The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lalaland]

just an fyi...

I had to learn the hard way apparently.. everyone around here was out of shavings a few weeks ago, but southern states had gotten some from another distributor. I ran out of the other shavings I'd been using in the brooders so decided this would do, since it's what I had...

if you get shavings from a new source, check them out for cedar shavings mixed in with the pine! I changed the bedding yesterday, and within the last 24 hours have lost 7 chicks! soon as I realized what was going on I moved them to the other brooder (which hadn't been cleaned yet) and dumped it all out. it doesn't seem to affect the birds outside, and I really didn't think much of it at the time, but it does have a bit of a cedar-ish smell.

that is the only thing that has changed in the last day that might explain chicks in one brooder only dying off like that. they were all nice and plump, well hydrated, but the legs and facial skin was a lot darker than I'm used to seeing.

fortunately I did pick up a bale of the stuff I usually use (statesman fine shavings from southern states) when I went by there the other day, but thought I'd use a bale I'd already opened first...

thought I'd add, the bale does say pine shavings, but the SS manager I spoke with said unless it said 'pure' there isn't anything they can do about it unfortunately other than give me my money back for the bale I bought... the other bale I'm taking back tomorrow to swap for the right thing. but all chickies are cleaned out (even the 'only slightly dirty' brooder) since it had so many in there at once... my third brooder is also put into use right now, for the weaker ones that seem to be having a hard time recovering. didn't notice problems immediately but they may have eaten a few bits possibly, don't know for sure.

Karen, thats awful and I am so sorry! hope the other chicks make a good recovery. thanks for the heads up

 

[armorfirelady]

Wow. Rotting. That is frustrating!!!!!

Would it make a good hawk hide out in the yard somewhere? I don't remember the size of it but I know some of them are about dog house size.

thats awful that is already rotting. Do you have access to barn paint? I swear that stuff can rescue just about anything. I ignore all the usual preparation instructions on the label and just slather it on. It seems to soak into wood and kind of stabilize it. A shed that I got last year had some areas where the plywood was so weathered it was just about in strands, I planned on replacing some of the worst parts, but thought I would get it painted just to hold it over til I got around to fixing it. I painted the whole thing, gave the bad areas a second coat and ended up not bothering with my plans to replace some of the wood because it came out so great.

It is frustrating. I don't know if its because I put composite roofing over the original roof or not. So I am going to dismantle it, fix the rotting pieces & put it back together. And put silicone over the screw heads to stop leaking if that's where its coming from. As far as I know just the roof parts are rotting. The sides are covered by siding I added. Its suppose to be cedar board? I don't remember but suppose to last a long time

I found this paint at Home Depot that's suppose to be super heavy duty. I need to paint my storage shed cuz it has a few soft spots from where the flower garden goes up to it. Its suppose to waterproof as well. So If I have any left over might just pain the old coop.

My plan is to use one for their feeding station. The plastic dog crate cracked. While I can fix it I think one of the parts of the old coop might just work better. Who knows I may change my mind a time or two before next winter. The other one is going to be and pop door cover. I hate moving stuff around spring & winter. And I have the A frame as a hawk cover for them & could use the 2 halves of the dog crate as well.

if you get shavings from a new source, check them out for cedar shavings mixed in with the pine! I changed the bedding yesterday, and within the last 24 hours have lost 7 chicks! soon as I realized what was going on I moved them to the other brooder (which hadn't been cleaned yet) and dumped it all out. it doesn't seem to affect the birds outside, and I really didn't think much of it at the time, but it does have a bit of a cedar-ish smell.

So sorry to hear. That sucks that their may have been cedar in there. Its so sad that they can get away with stuff like that.

 

[delisha]

I am brooding on 1/4 in hard wire this time and trying it. Two weeks on hard wire and than on shavings/sand mix. I still need to dig up a dirt plug..we have had a few days of good weather and I can see grass in some spots by my paths. Joe made this for me.

