Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[BlindLemonChicken]

Chronic genetic SLM meant that any bird of his line needed regular trimmings.

What is SLM?

 

[RoyalChick]

What is SLM?

I think scaly leg mite.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I think scaly leg mite.

That wouldn’t be genetic though would it?

 

[fluffycrow]

I think scaly leg mite.

Yup. Thanks RC!

That wouldn’t be genetic though would it?

Yes and no. The mite itself can’t be genetic, obviously.
What I have recently found trough this line is that some birds are just magnets for it; that seems genetic.
The pen started with three different lines. Ursula, a generational silkie mix, Cruella, an ultra mix and lastly Lady Gaga and the rest of the serama hens (that are from the same line). From those three, the only birds in the pen to catch SLM are the seramas, and serama mixes. This has been happening every year I’ve had them, and no other bird is affected, not in the same pen, nor any of the other birds here.
Genetic SLM is a poor phrasing though, you’re right.

It also happens that some birds exhibit pseudo SLM, some buildup under their leg scales at an older age. Kolovos was beginning to exhibit that shortly before his passing. I don’t think those two are related though

 

[BDutch]

There hasn’t been a fox sighting in a while. Hopefully that means the chickens can get on with ranging soon.

I would be very cautious, having 1 or 2 dangerous killer dogs as neighbours!

The hen with the sprained leg is pretty much back to normal as well, which I’m happy to see

 

[BDutch]

Hello, I am a long time stalker of this thread and an avid consumer of all @Shadrach's rooster advice on here. His advice has helped me to work with my bossy, high strung head rooster to form a truce with him so that he can do his job and also not jam his spurs into my forehead.

I am finally posting here after reading all the diet discussions. I was wondering @Perris if you wouldn't mind sharing how/what you feed your flock? I free range mine (17 hens, 2 roosters, all 8 months old), and they have unrestricted movement on 6 wooded acres. They're all old heritage breed mixes and come from a long line of free ranging birds so they're quite resourceful.

Anyway, speaking of mainly bad advice on BYC, it's been nearly impossible for me to find sound advice on how to feed chickens with my setup. Everyone claims you MUST feed bagged feed or your chickens will DIE OF VITAMIN DEFICIENCY. I always assume they're talking about confined chickens which is absolutely not the case for mine. I've read a lot of your posts and it seems as if I am trying to do a similar setup to yours. I currently feed them Grubblies all flock because it's the only bagged feed I've found that has bug protein as the main source. But it's wildly expensive and it feels slightly absurd to pay a bunch of money to feed them bug feed when they're out all day, every day specifically looking for bugs.

So anyway I am just curious what you do in your situation because I'm definitely going to switch to a new system once I run out of the feed I have!

I hope @Perris will answer your question, but i did some research in the past on feed people can buy in the shop which is good for free rangers.

If you like to buy ingredients and ferment food, Perris is probably the best source on BYC.

I am sure there are no VITAMIN DEFICIENCY if they can range in a green, lively environment.
From reading, watching and hearing I believe the best feed you can buy for truly free rangers is mixed grains with seeds in summer or as long as you have an environment with lots of life in it. Just yo be sure they have enough to eat and keep them committed to stay on your property.
In winter periods when natural live is at a bare minimum, I recommend to add some dried insects like mealworms/ tiny river crabs , whatever you can buy for a reasonable price.
The best tine to give the feed : about an hour before sunset. That way they go to roost with a full ‘crop’.

 

[angc11]

These articles are just what I am looking for, thank you @Perris!!! And thanks @BDutch that makes sense about winter. It makes sense that they'd need more supplementation when there's not much green or bugs.

Alright off to read! here's a last bit of tax for causing a feed tangent:

broody stare down

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I will weakly try once again:

I agree that the best feed for chicken is homemade from locally-sourced ingredients, IF:

- they also have year-round access to ample, multiple, and seasonal forms of forage and invertebrates (like insects) to supplement the grains, seeds, legumes, etc. and

- the chickenkeeper uses a recipe method based on well-researched data and includes occasional supplemental protein, and faithfully sticks to that plan, and

- the chickenkeeper has figured out coverage for vacations, human illness, and recovery from acute trauma (broken ankle, for example.) Will the person(s) covering adhere to the feed mixture guidelines, allow chickens to forage during the day if in a protected run at night, and so forth?

I honestly feel that it’s a bit privileged to act as if this is doable for all. Nowadays, most adults have to work outside the home, with a dwindling number able to work remotely from home. Economies of scale mean that buying individual ingredients to mix might be prohibitively expensive, especially for those with small flocks. Many or most don’t have a significant amount of land with already-established plantings that can keep up with foraging by multiple chickens. (It’s quite astonishing how quickly enthusiastic chickens can strip a plot of land.)

And I have to say that I’m unpleasantly surprised at the mockery here of those who can’t “do it right.”

And now for my own mockery: all the posts (soooo many posts) claiming that apple cider vinegar (ACY) is a panacea for nearly everything that can go wrong. I’m waiting to see it recommended as a protectant against weasel and raccoon attacks.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Questions about these 2 things:
Donyou have 2 completely seperated flocks? Why?
How come your soil looks like a desert?

I do have two seperate flocks. It's complicated. I have a laying flock (with some belonging to a relative) in the pen. Then I received several dozen eggs this summer so we renovated a playhouse into a coop for them. My relative does not want me free ranging her birds, and I have some of the decorative breeds in the run too.

I have 54 total chickens, 30 in the run structure (3 coops in there) and 24 are free ranging. I have not been able to successfully transfer any of the laying hens to be free rangers, they just wait by the doors to be let back in.

Second, that is my gravel+dirt driveway. We have regular grass I promise.

 

[fluffycrow]

I would be very cautious, having 1 or 2 dangerous killer dogs as neighbours!

You’re not going to like this . During the summer, he had a little run in with the chickens. He didn’t catch any, but still a mistake on our part.

This might be naive, but I’d rather he and his older sister roam the area, than have a fox come into our property. He can’t get in unless he comes through one of the gates. Accidents obviously happen, but that is much safer than a fox that enters any time.
Our previous guard dogs killed foxes, cats, and a lot of other creatures, but were completely indifferent to the chickens. A guard dog that has killed a predator isn’t necessarily a dog that’s going to kill what it protects