The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[nicole63021]

Her temp was 101.3 F, but she isn't any better, lost about 20 g since I noticed her off behavior, comb and area around the eyes look very pale. She did eat a little, had some electrolytes. Used a syringe to give some liver blended with milk, but she didn't really want any when I offered in a dish. Not looking great, have her with supplimental heat as well. Making sure she gets at least a drink every couple of hours. Not sure what else to do for her but wait.

 

[uglychickens]

Thank you, her interaction had been part of the debate, but we really want to make sure she is eating and drinking.  They go out each afternoon, so she can go out with the rest of the flock then.  Does it matter what kind of liver?  We were going to use hard boiled egg, but if liver is better then that is what we'll do.  The little scrapes already look healed, the scabs have fallen off and the skin is back to normal.  Anything else we can do for her?

If it is shock take her inside to a bathtub wrap in a towl and put a hair dryer on low towards her... Chickens get cold from shock just like people do! Keep her warm!!

 

[kpchick]

Ha! Think I'm living on Aleve!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I know we've heard the pro/con debate of lighting 1000 times, but have a lighting question for those that are pro supplemental lighting. I posted this in the egg laying/behavior forum, but maybe you all can chime in too.

I know supplemental lighting should be added in the morning so no one is caught off the roost, but is it really that bad to add it in the evening? I don't leave food in the coop and the birds never hang out in there. If I add the light in the morning, they'd be stuck in there for an hour or two until we get up (more of an issue in late winter when it would be going on at 4:15). In the evening would allow them to be in or out. It also may bear mentioning that I have solar lights in the run and a porch light nearby, so they wouldn't be plunged into total darkness.

I was adding the light at the early hours last winter. It would leave them in the coop in the wee hours of the morning until I could get out there and open the door. There were days I would not make it out there until after 8 so I was glad the light was on. Then spring came and we moved the chickens to a tractor that is very open. I kept the light on the same schedule. But it would wake the roosters up and they were crowing way too early in the morning. It did not matter so much when they were in their chicken house all locked up in the back corner of our yard. But the tractor can get quite close to my bedroom window. And the roosters would start crowing about 25 minutes before the light came on. It was as if they had adjusted and just knew to wake up. It took me about a month or less to change that time and make the light stay on late. The chickens now all sit on the bars under the light once it is dark. There is some chasing of bugs that fly at the light but overall not much activity after dusk and as far as I know no one was trapped on the ground. The downside for me with adding light at the end is the eggs get laid later, much later. I have gotten eggs after 6pm at night. Once cold weather hits I plan to put the light back on in the morning.

 

[delisha]

Lets talk about chicken poop..

Most chicken poop you are going to see is very natural. Chickens have 1000's of different variety's of poop.
In summer months when it is really hot chickens drink more water and eat less food eat more greens. The stools will be loose from the change in diet, and the urates can be even clear and watery. It is a way for the chickens to cool down.


Excessive loose stools can be fixed with epsoms salts sprinkled on top of feed, or bran soaked in buttermilk if it is not worms or a disease. It will not harm your birds and will make you feel better.

There are reasons for excessively loose stools and sometimes it is rare that it is the result of disease, worms, and egg binding.

Please click on the link below and view the different NORMAL varieties of poop you are going to see from your chickens.

http://chat.allotment.org/index.php?topic=17568.0

Quote:

lol..yup..however I understand your concern. Its hot..her urates will be loose. She is probably eating less and she is straining to get rid of what she think she has so she can go back to her brooding.(She probably does not understand why she is not pooing baseballs)

Could you elaborate a bit more... are you saying that "loose stool" (or urates) is common in hot weather just in general?

If so, do you have an idea of why that would be?
Its hot..she is trying to cool down..she is drinking more water and eating less food

One of my hens seems to be having a digestive issue and I have no idea why. I don't know which one it is since I can't see them pooping in the coop at night. But, it's very runny and has run down the walls in a couple of spots. Like she was sitting on the roost and pooped and it hit the wall behind her. Gross!

But I haven't changed any of their feed or been giving them anything different in the way of fruits and veggies. Any ideas?

Probably normal..see link above

I know we've heard the pro/con debate of lighting 1000 times, but have a lighting question for those that are pro supplemental lighting. I posted this in the egg laying/behavior forum, but maybe you all can chime in too.

I know supplemental lighting should be added in the morning so no one is caught off the roost, but is it really that bad to add it in the evening? I don't leave food in the coop and the birds never hang out in there. If I add the light in the morning, they'd be stuck in there for an hour or two until we get up (more of an issue in late winter when it would be going on at 4:15). In the evening would allow them to be in or out. It also may bear mentioning that I have solar lights in the run and a porch light nearby, so they wouldn't be plunged into total darkness.

