The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Jewelwing]

Yep...do it all the time.

What kind of Kindle do you have? My daughter has an old one, and my hubby just got a Paperwhite for xmas (I love their beach ad!). Can you only post using a Fire?

This is my girl Sasha. She is a German Shepherd - DDR lines. The best dog ever! She loves her blue ball and really big sticks. She will stop to pick up her ball before chasing a squirrel. Silly girl! She is 6 years old now and people think she is 2 years old. I can't wait to get another GSD pup from the same breeder. She will be a sable female and her call name will be Hope. Ya, I like to plan ahead.

She is gorgeous!! She does look younger than 6. How are her hips?

ChaosRules, the heeler pilot's name is Ratchet.

Oh, that's a very cool name. Love it!

Since we are all posting our dog photos.. Most of you know of Henry.

Most people keep thinking he is a St. Bernard.

I guess I could see that, but not once you've seen a Bernese Mtn Dog! I've wanted one ever since I first saw one in the mid 1990's. Expensive, no? Also, my husband won't let me get a dog with long fur since we live in the forest. Too many burs!

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.

Wow, such a long time! The longest I've been dogless since I moved out on my own has been a year (did that twice). I don't like it.

Here's my girl (besides being my avatar picture):

She was only five months old in this picture, but wore her Doggles well!



Here she is in her winter coat (that short fur is no match for these temps!)
She's all grown up now!



And lastly, here's one with a chicken! My fearless Brahma coming over to peck the dog on the nose again (through the hardware cloth). Can you tell how fast the dog is backing up? Never turn your back on a chicken!

 

[CourtsCacklers]

Here's my girl (besides being my avatar picture):

She was only five months old in this picture, but wore her Doggles well!



Here she is in her winter coat (that short fur is no match for these temps!)
She's all grown up now!



And lastly, here's one with a chicken! My fearless Brahma coming over to peck the dog on the nose again (through the hardware cloth). Can you tell how fast the dog is backing up? Never turn your back on a chicken!

oooohhhh....LOVE HER!!! SHE IS GOREGOUS!!!

And, Axoa, so is Henry....

 

[aoxa]

I guess I could see that, but not once you've seen a Bernese Mtn Dog! I've wanted one ever since I first saw one in the mid 1990's. Expensive, no? Also, my husband won't let me get a dog with long fur since we live in the forest. Too many burs!

Yes, very expensive!

Lucky me, my goats eat the burdocks before they develop. We are surrounded by 100's of acres of woods

 

[Jewelwing]

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.

I really hope all turns out well for your flock. Having just lost a chicken inexplicably last Friday, I totally feel your pain. It's so hard to hear them breathing like that and not know why or what to do about it.

Fingers crossed & I'll keep reading your posts.

 

[CourtsCacklers]

@ Chicalot--


Probiotics for intesinal health
Brewers Yeast provides amino acids and provides benefits with better circulation and healthy nervous and cardiovascular systems
Oregano in thought to be a natural anti-biotic and wormer-- helps fight against E. coli, Salmonella, coccidia & other bacterias.
Garlic--- has numerous benefits for chickens-- too many to name-- and is a natural anti-biotic for people (maybe have some of the same benefits for people?
Apple-Cidar vinegar in their water with electrolytes
Basil,cinnamon, clover, dill, echinacea, and thyme are all good for respiratory problems
A dose of olive oil to drink and a neck massage are beneficial and saline solution in irritated eyes from sinuses.

I haven't had these problems with my chickens yet but some of these things are recommended for people and probably prove beneficial for chickens as well. Even some are suggested by Lisa Steele in her book "fresh eggs daily". We live very naturally here at home and use some of these.... if you decide it is sinuses....try to eliminate some dust and try some of these.


Hope this helps!

 

[aaggjg]

This way, certain people might even be HAPPY that they have fruit flies.

