The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[TeaChick]

well, he's standing better today. and the membrane is loosening on it's own, so I'm leaving it be. I don't like to wet chicks unnecessarily (tho I did get him soaked when he hatched to remove what membrane I was able to, but then he had the incubator to dry in). in the brooder he'd be at a disadvantage if he were wet, since the room temperature averages 65-70 most days with the heat only directly over one small area.

Good to hear it!!!
Yeah, I'd leave it too.
Right, it doesn't sound like he needs any additional disadvantages. ;-)
Definitely keep the updates coming; he's the Natural Chicken Keeping Thread mascot. (temporarily, anyway)

 

[aoxa]

thanks for the update, I was wondering but didn't want to ask.

um...what is ILT?


Yikes! I take it your coop has a way of locking your girls in it at night?

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) is a viral infection of the respiratory tract (windpipes) of chickens, pheasants and peafowl. It can spread rapidly among birds and causes high death losses in susceptible poultry. Turkeys, ducks and geese do not get the disease, but they can spread the virus. ILT does not affect humans, but people can spread the virus on their clothing or equipment. ILT is a reportable disease. Suspected or confirmed outbreaks of ILT must be reported to the Office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian within 24 hours.

 

[armorfirelady]

I really wish I spoke chicken........Sophie in her new egg laying glory has decided nesting boxes are not cool anymore and now lays under the nesting boxes. :/ I thought I was smarter than a chicken when I covered that area with cardboard...........she laid under the water shelf...........the worse part is everyone has decided she must be on to something since they lay where she does now. Or wherever they want since I almost walked on one that was right in front of the door !!!!! I even put leaves in the nesting box since she seems to like to lay in them. Nope not good enough. I sure wish I could ask her why?

I would keep up the battle but I'm going out of town and don't think my chicken sitters want to have an Easter egg hunt every day. *sigh* to be continued..................at least she is laying IN the coop...............

 

[TeaChick]

Oprah bent over today to eat. .... totally has a baboon butt... bald on both ends. :-D
The wild quail are in support of my broadcast method of feeding their 3 grain scratch and BOSS. They compete heartily underneath the cedars for food.

Oh, I hope Oprah is done molting soon!
It's a pity to feel like that and a bare bottom....well, nobody likes that on a cold day!!!

 

[armorfirelady]

 
thanks for the update, I was wondering but didn't want to ask.  

um...what is ILT?


Yikes!  I take it your coop has a way of locking your girls in it at night?   

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) is a viral infection of the respiratory tract (windpipes) of chickens, pheasants and peafowl. It can spread rapidly among birds and causes high death losses in susceptible poultry. Turkeys, ducks and geese do not get the disease, but they can spread the virus. ILT does not affect humans, but people can spread the virus on their clothing or equipment. ILT is a reportable disease. Suspected or confirmed outbreaks of ILT must be reported to the Office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian within 24 hours.

So if ducks and geese can spread it does that mean you have to immunize them also?

 

[TeaChick]

Something got into one of my pens last night and (presumably) killed 4 of my chickens, the 2 Welsummer girls bodies are in the pen with a little meat around the breast/necks eaten, and the 2 Black Copper Marans hens are just GONE without a trace. I'm really puzzled because I thought this pen was nearly bomb-proof, covered all over with 1/4" hardware cloth screwed on. I do see tracks in the light snow but just first impression is they look like small DOG tracks, and whatever it was had to go in over a 6 foot privacy fence to get through the ONLY opening (between top of 6' privacy fence and roof of pen, it's about a 4-6" opening that's maybe 3 feet long. I have to leave for work now but hopefully there'll be enough light left when I get home to investigate further.

Fox are small dogs; coyotes are smaller than a lot of domestic dogs.
IDK about climbing, but my working line German Shepherds could jump over a six foot fence easily, so stands to reason that another kind of dog could probably get high enough to climb the rest of the way and fall over the top, right?

I'm really sorry you lost birds; it's a very sad thing!!!

 

[TeaChick]

I'm sitting down by my coop waiting to let the girls out & I catch something moving out of the corner of my eye. I look up to see a bird land on a tree 10 feet from me. Ummm as I focus (only had 1 sip of coffee) I realize its a hawk!! Stealth quiet arrival. Sees me look at it and flies into the trees across the way 50 feet away. Even the squirrel is out and didnt realize the hawk was here. Obviously the hawk knows this is chicken free play time. Ugh!!!

Chickchickchivky really sorry about your girls. Let us know how it got in if you figure it out. I am going to double check my coops!! I too think they are safe. (Knocks on wood)

Hawks!!!!

 

[TeaChick]

So I think Pia is doing a little better. She was still sitting in her nest a lot. She's stand in the morning eat and I'd leave for work. Yesterday I decided to bring my broody Silkie up to keep her company because I picked Tiger up to put her back in after free at and she is so skinny!!! She comes out every morning like she's breaking the broody cycle. And has been for a good week but still sits during the day. I didnt realize how thin she is. So I figured she'd benefit from some sick ward catering. I'm not sure Pia really needs to be inside but as I haven't been able to monitor her, I just don't know and I want to make sure she's back to normal. She hasn't laid an egg since I brought her in.....

Keep up the good sick ward care!!!
Surely she'll pull through with such an attentive nurse!

and

 

[TeaChick]

I really wish I spoke chicken........Sophie in her new egg laying glory has decided nesting boxes are not cool anymore and now lays under the nesting boxes.

I thought I was smarter than a chicken when I covered that area with cardboard...........she laid under the water shelf...........the worse part is everyone has decided she must be on to something since they lay where she does now. Or wherever they want since I almost walked on one that was right in front of the door !!!!! I even put leaves in the nesting box since she seems to like to lay in them. Nope not good enough. I sure wish I could ask her why?

I would keep up the battle but I'm going out of town and don't think my chicken sitters want to have an Easter egg hunt every day. *sigh* to be continued..................at least she is laying IN the coop...............

Yes, laying IN the coop is a definite plus. I have at least two that lay on a pile of blankets on my back porch.

Maybe if you leave an egg or two in the nest where you want her to lay and pick up the ones where you don't want her to lay, then....????
IDK. I've been trying to get mine to lay in the nesting boxes. IDK whether they're done laying on the back porch or not, but I didn't get one there yesterday or today, so... I hope???
I'm new. I"m just throwing ideas out there.

 

[TeaChick]

I've been too busy to post pictures or comment on much these days! Most of my 2013 babies are laying now. Yeah! My older group looks so good since they've gotten their feathers back. They were pitiful!
Here's some pics of my Orpingtons and Tolbunt Polish.

Very nice flock!!!