The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

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?

Not accidentely..they do eat it. they eat every thing. One of the first things they eat is poop. The first day or two I use paper towels.I want them to know where the food is and what the dish looks like. Baby turkeys kill themselves eating bedding all the time.
Currently I am brooding on wire. I think it will be healthier. The poop falls through and they are not constantly walking through it and dragging it in the FF and water.

Quote: lol..I have about 40 English Orpingtons..and an incubator full..I should be full of Orps this year. I hope my Silver Laced start laying fertile eggs soon. One is broody and the other one is infertile. I am going to put my BLR in with the male and check his fertility. My other BLR is broody setting on Orpington eggs. My silkie is setting on Orpington eggs. She keeps eating them. But she keeps setting..so she can keep trying.

My BCM roo hasn't been himself lately. I open the door and feed them before daylight and shut the door after dark, so I've missed a couple things. I saw that his spurs have grown to 2 in long and they are quite thick. I was surprised. But I also noticed that he has an injury, if you will. I was expecting Bumble foot but it's on the inside where I thought could have been another toe. It's not. I slathered it with antibacterial ointment. Tonight, I'll do the same and by tomorrow night I'll reassess. Does anyone have any other ideas?

For the first time I clipped a chicken's spur. I used the dog nail clippers and it was very easy. One nail was clear so I clipped to the quick, the black, I just guessed. Not much was taken off either but I'm hoping when the snow goes, he'll do some scratching outside.
.
x

That looks like a feather shaft hole. it is normal when they come out or get pulled out.
Pliers work on removing spurs too..a quick twist.
I will do mine in a month.

I have a question...

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

Could be dust too..or injury..take a flash light and take a peek..let us know..will not hurt to put a dab of Vet RX on the roof of his mouth just in case it might be worms.

Quote: We are supposed to get 4 inches tomorrow..

 

[delisha]

I am getting the Maremma tomorrow. Joe is picking her up on his way home from work. It is a long drive. I told him to put her in a box and ignore her cries..I just know he is going to drive with her on his lap..He is in my Mercedes. I told him that dog better not touch my seats so I hope that helps keep that dog in a box.

OK..so all the Meramma people..

I am keeping her in the coop..I am just making a small area in the back of one of the coops. I can close her off from the chickens..advise please.

 

[Mrs Hutcherson]

Have a question, I have a rooster that got into a fight with one of my others and now has an extremely swollen eye, I have been cleaning it up and applying ointment. Not sure if he still has an eye left anymore. Is there anything special I may need to do for him ? Has anyone been through this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! Please and thank you!!!

 

[CoopChick719]

Gotta post this somewhere! I hatched 16 BCMs 3 days ago.

With fear and trembling I put one under an extremely growly broody hen a couple of nights ago, then one the next night, and the 3rd last night. (having heard pipping and good clucky noises during the day). This morning my heart sank as I opened the broody cage and saw a dark mass at the end of the cage lying there unmoving. I put my gloved hand in to the very back and picked up - the largest stinkiest most disgusting mass of broody poop I have ever seen or smelt in all my life!

EWWW! I found this in one of my nesting boxes and thought it was a poop. Nope, just a shiny gnome-shaped pepper shaker that my aunt & mother thought would be a funny joke.

You better give us some photos! (And I DON'T mean a photo of the poop!

Where do you keep that radio? Wondering what it does outside in the summer where they range for hawks!

I have a radio in my coop that I leave on when the girls are wandering the yard. I get one channel in the coop that plays talk radio--they get sports during the week & a Christian station on the weekends. So this summer they are up on the Red Sox and got a little gospel too!

 

[Kassaundra]

I've been distracted today .........................

 

[delisha]

cute NN

Me too I have more hatching..


Hows this for too cute?

 

[Kassaundra]

cute NN

Me too I have more hatching..


Hows this for too cute?

That is just adorable

 

[Eggcessive]

I have a question...

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

Eye worm is very rare, and only found in tropical areas where the Surinam cockroach is found. The tiny worm can actually be seen in the eye. I think there is an irritant of some sort (ammonia, dust, feed) or maybe a little infection. Look into the eye carefully and examine it. A lubricant eye ointment or Terramycin eye ointment (feed store) might soothe it.

 

[gatorshark75]

Eye worm is very rare, and only found in tropical areas where the Surinam cockroach is found. The tiny worm can actually be seen in the eye. I think there is an irritant of some sort (ammonia, dust, feed) or maybe a little infection. Look into the eye carefully and examine it. A lubricant eye ointment or Terramycin eye ointment (feed store) might soothe it.

i dont know about that kind of roach but in florida we have to be careful with eyeworm its a nasty condition thankfully none of my birds have ever gotten it but i do know breeders down here that have had to deal with it

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Quote: How would I go about putting it on?