As if I need any encouragement to drink wine Good news... I had 2 open bottles from the holidays that had been corked but not properly sealed ... I had been meaning to throw them out BUT now they are AMAZING fruit fly traps!!! I opened them up and in a few days my fruit fly population has decreased DRAMATICALLY! Thanks you!!! They still are ignoring the ACV ... I'm happy my Fruit Flies are drunks!

 

[Jewelwing]

@ Chicalot--


Probiotics for intesinal health
Brewers Yeast provides amino acids and provides benefits with better circulation and healthy nervous and cardiovascular systems
Oregano in thought to be a natural anti-biotic and wormer-- helps fight against E. coli, Salmonella, coccidia & other bacterias.
Garlic--- has numerous benefits for chickens-- too many to name-- and is a natural anti-biotic for people (maybe have some of the same benefits for people?
Apple-Cidar vinegar in their water with electrolytes
Basil,cinnamon, clover, dill, echinacea, and thyme are all good for respiratory problems
A dose of olive oil to drink and a neck massage are beneficial and saline solution in irritated eyes from sinuses.

I haven't had these problems with my chickens yet but some of these things are recommended for people and probably prove beneficial for chickens as well. Even some are suggested by Lisa Steele in her book "fresh eggs daily". We live very naturally here at home and use some of these.... if you decide it is sinuses....try to eliminate some dust and try some of these.


Hope this helps!

I think these are all good suggestions. I wonder if the dust was an issue with my chicken? If she was already struggling, maybe putting in fresh pine chips the evening before she died aggravated her breathing problems, especially because only a couple small windows were open due to the extreme cold. I've noticed it's quite dusty when I put in fresh pine shavings, or when they get kicked around a lot. I was trying to keep the coop fresh, since it had been more closed up than usual. Darn it, I miss her - Ethel was a sweet little pullet, and a very pretty bird, too.

 

[Shan30]

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.

The best thing I found for my flock to treat respiratory symptoms was making a mash with oregano, garlic, thyme, rosemary, ginger and add probiotic plain organic yogurt just before serving it to them. They seemed to breather easier and there was less sneezing after feeding. Note that this only treats symptoms.

Check your coop for any mould or anything else new that could be irritating them. (New additions to bedding or dust box?)

Hope it turns out to be nothing serious!

 

[Jewelwing]

oooohhhh....LOVE HER!!! SHE IS GOREGOUS!!!

And, Axoa, so is Henry....

Thanks! I think she's pretty cute too. She was wearing the Doggles because her right eye is very light sensitive. It's blue, and the pupil was malformed (genetic disorder associated with the merle gene and blue iris). Her pupil in that eye is misshapen and she can't constrict it, so it's like having it permanently dilated:




The blue eye is also smaller than the other eye, which doesn't affect anything, but makes it look a little beady. I don't think her depth of field is very good because of it. She's got terrible mouth-eye coordination! She loves to fetch, but if you throw something for her to catch, more often than not it hits her in the head instead!



She's the smallest Great Dane I've ever known, too - 89 lbs full grown! I call her my Teacup Dane.

 

[chicalot]

The best thing I found for my flock to treat respiratory symptoms was making a mash with oregano, garlic, thyme, rosemary, ginger and add probiotic plain organic yogurt just before serving it to them. They seemed to breather easier and there was less sneezing after feeding. Note that this only treats symptoms.

Check your coop for any mould or anything else new that could be irritating them. (New additions to bedding or dust box?)

Hope it turns out to be nothing serious!

i might have some of these ingredients and will serve it up before roost time. I'll do a yogurt mix for them. I know I at least have garlic, oregano, ginger. wonder if I should do a probiotic or electrolyte in the water?

My plan right now is major coop clean out and separate the rooster. If I separate him I can then see if anyone else has green droppings and then I'll get a better look at him. I'll have to do this at roost time as he's a randy feller. I have a busting headache. My son is going to love,love, love helping me with coops this afternoon, not.