The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Pozees]

We have a nationally published author among us! LoanWizard has a little piece in the June/July 2013 Mother Earth News in the article: "Start a Work-From-Home Business." I was reading my new Mother, last night, and as I reading "Internet Food Sales" it sounded really familiar. Then I got to the "Shawn Dostie Coshocton, Ohio" and sat up straight and said out loud "I know him!!!" I startled my dog a bit.
Nicely written, Shawn, and I hope the business takes off and you can live your dream!

I saw it last night too, how funny! Did the same thing - started reading, started thinking wow this is like deja vu ... oh it's Shawn!

 

[aoxa]

I just got through saying to someone that I wouldn't want to share some of the things I've done to my chickens to save myself of embarrassment but here goes. I had a hen that I thought had an impacted crop. I thought I read where you feed oil, hold them upside down for 2 hours while messaging her crop. DH went to prayer meeting and for 2 hours, Sally and I sat on the porch, me feeding a little oil, holding her upside down and messaging. After 5 min I would hold her upright, she'd burp, I'd pet her, repeat process. She was supposed to throw up. I finally gave up, figured she'd be dead by morning. She was fine and still is. I shared this story with my mother and she wondered why I didn't just let my chickens be chickens and leave them alone. I now share very little chicken stories with her lol. I think I've learned so much on here that I look for things. I hope all is well with yours.

I'm sure we all have stories like this!

 

[Pozees]

Meal worms - got some last August, I have fed some out but mainly let them continue multiplying, and I am finally getting to the point I think I have enough to feed at least once a month. They have taken a LOT longer to multiply than I expected. I have them in my son's bedroom (he is away at college) so it is warm enough to keep them alive but not warm enough for faster multiplication. I give them apple or carrot a couple of times a week, fresh wheat bran just poured on top twice since I started them in August. The birds LOVE them, otherwise I would have given up.

They are not cheap, but I have not been able to find fish meal either, they get eggs and poultry carcasses from time to time, but sometimes I need another protein source or a handy lure. I have read elsewhere on BYC that some people have enough that they sell them for bait or for starter stock to others, and make them pay for themselves. If I ever have enough to do that it will have been long after my initial investment since I'm closing in on a year since I started them.

 

[aoxa]

Meal worms - got some last August, I have fed some out but mainly let them continue multiplying, and I am finally getting to the point I think I have enough to feed at least once a month. They have taken a LOT longer to multiply than I expected. I have them in my son's bedroom (he is away at college) so it is warm enough to keep them alive but not warm enough for faster multiplication. I give them apple or carrot a couple of times a week, fresh wheat bran just poured on top twice since I started them in August. The birds LOVE them, otherwise I would have given up.

They are not cheap, but I have not been able to find fish meal either, they get eggs and poultry carcasses from time to time, but sometimes I need another protein source or a handy lure. I have read elsewhere on BYC that some people have enough that they sell them for bait or for starter stock to others, and make them pay for themselves. If I ever have enough to do that it will have been long after my initial investment since I'm closing in on a year since I started them.

I must be cheap. I dig for worms for my birds for treats

They hang around my feet when I dig and really enjoy this. I also dig them up for chicks and the silkies who are penned in the garage right now.

 

[RedRidge]

I must be cheap. I dig for worms for my birds for treats

Yes, my free range... ration balancing in the summer is easy... the question was for winter rations (when the ground is frozen and you have no worms/bugs).

My fish meal runs about $50 for a 50 lb bag (which is a LOT cheaper than meal worms... raising or buying). But... I limit my fish meal for my laying hens to 4% of their ration to prevent fishy eggs. Recommended max is 3.6%, but I have no had a problem with fishy eggs at 4%.

I'd really like my animal protein to be at least 6-8% of their ration.

 

[Bulldogma]

So I made sure to thank my DH this morning (he served in Kuwait in 1991 clearing a major road of undetonated ordinance and bombed out vehicles on a major roadway and clearing bunkers). Of course then he corrected me and said that Memorial Day is for remembering those who lost their lives in wars and Veterans Day is for the veterans. So I slapped him upside the head and told him not to be so difficult.

We have a nationally published author among us! LoanWizard has a little piece in the June/July 2013 Mother Earth News in the article: "Start a Work-From-Home Business." I was reading my new Mother, last night, and as I reading "Internet Food Sales" it sounded really familiar. Then I got to the "Shawn Dostie Coshocton, Ohio" and sat up straight and said out loud "I know him!!!" I startled my dog a bit.
Nicely written, Shawn, and I hope the business takes off and you can live your dream!

Way to go, Loin!!

My internal layer passed last night - I had guests so couldn't cull her earlier in the day, and planned on culling her as soon as everyone left.
When I ordered 16 chicks a few months ago, I had 14 hens -down to 9 adult hens now. A lot of death in just a few months - internal layer, owl, dead overnight suddenly, one unknown but way too much fat, and the one the lab necropsied which was e coli systemic infection probably stress related.
THats not counting the one wellie that Delisha helped me bring back to health.
Keeping my fingers crossed everyone stays healthy.
I can't think of anything in my chickenkeeping that could be improved except perhaps more animal protein.

