The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[chicalot]

no, he isn't dead. i might have to make him that way

i think someone asked age... less than a year. new flock for me.

ventilation good. roosters don't coop with the girls. coops don't stink. Opening for ventilation across the top of big coop. I had to block one side for snow. Small bantam coop is one of those frilly boxes you see at TSC. Ventilation isn't an issue . Just 3 bantams in it. I'll check back in with a report when I return.

 

[Leahs Mom]

The reason I asked age is that it has been reported that there seems to be a trend for roosters to have heart failure around the age of 8-10 mos old. When you mentioned the dark comb, that's what made me wonder.

If it IS heart failure, I don't think there is anything you can do.

 

[delisha]

no, he isn't dead. i might have to make him that way

i think someone asked age... less than a year. new flock for me.

ventilation good. roosters don't coop with the girls. coops don't stink. Opening for ventilation across the top of big coop. I had to block one side for snow. Small bantam coop is one of those frilly boxes you see at TSC. Ventilation isn't an issue . Just 3 bantams in it. I'll check back in with a report when I return.

are all of your coops sneezing?
Do you water inside the coops?

Your roo has heart failure or lung congestion.
If it is lung congestion you might fix it.
.heart..he is a goner..males and chicks do not tolerate layer feed well.

 

[CourtsCacklers]

can they get sneezy from the straw if they are not used to it?

 

[Leahs Mom]

I say yes. And, also, you might have a mold issue in the straw that can cause sneezing...

Check around the bases of indoor waterers and be sure you don't see any wet, rotting bedding. Remove anything you see there as it can be a mold-growth area.

 

[CourtsCacklers]

I say yes. And, also, you might have a mold issue in the straw that can cause sneezing...

Check around the bases of indoor waterers and be sure you don't see any wet, rotting bedding. Remove anything you see there as it can be a mold-growth area.

If the straw is the "new" thing you added... I would eliminate that first and see if that helps..... go back to what they are used to?

 

[lazy gardener]

Thanks all for the dog pics. The only thing better than a good dog pic is a slobbery (dog) kiss and a good squeeze. I've been dogless for 10 years, so have to get my kisses and doggie squeezes when and where ever I can.

 

[CourtsCacklers]

Thanks all for the dog pics. The only thing better than a good dog pic is a slobbery (dog) kiss and a good squeeze. I've been dogless for 10 years, so have to get my kisses and doggie squeezes when and where ever I can.

Or "puppy breath" oh....how I love a good dose of puppy breath.....

 

[chicalot]

I don't water inside the coop. I have a few times let them have water in there if they won't come out but that's on days that it freezes within an hour or 2 of being out there and then I remove it. Other than the one rooster with the bright green poop, the rest of the roosters look to have dark black poo. He is putting his head in his feathers and puffing up,but when stimulated with feed.he gets busy, eats,drinks and picks at the hens for some loving. He is at that age for the unexplainable heart failure in roos. There is evidence in the bantam coop that the one rooster pooed green all night last night. Just now when I was out I heard 2 sneezes from a wyandotte and a white rock sounded rattly. I checked the feed and the scratch and see no evidence of mold. The roosters rarely go in the hen house. I don't think the straw is a factor since I have been adding for almost a month and I turn it and keep it dry. However, I am going to do a complete clean out of litter on both coops this afternoon when my son is here to help. I bought the Tylan 50 antibiotic but I'll wait 24 hours before using it. I'll be giving them the yogurt also. I don't want to do the antibiotic and don't even know how to go about it at this point. would I do all 14 chickens and need a clean needle each time? This seems to have just cropped up so suddenly. I was actually hoping to see mold in the scratch so I at least would know what I was dealing with. The only way I know to cull the rooster would be to shoot him and I'm so hoping I don't have to go there. I have never had to personally kill any animal. I'm not opposed to it.. just haven't needed to.

 

[CourtsCacklers]

I don't water inside the coop. I have a few times let them have water in there if they won't come out but that's on days that it freezes within an hour or 2 of being out there and then I remove it. Other than the one rooster with the bright green poop, the rest of the roosters look to have dark black poo. He is putting his head in his feathers and puffing up,but when stimulated with feed.he gets busy, eats,drinks and picks at the hens for some loving. He is at that age for the unexplainable heart failure in roos. There is evidence in the bantam coop that the one rooster pooed green all night last night. Just now when I was out I heard 2 sneezes from a wyandotte and a white rock sounded rattly. I checked the feed and the scratch and see no evidence of mold. The roosters rarely go in the hen house. I don't think the straw is a factor since I have been adding for almost a month and I turn it and keep it dry. However, I am going to do a complete clean out of litter on both coops this afternoon when my son is here to help. I bought the Tylan 50 antibiotic but I'll wait 24 hours before using it. I'll be giving them the yogurt also. I don't want to do the antibiotic and don't even know how to go about it at this point. would I do all 14 chickens and need a clean needle each time? This seems to have just cropped up so suddenly. I was actually hoping to see mold in the scratch so I at least would know what I was dealing with. The only way I know to cull the rooster would be to shoot him and I'm so hoping I don't have to go there. I have never had to personally kill any animal. I'm not opposed to it.. just haven't needed to.

Here is a resource that talks about health in Poultry Flocks---

http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/y5169e/y5169e07.htm

I wish I could be more of a help.... I have yet to run into these issues in my own flock though I am sure at some point I will....