The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[salt and pepper]

I've read on here that you need to clean your coop out completely, remove everything, white wash the inside walls, etc, & neem oil for the roosts & little spots you cant get the white wash into.

Wood ash is mite/lice preventive for the chickens.

And I believe that mites can be in straw or hay (I forget which)

Coop is sealed and painted, cleaning tomorrow, can't get neem oil, but CAN get wood ash, lol. I know they can live in straw, but they were living in everything else too, so that's why I'm using it.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Hmmm maybe delisa would have a better idea. At least the wood ash is a start. I keep my girls dust bath in the coop. Obviously it stays drier in there plus the added benefit of wood ash in the DL as a mite preventive.

 

[stonykill]

Coop has mites again.... What is a fool proof way of getting rid of them? I've tried DE, permethrin ( powder, and spray ) and frontline, and nothing has worked!!! Does anyone have an idea what to use???? Thought it had to do with bedding, but they had mite no matter what, so I went back to straw, since I HATE shavings. Almost thinking they're baby spiders, because my chickens show NO signs of being ill, I just see little brown bugs in the coop.

I use pine wood shaving, DL with some wood ash in it. Works for me

 

[Quailsong]

Mind me asking why hermit crabs? Are they pets?

Hope that doesn't sound rude or anything. I'm legitimately curious.

Not rude at all! Questions fuel learning.^^

They were 'rescues' from pet stores, but yes kept as pets as I've no easy way to return them to their native wilds. I've four right now which I'll take with me when I move & upgrade their home. They are quite energetic & each have different personalities characteristic of their breed or as individuals. One (an Equadorian) is rather loud as he tends to chirp when he gets lost. The other three I have are two small Purple Pinchers and a large Strawberry.

Hermit crabs can live 30-50 (or more) years if kept right, although they can suffer from depression as most are wild-caught. Alas, they're often marketed as 'throwaway pets' via pet stores, so those new to crabs generally don't know how to keep them - so they die within days or a couple years. In chicken-talk it would be the equivalent of natural free-ranging vs battery cages.

 

[Alibabe]

Just thought I would share ... saw this on another thread and thought you all might find it useful. (It was originally copied from another site.

" I ran into this post on Facebook about using Cream of Tartar as a stain remover.

In my little world, items like cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate) are not simply a super way to stabilize egg whites but also scandalously inexpensive cleaning secrets.

This long-forgotten gem of a cleaning agent may be used with a little water or vinegar to lift even the most stubborn stains. Unattractive grout driving you batty? Mold and mildew stains got you reaching for the Prozac? Burner pans and casserole dishes giving you fits? Cream of Tartar is your new best friend.

Cream of tartar is one of nature’s best bleaching agents. Cream of tartar, a.k.a “crusted wine,” is mixed with baking soda to create baking powder (bet you didn't know that.. okay, some of you probably did, you smartypants). While it is an acid, it’s not harmful. It’s an acidic salt which comes from grapes.

Use a few tablespoons of cream of tartar with hot water or hydrogen peroxide and clean any aluminum pans which have discoloration or any rusty drains, pans, or stains.

Do you have copper kettles? Mix some cream of tarter with lemon juice and rub the copper with it. Rinse and be amazed!

How about a porcelain sink, tub, commode? Rub the porcelain surfaces with cream of tartar and watch the stains disappear.

Fabric stains? No prob. Mix a few teaspoons of cream of tartar with some glycerin and use like spray-and-wash. The results? Well, I’m here to tell you that this stuff cured the ring around Joshua’s shirt collars.

Just need a great nonabrasive cleaner? Mix 2 teaspoons of vinegar and 2 teaspoon of cream of tartar in a small dish (use 3 or 4 teaspoons of vinegar and 3 or 4 teaspoons of cream of tartar if you have more items to clean). Apply with your cleaning rag or scrub brush and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Scrub. Wash with hot soapy water."

 

[armorfirelady]

Alibabe- thanks for the info. I printed it out for future reference.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: (Y'all didn't know it, but Aoxa is a coconut oil salesperson incognito.

)

Regarding goats having to be wormed monthly, no, they don't. Nothing does. Not if it's kept in a healthy environment anyway...

But I will keep practicing prevention as an ounce of prevention's worth a pound of cure. I've never had lice or mite or worm problems. Also it appears you can't lose chicks to coccidiosis if they have garlic. I swear by it for so many things. I recommend the books of Pat Coleby, and Juliette de Bairacli Levy. Neither of them is 100% right but they sure did know a few things!

Very timely! I'm pretty sure we're going to get some goats to raise for meat and we have a good browse area. I'd like them not to have grain and other items that I know aren't good for ruminants...but I only have "book knowledge" so I'm starting out new.

I had posted a couple days ago asking if anyone could recommend books or resources regarding "natural goat raising". I don't think anyone responded unless I missed it. I just ordered Pat Coleby's book (Natural Goat Care). I haven't received it yet so I can't comment. So you recommend it? Any other books or resources you recommend? (I have the herbal for stable but have never looked at it! I wish it had photos

I'm a photo person.)

You know, the way people write about goat care is like they write about chickens ...if you aren't doing some kind of intervention every hour they're going to drop over dead. I know that's not right, but finding good advice and info from people that raise naturally is hard to find so far.

That's why I've so enjoyed the NCK thread and the other 2 that had so much practical information. And I LOVE the "personality" of this thread best of all... good info, good friendship, respectful behavior....

 

[starlingdaly]

Hehehe, thanks everyone. Was wondering if my rooster was a bit confused for a while there.
Growing up, we never had any nice roosters despite the kids' best efforts to keep them socialized while growing up so I didn't have a rooster for a while with my own flock, now that I'm on my own. Then I bought a Welsummer chick that was supposed to be a cockerel... That laid eggs... And eventually I adopted a rooster that was alone after all his hens got eaten. Turns out he is the best rooster ever! A bit shy, but so sweet and gentlemanly and sometimes lets me touch him.
I do think he would be great with the chicks but mama hen gets her own space with her babies for the first few weeks.


It's great to hear encouragement on the topic of all natural chicken care! I had some discouragement on other threads recently but never gave up!
Also good to hear other people use neem oil! I don't feel so crazy for putting it on my broodies and chicks.

Any thoughts on oregano oil? I have used it to treat some sort of intestinal chicken worms before and it seemed to work.

 

[danib]

lots of new pics on my "thing" but just had to share this one. Loin...behave

 

[danib]

I have 2 questions I'd appreciate your feedback on:
What is white washing?
Also, do you all use DE? I'm not sure if that's a good option for me, cuz I've read (alot) that we're not supposed to breathe it in because it can be damaging to our lungs and the chickens lungs. Seems like an unnecessary risk. Aren't there (safer) alternatives to DE?