The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Sally8]

sally, it could be just the pics but his foot looks a little like scaly leg mite to me. the scales don't seem to be lifted in the pic on his ankle or foot, but on the toes .....you might want to do the slathering with oil/petroleum oil/camphorphenique/bag balm.....and then repeat.

I have no idea about the hole. I am not sure it that could be bumblefoot or an injury.

keep us posted!

Thanks, I thought his legs looked rough. I was going to take something out to soften up his legs tonight so he would be more appealing to his girls. I've never had leg mites before so I never thought about it. To be honest, I was a little horrified over the spurs. They are so thick in diameter but I cut them easily. I thought I might try the hot potato thing but read that the little spur under is sensitive to the cold. And zero is cold. Maybe this summer. I'm going to keep an eye on the hole, to see if it oozes. He's def not feeling his normal self. Thanks again.

 

[lalaland]

I've read that potato thing too, and am a little grossed out by the red, raw quick that gets left behind, hanging out in the air and bleeding. And then you have to keep the rooster away from everyone who might be tempted to nibble on the red.

I use garden pruners to do both spurs and nails. I actually cut into the quick the first time ever this week when I had a wiggly hen. bled like the dickens!

If he isn't himself, maybe you could do a little garlic booster for him. Is he on layer feed?

 

[Sally8]

I've read that potato thing too, and am a little grossed out by the red, raw quick that gets left behind, hanging out in the air and bleeding. And then you have to keep the rooster away from everyone who might be tempted to nibble on the red.

I use garden pruners to do both spurs and nails. I actually cut into the quick the first time ever this week when I had a wiggly hen. bled like the dickens!

If he isn't himself, maybe you could do a little garlic booster for him. Is he on layer feed?

No, he's on Flock Raiser. I fed it to my turkeys and the chickens loved it also. Has a little more protein than layer feed. I frequently get 15 eggs out of 18 hens. Something's working plus a little scratch everyday. I need to learn to blend my own scratch as they don't like eating the corn from it. I don't have a mill anywhere close to me.
That's what I didn't like about the potato either but I could only trim 1/4 in or so as the quick was right there. Like with a dog, if I keep up with it will the quick recede some? I saw his nails need a little trim too but I did so much poking and prodding he was stressing. That can wait a day.

I want to show off my TS babies. I wasn't going to raise any babies unless a broody does but they were so cute and I had two 3 year old grand daughters with me and grandpa who can't say no.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

I have a question...

One of my birds is always squinting in one eye. Could this be an eye worm?
Thanks.

 

[apgreen79]

Okay, what is the "potato thing" I've seen y'all referring to. Just curious.

Thanks

 

[Kassaundra]

About brooding on fine material, I brood on sand only. I have never had feet / leg problems or pasty butt. I would rather have the broody hen do the work, but when they aren't cooperating and I need more chickens and I have to do the brooding I do my level best to make an unnatural beginning as natural as possible. They get dirt floor (sand), momma hen (feather dusters), clumps of sod to dig through, insects to eat, live ones to chase. I really want to change from the light/feather duster to the heating pad / feather duster set up b/c that looks so much closer to natural to me, but didn't have time for this batch about to hatch.

 

[Sally8]

Okay, what is the "potato thing" I've seen y'all referring to. Just curious.

Thanks

From what I saw on You Tube, When you want to reduce the size of a spur on a chicken, one option is to heat a potato either in your oven or microwave, leaving it in skin, until hot, then with a towel to hold the potato, pierce the potato with the spur. One article said 2 - 3 min another said 8 - 10 min. It did say to be sure that you don't let the hot potato get anywhere near the chickens leg or foot as it can burn. It softens up the hard shell on the spur and you can either twist the large shell off or peel it off. It looks very easy but the smaller spur underneath is soft and a little bloody and very sharp. The reason I didn't try was because it says that the smaller spur is very sensitive to cold and you have to protect the roo until it hardens some. My dog clippers worked just fine. He acted better than my dogs do.

BTW, it's snowing here.

 

[armorfirelady]

Hello!!!! I am thinking about adding a few chicks this year and would be brooding them in the house or garage until they can go out....Chicks have to have starter for so long and and the big girls need their layer ration... at what age is is appropriate to mix the two flocks and how do I ensure that each flock is getting what is necessary for them as far as their food? I can build separate accommodations for them but of course they will be free ranging all together so the sooner they could just be together the better. What are your guys thoughts on here??? How do you handle it???

Thanks

I also used grower last year when I got some chicks from Sally8. I kept everyone on it until I switched them over to grains. So much easier when everyone eats the same food. My chicks stayed in the garden until they were big enough to not fit thru the electric netting. I also built a shelter that the chicks could get in but the big girls. They had a safe place to eat & drink & not get bothered. It seemed to work out well.

Sally8 I wonder if he pulled a foot feather out or it broke off? Lucy the EE/BCM mix I got from you has that problem.

I just pulled the broken ones out with pliers and sprayed some blue kote on them to prevent infection. And I have used nustock on the legs/feet before when they had rough scales

Sally8 how well do your BCM lay? Sophie stopped for winter then in February she laid maybe 6 eggs then stopped again. Lucy has not laid since last fall..........

 

[apgreen79]

BTW, it's snowing here.

That's interesting. Never heard of that

BTW: it's in the 60's here. But 2weeks ago we were covered in ice and snow. So the 60's feel like summer right now.

 

[Sally8]

That's interesting. Never heard of that

BTW: it's in the 60's here. But 2weeks ago we were covered in ice and snow. So the 60's feel like summer right now.

SO SICK OF SNOW, SO SICK OS SNOW, SO SICK OF SNOW!!! We were just talking about the amount of wood we've burned this year. We heat only with wood. Haven't run the furnace in over 3 years. We expect to have consumed nearly 2 full cord of wood over the amount last year by May.

Armorfirelady, that's a good suggestion about the feather shaft. I plan on checking closer tomorrow as we have our grandson here until then. Wrinkles, along with all the others, run and hide with the kids here and dogs barking.