The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Jewelwing]

I agree...I feel there are problems that cannot be curred naturally, like worms....I went around and around this topic with Beekissed on another thread and her answer was to kill a worm loaded chicken. She thinks that they will develope a natural immunity if you kill all the chickens with a worm load. So, if that were the case no chickens would ever get worms, right?

Are there some chickens that have a natural immunity to worms? I don't mean like healthy chickens are less likely to get them than unthrifty chickens. I mean if healthy chickens were exposed to a large amount of worms, are there some that still wouldn't get them?

Either way, since I'm not breeding my chickens, there's no reason to kill one of mine if she got worms. That certainly wouldn't help the rest of the flock develop an immunity!

 

[Jewelwing]

Red Tailed Hawks will go after chickens. Are there lots of trees to shelter your chooks?

There are lots of trees, around a huge open area. Will the red-tails only attack in open areas? My trees are all really tall, and right now, have no leaves, so I'm not sure how much shelter they are.

Usually my Great Dane is out when the chickens are foraging. She is no LGD, that's for sure, but I'm hoping her presence in their general vicinity would be enough to deter a hawk. She likes to eat the chicken poop, and she's curious what they can find so delicious on the ground, so she tends to follow them around.

 

[ChickChickChicky]

I am glad you posted this, even though it's a natural chicken keeping forum. We all care for our chickens differently, and what we share is a desire to keep things as natural as possible. Just like in our own lives, I would imagine!! But, just like in our own lives, sometimes natural doesn't cut it, and without standard medical intervention like antibiotics we'd end up with a dead chicken.

For some people, a naturally-treated dead chicken is preferable to a live one that's been treated with antibiotics (and I understand that view), but not for all of us. For me, I'd rather have a live chicken, especially if she were my favorite. I'd just not eat the eggs for a few weeks. If she died, with or without treatment with antibiotics, I couldn't eat her (or let my dog or the other chickens eat her) because my chickens are all pets - my kids would be mortified if I suggested eating them. Just like we wouldn't consider eating our dog if she died!

So, yes, I try to keep things as natural as possible, for the chickens' health, for our health, and for the world we live in. But I also think that there is a time and place for modern medicine.

Just like I don't judge anyone on this forum who eat your chickens, or who cull instead of treat a medical condition (to strengthen the health of the next generation, makes total sense), please don't anyone judge me or those of us who treat our chickens more like pets and would use medications as a last resort to save a favorite chicken's life.

Anyway, I just wanted to pipe up and say thank you for your post, which wasn't recommending giving penicillin to a bird you hadn't seen to treat a condition you didn't diagnose, but rather responding to someone's question about what dose to give. Dosages and routes of administration for different medicines for various species are published in tables, and are not considered a recommendation for treatment.

You also suggested a more natural treatment for egg yolk peritonitis, which was very cool. Thanks again!

X2!!!!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Quote: Okay. If there are enough trees the Hawks will not be able to move around as well and might give up.

A Great Dane is always a plus. Our dog like chicken poop too. haha
Hope all goes well with you!

 

[delisha]

I know we have a lot of newcomers. Maybe those who plant gardens could share the herbs & veggies they plant that benefit their chickens? Spring will get here sooner or later & people are probably starting to buy seeds.

The seeds I will be ordering this year for the chickens are:
Basil, oregano, lavender, mint chamomile, catnip, rosemary, & sage

Veggies are:
kale, beet greens, mustard greens, sunflowers, nasturtium, lemon balm,

I am sure I will add others kinds as well when I buy plants..............I always do

x2..these are great suggestions..

Farm business was growing a little. Never had so many requests for piglets as I did this spring.... piglets that I couldn't GIVE away in the fall. But.... disaster struck. When I had the fall litter I did not train the piglets to electric. So... they truly free ranged.... 30,000 acres of state land. Lost my boar over the winter to natural causes but he had bred the sows and even though they free ranged, came home to feed and sleep.... until it was time to birth. Disappeared. On the 7th day I found them 2 ridges over. Only had 8 piglets left alive. I stole the babies and bottle fed. 3 days later the sows came home. Took the babies out to them and all heck broke loose! They broke out of the stall, took two babies and disappeared again. So I had 6 left to nurse. Lost one. Last night they came home. Closed in both ends of the barn. Gave them babies back. They stepped on one paralyzing it. Shotgun put that one out of its misery. So, this morning, everyone seems happy. 6 piglets left, 3 of which will become new breeding stock for next summer if I stay in that business.
Other news- Before it put me in bankruptcy, I closed the car lot. Over the past 14 months I have been getting my Auctioneers license. I am now a licensed auctioneer. Building a business..... tough to go from the top and start anew.
Went to visit the man who sold me the car lot 17 years ago yesterday. He has cancer, treatment hasn't worked, 6 months or less, and hospice has been called in. After visiting with him for a couple hours, I wen to see one of my best friends, my banker, who introduced the two of us, and has been so supportive of me over the last 5 years. We chatted about retirement and Florida. We chatted about God and about his grandaughter, who was killed in an auto accident 4 years ago at the age of 6. Months before, she told maw maw and paw paw that she was going to meet Jesus really soon. In November of that year, she hugged cousins good bye and told them she would never see them again. 2 weeks later she was dead.
I take these as signs. I live in a small town, an economically hard hit town, but i am not from here. I am 47 years old. I have about 3/4 decided, as of yesterday, to, instead of build a business here, to re locate to Florida and do it down there while I am still young enough to enjoy it. Our 6 children are all for it, as is my future bride Carla.
That's a synopsis of what I have been doing since we last chatted.
Shawn
Loan, Loin, Lion..... What's in a name? A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet.

Hay Loin..nice to see ya around..
Florida sounds so nice.

