The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[stonykill]

@stonykill

Okay. I found a proper crate so that I can move them totally away from the flock. It is 3 ft. long x 22.5" wide x 2 ft. high. Is that large enough to put 2 birds in for that long?

I hate the idea of cramped quarters.

that is about the size I use. For 5 to 7 days it is fine. It is jail after all for bad behavior

 

[tjo804]

Coconut oil is a fantastic idea! Could you give her some grit, in case its hay? From the sounds of it, it doesn't seem like they have good grit in their run? I have clay soil, so have to provide grit.

I also have really no grit to speak of in my run it was so expensive at TSC so I went to Home Depot and bought a bag of decomposed granite for 4.00 in the garden section it takes some time to rinse it really good but I only have to do 1 or 2 cups a week I put it in a plastic shoe box thingie from the dollar store and I am sure this bag will last at least 6 months.

that hay can be really tough on a crop. Good luck with her I'll say a prayer for you both.

Edit: If you refrigerate the coconut oil she might eat that on her own

 

[Leahs Mom]

That's how I feed coconut oil if I ever give it. Just a glop of it when it's cool enough to be solid. They love that stuff.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Thanks. I figured it would be okay for ONE but 2 might just drive each other crazy in that little space.

 

[hellbender]

I'm sure this is going to come off as harsh and un-feeling but it's not meant to. Perhaps my way of dealing with these situations comes from having hundreds of birds and if I had only 20 or 30 I might feel differently bit I simply leave them alone.

I had one case here in the bitterest time of the winter...a pullet was clearly not feeling well. She wouldn't get on the roost, I never saw her eat but she must have eaten something. I did see her drink warm water a few times.

In short, I left her to her own devices, feeling that she would either live or die. So, she moped around on the floor for about a week, each morning I expected to see her on the floor dead but she slowly came 'round, moped around the floor for at least another 10 days and now, she quite fit and is very productive, laying eggs on the high side of large and of perfect type...according to me.

I intend to set some of her eggs because she is strong. If she had not been strong, she would have died.

 

[stonykill]

I'm sure this is going to come off as harsh and un-feeling but it's not meant to. Perhaps my way of dealing with these situations comes from having hundreds of birds and if I had only 20 or 30 I might feel differently bit I simply leave them alone.

I had one case here in the bitterest time of the winter...a pullet was clearly not feeling well. She wouldn't get on the roost, I never saw her eat but she must have eaten something. I did see her drink warm water a few times.

In short, I left her to her own devices, feeling that she would either live or die. So, she moped around on the floor for about a week, each morning I expected to see her on the floor dead but she slowly came 'round, moped around the floor for at least another 10 days and now, she quite fit and is very productive, laying eggs on the high side of large and of perfect type...according to me.

I intend to set some of her eggs because she is strong. If she had not been strong, she would have died.

that is my normal way of dealing. That or the sick one goes in the "jail cell" until she is either better or dead. Maybe I've seen too much death, or just enough to know. like you I have around 100 birds

 

[stonykill]

Thanks. I figured it would be okay for ONE but 2 might just drive each other crazy in that little space.

they will hate it, and that IS the point

 

[Leahs Mom]

@hellbender
I don't think that is harsh. Many of us feel that our birds need to have strong enough immune systems, etc., to be able to recoup and raise them with prevention in mind. If there is injury or something similar we'll help but if it's a weakness of constitution we see that as a sign that something is out of kilter - especially if all the others are thriving.

That being said, for injuries type things that can be helped, I will help. It is possible that AFL's bird got hold of something that has gotten stuck in the crop. I kind-of see that as a potential "injury" issue so trying to treat it as a possible injury with a bit of oil or grit or some probiotics doesn't feel like too much intervention

And I do agree that with a larger flock, it is much easier. AFL has 8 birds. For one to have a problem is 1/8 of her entire flock which is a pretty good percentage. And I "think" with this kind of thing it's worth giving a little tlc to see how it turns out I guess I'm looking at this as "first aid" at this point.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
I'm afraid I'm going to hate it too. (Although those 2 could use a little of their own medicine. They're lucky to be alive after I saw how they were behaving.

)


Edited to fix... hate, not hat.

 

[RedRidge]

Regarding cock #52 - since there are 52 cards in a deck of cards, maybe name him Ace or some other card type name.

I like it! Maybe Gambit!

Cute idea! Then there is Rook, Poker, Joker, Rummy... I think I like Joker