 

[RedRidge]

Question concerning bedding for chicks. .. Does anyone worry about and our other fine materials being accidently consumed by the chicks?
I have been using pine horse bedding pellets in my breeding pens and LOVE the stuff. It breaks down over time like sawdust. But I've been worried about using it for chicks... Any thoughts?

 

[gatorshark75]

Question concerning bedding for chicks. .. Does anyone worry about and our other fine materials being accidently consumed by the chicks?
I have been using pine horse bedding pellets in my breeding pens and LOVE the stuff. It breaks down over time like sawdust. But I've been worried about using it for chicks... Any thoughts?

i always use pine shavings and have had no real issues but i generally give the chicks a couple of days in the brooder with cardboard the add the shavings after they learn what food is

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
well, I've got all 3 brooders set up, oldest chicks and strongest of the second hatch in one, smallest/weakest in another (mixed ages), and a mixmatch of smaller/younger strong babies from both prior hatches with the newest babies hatching today and tomorrow.

I always like to put a couple older chicks with new babies to teach them about food and water. primarily a silkie, a couple dorking/dotte babies and 1 or 2 cochin/ee mixes.

once everyone's hatched out and the weaklings get stronger/better then i'll spread them out once again. to even the sizes/numbers a bit more.

Leigh's planning on taking some of the sfh babies (both oldest and newest hatch mix) home with her to help lighten the load a bit... since it was her 30+ egg load that caused the crowding that I wasn't expecting. LOL but no biggies, I will ALWAYS make room for sfh eggs. even tho at the time I had to stack a few here and there...

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
I just use the shavings, the older chicks teach them what to eat...

 

[Didymus]

I had them for just almost a year. I will post some pics of them, but they are not as beautiful and gorgeous as I've seem posted. But their personalities are fun for us, as i am sure all are to everybody. I was sort of worried about the treats, and pecking. For sure they are driven by food. I have on pretty aggressive girl girl, but she doesn't peck, and i distract her from the most timid girl I have. Love, love, love them. And the 3 cats and dog too.

But there was one thing I wanted to ask. Sometimes there are very small red spots in their eggs. It doesn't bother me, but we do give quite a few eggs away. So I thought they might be blood spots, but we don't have a Roo, It is pretty far a few between. But we just eat them anyway. Any comments on this? This is my first chicken endeavor. So I know they haven't been fertilized, so what's up?

Thanks

 

[gatorshark75]

I had them for just almost a year. I will post some pics of them, but they are not as beautiful and gorgeous as I've seem posted. But their personalities are fun for us, as i am sure all are to everybody. I was sort of worried about the treats, and pecking. For sure they are driven by food. I have on pretty aggressive girl girl, but she doesn't peck, and i distract her from the most timid girl I have. Love, love, love them. And the 3 cats and dog too.

But there was one thing I wanted to ask. Sometimes there are very small red spots in their eggs. It doesn't bother me, but we do give quite a few eggs away. So I thought they might be blood spots, but we don't have a Roo, It is pretty far a few between. But we just eat them anyway. Any comments on this? This is my first chicken endeavor. So I know they haven't been fertilized, so what's up?

Thanks

its normal thats just the nature of the egg pick it out and fry it up

 

[RedRidge]

 

Question concerning bedding for chicks. .. Does anyone worry about and our other fine materials being accidently consumed by the chicks?

I have been using pine horse bedding pellets in my breeding pens and LOVE the stuff. It breaks down over time like sawdust. But I've been worried about using it for chicks... Any thoughts?

i always use pine shavings and have had no real issues but i generally give the chicks a couple of days in the brooder with cardboard the add the shavings after they learn what food is

I just use the shavings, the older chicks teach them what to eat...

I use Pine "shavings" also.
My question is does anyone use some thing finer.... like the pine "pellets" that turn to sawdust or even regular sawdust or sand? Are there any concerns about using "fine" material.