The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[pigeonguy]

Tonight I am angry at the "chicken world" and I want to vent.

(And I don't mean chicken butt.)

But I don't just want to vent for venting sake. I want to vent to put an exclamation mark on what Delisha has said about how to introduce new birds into your flock.

In the past WEEK I have conversed with TWO people who picked up new "started birds". This is the story of those 2 people.

Story 1
A young lady who is in Indiana and is in High School still. She is young and loves all animals. She has started a flock of chickens and they are a great hobby for a young lady. She got some beautiful new chickens as a breeding pair and an extra. Everyone on the Indiana thread of BYC encouraged her to keep them separate even though she thought they looked healthy and happy. We explained to her the issues that Del just mentioned. Thank God she listened to us.

Within a day or 2 and more contact with these birds, she found vent gleet on one, bumble foot and a very infected toe on another.... There were several other issues as well. Although we encouraged her to return them she wants to "rescue" them. The rest of her flock is likely in danger from these birds condition.

Story 2
Some friends here in my area wanted to get some "pet chickens" but they didn't want to start w/chicks...they wanted started pullets. Found a "family hatchery" that sounded good on their website. Good lines of birds, etc. Drove 3 hours 1 way to pick up 6 14 week olds. They didn't know what to look for, just trusted the people.

Got home and several days later found lice or mites (not sure which yet), bare spots and irritation in various places, and a suspected case of vent gleet on one (hasn't been confirmed yet). They haven't examined the feet and legs yet so I don't know what they'll find there. I think they'll do full exams tomorrow.

****
The lack of integrity and just plain unethical behavior that I keep hearing about in the "chicken world" feels rather deplorable. Adding that to what Aoxa, Del, Mumsy, and others have shared with us that goes on at swap meets, and I'm just plain wary of purchasing chickens from "so-called-breeders" unless someone I know recommends them personally.

Vent over. (Or...to LW...BOTTOMS UP!)

Hope I didn't say something to make you feel that way.

 

[pigeonguy]

Do you know what they put in the poultry base? Is it just the mineral supplement like Fertrel?

Yes but it starts with soy and then that.

 

[ramblinH]

Three week old's highly involved in dirt bath ! Not sure why pics say 3-3 just taken.

That is a pretty sweet little set-up you have there for your chicks. Being new to all this (chicks arrive next week) I was wondering about the little roosting bars. Had not considered building them into my brooder. It appears that you have them spaced approx 6"? Also, on the dust bathing, is that something you introduce just right away?

 

[Ashdoes]

Ash,

I am sorry I have no advise for you. I have never seen them or even heard of such a thing until I came on here. I hope someone else can help you.

I really wish i didn't have to resort to this, but i'm running out of options, besides culling my Roos. My splash girl only had the bare back problem, i babied her for a couple of days and then she died over night. I really don't know if it was too cold, and losing the feathers was just too much. Anyways, I'm hoping this helps my Cochin girls recover from the over zealous Roos. I think a big problem is the older girls don't stand for the Roos messing with them, so it falls on the three Cochin girls and its just too much. I'm sure next year, when i have more hens, this won't be as much of an issue. For now its a small investment to hopefully fix the problem.

 

[amberr]

As a newbie I have bought this book.  Very accessible and great information.

Thanks CM I was looking at that one too, his website is great too!

 

[Ashdoes]

****
The lack of integrity and just plain unethical behavior that I keep hearing about in the "chicken world" feels rather deplorable. Adding that to what Aoxa, Del, Mumsy, and others have shared with us that goes on at swap meets, and I'm just plain wary of purchasing chickens from "so-called-breeders" unless someone I know recommends them personally.

The sad fact is this isn't exclusive to chickens.

 

[CoopChick719]

I am so going to use this with my kids.... "You are in Deep Litter!"

My kids will think I've really gone over the edge if I start using this one!

When my son was in Boot Camp, my daughter wrote to him, "I think Mum's lost it! She's keeping redworms in bins in the cellar and feeding them leftovers!"

Well, I think my bossiest BR picked one of the elevated boxes and led the way. It appears that her, the other BR, and my RIR all lay around the same time each day, each taking turns with the same box. My EE and my silkie, however, have decided to use the darkest, non-elevated, farthest away box and prefer more privacy. These two don't always lay every day either. So, so far, only 2 nesting boxes out of 5 are being used. I am removing one of the un-used nesting boxes to make more roosting space for the new babies when they grow up.

Funny my LF chicks have been scoping out the nesting boxes since Day 1 but my Sizzles use a cardboard box under the nesting boxes. It's so dark under there when I went to check for eggs I didn't even see my Black Sizzle in the box...we startled each other & both squawked!

Wanted to show what I found as a "chick refuge" for when folks put them out with the rest of the flock. This group were raised by a broody but when she was done with them, she no longer protected them and was just as mean to them as the others! They were doing fine as they were raised right in with the adults by the mamma and know "their place". But I wanted to have a little area they could go if they wanted and also a place I could let them get the amount of food I wanted them to have if I was giving raw meat, sprouts, etc. That way they could get their share before the "olders" got the lion's share.

Found these little "digless fence sections" at Lowes for $13 each piece and made a little corner refuge. I put a little of the deer/bird netting over the top just in case a hawk came in and they ran in there. (Didn't want it to be a death trap.) The corner is held together with zip ties. Zip ties also attach them to the kennel panel. The "littles" can fit through the fence posts but the adults can't fit through!

Love this setup! Want to use something like this when I move the Garage Chicks to the Coop. Also love the fact that you have stumps in your pen! The best I can do is large tree branches.

She'll figure out soon enough it is all a ploy on his part....Here my dear, a nice tasty morsel for you...and you won't mind a bit if i just.....get to know you better? My leghorn is quite the flyer too.

