The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[chikenscratch]

I always leave dry food and water available at all times. I take down FF in the morning when I turn the overhead light on for them to wake them up and in the evening before I turn the overhead light off to have them go to bed.

 

[BlueMouse]

Ok, I'm way back on page 830, catching up as fast as i can, and this is such a wonderful thread. I've learned a lot about a whole host of different things, and enjoyed all the comraderie and friendly banter going on You all are great!

So, I have a pair of buff orpingtons that I've had only three weeks. They're about a year old. The rooster is a local fair winner, and the hen was sold as a pair with him, I got them for a reasonable price because he got frostbite on his comb. They're not the quality of some your birds, but they're not from a hatchery that might have been backcrossed to something else to increase egg production. I'm doing FF, fodder to supplement until it starts greening up, Starting deep litter, and they free range around my yard, and bottom acre. I've done them both on a week of garlic and cayenne pepper sort of "just in case." I think I'm doing everything I can to make sure they're healthy happy chickens.

Here's my problem: I've been reading some of your very informative conversation about roosters, and realized that even though Mr. Bennet is very friendly and gentle (one of the reasons I bought him) he won't stay that way if I let him get away with posturing. So every time he decides to flap at me, or get all tall and puff his hackles out, I either make him "move his feet" a whole bunch, or I pick him up, tuck him under my arm, and carry him around. today I had him tucked under my arm and was taking the opportunity to have a look at his feet and legs. (I'm now very worried about things I never knew about before, like leg mites...) and noticed that he had a black spot on the pad of his foot. checked the other, and there too. It looks like the pictures of bumblefoot I've seen you all post, but, there's no swelling. His feet look totally healthy. they are not inflamed, hot, more red than normal (he has the pinkish blush between his toes that you guys were talking about.... hormonal fellow....) So, the question in all this is, if there's no swelling, no apparent pain or discomfort, do I still need to treat it by soaking/cutting/packing with ointment/wrapping with vetwrap? or will it maybe just clear up on it's own?

My second question: I'm getting ready to order some eggs from a BYC member Papa Brooder. He seems very legit, and like he strives for good quality birds. Does anyone on here have experience with him or his birds?? I'm ordering cream legbars and BBS copper marans. His price was more reasonable than some of the bigger places, and I'm not looking to show these birds. I do want nice birds, true to type, without a lot of problems or suspect back crosses, but that's from a personal interest in breeding and genetics, not becuase I'm going to show or breed. (Am I even making sense?)

thank you in advance for your help, and for the very informative fun thread

 

[ssterling1776]

You should get some good birds from Papa...no worries there...and he packs his eggs very very well! Good luck!

 

[chikenscratch]

Bluemouse-have you tried washing off the bottom of your roos feet to verify that it isn't jyst packed mud/dirt?

 

[delisha]

Looks like pullet..all are very cute

I want to share this trial of two calves - one fed raw milk and one fed pasturized milk. It's astounding.

And we are not allowed to choose what kind of milk we want to drink.. Unless of course it is our cow, or our goat.

Very interesting test...thank you for sharing. I am a firm believer in raw milk

Quote:

The hen I've been aggressively treating for scaly mites looks horrible. She doesn't want to leave the coop anymore, she's thin and her feathers are so ruffled. I think it's her time. It's the first time I've had to make this decision. I think more is going on than I can see.

Funny...I'd be the one ducking in our family!

On the mites - I have a question for y'all.

Would scaly leg mites have made the bird so sick all by themselves - or would it just have been a contributor to her going down hill?

Not sure I'm making sense, but I'm trying to figure out if leg mites would make a bird so sick that it was not able to recover if there were no other problems? Or - is it possibly an older bird - or a bird with other issues - and the mites are just adding to the problems already there?

The answer to that question would change how I would approach leg mites if I ever had that issue.



Del - what are you using to treat for the lice/mites you mentioned?

I used wood ash right out of the fireplace. I sprayed all my roosts with neem oil. I only found it on one chick, but I know it might have gotten in the whole coop. I added new wood chips with out checking them in the grow out pen. They might have also come from mice..not sure. But I treated all the birds and the whole coop. I made a new ash bath with fresh ash and organic dirt. I have a coop of grey birds..poor things look awful. I will check daily and treat again in a few days even if I do not see anything.

As far as leg mites that will not leave. Honestly I have never had leg mites. I can't comfortable make a statement with out stressing this is my opinion only and not a direct result from experience.

Any bird that does not do well with treatment, and the rest of the flock is thriving, points to the fact there is something else wrong. Leg mites can kill a bird with out treatment. This bird might have a secondary infection.

