The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lalaland]

Sally, for some odd reason we didn't have a tick season this fall, for which I am thankful.

Delisha, thanks for the details, it really helps me understand better. It clearly isn't coincidence that Mrs. Murphy was the struggling little chick that needed vitamins and special care in her first weeks of life. If I had culled her then, wouldn't be here now sweating worse stuff!

Redridge, really glad to hear you have had chickens in the same space for so long!

Aoxa, I think that is the problem with Mrs. Murphy, I can't bring myself to cull her so she must be a little like Margaret is to you. There are hens that I could cull, and one I am eyeing for culling because she just isn't doing well in her molt, and she quit laying early in August. But Mrs Murphy, thats another story. I've even been thinking of getting her some bantam friends, something I would hever have thought of doing. I remember being really disappointed that I ended up with a bantam in that mixed up fiasco this spring.

 

[lalaland]

Mrs. Murphy watching Lucy eat her feed this morning

 

[aaggjg]

Occasionally doing this?

Margaret did this when she was figuring out how to use her deformed feet. I was scared to death something was wrong with her. She ultimately stopped when she figured out how to walk normally.

She is super cute...

This is the first time I have seen her do this and I spend a couple of hours with them every morning .... She is looking a little sad right now but when she hops up my stairs its the CUTEST thing ever!!!

 

[aaggjg]

check her left eye

I thought it looked a little puffy but I thought I was imagining things (I'm down there early!).... I can not look at her again until morning .... ugh
What should I do for her??? Here is a picture I took of her this morning ... luckily left side! FYI she is a PET chicken

 

[armorfirelady]

I wasn't going to comment but.....WORMS. Yes, We've had them . August of 2012, I noticed poop just crawling with lots of Roundworms. I posted a plea on BYC and someone by the name of Dawg responded. He recommended a couple of wormers, one being water soluable and it worked. I've never wormed again. But I'll have to admit I've thought about it recently. We don't have a fowl vet anywhere near here. I could drive a couple hours to Cornell University but I don't think so.
I'm pretty sure the worms came with the 6 adult chickens I bought at that time. I haven't done any of the preventative measures but am going to tonight. I'm not a poop watcher but for some reason, I have an uneasy feeling about it. (Even before it was discussed here)

Has anyone else been having excessive problems with ticks? I'm sure my chickens are keeping my yard down in numbers but my grand beagle, Millie, went for a run with my son on Sunday and came back with 10 ticks on her. They weren't all the same. Last week our neighbor came out of the woods from getting firewood and had 2 on him. One was partly embedded.

I haven't found ticks on my dogs (& bear was at the groomer today so she would of found them) but I use frontline on both of them (I know not natural but a long time ago my apt was infested with fleas-never again). And we are always in the woods and have woods behind us. But I do know of others who have found ticks on themselves and their animals. Seems like a bad year for them.

 

[Kassaundra]

On the worms question (as well as weakness in general) I too fall in the cull the weak breed the fittest category.

I am a lazy(ish) animal keeper and figure if the animal does not thrive w/ my husbandry I need to keep ones that do.

My personal opinion on the worm load is, ALL animals have parasites, not just worms, some healthy some not. This is not a normal concern unless the parasite load overwhelms the animal. If the animal gets overwhelmed w/ good husbandry practices it is the animals fault (genetically speaking) and doubly so if the others are thriving and that one or two are not, I would and have culled. If the husbandry is weak then to keep an animal in a somewhat healthy state worming will be nessacery practice.

I think (again my opinion) if your birds have grass between their toes (enough space that their area is not denude of vegetation) there is much less of a problem w/ worms, however if they are confined to a space (run) that they are always on dirt worming will be ness.

 

[delisha]

Del, my friend Nina has one of your males, and he is stunning. At least to my untrained eye. So floofy




I would also cull birds like that Lala.. Unless it was a pet.. But I sure would try desperately to do something before worming. I would have done anything for Margaret.. even made her her very own coop to make her happy. I so miss her

His lacing is beautiful..I bet if she decides to show him he will do well..cute head too. Really nice front on him.

Quote:

soak that eye with hot water and soap, she might have an infection. Her vision might be her only issue. She probably scratched it. and her lack of vision is making her walk like that.

 

[aaggjg]

His lacing is beautiful..I bet if she decides to show him he will do well..cute head too. Really nice front on him.

soak that eye with hot water and soap, she might have an infection. Her vision might be her only issue. She probably scratched it. and her lack of vision is making her walk like that.

Thank you!!! She likes to roost in the rafters and it is a steep jump down that is how she ripped off her toenail ... and I wouldn't be surprised if she managed to hurt her eye. Now how exactly does one "soak" a chicken eye

I have antibiotic eye ointment should I put that around her eye??? Thank you Delish!!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I think (again my opinion) if your birds have grass between their toes (enough space that their area is not denude of vegetation) there is much less of a problem w/ worms, however if they are confined to a space (run) that they are always on dirt worming will be ness.

I have read about the importance if rotating pastures if birds are confined. Sunshine and time can do a lot to keep an area healthy so the birds can be healthy.

 

[RedRidge]

Quote: In a perfect world you don't want to regraze a spot (for parasite reasons) for at least 21 days.
In a perfect world for forage quality, you don't ever want your forage to be taken down less than 4" in length (it begins to damage the root system when eaten below 4").

Of course... we'd all love to live in a perfect world, but... it's always nice to have goals.