The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[flyladyrocks]

Yes we are enablers and my hubbie is not much better. If he wasn't laid up I'll bet we would come home with a couple turkeys this weekend b/c the guy with the roo we are getting also has turkeys! But I am fortunate that he loves our feathered kids almost as much as me!

Hmm it is almost August...so you could use part of that month's budget

we are a bunch on enablers..of course i have at least 3 bantam hens that started laying in the past week seems to be contagious and I told my husband, I would trade them ,someone is bound to want some possibly mixed breed bantams..his reply you should incubate them make sure they are fertile then you would have more bantams, I have 50% Roo's those puppies are fertile..I am just not sure who is laying other than a bantam EE.I think standing out there telling them that no one is safe from the freezer here as a bantam would make a kid sized meal helped...

Looking at the post I realized I didn't actually say they were legbar and buff orpington!

Ah ha! Somehow I missed that she was a legbar!

 

[flyladyrocks]

WARNING! Poop pictures!!

Yes, the day would not be complete without some chicken poop pictures right? I have been actively observing my 2 new babes and lots of poop being examined. Who knew I would be so interested in poop! So this morning when I woke up I found this poop. It is different than I have seen from my other chickens so I have done lots of reading this morning and been to the infamous poop link http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=17568.0

So does this fall under the "coral colored urates?" Would love your input. They both seem fine, perky, don't seem sick, this is just different and so I can't help but worry about my new girls.

 

[misbhaven]

I have turkeys also..A beltsville rio mix she is lavender in color..and 2 blue mottled palms growing up because well that one trukey lives some some lavender orps but is treated like an outsider and is lonely..my turkey poults are sweet they are what i have living with some young bunnies right now..they whistle in sets of three's sound more like song birds.

 

[Shan30]

I had one chick that was so stuck up that she looked like her leg was screwed on backwards.  I took her into a steaming bathroom, filled the sink up with warm water, and cradled her in my hand while i worked the albumen and membrane off her leg and neck.  During that time, she went from nearly comatose to having a lot of tremors, to pulling the leg into position, and the tremors stopped.  I dried her off, put her back in the bator, and left her till she was good and dry.  Her toes were quite curled when I inspected her the next morning.  I planned to splint her when the morning craziness settled down, but by the time I got back to tend to her needs, I couldn't figure out which foot had a problem, and several hours later, other than a bit of spiky down, she couldn't be distinguished from her siblings.  Long story short, if water is the easiest action, don't be afraid to use it.

Well I tried brushing him out and it was working on most fluff but since the wing was so tight to his side I couldn't get under it. Ended up giving him a warm bath in the sink. He actually seemed to like to warm water and would quiet down when I held him in for another soak before working on it. Like you said though by the time I was done he was shaking like crazy and not a fan of the blow dryer. It only took about 15 minutes and after 20 in the brooder he stopped shaking and looked much better this morning. Definitely has better balance with both wings free.

Thank you all for all your help!

 

[Leahs Mom]

WARNING! Poop pictures!!

Yes, the day would not be complete without some chicken poop pictures right? I have been actively observing my 2 new babes and lots of poop being examined. Who knew I would be so interested in poop! So this morning when I woke up I found this poop. It is different than I have seen from my other chickens so I have done lots of reading this morning and been to the infamous poop link http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=17568.0

So does this fall under the "coral colored urates?" Would love your input. They both seem fine, perky, don't seem sick, this is just different and so I can't help but worry about my new girls.

What age are these kids?

 

[Shan30]

Thank you, I try to look at the bright side. I now have what appear to be biceps, I can fit into my high school jeans again, I learned how to use some new power tools and I get a great sense of pride every time I look at all the fencing I installed by myself.

Hope things start looking up for you too!

 

[misbhaven]

anybody have any idea what breed he is... it was a hatchery mistake.not an ee was black as a chick has a pee cpmb ,was supposed to be a barred cochin bantam ,I am thinking an type OEGB and he is naughty..

 

[flyladyrocks]

What age are these kids?

 

[flyladyrocks]

Our honorary roo (giant schnauzer) is earning his keep this week. He has been driving me a little nuts since I brought the new little girls home. They are quarantined in my house (yeah not the best solution but all I got!) He is hyper alert and aware, barking or jumping up at every bump and sound and it occurred to me that he started when I brought the pullets home Saturday and he is protecting them! He freaked when I took them outside for some play time. He was upstairs and they were suddenly gone when he came down and he could not see the side of the house we were on. Very glad he is so good and protective of his 8 "little sisters"!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

No, Although I did get a Legbar pullet from Brad last weekend and then decided after much contemplation over what kind of roo to get, we want a Legbar roo too (want legbar chicks and want to see what color eggs the brown eggers offspring will lay with a legbar roo) so we are heading to racin's this weekend for a roo.

If you have the time, his chickens are awesome and worth seeing up close. His turkeys too. And he has a few great waters that are really really easy to fill and don't require any tipping over.

And I'm less than 20 mins from him if it works out and you want to see our little set up.