Sorry for your loss. Sometimes crap just happens to good chicken keepers. Don't let it get to you (said the pot to the kettle).

Everyone was right when they say food is the way to a chickens heart! lol Ever since I started feeding fermented feed, my birds have slowly gotten more social. Now, I have birds who would freak out if I was just in the pen, and now they'll eat out of my hand! Still don't like getting held, but are sooo much easier to be around. Oh, and their droppings don't smell anymore!

Woohooooo!

I knew they would too. I don't think I'll ever post some of the things I've done when I got new chicks/birds. On a different note. My son lives 10 min away on the very outskirts of Corning. He's had many dead birds in his yard. Not just babies. This is the time of year babies fall out of nests but all of these are not babies. I think I may call our county ext tomorrow and see if anyone else has noticed. (I'm always afraid to do any calling to anyone. Don't want to open a can of worms, so to speak)

I would report it. If your worried about opening a can of worms, just report it anonymously. What if it is the bird flu or another virus deadly to poultry? You'd want to know about that - especially if it could affect your flock.

I don't remember if the thing had done anything about Sour Crop or not.

I first noticed Sour Crop in a HRIR pullet and after yoghurt (plain with probioitics) and thorough crop massages, she came out of it. I've only had chicks with impacted crop and it was impossible for me to fix. I tried.

Have not done it yet. Everyone please weigh in with the best (and most natural) ways to cure sour crop.

 

[Pozees]

I must be cheap. I dig for worms for my birds for treats

They hang around my feet when I dig and really enjoy this. I also dig them up for chicks and the silkies who are penned in the garage right now.

In my neck of the woods ... well, there are no woods, and precious few worms The climate is referred to as an alpine desert. I had to "seed" my garden with worms when we bought the place and started planting. The last few years we've gone directly from winter to summer, with almost zero spring rain. This year, we had a late freeze (middle of May), had a quarter inch of rain and within two days it was in the 90s, dry, and windy. My native "soil" is clay that turns to fine dust when dry. We've been here 7 years now, and have finally gotten the planting beds pretty decent but when I find a worm I am ecstatic and carefully cover it to keep it alive and in my garden. The sun here grows great peppers, I will say that

 

[aoxa]

So I made sure to thank my DH this morning (he served in Kuwait in 1991 clearing a major road of undetonated ordinance and bombed out vehicles on a major roadway and clearing bunkers). Of course then he corrected me and said that Memorial Day is for remembering those who lost their lives in wars and Veterans Day is for the veterans. So I slapped him upside the head and told him not to be so difficult.

Way to go, Loin!!

Sorry for your loss. Sometimes crap just happens to good chicken keepers. Don't let it get to you (said the pot to the kettle).

Woohooooo!

I would report it. If your worried about opening a can of worms, just report it anonymously. What if it is the bird flu or another virus deadly to poultry? You'd want to know about that - especially if it could affect your flock.


Have not done it yet. Everyone please weigh in with the best (and most natural) ways to cure sour crop.

Cut out all ACV
Yoghurt with probiotics
No sugar at all - so no fruits, breads, etc.
Eggs also good.
Massage crop

When I first noticed that Ruby had Sour Crop she was bending over to eat and regurgitating. That stuff STANK. Like spoiled milk.. Her crop was huge. I took her off food and offered her only water while I did some research. I then bought some plain, sugar free, yoghurt and offered it to her with eggs. She gobbled it up. I massaged her crop twice a day and continued to offer her yoghurt in addition to their regular feed for a week. No treats. She was better after a few days and back to normal after a week.

What Sour Crop is is a yeast infection in the crop. Sugar feeds yeast.

 

[Bulldogma]

Thank you, Aoxa? Anyone have anything to add from their own experiences with sour crop?

 

[delisha]

sour crop...

no food for 24 hours. Clear clean water with no additives after 12 hours. I release the bird and observe.
If they have it again, I do confine them in the coop.
I again withhold food for 24 hours. You need that crop emptied for treatment to work.
I do massage the crop if it feels impacted. If it is squishy I do little massaging.

After the crop empties
I feed their eggs back to them with a tablespoon of plain yogurt. I just smash the whole egg..shells and all and stir in the yogurt.
I observe for the next 24 hours.
They are given plain fresh water.
I add plain grain to eggs and yogurt the next day if the crop empties.
I observe for 24 hours.
I do not do much messing with sour crop. Sometimes they get something lodge in there that needs time to get out. I can usually feel it and work it out. If it is a continuing issue I cull the bird. I have culled one bird for a continuing problem. She just loved to eat the oddest things. I cut up old pie tins and hand them in my garden to deter birds and bunnies and she loved to eat them. Love shinny things. Found all my DH's lost nails, nuts and bolts. She was very odd. If she seen a nail head in a door jam or window she would spend hours trying to get it out.