The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Kassaundra]

On the bareback hen question I know Bee stated that she culled hens for that, she is the only one I have seen that expressed that practice, but I do not know what her reasons were. I have not culled for that personally.

 

[delisha]

Because of the issues at home I am not missing any one's posts on purpose..I promis. I read as many as I can.

BDM..I am so glad your DD is home. I sure hope she continues her recovery so she can be out with the sun on her face soon.

I have gone gone back and read the pots on Vermx.... I am trying it with my girls. They had been dropping weight, and looking a bit dull. I am on the third day, but as I have never wormed, I want to do an extended course. The first day they did not want to eat the pellets. Yesterday, I gave them the pellets before dinner, instead of afterward and they did a bit better. Today I decided to try first thing upon opening up the coop: hungry chickens was the ticket! They gobbled them up like candy!

I need to find some raw pumpkin seeds just for mixing in their regular feed: anyone have a good source online? Our local healthfood store is kind of pricey...

Try a grocery store if you can't find them. Sometimes even gas stations will have them for a buck. Try calling around or order them online.

Oh my gosh! The ducks are so stink'n cute! We were able to keep them a secret from the girls this whole time, not easy for hubby. They woke up early, I'm sure from the slight noise we made, and rushed to get ready so they could see a surprise. They were total girls about it, lol. Giggling and awwwwing at the ducks.
Two things I've noticed about ducklings. Unlike chicks they eat the shavings, a lot. They also don't follow what the others do, so when one eats they didn't all run over to eat, which kind of made the chickens a little smarter. I'm sure they'll catch on though. I've got the FF on a plate and in the little trough we made. They're happy and warm and extremely lively, especially for how cold it was. They had eaten all the grow gel Metzer put in the box. Overall I'm very happy with their shipping, except they didn't send us a shipping email, so we called on Monday.
Really wish it would warm up already.

ducks are cute..I love ducklings.
we have the next 10 days or rain. My yard is back looking like a lake.

Thank Delish for the reply. I hope your fil gets better soon. I left them out and they were fine. Just concerned about if it drops Saturday night. Hubby wants to put the heat lamp in there because they weren't roosting when he checked on them early this morning.

Bulldogma glad your daughter is home and I hope you are both doing well.

Ash congrats on the ducks! I can imagine the excitement! I am thinking about having my daughter join 4h this fall and surprising her with a bantam. She loves our chickens, but I think she would love something smaller and more cuddly. I guess our cat isn't cuddly enough.

Are bantams like LF in that they do better in at least a pair?

Could poopy butts be caused by mating? I noticed my laying hen had poopy butt after the roo started mating her, my other did not. The eggs are fertile, just wondering if maybe he wasn't getting it all in.

LW good luck with your business!

Christine

Christine, you need to do what you feel is best for your birds. If it is going to drop to freezing I might too. If it stays about 40 I do not. They have feathers and each other to snuggle. Stick your hand under a wing once. It is toasty warm and they snuggle together. If you are worried..put heat on. Use your instincts and common sense and your birds will thrive.

Quote: Don't take the corn out..feed what you have and when its gone..try it than. Sometimes when spring comes and hormones kick in they have poppy bottoms. If you do not see lice, mites, or an unhealthy vent..you are fine.

chicken mystery:
4 year old BO hanging in nest box and not coming out of coop. Last week, had the mystery death of an apparently healthy mutt hen, who wasn't looking good on day one and died overnight on the roost.

So, no wating on the BO. Pulled her out, she had egg yolk on her face, messy bottom. Gave her an epsom salt bath. Not sure if she could have had lice as it seemed like there were little bumps of goop at the base of her tail feathers . Crop pretty much empty, but it was early morning. Skin on belly bright red. Dusted her rear. Put her back in the coop while I got a dog kennel ready for her.

Went to coop to get her, she was back in the nest box, with an egg. Not sure if it was hers or not. Picked her up, her entire belly had sopping wet feathers. Now, I know she was perfectly dry before I put her out there just 15 mn earlier.

She's in the kennel, not eating but drinking large quantities of water. (1/2 pint in 20 mn)

One very watery clear poop with a little white urate in it. One very watery dark brown poop. Her back end feathers are also very wet.

Very red comb.

I'll try an internal epsom salt dose. I have no idea what is up with her. Any ideas?

Get a picture of her bottom please...take a few so you have clear pictures to post..I need the bumps and the redness and feather shafts. The epsom salt dose is good for now.

Quote: Delisha I know your busy so I dont expect an answer right away.

I was looking on line for the Calf manna to make sure TSC carries it and I noticed the 2nd ingredient was corn. Should I try the calf manna first & if there is no improvement then remove all corn products? I see the 1st ingredient in the poultry conditioner is corn :/ But it did increase the weight in the 2 hens that were smaller so that their keel bone is now not so pronounced. And everyone has nice red combs & wattles.

They have been getting corn since I got them. It comes in the scratch I add to their FF. And like I mentioned before I didnt notice the messy butts till around they started laying.

Again thank you for your advice
Yes please..leave the corn for now and try the calf manna...I am going to try to get more to just remove all corn all together from chicken diets except the corn you grow.

Awesome upcycle on the brooder!

x2

How to tell your cat spends too much time w/ chickens .............................. her white fur is brown from dust bathing. She spends as much time stalking and catching insects as rodents.

