The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[stonykill]

Sigh. I have a hard time looking at the chicks in the feed stores too.

not me

. I look , smile and happily walk away

 

[Leahs Mom]

KI... if it's the 10 chicks you want I'd suggest that you just buy them. Not worth "poisoning" the rest of your flock for the little bit you'd same.



Edited to add.... of course this is just my opinion

 

[ki4got]

KI... if it's the 10 chicks you want I'd suggest that you just buy them. Not worth "poisoning" the rest of your flock for the little bit you'd same.



Edited to add.... of course this is just my opinion

I'd thought about that, but still curious about a broody with meaties, if they would learn to 'be chickens' from her or still be totally food driven.

 

[subhanalah]

If the medicated feed costs less than the ten chicks, I say buy it and then give it to someone who wants medicated feed.

 

[hellbender]

MSJellyben...Those Monks wrote an EXCELLENT book aimed at folks who have a pet dog in the house or perhaps in the yard even, but the puppy in question needs very few commands and must learn to do what she was hopefully bred to do...it in her genetics. All she needs is to learn to pay little or NO attention to humans and have her life revolve around her 'flock'...I think in this case, it's chickens.

Just my humble opinion...

 

[hellbender]

On longer/rougher coated dogs I love rolled leather collars, if you treat the leather once a year it is the best for those coats. It's all I use and recommend for pyr's or longer. Lovely puppy you have though, hope she does all you want and more!

HAHAHA...no more gnashing of teeth over this subject ... this, and I'm done...jajajajaja...Rolled leather is an excellent collar but still needs treated...at least yearly but twice per year is better, and it still leaves stains and a work ring to the fur.

The long flat chain is made of German brass and is 'lubricated' by the natural oils in the dog's coat...doesn't cut or mark the fur and NEVER needs to come off, thus never does the dog have to subject itself to human handling...

That's it..I'm done. Now, I don't care if you wrap a 22 pound Log Chain around her neck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course I'm kidding about the log chain...LOLOLOLOL

 

[Ms Jellybean]

MSJellyben...Those Monks wrote an EXCELLENT book aimed at folks who have a pet dog in the house or perhaps in the yard even, but the puppy in question needs very few commands and must learn to do what she was hopefully bred to do...it in her genetics. All she needs is to learn to pay little or NO attention to humans and have her life revolve around her 'flock'...I think in this case, it's chickens.

Just my humble opinion...

I didn't know what the cute puppy is for, just saw cute puppy being trained. I can 't keep up with all the posts on here so I must have missed the pup is for flock protection.

 

[misbhaven]

A 22 lb log chain on my big dog would be a weapon.........of course so is his tail..I have a longer haired Male Saint Bernard named I bet you all can guess... he was named by my kids....and i don't care what kind of collar i put on him because it can't be seen hidden under dewlap and fur
and No i don't chain my dog but he often has a toddler on his back and loves it...

EDITED BY STAFF

 

[delisha]

Quote:
Thank you!!

I do not need treats..she is smart as a whip and yes it is so tempting to train since she wants to learn..I will refrain..

Delisha the puppy is getting big !

Well today I picked up Sophie this afternoon and she puked liquid what smelled like vomit all over me. A few grass blades as well. I tilted her forward (not upside down) to try and prevent her from aspirating. I barely touched her crop when I grabbed her. I'm guessing the yogurt mixed with grit was a poor choice.

So I picked up some chick electrolyte & digestion powder envelopes. Mixed one of each in a gallon of water (directions said I could mix them together) I cleaned out the old run to remove as much hay as I could, put shavings down and put a roost back up.,tonight after they roost her & Lucy (a sleeping buddy for warmth it's still getting below freezing at night) in. In the am Lucy will come out & Sophie will stay in. She will only have access to grit, water & the water mix(it's orange I've been calling it kool aid lol). Hopefully she eats lots of grit & maybe the digestive aid will get whatever is stuck in her crop moving. I figure she will stay in there till at least Saturday when I get home from work. Try and clean her out I guess.

But I do want to give her something to eat. Delisha or any other OTs do u think eggs would be ok? I know she gets needed nutrients from the electrolytes so do you think I should just keep her on the liquid diet for 24 or 48 hours then give eggs? She is eating & pooping......but her vomiting on me tells me she is getting more obstruction perhaps? She still out walking but I can def tell she is a little off. My mom stopped and she actually started squeaking at her which is the first time I heard Her do that today. She is usually more vocal. I plan on giving her at least 48 more hours to see if there is a change. If not I will cull her

Thoughts??

Oh and anyone want to guess who was first to try the 'koolaid'??

Stella has to be in the middle of anything I do outside.

OK..
For crop issues..you asked me
I have a 24 hour rule in all cases..this included
crate and remove all food and water for 12 hours. re-asses and repete for 12 more hours if no improvement.
Asses the crop..smell the breath. evaluate
it has to be one several things
inpacted
infected
sour

new young grass is growing and sometimes those birds cant resist getting into things they should not be over eating. it is too tempting. Blades get long and they don't bite the ends off they take the whole darn thing...well they should be able to get over that..sometimes you may need to intervein by confinement. Remove food and water. The times gives the birds body what it requires to fix it...adding stuff only messes every thing up.
If it is yeast..you need to ask why..it should not be..you are feeding well..you care well for them..good housing..good light..good excercise.
If it is infected..why again. to be infected it had to sour..it should not have soured with the care.

pull her off FF for 24 hours and dry feed after you give her 12 hours of no food and water. If she is still gassy give her plain water. re-asses in 12 more hours..again NO food.
Than an egg would be OK and dry feed. after.

If no improvement at all in 24 hours..
cull

... And @delisha... All of those things were "been there done that" recommendations... Not at all meant as criticism. I tend to come across as pretty blunt and to the point, which can be abrasive in written word, but am simply trying to help.
Oh, and she is adorable btw... which only makes matters worse I know cuz I want to cuddle em and spoil em all the more. ;-)

I do not take it as criticisms..you are talking to queen of blunt and abrasively written but not intended. I appreciate your time and knowledge and thank you very much for it.

ok... here's a roundabout series of questions...

the southern states here says if you buy a 50 pound bag of chick feed you get 10 free chicks. but the feed is medicated, which I don't like to use on the chicks at all... but here's my thought process (kind of wanders a bit so bear with me...)

what if... I use it on my free ranged birds? it would be gone fast enough that I wouldn't have to worry about long term side effects (like vitamin deficiencies) but do you worry about it in the eggs? or I could get meaties with it, (as my 10 free) and plan to process them when they're 4-6 weeks old (2 person meal sized) but what about it getting in the meat? of if I use the feed for something else, I could still get meaties, but has anyone ever grafted a meaty onto a broody? I wonder if they would learn to be real chickens easier that way?

so... I'd like to hear comments/thoughts/opinions?

I would not worry if you get meaties..you are butchering them anyway..using medicated feed my kill them a bit sooner than intended..but make sure you save that medicated feed bag for week 5.

Quote: I raised meaties..the mothers would let chicks starve if there was not enough food around. They were good mothers..but not at the risk of giving up food..My meatie chicks do very well under Orpington broodies.

 

[hellbender]

I didn't know what the cute puppy is for, just saw cute puppy being trained. I can 't keep up with all the posts on here so I must have missed the pup is for flock protection.