Not a debate in my book..
Chickens slow laying for a reason...they need the recovery time. They are made that way for a reason.
No lights

Her temp was 101.3 F, but she isn't any better, lost about 20 g since I noticed her off behavior, comb and area around the eyes look very pale. She did eat a little, had some electrolytes. Used a syringe to give some liver blended with milk, but she didn't really want any when I offered in a dish. Not looking great, have her with supplimental heat as well. Making sure she gets at least a drink every couple of hours. Not sure what else to do for her but wait.

Like i said..take a stool ssample in, or invest in a microscope...check for worms.

Quote: I would like to add that not all blow dryers work the same. I have one blow dryer that would cook a bird and one that would chill a bird when set on low. My tub is cold and it would set a chill in a bird pretty good.
I am sure yours works very well for shock.

 

[nicole63021]

We are not using a blower with her, she is set up in a brooder with a lamp on one side in our living room. I have a scope, just waiting for her to have a usable stool. They have been almost all water today, some urates as well. Will send a stool to the vet I take my reptiles stools to, in order to make sure I don't miss anything. Tried some no grain beef cat food since she did not want any part of the liver, and I can't imagine it isn't stressful to have me syringe feeding. She took about a table spoon and half of that. She did do a little pecking after I gave her the liver this morning too. I will check her weight again tomorrow morning and check for a good fresh stool sample tonight and tomorrow. She's resting now. More waiting. Thank you for your help!

 

[Sally8]

I know we've heard the pro/con debate of lighting 1000 times, but have a lighting question for those that are pro supplemental lighting. I posted this in the egg laying/behavior forum, but maybe you all can chime in too.

I know supplemental lighting should be added in the morning so no one is caught off the roost, but is it really that bad to add it in the evening? I don't leave food in the coop and the birds never hang out in there. If I add the light in the morning, they'd be stuck in there for an hour or two until we get up (more of an issue in late winter when it would be going on at 4:15). In the evening would allow them to be in or out. It also may bear mentioning that I have solar lights in the run and a porch light nearby, so they wouldn't be plunged into total darkness.

I'll be honest, this last winter was the first time my chickens didn't have a light on 24 hours. Not for egg production but because I felt they needed it. One bulb for the size of the coop never made a difference in the heat in the building. I believe it was comforting to me. I never lost any during the winter months. I now have a sensor light on the outside. When it comes on, the dogs bark, I'm hoping it's enough to keep predators away. My grand daughters have to wear sweaters when I'm cold. Sensible? Probably not.

 

[MumsyII]

I know we've heard the pro/con debate of lighting 1000 times, but have a lighting question for those that are pro supplemental lighting. I posted this in the egg laying/behavior forum, but maybe you all can chime in too.

I know supplemental lighting should be added in the morning so no one is caught off the roost, but is it really that bad to add it in the evening? I don't leave food in the coop and the birds never hang out in there. If I add the light in the morning, they'd be stuck in there for an hour or two until we get up (more of an issue in late winter when it would be going on at 4:15). In the evening would allow them to be in or out. It also may bear mentioning that I have solar lights in the run and a porch light nearby, so they wouldn't be plunged into total darkness.

If I was wanting to raise my chickens like the commercial operations do it, I'd leave the lights on. Raising my flock the easy way and not leaving the lights on seems more natural and good for them. They need to rest in the winter and so do I. I want my dual purpose heritage birds to still be laying when they are five and six years old. Not worn out with blown out innards from over production.

 

[lazy gardener]

I hear you re: the killing. I'm fine with the process once the critter is dead. I did 6 roosters this summer after my hubby did the axe, and even when skinning them, it took me 45minutes each. Of course it didn't help that I was working with a dull knife, on a piece of plywood laying over a trash can. Next time, I hope to be better set up. If the family I know who has a plucker chips in with me and we can process the birds at their house, with their expertise, I think I'll follow through with it, otherwise, may wait a bit. It'll also depend on how much freezer space I can free up.

 

[MEMama3]

If I was wanting to raise my chickens like the commercial operations do it, I'd leave the lights on. Raising my flock the easy way and not leaving the lights on seems more natural and good for them. They need to rest in the winter and so do I. I want my dual purpose heritage birds to still be laying when they are five and six years old. Not worn out with blown out innards from over production.

I just want to reassure that I have no intentions of leaving lights on 24hrs as was mentioned by two replies now. I am not raising my birds anyway similar to commercial operations. My question was if I were to add light (no more than three hours in the dead of winter and considerably less in fall and spring), can I do it in the evening instead of the morning. I understand the point of view of people who are against light in the winter and I respect that view, so please respect my point of view and don't compare me to an inhumane commercial operation.