The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[salt and pepper]

look like this? > <

Yes, but they are brown instead of white... I'll try to get a better pic tomorrow. Thanks for the help!!

 

[Mumsy]

did you watch the chick video of mine? Anyone see anything? I am worried about that S. laced Wyandotte and that silkie still.

That one little Wyandotte wandering around with the hunched up look? Yes. It does seem to look just a tad not feeling well. The Silkie looks acts a lot like mine. Mine sleep around a lot more than the other chickens.

 

[delisha]

Quote: I have no idea what is wrong with this chick. She is not growing and does not eat very much. She has looked like this since my treatment a month ago. No change ever.

 

[lalaland]

Leahsmom, I was wondering where you were. I'm sorry to hear about your family. come back soon.

 

[lalaland]

I think these chickens are testing my sanity.

First, had the questionable chick this am, who seems fine ever since.

Second, I've a year old hen who has laid eggs who a week ago starting doing that rooster chortle that says "lookie here, this is the most delicious tidbit". today, heard quite the commotion, wings flapping and hens annoyed. looked out, and saw the hen turned into a rooster. I'm serious, she was doing the dropped wing dance and trying to mount hens, and they weren't having any of it! I've heard about this, just was not a believer. still might not be. but I saw it.

Third, let the hens out to free range. called them in and one was missing. Did the search, the call, the treat jar shake, the search, the looking into the coop which is quite the production because you have to unfasten the netting to the chick quarters, and then deal with an interior fence before you can get to the hen section, repeated the search, the call, finally hauled out a hose and sprayed the peonies to see if she was hiding under there,......looked through the run under the pines and brambles, thinking I'ld find a dead hen, .....swatting bugs, and danged if she wasn't tucked into a corner dustbathing and couldn't be bothered. not sure if I am more releived or po'd that I spent 20 minutes thinking the worst and getting bit up by flies.

I'm crankier than you'ld think possible.

 

[armorfirelady]

Leah's mom sorry for your loss but glad you stopped in.

Delisha I hope your chick gets better

 

[aoxa]

Yeah one of them looks like it's not feeling well. Are you going to cull?

 

[Eggcessive]

I used corid..some of the chicks exibited *wry neck* like symptoms on day 5 of treatment. I almost lost my female silkie. I gave foods high in thymine, like many eggs daily and in a week most had recovered. One never did and died on day 12. Three took longer. One I just culled. They probably did not have cocci and I gave poison to my birds. I am pretty mad at myself. Who knows what long term effects and damage I did. That is why I am investing in a microscope. It will save me money and lives in the long run. It only cost me $40 a year for fecal tests, that alone will pay for the equipment.
Corid. I read about side effects of corid after I treated. I was so stupid.
I had it occasionally in my meat birds a long time ago. Same with pectoral myopathy. It can show up in any type of bird. I feel it is genitic and can't be fixed.
I agree..I am watching them like a hawk in this weather. They are already compromised from being ill. I have added dry powdered milk on the top of food to force more water drinking (Elecrolytes). I have stopped giving them FF free feed and only give them a smaller portion. They now have dry available at all times. FF once a day. The only ones I am worried about are the ones I took off the property and treated with corid. I am pretty stressed about now. I was thinking about taking a video and see if anyone can see something I do not.

Where did you read about side effects of Corid? Corid doesn't block thiamine in the chickens, but the thiamine in coccidia oocysts. Chicks who have coccidia and recover may be affected for the rest of their lives--meat birds that don't reach the potential weight and layers that don't lay well--but that is the disease, not the treatment. I am having trouble finding anything written by experts on medication. There is tons of material on the disease process, just not on treatment. Even people disagree on the dosage since most meds are used off-label.

 

[aoxa]

Where did you read about side effects of Corid? Corid doesn't block thiamine in the chickens, but the thiamine in coccidia oocysts. Chicks who have coccidia and recover may be affected for the rest of their lives--meat birds that don't reach the potential weight and layers that don't lay well--but that is the disease, not the treatment. I am having trouble finding anything written by experts on medication. There is tons of material on the disease process, just not on treatment. Even people disagree on the dosage since most meds are used off-label.

I found this:



Quote:

 

[zinia8]

They are quite tasty even when small...

I used to cage separately when I was still figuring out the best way to fatten them and keep a peaceful flock, but really it seems best done through breeding, and free ranging them until cull day is best for our health. I maintain a steady adult population of both genders and any misbehaving teens of either gender will be punished by the adults. I used to have rampant cockerel issues for a very brief time but haven't had for many generations; I started blaming the fathers for the sins of the sons, so to speak, and it seems to apply. Roosters who mistreat or disrespect hens tend to breed those notoriously bad cockerels. Originally I too thought it was just puberty. Breed gentleman roosters and you get very well mannered boys. Win-win!

However while you're figuring out how you feel is best to deal with your issue there, caging them in sight of the hens is probably best, it'll give them something to look at besides eachother. If too bored too quickly they may start turning that bad behaviour on eachother. If you're going to release them once incarcerating them, they will be a blight on the flock, best to maintain freeranging or caging. One or the other. One nasty cockerel I culled young would not let the other boys off the perch to feed, defeating the whole purpose of caging to fatten, which I found doesn't work well anyway... Not for me.

Thank you. I did seperate them from the hens last night and all day today. When I got home feom work today I turned the girls out to free range then left the the boys out a little later. Well the one 2 yr old hen disappaered into the woods bit not far. 4 of the young pullets went charging right to them and greeted them like they where gods. Two of the 2yr olds went and checked them out but weren't impressed. And the one pullet didn't even bother to glance at them. So are they nasty boys or just being led on by the girls. They where actually a better towards the pullets not just chasing and mating. They call the girls when they find a tasty morsel and let them eat treats first.
Well at roosting time a big rain storm blew in they all went into the big coop. I didn't have enough time to grab the boys to stuff them into their own coop. So I hope everyone is alright come sun up. Gonna try the separating thing again. Really wish I could free range them all day but I would come home to no flock.
Need to pick one cockeral and get my sister to take the other now.
Sorry about the rambling.I just usually sit back and listen to you all chat.