The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

Why didn't I think of that??? But would that be enough? I've heard it's antiseptic but not THAT antiseptic on it's own, it's better as a compliment to something else. I'm reading more right now about chickens and essential oils, I may mix a very VERY small amount into some coconut oil.

That is ALL I used for Margaret & Penny (who had a huge gaping hole in her side from spur damage). It is a miracle oil.. Honest. I would use it on myself if I had a bad cut/injury.

 

[BlueMouse]

I put coconut oil on the diaper rash/open sores of doom with a teeny bit of tea tree oil in it, and it's not so super fragrant. I might wash it out carefully with something gently antiseptic, and then cover it with the coconut oil with maybe a teeny bit of tea tree in it. If you feel like that's not staying put well enough you could make a basic salve with a little beeswax?

Still no internal pips... trying not to freak out too much.

Got my mysteriously losing weight hen by herself yesterday and fed her a dish of plain yogurt, rolled oats, and pumpkin seeds. She gobbled it down with abosolutely no hesitation. I think my plan of action is to attempt to get her back up to a good condition, and then see if she can stay there with on just free range and limited extra feeding. Our area is lush this time of year. I don't really have a place in my flock for a hen who cannot thrive on free range in june with purely supplemental feeding. I feel bad saying that, but that's the fact.

 

[starlingdaly]

Uhhhh, is it normal for a rooster to go in the hen house and make a nest and SIT in it while other hens are laying eggs or brooding???? >.>

 

[armorfirelady]

So today was the day to put the tots with the big girls.....I was up by 7 to make the tot safe house so they would have a place to run that the Big girls couldn't get in. I even big girl tested it. They REALLY wanted that tot food.........all was well with only a few disagreements between one Big Girl & Edie but she held her own. I ran to the store quick and found the tots in their safe box & the big girls outside looking in. I thought good they figured it out!!! Then Stella the BR realized she could fit out the electric netting The BCM followed her. Luckily the dogs didnt notice & I grabbed them and put them back in the old run along with Edie & Copper (BCM) I moved their tot box back in the old run & left their food in it so they get used to it.

The electric netting is not charged. The plug between the charger and wall outlet went bad so I am waiting on a new one to arrive. And the GFI outlet that when it trips and cuts power to the garage is broken & needs to be replaced. Hopefully tomorrow we get all of it fixed & I can try again :/ I just hope I dont end up with fried tots when they try to get thru the netting again

The tots in their safe house with a Big girl on outside looking in. I plan on using this as a overhang for over the pop door when its not needed anymore. It has a roof on it.


My BCM I am hoping stays a she & not a he.......all poofed up in the sun



Has anyone who has the netting put 5 & 6 week olds in the netting? Will the shock hurt them?

 

[Mumsy]

Uhhhh, is it normal for a rooster to go in the hen house and make a nest and SIT in it while other hens are laying eggs or brooding???? >.>

Yes. Mine do it all the time. It's one of the ways they woo girls to come over and, "Check out the great nest I found for you."

 

[aoxa]

Yes. Mine do it all the time. It's one of the ways they woo girls to come over and, "Check out the great nest I found for you."

Isn't it charming? My silkie roosters do it the most. I find it enchanting. Love boys who want a family

 

[stonykill]

Uhhhh, is it normal for a rooster to go in the hen house and make a nest and SIT in it while other hens are laying eggs or brooding???? >.>

sure is

 

[chooks4life]

Quote: As others have said, absolutely, in fact I associate it with some of the best roosters. When I'm building a new cage the boys are all eyes for it and can't wait for me to finish before they make multiple inspections of it and try out all the nest boxes, making a rapid very soft clucking noise. They're always under my feet as I'm building! They shape nests for the hens and are careful with any eggs there. In the wild roosters are very much involved as fathers, it's only human intervention that's bred mating-only purpose roosters who are only focused on the next hen and the next and the next and couldn't care less about chicks, or worse, kill them.