I tried to plan a Herb once.... Got his boots covered up, watered him, and the sumb#$@ walked away!

Quote:

What makes you think I like leaky nipples?

What a great topic Comes up all the time on the new mommy boards.

Baby Sally is here. All is well and she is loving her ability to nurse.
welcome to the world baby Sally!!

Probably my update is too early but Wrinkles was out all day dancing around his girls. I was happy too see that. I'll continue with the Nustock and start adding some garlic and any herbs that I can rustle up. I made the Nustock myself and I need to do it again but it gives me a bad headache when I do, even with a mask and being outside. I need to bribe dh to doing it for me. lol.

sounds like a great plan..it is always nice when a DH can do some of the stinky stuff.

 

[armorfirelady]

Which are going in the veggie garden and which are for the planters to go in with the chickens?

The planters for the hens with have basil, oregano, little kale. lavender, bee balm. A variety!! And I am sure I will change my mind again before I plant them

I bought a LOT of seeds but they said they are good for storing to use for next year as well. Most were in the list Delisha made up of what are good for hens for various reasons. I like to dry some to use throughout the winter. And last year the girls went ate a lot of fresh ones so I made sure I have enough seeds to stay ahead of them. I really hope my lavender does well. That one is my favorite since it smells so good

I agree...I feel there are problems that cannot be curred naturally, like worms....I went around and around this topic with Beekissed on another thread and her answer was to kill a worm loaded chicken. She thinks that they will develop a natural immunity if you kill all the chickens with a worm load. So, if that were the case no chickens would ever get worms, right?

I give my girls pumpkin seeds & cayenne pepper as a natural dewormer once a month or so and they have never had an overload of worms. I have never wormed them with a commercial product. I believe from what I have seen in my flock that prevention and using the seeds and cayenne pepper have kept their natural worm load at a normal level for my hens. I believe that they always have worms its just when they get an overload that it causes a problem. I know that others have said that letting your chickens in muddy & standing water areas causes the worms but my girls are in my veggie garden for the winter which is obviously mud now and their favorite spot is in the standing water taking a drink

I think they will have the softest legs & feet from all the mud treatments they get on them

Oh and I bought a game cam on clearance. And while I hope I don't see any raccoons like you do I am curious to see what is coming up to the coop at night. Oh & I told my Mom we can take it camping with us to see what sets Lily off growling in the middle of the night. Multi purpose !!

Quote: I agree. I have red tail hawks near me and they love to sit in the trees and wait for the hens to get in a clearing. Last summer the hens were out and we were inside and saw the hawk come down & try to grab a hen. To bad he didn't see the electric netting and ran into that. The girls have never ran so fast in their lives.......

 

[mlongworth]

 I bought a LOT of seeds but they said they are good for storing to use for next year as well.  Most were in the list Delisha made up of what are good for hens for various reasons.  I like to dry some to use throughout the winter.  And last year the girls went ate a lot of fresh ones so I made sure I have enough seeds to stay ahead of them.    I really hope my lavender does well. That one is my favorite since it smells so good 

[/quote]

Can you tell me where i can find delishas list at. I have a good size herb garden but have been adding things for the girls. Want to see what else to get. Thanks.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

@armorfirelady

This year I'm planting a big garden. I am thinking that I will be somehow allowing my ducks access to the Melon Patch area, which should measure about 64 square feet. I grow my melon and squashes propped up on tepee trellises, so I'm not horribly concerned about the poop factor, plus duck poop is so low in Nitrogen (comparatively) that I do not anticipate any issues there. I will be inter planting amongst the Cucurbits & melons: Nasturtium, marigold, oregano, Lemon Balm, Mint (in double pots to prevent invasion), alyssum, coneflower, calendula, zinnia, cosmos, Sunflowers. I also already have Perennial Alfalfa in that area. Really hoping that focusing on companion planting will make a difference to that rotten evil squash vine borer.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@armorfirelady

This year I'm planting a big garden. I am thinking that I will be somehow allowing my ducks access to the Melon Patch area, which should measure about 64 square feet. I grow my melon and squashes propped up on tepee trellises, so I'm not horribly concerned about the poop factor, plus duck poop is so low in Nitrogen (comparatively) that I do not anticipate any issues there. I will be inter planting amongst the Cucurbits & melons: Nasturtium, marigold, oregano, Lemon Balm, Mint (in double pots to prevent invasion), alyssum, coneflower, calendula, zinnia, cosmos, Sunflowers. I also already have Perennial Alfalfa in that area. Really hoping that focusing on companion planting will make a difference to that rotten evil squash vine borer.

That's a great list!

I want to overseed some of the 2 acre open pasture area with some pasture grasses that would be good for cattle and chickens. I need to hurry up while there is still snow on the ground.

Anyone have any great lists for that?

 

[CoopChick719]

Stealing your list, HollyDuckFarmer!! I have a lot of those already but there's always room for more. I'm going to try square foot gardening this year. Even though we have plenty of space for a garden, DH is reluctant to put one in. I've argued, to no avail, that it will be a lot less grass he has to mow!! And little by little the flower gardens will be getting smaller this year to make room for veggies.

I'm excited to get some seeds started too! I won a grow light last weekend at the ice fishing derby that was held in honor of my brother, who we lost the week before Christmas. He loved ice fishing as much as he loved to hunt! I stopped at a farm supply store on my way home from the derby and picked up kale, collard greens, pumpkins and few others. I just need to find a place to set up the grow light where the cats won't be too interested in it.

LM, Do you just cast seed out over the snow covered area you want to overseed?

We have no lack of snow right now and more coming on Saturday--4 inches! Notice the river running through the parking lot at the bottom. Ah, Spring wherefore art thou?




Took this one a few weeks ago during a lull in our snowstorms! The girls enjoying the remains of a deli platter left over from a training at the office.