The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[SunAndDirt]

aoxa: Thanks, I am giving it tonight and if she's still looking "poofy" tomorrow I'll be taking her to a vet. I imagine eye stain will be first on the list.

Like everyone with a good group of chooks, I don't really care what this is so long as it isn't a) contagious and b) a cullable offense. No one *wants* to be culling young birds for illness. It's just a lose-lose.

 

[aoxa]

aoxa: Thanks, I am giving it tonight and if she's still looking "poofy" tomorrow I'll be taking her to a vet. I imagine eye stain will be first on the list.

Like everyone with a god group of chooks, I don't really care what this is so long as it isn't a) contagious and b) a cullable offense.

My vet was free, otherwise I wouldn't have asked them. I was about to cull her too, before he told me it's not a big deal and that it doesn't affect anything other than her vision. I had her a year after that before the fire and it didn't grow, or affect her ability to lay or get around.

 

[armorfirelady]

Stony- those duckling with your broody are to adorable for words
Loin- sorry to hear about ur cat

Well I know the tiny tots can get on the roosts. I've caught them roosting several times during the day. But this time of night they are either at the pop door of the run or the door of the coop peeping up a ruckus. I really think its cuz they lose Edie who roosts on the top roost of the coop and they don't see her, I put them all on the roost and then went to pet Edie, off they came. So I put Edie on a lower roost got one BCM up with her, the other jumped on roost behind her & the BR started peeping louder.........and the BCMs got down and they all went to the pop door.

The 2 BCMs then got on a tiny roost but again the BR didn't so they got down. I know the BR can get up there, I've seen her up there. Why they can't figure out to roost at night instead of running from door to door I don't know,

Fingers crossed when I go back out when its dark they will stay put lol. Or maybe red can show them when she joins them Sunday

 

[groverlvchx]

How old are they when they start wanting to roost? I need to put up some lower roosts for my chicks because it'll be awhile before they can get to the ones the big girls are on which are 4&1/2 feet up. My chicks are only a week and a half old. I'm already amazed at the flying leaps they take, though! So will they want to roost at 4 weeks or so?

 

[Sally8]

I'm still not a Silkie girl but yesterday when it was raining cats and dogs, I managed to run over Thor with the car. He was my grandson's favorite. Thor rode the 4 wheeler with him, the bicycle. Thor was very gifted. I had a very bad day. My son and DIL told my grandson that Mama Sue would buy him another one. He was upset but managed to say that we better buy 2, just in case. I love that boy so much. Dontcha know I can't find Silkie's anywhere.

 

[BlueMouse]

so sorry about thor! so miserable to lose one that way. hope you can find a local silkie.

 

[starlingdaly]

Oh no! That's terrible, Sally8! I would give you one of my silkies if we lived close.

I have a Welsummer HEN named Thor (long story) and now I'll be especially paranoid about where she (or any of the chooks) is when I'm driving.

 

[Bulldogma]

I'm still not a Silkie girl but yesterday when it was raining cats and dogs, I managed to run over Thor with the car. He was my grandson's favorite. Thor rode the 4 wheeler with him, the bicycle. Thor was very gifted. I had a very bad day. My son and DIL told my grandson that Mama Sue would buy him another one. He was upset but managed to say that we better buy 2, just in case. I love that boy so much. Dontcha know I can't find Silkie's anywhere.

Oh, Sally8 - I'm so sorry for your loss!

 

[TeriO]

For what its worth my 4 BO pullets slept in a pile till they were 30 weeks old. I would put them on the roost but they ended up sleeping on a pile. They are over a year old now and I still catch them once in a while. They are fine and happy and healthy. Go figure.

 

[TeriO]

Sorry about your little silkie I know about how much grandsons love these chickens.