So I have a question. My pullets free range all day and I have one who will not lay in the nest boxes. We're talking "I'll hold this dang egg in 'til I explode if I have to." She's always been my most reliable layer, depositing her egg in the same spot in the garage every day. I collect eggs when I get home from work each day,and since Monday, nothing in her preferred spot, even if she's sitting there when I leave. Haven't found any secret stashes. No changes in her condition otherwise. She looks like a happy, healthy bird.

My first guess is something is eating her eggs. What do y'all think?

Put her in a kennel when you leave and see if you have an egg when you get home.

Quote: I wish we were going to have nice weather...I have a lake for a yard ..poor chickens. My first spring that I have very dirty chicken eggs. All my chickens are muddy all day long.

 

[delisha]

On the bareback hen question I know Bee stated that she culled hens for that, she is the only one I have seen that expressed that practice, but I do not know what her reasons were. I have not culled for that personally.

I have a bare back hen..I would never cull her for that. It makes me visit the possibility of protection for her..but not culling. The cockerel is young and busy. He visits her dozens of times a day...she does not seem to mind and invites the attention. I just check her often to make sure there is no skin injury.

 

[aoxa]

Because of the issues at home I am not missing any one's posts on purpose..I promis. I read as many as I can.

BDM..I am so glad your DD is home. I sure hope she continues her recovery so she can be out with the sun on her face soon.
Try a grocery store if you can't find them. Sometimes even gas stations will have them for a buck. Try calling around or order them online.
ducks are cute..I love ducklings.
we have the next 10 days or rain. My yard is back looking like a lake.
Christine, you need to do what you feel is best for your birds. If it is going to drop to freezing I might too. If it stays about 40 I do not. They have feathers and each other to snuggle. Stick your hand under a wing once. It is toasty warm and they snuggle together. If you are worried..put heat on. Use your instincts and common sense and your birds will thrive.
Don't take the corn out..feed what you have and when its gone..try it than. Sometimes when spring comes and hormones kick in they have poppy bottoms. If you do not see lice, mites, or an unhealthy vent..you are fine.
Get a picture of her bottom please...take a few so you have clear pictures to post..I need the bumps and the redness and feather shafts. The epsom salt dose is good for now.
Yes please..leave the corn for now and try the calf manna...I am going to try to get more to just remove all corn all together from chicken diets except the corn you grow.
x2

Put her in a kennel when you leave and see if you have an egg when you get home.
I wish we were going to have nice weather...I have a lake for a yard ..poor chickens. My first spring that I have very dirty chicken eggs. All my chickens are muddy all day long.

My yard is like that too for the most part. The wild ducks love it, so your ducks must also be in heaven

 

[lalaland]

Delisha,
Sue will be back Sat, so she can help me get pics of the vent and red skin then. I can't do it one handed.

I did resort to giving her tiny bread crumbs swimming in oil to get the oil into her. she has been picking at an apple half I put in the kennel. slowed down on the drinking. turned her beak up at yogurt and hardboiled egg mashed together.

still no green in her poop, just water/urates/sometimes a bit of brown.

grateful again for your help!

 

[pigeonguy]

Hey LW, hubby is wondering what fish that is you're holding. I know you said it a while back, but I can't remember.

You talking about the bait he's holding.

 

[Ashdoes]

I have noticed two things about ducks...one, they are so messy. I cant believe how fast they trashed the paper towels, food, poo and water all over. Number two, they are CRAZY about water. I can't keep them out of it. I have one of those plastic lids that twists onto the jug, so there's only about 1 1/2 inches of space to drink, and they try to sit in it. We had to bring them in because the temp dropped and the garage was not staying warm enough under the lamp. We figure a couple days and this storm should be gone, so a Rubbermaid tub is home for now. And the pics!

 

[aoxa]

I have noticed two things about ducks...one, they are so messy. I cant believe how fast they trashed the paper towels, food, poo and water all over. Number two, they are CRAZY about water. I can't keep them out of it. I have one of those plastic lids that twists onto the jug, so there's only about 1 1/2 inches of space to drink, and they try to sit in it. We had to bring them in because the temp dropped and the garage was not staying warm enough under the lamp. We figure a couple days and this storm should be gone, so a Rubbermaid tub is home for now. And the pics!

Pee pads work wonders for ducks.

They are so cute.

Oh my gosh the work they take only gets worse. Which is why Joan is going to brood that little call I fell in love with until it is able to go outside. I can't brood ducks in the house. Way too smelly and messy.



Here it is again with the chantecler and Chloe our poodle who is obsessed with anything baby sized. She is such a mom.

What kind of ducks did you get Ashdoes?

 

[loanwizard]

The fish I am holding is..... a big one..... If that's bait Pigeon Toe, I don;t want anything to do with THAT water.....

It is a Blue Catfish.

 

[pigeonguy]

AFL...maybe your kiddos don't have a problem at all! Maybe it's just like you said that they are messy and didn't wipe well

!!!!!

And...here I go again...

I guess what I'm wondering is - if they're not acting sick, maybe it's just their "norm"? Several of the folks here are saying they notice a little dirty on the bottoms on a regular basis...

I know I have one or 2 that seem to have a little on the back side but their vents are okay and they're otherwise healthy it seems. I keep thinking about how people used to advise us not to be looking at the poop constantly and worrying about every little thing and wondering if it may be one of those things that we have heard so much about gleet, etc., that we're concerned when we don't need to be?

Now...again...I'm just "thinking out loud" so I don't know...just wondering...


Do you think you could take a photo that some of the folks here with longer experience could take a look and let us know what they think? Maybe this will be a learning thing for all of us!!

Finally That's what I think .