The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[pigeonguy]

I am a newbie since I have only had my hens since August but I have learned on some old forums from people on this one that all hens have worms. But a natural worm preventive that some others & I use are pumpkin-cucumber-zucchini-squash seeds & cayenne pepper flakes. The veggies they get all winter and as they grow from the garden. The cayenne pepper flakes I add once a month or so to their FF. I can say that I have never seen an overload of worms in my hens poop ever. I believe prevention is better than treating a problem. I also use ACV in their water for good probiotics. They also get garlic in their FF to maintain good health.

And for mite/lice prevention I use wood ash. Happily I have never had those either

Hope this helps & welcome !!

I know that we have all been told all chickens have worms. If this is a true statement I would like someone to show the worms in this one.

Contents of gizzard


I did not use any meat/organs as the yellow liquid was everywhere.

Or the many I have seen cleaned without them. Yes we did check some for them.
I am talking about Round worms and tape worms which is what people are being led to believe even if it is not what is meant. That is the way I read it anyway and I know it ain't true.
Don't take offence armorfirelady I post something almost every time I see the statement.

 

[jockeyeba]

My fantasy pasture setup!

Cool but I'd just love to have all that grass

 

[ramblinH]

You want a plastic feeder

Also, your chick there is a barred rock not a BO. This is one type of bedding I haven't tried. Did you shred the paper yourself? 

My 1st batch I got from our recycling center but they asked we make a donation because they actually get paid by another company when they turn it in (however that works). So we just bought an inexpensive paper shredder for our house & shred all our junk mail. I will mix paper shreds & leaves for the coop

Oh & I said wrong, that little one is a Dominique - at least that's what I ordered, lol!

Here is a copy of the post from Mumsy......I thought it was her that started feeding her chics young  
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...eeping-thread-ots-welcome/10980#post_10857842

She is one of the great OTs on here that I have learned from.  

Thanks again - can't wait to check it out! Hoping someday I'll be the OT giving out good advice

 

[jockeyeba]

Live & learn I had 3 out of 4 eggs hatch yesterday- 2 WR/W crosses & one BLRW.....one of the WR's was weak in it's left leg, the pullet was setting on the eggs in the main coop (with a big run)with 2 W roo's, a GL pullet,Orp pullet, Welsummer pullet, SS pullet & 3 big ol WR hens. I fixed a crate next to her nest (which was on the floor) that only the chicks could get in to eat & drink......well today I came out & the WR chick with the bad leg was in the middle of the coop with that leg pecked almost off I put her & the chicks in a separate little pen but I don't think the chick will make it with only 1 leg. To make things worse we have an owl that keeps knocking 1 of our AG hens out of the trees at night, I hear the commotion & go out & get her off the ground & put her in a coop (she's blonde colored & must show up better then some of the others), this has happened 4 times in the last 2 weeks.....well last night I heard a chicken screaming & my husband ran out with the 2 dogs, they took off towards the back of the yard, before we were going back in 1 of the dogs was trying to get in this shipping crate sitting in the yard so we went over & there was my hen with feathers everywhere. She seemed OK in the dark, I put her in the coop but this morning she does have a wound on her leg & her wing on the other side hanging a little. Oh I forgot 2 nights before something got 2 of my 4 6 week old chicks out of the pen they were in through the fence ( was the only side that I didnt' have hardware cloth on) I thought they were staying in the little house I had for them inside on the protected side of the pen We put a live trap next to the chick pen & it was sprung this morning but nothing in it & the food was gone

 

[pigeonguy]

Live & learn

I had 3 out of 4 eggs hatch yesterday- 2 WR/W crosses & one BLRW.....one of the WR's was weak in it's left leg, the pullet was setting on the eggs in the main coop (with a big run)with 2 W roo's, a GL pullet,Orp pullet, Welsummer pullet, SS pullet & 3 big ol WR hens. I fixed a crate next to her nest (which was on the floor) that only the chicks could get in to eat & drink......well today I came out & the WR chick with the bad leg was in the middle of the coop with that leg pecked almost off

