seem to be doing great! Looks like it's going to be a fun day.

 

[katie1500]

So....if I got white ameraucanas, would anybody be interested in them??

Me I love all colors of AMs