The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

I think it is normal for chickens to occasionally sneeze. They use their beaks to dig through littler, duff, leaves, etc, and I can't see how that would happen without getting something in the nostrils. If you are feeling your pen is too dusty, what about adding leaves or hay? is this pen indoors? If it wasn't cleaned since the last group grew up - well, those chicks produce an amzing amount of dust from feather shafts, etc.

Aoxa, I've actually heard of people doing a light spray of water over their deep litter and stirring it in. It would be nice if you had a LAB mixture you could spray.

I know that sounds counterproductive as people are always trying to keep it dry. But the kind of dry we need is the dry that keeps ammonia from building up. If it's excessively dusty in there, a little moisture may keep that down. Key is balance...not too much moisture

Thanks for the reassurance guys. I am always on edge.. Making sure everyone is healthy. She's sneezing quite a bit the culprit. I am going to FORCE her outside tomorrow. No excuses for her. The boy that was sneezing was loud and I just didn't want to deal with it. He was of poor quality anyway. Insides looked very healthy. Probably just acted out of fear (my culling that is).

She is of very good quality, so I am hesitant. This is why I am asking.

If she had a runny nose, I'd be on high alert. Nope. Dry.

How shall I make LAB spray?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
My mamma is pale as can be. Even the others that are molting are bright red compared to her. Then just after the hatch, her feathers all started to fall out. Double whammy. But good timing I guess since she wasn't laying anyway. She remains very pale and scruffy looking.

 

[aoxa]

My mamma is pale as can be. Even the others that are molting are bright red compared to her. Then just after the hatch, her feathers all started to fall out. Double whammy. But good timing I guess since she wasn't laying anyway. She remains very pale and scruffy looking.

I like when they molt during brooding. They aren't laying anyway, so might as well do it then!

 

[delisha]

Aoxa, I've actually heard of people doing a light spray of water over their deep litter and stirring it in. It would be nice if you had a LAB mixture you could spray.

I know that sounds counterproductive as people are always trying to keep it dry. But the kind of dry we need is the dry that keeps ammonia from building up. If it's excessively dusty in there, a little moisture may keep that down. Key is balance...not too much moisture

I agree..
Pick up a handful of litter and make a fist(squeeze it). It should stay clumped a little than fall apart. That is perfect moisture.
Use labs to add some moisture or you can add the Oxine if you are worried. I would do the labs first. I have sneezing birds since i have started to add leaves and ash to the coop. I think its normal behavior. It has been raining hard for days and they have spent more time stirring the litter more than normal.

 

[aoxa]

I agree..
Pick up a handful of litter and make a fist(squeeze it). It should stay clumped a little than fall apart. That is perfect moisture.
Use labs to add some moisture or you can add the Oxine if you are worried. I would do the labs first. I have sneezing birds since i have started to add leaves and ash to the coop. I think its normal behavior. It has been raining hard for days and they have spent more time stirring the litter more than normal.

These ones are constantly stirring the litter..

Well thanks again guys. I feel better. I hear too much about respiratory illnesses, and am extremely protective.

Delisha, please check out this thread. I hope you can offer her assistance. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/831405/did-i-get-meat-hens/

 

[delisha]

LABS

I bought a bag of organic rice 16 oz.
soaked it for an hour in 2 cups of hot water
I drained off the liquid and added 4 cups raw milk, covered it in a glass 2 qt canning jar with cheese cloth. I set it on the counter out of the light until there was a clump of cheese in the jar(60 hours).
I drained off that liquid and what was left inside the jar I fed to the chickens and the liquid is my LABS.
I keep it in the fridge covered.
I make a qt up at a time.
1 tbs of the liquid the rest water ratio 1-20 one part liquid to 20 parts water

I found this and it is different than what i do, but, close enough



http://gilcarandang.com/recipes/lactobacillus-serum/

 

[iwanaplae2]

Yup wood ash from the wood stove is what I use. I just pour cool ashes in a litter box and place it in their coop. 
I mainly use it for mite removal prevention. But it must taste ok since I occasionally see one of the hens eat some. 

I screen the ash if I have been using pallets to get the nails & staples out first. 

It also helps with the DL since its like compost. 