Off topic... How is it, with this thriving thread, that some people are visiting natural-solution-seeker's threads to say all natural methods fail as one can apparently see from all the threads on them, etc... I've always pursued the natural methods and found higher success rates than everyone I know who uses commercial/normal methods of poultry husbandry. So personally I vouch for natural as opposed to chemical 100%. But some people seem to make a crusade about chemicals as being the only way. I think the naysayers put a lot of beginners off what it in fact the best choice for their health and their animal's health. It's a shame.

 

[Ashdoes]

Off topic... How is it, with this thriving thread, that some people are visiting natural-solution-seeker's threads to say all natural methods fail as one can apparently see from all the threads on them, etc... I've always pursued the natural methods and found higher success rates than everyone I know who uses commercial/normal methods of poultry husbandry. So personally I vouch for natural as opposed to chemical 100%. But some people seem to make a crusade about chemicals as being the only way. I think the naysayers put a lot of beginners off what it in fact the best choice for their health and their animal's health. It's a shame.

I feel the same way. A year ago I was brand new to chickens, and wondered why it seemed so hard. I'm quite thankful I found Bee's thread, for the simple fact that she said, let them be chickens. That's what I try to follow now, and I really hope I never have to use chemicals.
Speaking of chemicals and "natural", is it true goats have to be wormed monthly? I feel like maybe they're too much for me to deal with.

 

[midnightroo]

This chicken keeping is tough sometimes.  Thanks to the sour crop discussion, I believe that's my little Speckled Sussex's problem.  She's been doing better.  The squishy crop has gone down a lot.  I finally got the chicks and turkeys in the chicken coop.  Does anyone know if there's a contest for the best red neck/white trash coop?  I'm pretty sure I'd be in the running.  I'm hoping there's a cash prize.  The duct tape wasn't my idea, but, there it is.  Anyway, I put all the birds in the coop, which is 6.5'x24'.  The little Sussex was doing really well.  She was even going in to eat with everyone, but I would take her to the other end and feed her separately.  Tonight, when I went out to feed, poor little Sussex had been beat to a pulp.  She has no feathers on her back, her wing tops are bloody, her comb is gone.  She's holding her eyes shut, but I know she can open them.  Her feet are mangled.  Tomorrow I have a friend coming to get her.  She has pens she can keep her in.  I can't believe I've gotten attached to a chicken, but I have.  I don't care where she goes as long as she gets a chance to heal and be safe.  Of course, if the crop issues don't resolve, she'll be taken care of.  Naturally, I believe she was one of (I think) my 2 pullets.  The other 6 are roos, I'm sure.  I did finally figure out that my yellow mystery chicks from the hatchery are Buff Orpingtons.  4 of the 6 roos.

Now, those delicate turkey poults are doing great.  Hope I didn't jinx them by saying that.

Although I don't post much, I want to say that I do sympathize with, laugh at and celebrate everyone's posts.  I especially appreciate the information.  I've learned a lot.  I had a loss in my family today and the distraction of this thread, especially the laughs, were greatly needed.    

So sorry for your loss. I hope your hen recovers.

I'm
I'm sorry about the loss in your family and your Sussex! I have to say I would be in the running, too for red neck coops for not one, not two, but 3 of my coops. One is made out of PVC and tarp, one is an old swing set and tarp, and one (and the front runner here for red neck coop) is made from an old truck cap and PVC!

On an unrelated note, my last two chicks just hatched! They zipped at almost exactly the same time. So I'm waiting for them to dry off a little and get more steady, but them I'm off to bed! Sadly I don't think that first chick I found is gonna make it, but the others are all looking good. Oh, and bad mama already got moved to the summer coop. No good place to go broody there!

Congrats. I hope the rest do well!

Uhhhh, is it normal for a rooster to go in the hen house and make a nest and SIT in it while other hens are laying eggs or brooding???? >.>

It has been confirmed already, but mine does and sometimes it seems he'll sing to the hen while she lays. Depends on the day.