The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[hellbender]

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...

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[tjo804]

Quote:
Congrats on first batch! raising for eggs, meat or Dual?
You will find all the answers you need here.
Look into some of the threads on Fermented feed it really does save quite a bit of money on the little guys and helps digestion so not so many pasty butts. a little ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar with *the Mother*) in the drinking water helps every one chick to chicken.
these are things I wish I knew with my first batch.

Good Luck with the little guys or dolls

 

[tjo804]

Quote: have you listened to her chest? either lift her wing and put her side to your ear or use a stethoscope under her wing that will tell you how her lungs sound. if rattly trouble if clear your mind will be at ease.

 

[RedRidge]

[COLOR=FF0000]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.[/COLOR]

Just my humble opinion...

Yep... Great book but... The biggest problem folks have with lgd's is they raise them as pets. Most do not even realize all the things they are doing wrong. If they did I wouldn't have such an enormous waiting list for rehab here. I keep hearing I need to write a book about raising lgds... But I hate to write. Raising them is easy if you follow simple guidelines and have a little lgd intuition... But screwing them up is MUCH easier. ;-) I only take dogs in for rehab if I think they stand a chance AND if I think the owner will listen to me after the dog returns home. The demand for rehab is so high that I could take in 20 a month and still have a long waiting list. I'm beginning to think my time would be better spent trying to help folks "prevent" the problems they are creating rather than "fix" them.
On a side note I will say this... more than half the people who contact me for rehab do not need an lgd... they need a deterrent. Be careful what you ask for...

 

[Leahs Mom]

On a side note I will say this... more than half the people who contact me for rehab do not need an lgd... they need a deterrent. Be careful what you ask for...

Could you elaborate on that statement?

 

[armorfirelady]

@delisha thanks for your advice. She is in the old run complaining about being separated. I opened pop door to let Lucy out & Sophie popped out & ran for breakfast. I got her before she made it tho.

I had already put plain water & water with electrolytes & digestive aid in the run for her so I left them. If she doesn't improve by tomorrow I will take them out and leave her without them for 12 hours. She is acting normal. No breathing problems.

I'm guessing by the smell of her vomit it's probably a sour crop but there is also a lump in her crop of something in there. I was wondering if the yogurt I gave her yesterday might of soured in her crop? I had put some grit in the yogurt to see if it would help pass the lump. I believe it's probably hay. They had not been on grass yet when I noticed her crop. I'm also thinking of giving her coconut oil with a probiotic mixed in to see if it would help with sour crop? Thoughts?

Eta her crop does get bigger as the day goes on from her eating. And then goes down at night like normal. It's just that lump in there that never goes anywhere

 

[Leahs Mom]

I'm hoping she hasn't gotten hold of something she shouldn't have... like a small screw, piece of a small zip tie, etc. That's the only other thing I can think of. So hoping it's just some food that begins to break down and go on through.

 

[RedRidge]

On a side note I will say this... more than half the people who contact me for rehab do not need an lgd... they need a deterrent. Be careful what you ask for...

Could you elaborate on that statement? 

A lot of folks do not understand how lgd's work. They keep predators away, yes. But "how" they work and why. Many predators are easily deterred just by having a dog around. I hear folks using other breeds as lgd's and what they really have is a deterrent whose presence alone is more than adequate for the level of protection they have. The good news is that works great for a lot of situations. So folks believe that as long as their dog isn't eating the chickens and barks at the occasional hawk it is an lgd. No... But... If that's all the protection you need then great. A lot of people do not need more than that. If you don't you shouldn't get an lgd. In many cases these folks don't have enough work for an lgd and this creates boredom.
For instance... as lgd's mature they bark. I get people ask me all the time, "she is 7 months old and barks for several hours each night... it's driving me crazy, my husband fusses at her but she won't quit, and the neighbors are getting mad." I have SO much trouble not smacking people who say this. The dog is doing her job. As a teenager it MUST bark a lot to learn what is effective. Then is like to add... Your husband needs a sock stuffed in his mouth and your neighbors should beer thanking you for the extended predation protection.
This is just one example. If you want a dog that never barks? Don't get an lgd. They don't bark all the time, only when necessary or only when they are teenagers and must learn what works. Most of the barking printemps people have with lgd's are "owner created". This last statement is very important. Hubby fusses at pup at 2am... inadvertently giving pup attention.
Barking is just one of MANY human created problems I have to reshape during rehab, but it's an example of why it's necessary to evaluate what your needs are. If you have predation your lgd will bark periodically. If you can't handle that and keep your mouth shut, don't get an lgd.

 

[armorfirelady]

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

  not me  . I look , smile and happily walk away 

I like to look I admit it. But in no way am I tempted to buy any of them. I will stick to getting pullets from people I know.

I'm hoping she hasn't gotten hold of something she shouldn't have... like a small screw, piece of a small zip tie, etc.  That's the only other thing I can think of.  So hoping it's just some food that begins to break down and go on through.

When I palpate the crop it feels like hay stalks. I don't feel anything hard like a Zip tie, screw, etc. and I try very hard to pick up anything they have dug up. I've found zip ties in the garden and in their DL sitting right on top so I don't think they eat them. They have also found my veggie markers that got buried last fall. I pick up the stuff as they unearth it. Lol

 

[armorfirelady]

@RedRidge I love your LGDs and I while I gave never had one nor do I need one I see people all around me with dogs as pets that can't control them. I have always taken mine everywhere I can to get them used to people and other dogs. I hate barking.....unless it's to warn me. I'm working harder on getting my male to stop barking at everything that goes by our house. He's older but it is working. My female is the easiest dog to train. I'm her pack leader & she stays with me. I'm going to try her with the hens again this spring. I believe I can get her to ignore them. I can leave the gate open and she stands at it waiting. When we camp she stays on the site off leash. My command keeps her on it. (Took awhile since she wants to follow me to bathroom lol)

It irritates me when people say their dogs are untrainable. They ask how I can leave mine in a command and walk away. I tell them you have to work with them constantly. Yes I get lazy. But they do know what they need to do & how to behave.

And when I win the lottery and move to my dream property I will need an lgd & I know who I want to get them from