I don't use the ash in the litter.  Only in small amounts available mixed with other dirt for dusting if they CHOOSE to use it and if they have other dusting sources. 

Please remember that inhaled wood ash  can cause severe respiratory problems so I recommend that you DO NOT  put it in large quantities in your dust area unless you are dealing with a mite emergency.

I also do not recommend using it in an area that they can't get away from like litter on the floor of an enclosed coop.

My .02

Thanks for the advice

 

[armorfirelady]

 
Question for the OTs.....

Red went broody in July(?) and then thru a molt. She is still going thru the molt but is/should be almost done. She only has a few pin feathers left coming in that I can see.  She is the smallest

Poor thing..I hope she holds off laying for a while. She has had a ruff year for a young bird. I have two of my old hens with pale combs and hope they do not color up for a while. I also have two broodys who are raising clutches and going through a moult with pail combs. Once they color they start to lay and they need the vacation.

 

 
Question for the OTs.....

Red went broody in July(?) and then thru a molt. She is still going thru the molt but is/should be almost done. She only has a few pin feathers left coming in that I can see.  She is the smallest

Poor thing..I hope she holds off laying for a while. She has had a ruff year for a young bird. I have two of my old hens with pale combs and hope they do not color up for a while. I also have two broodys who are raising clutches and going through a moult with pail combs. Once they color they start to lay and they need the vacation.

My mamma is pale as can be.  Even the others that are molting are bright red compared to her.  Then just after the hatch, her feathers all started to fall out.  Double whammy.  But good timing I guess since she wasn't laying anyway.  She remains very pale and scruffy looking.

Thanks guys. Just being pale for so long was making me think something else was up. Im certain she isn't laying. She lays a pullet size egg. I'll just keep an eye on her. I agree a natural break is good.

Biut on a good note I got 3 eggs today. Been a couple weeks since I got that many guessing maybe the upped protein is helping the 2 other big girls who are moulting. They don't look as rough as red did when she was moulting so bad.

 

[iwanaplae2]

I was wondering about the paleness of my Barred Rick's comb. I know she's young yet (only 12wks) but her face and waddles are reddening up nicely. It's just the tips of her comb that are pale...like skin tone. I've checked her for mites. I was wondering if maybe she was lacking something in her diet. She's still in starter feed. She gets plenty of greens, and she has grit that has oyster in it if she wants it. Plus she gets treats of freeze dried meal works and assorted seeds to scratch for every day...could it just be her age? I guess I was just expecting it to be redder by now

 

[Leahs Mom]

Just lost my first bird to a predator. Hawk.

I've been going out quite frequently because the littles are out there and I wanted to keep a "surprise presence" at various times to change things up a bit.

Went out and a bunch of the girls were standing by the dog house looking and acting strange and I heard a strange calling from inside the hen house over on the other side. I knew something was wrong and sprinted over to the house. It was the rooster carrying on loudly and there was one girl in there with him on one side and another hiding quietly under the nest boxes. Went back out and only saw 2 babies and the gray sfh was nowhere to be seen so I assumed she was gone.

Convinced the others to come over with me to the hen house and they all piled in and haven't come out yet. Then I started counting. Found Miss black hunkered down inside the dog house and had to tip it up to get her to slide out then herded her back to the house.

On the way through I found Miss Gray (the bio-mom of the baby sfh) dead on the ground.

Still no site of the gray baby and I knew that she was small enough to be picked up and carried away, but I also know those kiddos are good at getting into small places and being very still. I walked around for about 10 min. calling what I usually call when I go out and listening for peeps. I was afraid that if she was hiding she'd probably die of cold as she's only 6 wks and hasn't been without momma on the floor at night. If it were a missing older one I would have assumed it would fare okay if it was only the night.

Finally heard some peeping and saw her up against the side of the pole building laying low and tight in a little trench. She must have finally relaxed enough to peep (good thing I have good hearing). I was able to get her into the house with the others so at least Miss Gray's baby is okay.

Hawk tried to come back to feed on the body while I was in the hen house giving them a bit of food! All hell broke loose in there and I knew something must be wrong. Looked out and sure enough, there was the hawk eating. Tried to pick her up and fly away but dropped her.

1.5 years without a predator loss. Until today.


Sorry I was too late.

Miss Gray