Here's the Jersey version of the ploy, "How you doin?"

I shared the lower one yesterday.... Hmmph..... as if being my FB friend would be so terrible..... Shot down yesterday by CG cuz I don't like silkies, even though I would have been happy to make her silkie thongs outta coconut oil and kept her hands warm, and today you shoot me down and blow my bacon marketing to bits...... What else can go wrong?

You just crack me up, LW!!

 

[countrygirl74]

Wanted to show what I found as a "chick refuge" for when folks put them out with the rest of the flock.
The "littles" can fit through the fence posts but the adults can't fit through!

What a great idea! I am getting things ready for introduction and was thinking about all the ways I could work things out - I am definitely going to use this!

I hope that everyone does not mind if I join in? I have read all of the OT's thread and most of the Road thread by Bee. joined BYC in November of last year and we have 8 week old chicks now and are getting more in a few weeks. I joined BYC since every Google search I did brought me here.

Loved the OT thread and learned a lot. I use ACV in the chicks water and used chicken nipples, then the water cups attached to a bucket. Now I just use a food grade bucket with 2 holes near the lid sealed tight and then flipped over into a large container. Just wasn't comfortable with either of the other two ways, felt like they were not getting enough water.

Using DL in the chicken run and we use sand in the coop. So far I like this set up.

I am learning as I go and learning so much from the different threads on here. When I first started reading on BYC and other sites I almost gave up getting chickens until I found the OT thread which helped me relax and realize they are just chickens. I have taken care of other chickens as a child, so I have a little experience, but these are my first chickens. A lot of the other threads I first read scared me about all the ailments my chicks could get. I realize now that I need to relax and my chickens should not end up with all these problems, at least hopefully not and hopefully not all at once.

Only wanted chickens for eggs at the beginning, but reading all the OT advice made me realize that if we eat chicken from the store that eating chicken that I raised would be better, plus the chickens I raise will have a better life and will live healthier.

Everyone advised not to name our chickens, but I did and I always will, that's just me, can't resist. I don't want to think of having to ease suffering and all that, but I know that I may have to at some point and I will if I have to, but I won't like it, but it is what is best for the chicken. We may get chicks just for meat birds in the future, those I probably will not name. (probably

)

I have enjoyed all the pictures, stories, drama on this thread. I am still trying to catch up. I am on page 966 and have been reading new posts too at the same time, so hopefully soon I will meet up with myself. You guys sure post a lot to this thread, which is great, just hard to keep up.

So I will continue reading....thanks for all the info and excitement on this site...I still need to go back to page 966 and see how the little Silkie is doing.....

Welcome - this is one of my favorite threads too!

I shared the lower one yesterday....

Hmmph..... as if being my FB friend would be so terrible..... Shot down yesterday by CG cuz I don't like silkies, even though I would have been happy to make her silkie thongs outta coconut oil and kept her hands warm, and today you shoot me down and blow my bacon marketing to bits......

What else can go wrong?

Why isn't there a emoticon that shows the smiley spitting out water all over the computer screen from shock and laughter?

I started the ducks FF today. They should be here next tuesday or wednesday, so this gives me enough time for the FF to bubble good and for me to add more feed and thicken it up. I used buttermilk as a starter, can i also add some ACV? I messed up a little and forgot that i read to get GameBird starter for the Niacin level the ducks need, got unmedicated chick starter instead. So i'll just make sure they get the extras Delisha told me about. I'm very excited for them to get here, our girls kind of know we're getting ducks but have no idea when, so it'll be a fun surprise after school.
I'm thinking about getting my Cochin girls some saddles, so their backs are protected. I really don't like their backs right now, and i'm afraid i might end up having the same problem i had with my splash girl. Is there a special sizing system? or is it like one size fits all?

Here is where I purchased my saddles and duck diapers (I just have a couple diapers on hand in case I ever need to bring in one of our ducks for illness/injury). There are different sizes depending on the breed. I am using the saddle right now because I have too many roos and they are wearing on my girls. I am anxiously awaiting all my new girls to get big enough to add to the flock and give my big girls a little break. The "saddle maker" is also on BYC but her website shows more information.
http://www.chickensaddlesanddiapers.webs.com/



In other news... tomorrow is my birthday and I asked for a grow-out pen to be built adjacent to my current run. So, my husband and I went to get the materials and tomorrow we are going to build it! I know, I'm weird. I like practical things - instead of going out to dinner, etc., I just like doing or getting stuff for the ducks or chickens, or the yard. Got a new grapevine with birthday money from my mom - yes, my mom still sends me a card and money to spend on myself. She even put a little duck sticker on the envelope - so fun! Spending the day outside building a new pen and getting all the babies outside will be a great day to me!

 

[Shan30]

Hey everyone, I need some advice.

My dad is the head of maintenance for a group of retirements homes here and is therefore responsible for pest control.

He is being forced to get rid of the rabbits on the property that the residents feed. Long story short the adults were released and I have 6 babies in a cat carrier on my porch as we figured they were to small to make it on their own.

Wondering if anyone knows if it's best for them to sleep out there. They are a
Bit bigger than a pop can and are eating solid food. Will they be warm enough?

 

[Leahs Mom]

In other news... tomorrow is my birthday and I asked for a grow-out pen to be built adjacent to my current run. So, my husband and I went to get the materials and tomorrow we are going to build it! I know, I'm weird. I like practical things - instead of going out to dinner, etc., I just like doing or getting stuff for the ducks or chickens, or the yard. Got a new grapevine with birthday money from my mom - yes, my mom still sends me a card and money to spend on myself. She even put a little duck sticker on the envelope - so fun! Spending the day outside building a new pen and getting all the babies outside will be a great day to me!

I'm like that too! One year I asked for a cheese press for my birthday...