I put her & the chicks in a separate little pen but I don't think the chick will make it with only 1 leg. To make things worse we have an owl that keeps knocking 1 of our AG hens out of the trees at night, I hear the commotion & go out & get her off the ground & put her in a coop (she's blonde colored & must show up better then some of the others), this has happened 4 times in the last 2 weeks.....well last night I heard a chicken screaming & my husband ran out with the 2 dogs, they took off towards the back of the yard, before we were going back in 1 of the dogs was trying to get in this shipping crate sitting in the yard so we went over & there was my hen with feathers everywhere. She seemed OK in the dark, I put her in the coop but this morning she does have a wound on her leg & her wing on the other side hanging a little. Oh I forgot 2 nights before something got 2 of my 4 6 week old chicks out of the pen they were in through the fence ( was the only side that I didnt' have hardware cloth on) I thought they were staying in the little house I had for them inside on the protected side of the pen

We put a live trap next to the chick pen & it was sprung this morning but nothing in it & the food was gone

That's a pot of bad stuff sorry to hear it. You may want to put the little with the leg almost pecked off down so it does not suffer anymore.

 

[lalaland]

thanks everyone for the encouragement on the necropsy. I will do a more thorough job next time.

The gizzard had a tiny bit of grit, the crop had more grit. There is always grit available, plus plenty of access to dirt and sand. In the winter I toss grit on the open ground under the trailer coop also because I figure that gets picked over. Pigeonguy, the gizzard in the necropsy you reposted tonight looked like mine. So am glad it wasn't a blocked gizzard.


Welcome to all you newcomers - this thread moves so fast, that if you happen to post and don't get an answer, just ask it again. it happens! I was on here early afternoon and came back tonight to find 58 new posts! So a question asked in the 4th post for example, might easily be forgotten by me by the 58th post, and I'm guessing some others here have the same kind of memory - plus the multiquote button sometimes fails. So don't take it personally, just try again.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

thanks everyone for the encouragement on the necropsy. I will do a more thorough job next time.

The gizzard had a tiny bit of grit, the crop had more grit. There is always grit available, plus plenty of access to dirt and sand. In the winter I toss grit on the open ground under the trailer coop also because I figure that gets picked over. Pigeonguy, the gizzard in the necropsy you reposted tonight looked like mine. So am glad it wasn't a blocked gizzard.


Welcome to all you newcomers - this thread moves so fast, that if you happen to post and don't get an answer, just ask it again. it happens! I was on here early afternoon and came back tonight to find 58 new posts! So a question asked in the 4th post for example, might easily be forgotten by me by the 58th post, and I'm guessing some others here have the same kind of memory - plus the multiquote button sometimes fails. So don't take it personally, just try again.

That was from my necropsy. She did not have an impacted gizzard(which is what I thought until I cut into her and the fluid rushed out). And I was not implying you did not provide grit, yours just did not have a lot in there. But gizzard muscle looked good and thick with nice color.

 

[BScott03]

This is

My fantasy pasture setup!

This is such a beautiful pic!

 

[amberr]

Thanks LM for the links and info on blukots and nu-stock
So many things could be done with that travel trailer! Wow snatch that up

 

[Elliemae 77]

Hello again,
I need some advice. I have a hen that has raspy breathing a occasional sneeze. Eyes are not watering and no nasal discharge. Appetite is good. She is.laying regularly. I panicked and didnt want it to spread to my other birds so I.treated her with tylan50 for 5 days. Now no more sneezing and the raspy is very slight. I feed her fermented feed and water with ACV. I've only had her for a little over a week. Nobody else.in my flock is getting whatever respiratory yuck she has. Is there anything else I can do for her? Cayan pepper? Garlic? Could it just be something caught in her throat? I cant imagine that its worms....or could.it be? I have checked her poo and there is no worm shed in it. Suggestions?