The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[chikenscratch]

I've had a migraine all day, so the storm will be pretty bad and arriving here soon!

 

[hellbender]

I'm afraid even to check the temps here. I just got back in from locking up the houses and the wind is really blowing and I've had just about enough winter! Stop it!

@ Armorfirelady...One last thing and I'll say no more about it. I'm wondering if the pipe comes out from the back of the insert or if it comes straight out the top of it????? Makes all the difference.


One final point on getting Jason married.....I'm in far more of a hurry than he is. I just figured, if I didn't get out and kick the bushes and hedgerows, I'll be dead before I get to strain my back, picking up one of the fat little things...

That is a baby...not the wife!

 

[nicole63021]

Can't wait for winter to be over! Had 5 hawks fighting over one screaming animal today in the neighbors yard. Glad I hadn't let the girls out for free time in the yard. Even scarier, the big light colored female is back....her shadow is seriously as big as one of our 3x5 garden beds if she's at 15 ft or so. Hoping with her back though that it means the others will migrate back north soon, we haven't seen her in 3 months or so. Hoping the rabbits around here didn't all die off, their little bunny babies are what feed these hawks....The squirrels are smart, they have to be since we have some crazy inbred hypomelanistic and albinos hanging around.

 

[delisha]

So, Delisha, I'm missing something in the translation. What was your assessment of the reason why the roo died, and what did you find on autopsy?

The roo died because he over ate and I brought him in the house..I killed him..but there are also secondary issues. I have to post pictures so every one would get the right idea. The heart was very large and misshapened. I never seen one quite like it. I am not sure if it was the result of what i did or if the other chickens knew he was weak so they were culling him from the flock by not letting him eat..I don't know for sure. I am sure if I had not interfered he would not be dead.

Quote: I did ask her..

as far as the pup indoors..I just can't..I can rune it..it has to bond with the chickens..not people...If I bring it in..it will kill my chickens in play as it grows up..it still might..but hopefully not many.

I've had a migraine all day, so the storm will be pretty bad and arriving here soon!

I am so tired of the snow..
I wonder how much we are getting this time..

 

[delisha]

GRAPHIC PARTIAL AUTOPSY


This was the crop the next morning..This is what killed this bird..me. I over fed him and put him back out. His crop was so huge from over eating he never had a chance.


I stuck my finger in there to give an idea of the size. a very large heart..

.the blood is because I did not bled out this bird..I just skinned him and looked for reasons to why he died other than the obvious.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@delisha

If you could do this over again, how would you have handled it when you found that he wasn't getting enough food.

 

[armorfirelady]

 
Yup its straight. I have a wood stove insert in a fireplace. No curves or bends that I know of or that the chimney sweep has mentioned.  I also use a spray recommended by the guy who cleans my chimney. It breaks up the creosote so there is no build up.  He said the chimney is def cleaner with me using the spray

Ok..now I'm wondering if your flue is high enough above the roof line??  If the fire can't draw good, it would be hard to get anything to burn.

[COLOR=FF0000]Edit:[/COLOR] If your flue is straight up, there should be very little if any need to clean creosote because it runs straight back down into the fire and is burned.  I Just can't get my head around this one...something is not right.

The flue is at the top of the insert. Is basically a rectangular box with flue at the top. If I remember correctly there are 2 pipes (clay) that run up the chimney.

Our weather sounds like yours.  Usually you get it a day or so after us.  Wonder what that means?

It means I am sending it back your way I have had enough

I'm afraid even to check the temps here.  I just got back in from locking up the houses and the wind is really blowing and I've had just about enough winter!  Stop it!

[COLOR=FF0000]@ Armorfirelady...[/COLOR]One last thing and I'll say no more about it.  I'm wondering if the pipe comes out from the [COLOR=FF0000]back [/COLOR]of the insert or if it comes straight out the [COLOR=B22222]top [/COLOR]of it?????  Makes all the difference.


One final point on getting Jason married.....I'm in far more of a hurry than he is.  I just figured, if I didn't get out and kick the bushes and hedgerows, I'll be dead before I get to strain my back, picking up one of the fat little things...   That is a baby...not the wife!

I actually had the brick chimney made higher a few years back. I kept smoking out the house when we had high winds. It's much better now & only occasionally do I get smoke in the house. Practice makes perfect lol. I really think it's just because the wood is so wet from being uncovered. I didn't plan on using it this year but with the extreme temps I used more wood than usual. I store my wood I am going to use during the winter in my garage so it stays dry.
I'm hoping to being able to cut and split wood for many more years as there is nothing better the wood heat. It warms everything in the house & is truly the only way I stay warm. Forced air just doesn't seem warm to me and I dress in layers inside when I am somewhere that only has forced air as heat. Some people want a pool boy.......I would rather have a wood guy to cut & split wood for me and keep the wood hoops full in the house during the winter. I don't tolerate the cold well & this year has been brutal.

As for finding someone for your son......my parents have been trying for years lol. But I'm very independent and love the outdoors & making stuff & remodeling my house. Most guys these days just want to be inside watching tv. If I could I would be living in the country somewhere with lots of land and lots of critters to support me so I wouldn't need to work. I spend hours some days just looking at land and log homes on the cheap. I really need to play the lottery more lol.

 

[lalaland]

GRAPHIC PARTIAL AUTOPSY


This was the crop the next morning..This is what killed this bird..me. I over fed him and put him back out. His crop was so huge from over eating he never had a chance.


I stuck my finger in there to give an idea of the size. a very large heart..

.the blood is because I did not bled out this bird..I just skinned him and looked for reasons to why he died other than the obvious.

i'm a little confused. I didn't know a chicken could eat itself to death in one day. was the crop hard or mushy? wondering if gas could have bloated it between eating and death. And with the strange looking heart....heart problems.

 

[armorfirelady]

GRAPHIC PARTIAL AUTOPSY This was the crop the next morning..This is what killed this bird..me. I over fed him and put him back out. His crop was so huge from over eating he never had a chance. I stuck my finger in there to give an idea of the size. a very large heart.. .the blood is because I did not bled out this bird..I just skinned him and looked for reasons to why he died other than the obvious.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts & autopsy pictures. Do you think his heart could be the reason he was at the bottom of the pecking order? I remember Stoney sharing that some birds die around 9-10 months of age and that's is because of heart problems. I also never knew a chicken could eat so much food it would die? Do you think it was because he ate som much so fast that his crop couldn't process the food fast enough?

 

[aoxa]

i'm a little confused. I didn't know a chicken could eat itself to death in one day. was the crop hard or mushy? wondering if gas could have bloated it between eating and death. And with the strange looking heart....heart problems.

My thoughts too. I didn't think they could over eat to the point of death. What happens? Do they suffocate from too full a crop or something?

Please be detailed

I culled two chicks today. Splay leg in a silkie that was not fighting for life.. was lethargic and didn't try to move around enough. Also chick with no eyes. I am donating any culls and chicks that don't hatch to a friend who has an exotic reptile store. I am going to freeze them all. She was really happy about it. At least they are going to good use!