The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Scott H]

Lala... remember aspircream? Topical treatment might feel good to him. I think you can still get it at the store.

 

[zinia8]

Does anyone have any ideas on how to stop feather picking. I have one picker and now with them being cooped up its getting worse. She only picks on the other SS. Leaves the tetras and LB leghorn alone.

You can see her eyeing up the target.

 

[aoxa]

I really learned the most from that thread on a frostbitten roo's comb that I posted the link to earlier. I am watching and sniffing to see about gangrene. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for dry gangrene - black, dry, falls off.

I did read that some people swear by bag balm before the cold - thicker and gooey, more protection than vaseline supposedly.


yup, and its too bad because he had quite the spectacular comb. I think he will lose some of his wattles too.
Ann bancroft used somsething called warm skin, a very thick skin grease. but not sure at this point whether I should apply anything. I am watching. If I feel like it needs something, I'm thinking coconut oil or nustock. nustock maybe if it seems infected.


Yeah, his comb is definitely not for this climate.

I am wondering a little about pain, I think I read somewhere about aspirin for chickens. I will get daylight time tomorrow to observe him.

thanks everyone. I'll keep you posted.

I know I sound like a broken record...

COCONUT OIL!

Helps with pain, and infection!

 

[Scott H]

Hey my newest FF recipe is going over better! Is a bubblin' brew and they cleaned it up today.
I really try hard to give them a varied diet. ... fresh corn. ..3 grain scratch. ... kale. . Broccoli. ... spinach. ... some peanuts. ...BOSS.... meat protein of some kind. .. tomatoes. .. not all everyday but 3 or 4 different food groups.
My recipe for the FF is now 1/2 of the fermented nasty organic feed+BOSS+3 grain scratch+feed pellets+cracked rye and flax seed....yummmmm!
A little milk on it and I might have it for breakfast!

 

[Scott H]

 

I really learned the most from that thread on a frostbitten roo's comb that I posted the link to earlier.  I am watching and sniffing to see about gangrene.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for dry gangrene - black, dry, falls off.

I did read that some people swear by bag balm before the cold - thicker and gooey, more protection than vaseline supposedly.


yup, and its too bad because he had quite the spectacular comb.  I think he will lose some of his wattles too.
Ann bancroft used somsething called warm skin, a very thick skin grease.  but not sure at this point whether I should apply anything.  I am watching.  If I feel like it needs something, I'm thinking coconut oil or nustock.  nustock maybe if it seems infected.


Yeah, his comb is definitely not for this climate.

I am wondering a little about pain, I think I read somewhere about aspirin for chickens.  I will get daylight time tomorrow to observe him.

thanks everyone.  I'll keep you posted.  

I know I sound like a broken record...

COCONUT OIL! 

Helps with pain, and infection!

I've fried eggs in coconut oil and my wife will put a little in her coffee but I hadn't heard about pain relief. ..

 

[lalaland]

lala - could you post the link to that thread again?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/742274/freezer-camp-in-our-minnesota-coop-frozen-wattles-on-roo



when you see the pics and see how he recovered, you can see why I am not super worried. I think Booster wil be ok in a few months. I might have to watch out for scabs falling off and a little blood which can induce picking by the girls...(hope I don't eat my words here or jinx myself)

 

[aoxa]

I've fried eggs in coconut oil and my wife will put a little in her coffee but I hadn't heard about pain relief. ..

i get these painful skin infections, and it immediately soothes the pain. The infection clears up after 48 hours if it is mild, and 3 treatments if one of my bad infections.

I use it on cuts as well.

 

[lalaland]

Does anyone have any ideas on how to stop feather picking. I have one picker and now with them being cooped up its getting worse. She only picks on the other SS. Leaves the tetras and LB leghorn alone.

You can see her eyeing up the target.

I learned a whole lot about feather picking from this book "Poultry signals". There are a few pages on it!
1. absence of meat protein can lead to feather picking beginning at earlier ages.
2. too much light can be a factor, as can boredom, cramped quarters
3, a lack of pecking targets as a chick can lead to feather picking as they get older
4. irritation from red mites
5. deficiencies in diet - lacking fiber, minerals, vitamins or amino acids
6. stress

a chicken has to eat 4 grams more food each day for every 10% of feathers it loses.

what to do?
keep chickens busy with scattered grain, suspended ropes, peck blocks, corn cobs - keep introducing new distractions, change it up.
give feed in mash/meal form rather than pellets or crumbles
think the feed with high fibre stuff like ground oats, sunflower seeds

Now, having said that - I have 7 hens that were raised their first year in a guy's bedroom. never outside. they are champion feather peckers, and nothing I've done has helped, they had a year to perfect their obsession. I've had them about a year and ahalf, and the feather picking has lessened...but it is still there.

I did try a rooster booster peck no more, but gave it up because it was lightly fragranced and I am not found of scents.
good luck

 

[lalaland]

i get these painful skin infections, and it immediately soothes the pain. The infection clears up after 48 hours if it is mild, and 3 treatments if one of my bad infections.

I use it on cuts as well.

Justine, you are the reason I ahve a jar of coconut oil! haven't used it yet....if I apply something, maybe I should do half oil and half nustock. true test!

 

[Scott H]

Really fragrant when you fry an egg in it. ..
My wife read how good it was for you ingested. .. didn't know about the topical benefits. ..