The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[hellbender]

Yep....but when you got three chickens and they do actually live in your backyard, you are allowed to give them a little more attention.

 

[joyfulkeeper]

All those darling chicks!  It is now about 64 degrees in CO and about 40 at night.  Time to plant. And i am making a big list.

Problems with my 4 hens, to laid all winter long with no light or encouragement.  They are 1 years old now.  We were getting 4 eggs daily, and now we are lucky to get one or maybe 2 a day.  They all seem healthy and still get thieir treats of meal worms, oatmeal, sunflower seeds, veges and everything we have given them for a year.  So why now this defiance? 

Is there something we can give them to get them to laying again? 

Sincerely,
Didymus

I have the same thing happening. My one year old hens were awesome layers until about five weeks ago. Now I'm only getting 5-6 out of 12 each day.

My thought with them is that they are too busy foraging and enjoying the weather after our long harsh winter. They better start taking the time to lay for me or they will be in "time-out" in their coop for awhile.

 

[lalaland]

Leah's mom, keeping my fingers crossed with mrs gray. I bet she will do fine - based on jezebel's recovery from her hawk attack and the powers of nustock.

and good timing from everyone on not worrying about broodies, since I came home tonight to a broody who didn't eat or poop today.

tomorrow is fence building day! gotta keep those roaming dogs away from the chickens.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@lalaland
How long did it take your girl to heal? This looks really bad, but I observed her eating and drinking which is good. She ate all her regular food tonight.

One thing that is really frustrating is that since she is the bottom of the pecking order, I was already having issues with her fitting in. Isolating her like this then trying to re-integrate her is probably not going to happen. Right now, because of the way they treat her anyway, it's not safe for her to be out with them. And if she heals...by the time she can go back out I think it would not be good for her, unfortunately.

I'm not even sure I have a bird that I can bring up front to join her without hazard to her at this point.

 

[Leahs Mom]

AFL - I probably will give her coconut oil to eat. All my birds love it!

She ate raw burger and mealworms tonight in addition to her food. But she is not her normal, peppy self. This wound is Huge, and very bad.

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
or they could be doing what my free rangers do. hiding eggs in the woods.

 

[ki4got]

@lalaland
How long did it take your girl to heal? This looks really bad, but I observed her eating and drinking which is good. She ate all her regular food tonight.

One thing that is really frustrating is that since she is the bottom of the pecking order, I was already having issues with her fitting in. Isolating her like this then trying to re-integrate her is probably not going to happen. Right now, because of the way they treat her anyway, it's not safe for her to be out with them. And if she heals...by the time she can go back out I think it would not be good for her, unfortunately.

I'm not even sure I have a bird that I can bring up front to join her without hazard to her at this point.

have you considered rehoming her? maybe a new (smaller) flock all together might allow her to fit right in (thinking breeding pen with maybe 1 or 2 other girls and 1 roo)

 

[joyfulkeeper]

or they could be doing what my free rangers do.  hiding eggs in the woods.

Thought of that, so the kids and I have been searching diligently... still nothing.

 

[chicalot]

I took a long stick and rolled out 13 eggs from a cracked under the chicken coop, boarded it up, and the basket is full again, lol

I've had a lot of chicken excitement here lately. I have way too many now and 4 ducks. I got the sweetest silkie pair (Fred and Wilma). They are obviously bonded together. Fred is a total mess when Wilma runs off to lay her egg. I have my first broody! She took the favorite nest box and I gave her 4 silkie eggs to sit on. Wish I had more for her. She is a gold lace Wyandotte and one of my favorites. I have what i refer to as 9 nuggets and 6 mini nuggets also (chics). So glad to have them all out of the house brooder.

I hope Ms.Gray does well. So aggravating to find that one of your girls has been hurt!

 

[subhanalah]

@lalaland

How long did it take your girl to heal?  This looks really bad, but I observed her eating and drinking which is good.  She ate all her regular food tonight.

One thing that is really frustrating is that since she is the bottom of the pecking order, I was already having issues with her fitting in.  Isolating her like this then trying to re-integrate her is probably not going to happen.  Right now, because of the way they treat her anyway, it's not safe for her to be out with them.  And if she heals...by the time she can go back out I think it would not be good for her, unfortunately.

I'm not even sure I have a bird that I can bring up front to join her without hazard to her at this point.

I guess she's just going to have to be a member of the human flock now. Lol