The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Fyi... the Fresh Eggs Daily contest is over too!

I won a copy! The first thing I've ever won!!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

So it's morning coffee time with my girls. My little bantam Cochin nugget has started to molt in the last few days. Poor thing...
Well this morning I noticed that when she walks she is kind of squatting and dragging her chest on the ground then she backs up.., still dragging her chest.
I keep trying to video her as I'm not sure words do this behavior justice, but of course the minute I hit record she walks normally.
I'll keep trying... Anybody see this before???

I wish you could get a video. Strange question...is it possible she's trying to wipe something off of herself? (It would be great if it were that simple...)

 

[delisha]

RR - would you do a post here about how you brood your chicks...how you hatch and then rotate them through your different types of pens?

And.. can you also comment on if you have had ANY worm issues?





On the worms...This is what I'm thinking right now. I may change my view if I learn more, so just take it at that level for what it is.....

-I still question the assumption the 'all birds have worms".

-I THINK that a combination of nutrition and environment (creating a strong immune system) makes a difference in whether a bird's system is hospitable or not to internal parasites.

-I think that nutrition can also have a strong contribution to what is in the ground in the first place (think of how the litter doesn't stink when feed ff for example...and how more feed is digest with less left to pass through the system and out onto the ground.) So what is on the ground coming out of the bird is WAY DIFFERENT in some feed methods than others.

-I think that if a bird given good husbandry, nutrition, environment (space, fresh air, sunshine, etc.) and it is susceptible to internal parasites, cocci overload, inability of the immune system to fight these things off...that the bird may be weaker genetically and will probably never be strong and healthy long-term.

-I also think that other things in the greater environment not under our control...such as the neighbor using gm seed and dumping bunches of glyphosate, chemicaI.

I would like to add, that treating one ill bird throws off your whole flock for this very reason. All of your work to protect and give nutritional feeds, fresh air sunshine etc..goes out the window. That one ill bird is a bigger risk to the flock in more ways than one. That is why I strongly believe in 24 hours. If they do not have the resistance and strength to improve in 24 hours the risk is too high. This is just my personal opinion and what I choose. You need to do what works for you.

 

[lindz8504]

Fyi... the Fresh Eggs Daily contest is over too!

I won a copy! The first thing I've ever won!!!

Congratulations! I thought you would be excited about that!

 

[Pozees]

aaggjg, check for mites/parasites.

 

[lalaland]

I would like to add, that treating one ill bird throws off your whole flock for this very reason. All of your work to protect and give nutritional feeds, fresh air sunshine etc..goes out the window. That one ill bird is a bigger risk to the flock in more ways than one. That is why I strongly believe in 24 hours. If they do not have the resistance and strength to improve in 24 hours the risk is too high. This is just my personal opinion and what I choose. You need to do what works for you.

ok, bear with me, I am really trying to understand this. I've been asking this question but not getting answers.....it is kind of a chicken and egg thing. If your chicken, who you've worked "to protect and give nutritional feeds, fresh air sunshine etc." gets a worm overload, it would be a result of genetics or weak resistence/strength specifc to that individual chicken?

and therefore you would cull that individual?

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

There shouldn't have to be. You are a perfect you, a better you than anyone else could ever be. That is your mission, purpose, in life. The moment you stop seeing yourself as inferior, or subordinate, you will cease appearing so to others.

There is nothing wrong with self improvement, I think most of us on this thread are in a continuous cycle of self improvement, but that is how life evolves. We don't give up on ourselves, we don't give up on each other, we just keep working at one little thing or another in a continuing effort to improve.

There is no such thing as a perfect human - humans are imperfect.

Chin up, carry on, we are all here for you.

I don't actually believe that I am the problem, but clearly there is a problem. And sometimes I vent about problems. Though not usually in public.

 

[aoxa]

I thought I had an ill Barred Rock Cockerel, but turns out he's blind. Wow. How did I not notice that? I'm going to cull him, as I am not sure what else to do.

 

[lalaland]

I won a copy! The first thing I've ever won!!!

congrats!!!

 

[lalaland]

I have had a few test with worms. The vet said . it was acceptable amounts
I eat my birds..When I butcher them I always check intestines. Even when my birds are healthy, anything can happen. If I always check and never miss I will not be lax in my husbandry. I butcher out only 5 times a year max. Months can go in between and i would be very angry at myself if i did not check the time before.
When I tested for worms the last time, I flooded my birds with garlic, thyme, Sage, and planted a few others I did not have to help with better prevention. They are just coming up now..I did yarrow, lemon balm, and peppermint. Prevention is the ticket. Keeping enough grazing pastures for your birds. Moving them for one area to another. Planting preventative plants not only help the chickens..they smell and look pretty in the year. In the winter they do not have access to those plants. I than load on the garlic. I have two grow outs for garlic. I plant in spring and fall and dig in spring and fall. Every year I have a need for more garlic. I am up to 100 plants a year now. I will have to plant much more next spring.

When you tested the last time, did you find there were worms and that is why you loaded up on the garlic, thyme, sage, etc?

I've definitely made sure everyone got a good fresh round of garlic daily this week. I haven't read about adding sage, yarrow, balm, mint to the feed, just to the nesting boxes as a mite preventive. Did't get my garlic crop back in the ground this fall yet, but it is scheduled for this weekend.
thanks