The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[bluebirdnanny]

This one that is laying on his side is giving me grief. 2 weeks ago I saw a poult doing the same thing and took his picture, showed it to DH and said, look how cute he is. Turns out he was dead. Now they are trying to sleep and I keep coming along and poke them.




How can a blue Sizzle and a BCM have a yellow chick?

Oh I sure hope it is ok .. I'd panic.. well if I touched it and it didn't move. But you posted here (smart move) and someone will tell you how to asses. it's health. Is this a breed where sexes are different colors as babies? I know nothing.

Just it is snowing here and my chickens won't come back out of their little coop since it started.

 

[gevshiba]

I put new savings on top each day, not a thick layer but enough to cover the old. Then every 4-5 days we took all of the old shavings out to the compost area. Once the chicks were old enough for the big coop we started doing the deep litter method. I just did not want the litter in my house for the first 4 weeks. I'm sure if you lined the box with plastic you could do the deep litter from the start. Well maybe not the chicks tend to get water everywhere, it might get too wet.

Thanks. I guess I'll just have to see how it goes. The weather here is unpredictable, but I think I should be able to put them out in the barn next week, maybe. I do like having them here where I can keep an eye on them. If I ever get a place of my own, I'll let the hens raise them!

 

[gevshiba]

Thanks Delisha. I posted a picture on FB. I did crack the small egg and it was all egg white with a spot of more solid white.

 

[delisha]

Delisha, that's a great litte article! The scientist in me loves info like that.

Today at 10pm will officially be 21 days for my incubating BCM and Birchen Marans eggs. Cross my fingers I get a few to hatch!

Please keep us posted. I am hatching shipped BCM for the first time. What are you using for an incubator? What are your temps and humidity? Did you automatically do lock down at day 18?

Bare neck on Charlotte

Charlotte (see neck) shaking her dust bath off and kicking up more onto "bossy"
I think that is my favorite! Dust and ash just flying all over!

Dirt down to the skin after rolling in it..... doing other side now.

I think I might see lice clusters....My eyes are so bad it might just be the picture

OOOOpppsss! Petticoat is showing off those drumsticks... But ahhhhhhh getting the dirt down deep!

Didn't work last time.... but there are a few of the dusty and the neck bare photos!!

I wish these were better photos and I was not so blind.

The bare spots look like a normal hard used hen...however it also looks like loss of feathers from lice activity. I would need a close up of the vent area and about 3 inches towards the belly.

 

[delisha]

Your scooter has splayed legs as far as I can see. Yes....it is time for the band-aids.

 

[Bulldogma]

More questions. My chicks seem to be doing really well. Everyone's eating and drinking. I couldn't find any orange juicers, so I got some small, shallow, stainless steel cat bowls. Now it's like a feeding frenzy in a shark tank. They love those shiny bowls! I noticed dark brown, loose stools from some today. Normal? No one's fluffed up or looking droopy. Only quiet peeping. All are sleeping now.

I still have them on paper towels over pine pellets and shavings. How do you keep the brooder clean!? I change paper towels several times a day, but it's still a mess. 24 chicks=a lot of poop. How do you keep it clean after the paper towels come up? Do I take out any wet spots and stir up the rest? Change litter completely everyday?

I couldn't find any pumpkin seeds except at the Green Market for $5/lb. None in the wild bird section of several stores. Might have to search online. Maybe I'll ask at the feed store first.

I buy eggs from a friend. Today I cracked open an egg to find a small, perfectly formed egg inside. How's that happen?

If you are feeding fermented feed, you do not want to use stainless steel or any kind of metal. The FF causes the metal to leach harmful metals into the food which can make them sick. Plastic, glass and well sealed ceramic bowls are the safest. And yes - chicks are very messy - LOL!

Bare neck on Charlotte

Charlotte (see neck) shaking her dust bath off and kicking up more onto "bossy"

Hmmm... Not sure what to tell you on the neck issue. Have you seen the other girls picking on her? Might want to try some Nu Stock on the bare patch - it has anti-fungal and antibacterial properties that can help a wide range of issues.

Keep us posted!

 

[delisha]

Good stainless steel is OK with FF. They use stainless steel containers to hold vinegar and oil to keep out sunlight. They also clean stainless steel refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, and microwaves with vinegar. The best way to find out if your stainless is good or pure stainless is to take your stainless bowl and put vinegar on one side, let it dry. Rinse it off and see if you can see any discoloration or staining. (Many stainless steel bowls are combination metals)

 

[Bulldogma]

Good stainless steel is OK with FF. They use stainless steel containers to hold vinegar and oil to keep out sunlight. They also clean stainless steel refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, and microwaves with vinegar. The best way to find out if your stainless is good or pure stainless is to take your stainless bowl and put vinegar on one side, let it dry. Rinse it off and see if you can see any discoloration or staining. (Many stainless steel bowls are combination metals)

That is very good information!! Thank you for sharing!

 

[Bulldogma]

It's almost 70 F here in southern VA today - beautiful weather! I have all my 4+ week old babies out free ranging with the Swedish Flower flock. Between the rooster and my multi-talented dog, they should be pretty safe.


White Silkie with 3 Swedish Flower chicks.


The most awesome dog in the world with her babies.

 

[pigeonguy]

The more I look at photos, the more I think this kiddo may be a Black Australorp. She has that blue/green sheen to the feathers and she looks a lot like the photos of the BAs. I'm going to contact the gal I got them from and see if she may have been hatching BAs at the time...

Anyone have BA's? What do you think?

I don't know what it is but I know what it is not and that is BCMs. Unless it is a mutt. I do believe you said the gall had BCMs so it is possible for it to be a mutt BCMs X SFH. I do agree with delisha on the roo thing.

I had trouble with multi quote. Hence 5 post in a row.