Made a batch of FF and my 6 week old chicks won't touch it! I put it in both their treat and regular dishes to try and entice them! When I went in a few hours later they screaming like they were starving and had ripped their cage apart looking for food?

.once they discover it is food they will love it..take a cup of what you made and mix it with dry crumbles.

Ok, I'm way back on page 830, catching up as fast as i can, and this is such a wonderful thread. I've learned a lot about a whole host of different things, and enjoyed all the comraderie and friendly banter going on You all are great!

So, I have a pair of buff orpingtons that I've had only three weeks. They're about a year old. The rooster is a local fair winner, and the hen was sold as a pair with him, I got them for a reasonable price because he got frostbite on his comb. They're not the quality of some your birds, but they're not from a hatchery that might have been backcrossed to something else to increase egg production. I'm doing FF, fodder to supplement until it starts greening up, Starting deep litter, and they free range around my yard, and bottom acre. I've done them both on a week of garlic and cayenne pepper sort of "just in case." I think I'm doing everything I can to make sure they're healthy happy chickens.

Here's my problem: I've been reading some of your very informative conversation about roosters, and realized that even though Mr. Bennet is very friendly and gentle (one of the reasons I bought him) he won't stay that way if I let him get away with posturing. So every time he decides to flap at me, or get all tall and puff his hackles out, I either make him "move his feet" a whole bunch, or I pick him up, tuck him under my arm, and carry him around. today I had him tucked under my arm and was taking the opportunity to have a look at his feet and legs. (I'm now very worried about things I never knew about before, like leg mites...) and noticed that he had a black spot on the pad of his foot. checked the other, and there too. It looks like the pictures of bumblefoot I've seen you all post, but, there's no swelling. His feet look totally healthy. they are not inflamed, hot, more red than normal (he has the pinkish blush between his toes that you guys were talking about.... hormonal fellow....) So, the question in all this is, if there's no swelling, no apparent pain or discomfort, do I still need to treat it by soaking/cutting/packing with ointment/wrapping with vetwrap? or will it maybe just clear up on it's own?

My second question: I'm getting ready to order some eggs from a BYC member Papa Brooder. He seems very legit, and like he strives for good quality birds. Does anyone on here have experience with him or his birds?? I'm ordering cream legbars and BBS copper marans. His price was more reasonable than some of the bigger places, and I'm not looking to show these birds. I do want nice birds, true to type, without a lot of problems or suspect back crosses, but that's from a personal interest in breeding and genetics, not becuase I'm going to show or breed. (Am I even making sense?)

thank you in advance for your help, and for the very informative fun thread

Welcome to thee group!!

We need pictures..but in the mean time, soak the feet in epsom salt and warm water. It will not hurt, it will make the bird feel good and it will be more bonding. And it is cheap!

Never heard of the guy, read his stats.

 

[delisha]

I always leave dry food and water available at all times. I take down FF in the morning when I turn the overhead light on for them to wake them up and in the evening before I turn the overhead light off to have them go to bed.

Why the light? Is it to make sure the water does not freeze?

 

[aoxa]

Why the light? Is it to make sure the water does not freeze?

In my last coop at my previous residence I had a light for the day. It had no windows. I wish I had a light in the baby barn, because the window faces North and it's very dim in there!

 

[chikenscratch]

Delish-it is just the lights that are under the cabinets. I turned them on for the plants that I'm growing and to get a better pic.

 

[Sally8]

Made a batch of FF and my 6 week old chicks won't touch it! I put it in both their treat and regular dishes to try and entice them! When I went in a few hours later they screaming like they were starving and had ripped their cage apart looking for food?

When I first started mine they wouldn't eat it either. I found that when I backed off the ACV, they ate it, Now I just dump the bottle and they run me over when I go out with a bucket.

 

[Mumsy]

I got a call at 6 am that my HRIR chicks shipped from Ron in Arkansas had made it on to the island! All survived and are healthy, gorgeous, and HUNGRY! They were shipped Monday and spent last night in a sorting facility in Seattle. They were pretty cold when I picked them up.



I offered them my fermented chick starter and they flicked it and turned their backs, then one by one they started scarfing themselves! They never touched the water but have not stopped filling their crops with the FF! Three days to get here and I can't believe how active and vocal they are. Ravenous is a good word to describe them. I never offer dry feed to my birds. I will sprinkle it ontop if I'm in a hurry and the chicks starter ferment hasn't drained well enough. I think when chicks or chickens are reluctant to eat it, the vinegar content is too high. These travel weary chicks have taken to it and there is no going back now.