The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lalaland]

I think chicken math is exacerbated with broodies.

I like my flock size right now! 17 including a rooster. But then the sulmtaler went broody, and now there are 24, and there are three more hens turned broody, and....feed store has some barred rock and buff orps that someone cancelled on - I could grab a few and put them under each broody but then I would be up to 30 and there are still 4 legbar pullets coming.

Always had hatchery birds before last spring. Hatchery birds will go broody but so easy to break out of broodiness. These icelandics and sulmtalers, forget it. It doesn't matter what you do, they are going to be broody. Right now the two sulmtalers are broody on an empty nest, one looks like a male turkey strutting his stuff - all her feathers are standing straight out from her and she growls continuously.

Its crazy making.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I know you weren't kidding on the ramp...and the straw bale too!

I have some stumps that they can jump up on to go up in "steps" but on that side there aren't enough low ones. Maybe I'll add a few.

I'm going to try putting comfrey tincture on her leg. Not sure it will accomplish anything but likely wouldn't hurt either. That and a little liver. Liver is always called for under all circumstances.

But, of course, I won't put the liver ON the leg..I'll let her eat that

 

[Leahs Mom]

I think chicken math is exacerbated with broodies.

I like my flock size right now! 17 including a rooster. But then the sulmtaler went broody, and now there are 24, and there are three more hens turned broody, and....feed store has some barred rock and buff orps that someone cancelled on - I could grab a few and put them under each broody but then I would be up to 30 and there are still 4 legbar pullets coming.

Always had hatchery birds before last spring. Hatchery birds will go broody but so easy to break out of broodiness. These icelandics and sulmtalers, forget it. It doesn't matter what you do, they are going to be broody. Right now the two sulmtalers are broody on an empty nest, one looks like a male turkey strutting his stuff - all her feathers are standing straight out from her and she growls continuously.

Its crazy making.

Yep. Every time I have a broody I want to set chicks...but where in the heck am I going to put them all?

I found out that there is a guy in the Indianapolis area that promotes urban chickens. He makes nice little urban chicken coops and sells them often with point of lay pullets. One of our thread members sells some of hers to him and I'm thinking of contacting him to see if he might be interested if I ever have any. That way I could decide what I want to keep for me and sell the others "ready-to-go" to a new chicken owner

 

[armorfirelady]

Anyone ever tried a comfrey poultice on a chicken leg sprain?

I have a limping girl with no evidence of outward injury I can find. I think possibly a sprain. Trying to think of things that may be helpful for healing.

She did get up on the roost and down but shouldn't have. I was going to try to get out early enough to put her on the floor before she jumped but she was already down before I got out.


So...what might y'all suggest to help promote healing?

I know you weren't kidding on the ramp...and the straw bale too!

I have some stumps that they can jump up on to go up in "steps" but on that side there aren't enough low ones. Maybe I'll add a few.

I'm going to try putting comfrey tincture on her leg. Not sure it will accomplish anything but likely wouldn't hurt either. That and a little liver. Liver is always called for under all circumstances.

But, of course, I won't put the liver ON the leg..I'll let her eat that

I was going to suggest logs for them to use to get up to the roost. My girls use them.

I am curious to hear how the poultice works.

Do you have any recommendations for a website on poultices/tinctures?

 

[amenfarm]

by the way, I tried a homemade tick repellent today. Water and white vinegar. I don't think it works, I have ticks that congregrate on the screens around the south facing screen porch door, and I sprayed the screen and the wood trim. Didnt seem to bother them a bit!

It is nothing to get 6-12 ticks off each time I come in from the garden, and it is soo time consuming to strip, do a tick check, and check clothes inside and out before putting them back on or in the laundry.

I don't want to use deet.

lalaland, every-time my husband has to work at our back fence line,( edge of the woods), I'd have to do a tick check and would find 10 or 15 in very tender stops. I bought the green can of spray on bug protect-ant / sunscreen from Avon. Works like a dream, NO ticks.AVON SSS Bug Guard Plus Expedition Insect Repellent Spray with SPF 30 , I buy 2 cans every year, the only time it lets me down is when we forget to use it. We love it for mosquitoes too. it's made using flowers and is deet free.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I was going to suggest logs for them to use to get up to the roost. My girls use them.

I am curious to hear how the poultice works.

Do you have any recommendations for a website on poultices/tinctures?

I don't have a great website yet. I imagine there is one out there but I haven't had the time to find it!

I had asked for the book:
"The Accessible Pet, Equine and Livestock Herbal" for Christmas from my girls...it's expensive and I asked them to share the cost. I also have a couple other herb-related books. None of them are books that I LOVE so I've never recommended one. There are things I like about all of them, however.

I have to say that I look at herbal remedies as medicines (especially Essential Oils which are very strong) so I think of them as I would a drug unless they are out there growing in the field in their natural state and are used nutritionally. So I HOPE to use preventive husbandry rather than having to treat illnesses with anything.


But I've also wanted to learn about the herbal remedies as they don't promote drug-resistance and stronger and stronger virus/bacteria. So my thoughts at this point are to learn as much as possible about their use for whenever I need something as a treatment.

I've been reading 2 books that explain why herbal anti-virals and herbal anti-biotics don't cause the same problems with drug-resistant bacteria and virus that have been pretty fascinating. They are working when pharmaceuticals are failing and not causing a wake of destructive, stronger, resistant "bugs" in their wake. Now these books are for human use, but some of them are useful for the animals as well.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Hmmm pasted some photos in that post but they're not showing - at least on my screen.

 

[lalaland]

Hmmm pasted some photos in that post but they're not showing - at least on my screen.

they show on mine!

 

[lalaland]

lalaland, every-time my husband has to work at our back fence line,( edge of the woods), I'd have to do a tick check and would find 10 or 15 in very tender stops. I bought the green can of spray on bug protect-ant / sunscreen from Avon. Works like a dream, NO ticks.AVON SSS Bug Guard Plus Expedition Insect Repellent Spray with SPF 30 , I buy 2 cans every year, the only time it lets me down is when we forget to use it. We love it for mosquitoes too. it's made using flowers and is deet free.

I will check it out. Skin So Soft had such a strong fragrance back in the 70's - I couldn't use it. but maybe they have updated it? Am looking it up now! thanks for posting about it. Anything deet free has to be a plus. I do have a great essential oil combo bug dope, but it isn't so effective at repelling ticks. (just checked on the girls, didn't touch ANYTHING and came back with 8 ticks. at least, 8 that I found.....

 

[armorfirelady]

Hmmm pasted some photos in that post but they're not showing - at least on my screen.

They show on mine as well. Thanks for the info