The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[islandgirl82]

Thanks for the link!

You're very welcome! I keep this list handy particularly for the herbs for reproductive support. I've been studying medicinal plants for years but it didn't occur to me until recently that chickens of all creatures could use herbs for reproductive support more than any other I can think of. My two oldest hens are between 3 and 4 years old; one is an EE and the other is a SLW...both dual purpose, not specifically for egg production and I'm still getting 5 eggs from each girl every week (I've been tracking on the calendar to be sure I wasn't just thinking they're still producing that many). I don't know what the average is for hens of those breeds/ages but I think they're doing incredibly well.

 

[subhanalah]

My grandma used to put camphor on our mosquito bites.  Used to be able to purchase a product called Campho-Phenique (and I have no idea on the spelling).  Not sure if it is still available or not. 

But..
VetRX has camphor as one of it's ingredients.  I have used Vet Rx on myself for other things in the past

Benadryl has a children's topical gel (it's the kind that doesn't have diphenhydramine, however it's spelled) that has camphor in it. That's how I discovered how incredibly awesome it is for bug bites. Chiggers (aren't they just the absolute worst!) and mosquito bites I know for sure, lol

 

[onmelissa]

No blood under the roost this morning!

 

[Leahs Mom]

No blood under the roost this morning!

Yay!
How is she behaving..does she seem well?

 

[onmelissa]

Yay!
How is she behaving..does she seem well?

Yes! She seems perfectly normal. Her behavior never did indicate illness or injury, but that amount of blood really gave me a fright!

 

[misbhaven]

I have been canning tomatoes like crazy I had to warn everyone of the possibility of red poop ,all the cores, skins bruised parts have been given to the chicken by hospital tubs full..so far i have canned 5 quarts of beans, 10pints of salsa, 6 quarts of spag. sauce, and over 20 quarts of tomatoes ...and 30 quarts of pickles.and a couple kinds of jelly i won't be done until I run out of canning jars. tomato soup is next on my canning list.I also froze a lot of corn off the cob but saved the cobs frozen for my hens for treats in the winter (I have 3 freezers)...
Below is a link of Pred's and what they do for those who don't know or want to Identify what is getting in.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/418131146627219587/

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote:

 

[Leahs Mom]

I have been canning tomatoes like crazy I had to warn everyone of the possibility of red poop ,all the cores, skins bruised parts have been given to the chicken by hospital tubs full..so far i have canned 5 quarts of beans, 10pints of salsa, 6 quarts of spag. sauce, and over 20 quarts of tomatoes ...and 30 quarts of pickles.and a couple kinds of jelly i won't be done until I run out of canning jars. tomato soup is next on my canning list.I also froze a lot of corn off the cob but saved the cobs frozen for my hens for treats in the winter (I have 3 freezers)...
Below is a link of Pred's and what they do for those who don't know or want to Identify what is getting in.
arehttp://www.pinterest.com/pin/418131146627219587/

Are they from your own garden?

I used to do 3-4 bushels of tomatoes, green beans, peaches, applesauce every year but haven't since my kids are gone. I would go to the farmer's market and purchase the fruit and then other local growers for the other items. Never had enough in the garden to do a whole lot from there unfortunately.

I've started dehydrating tomatoes instead of canning or freezing. I actually love eating them dried plain they are so good that way! Haven't done much dehydrating from the garden this year, however. Our tomatoes are mostly still green. Only getting an occasional roma and a few cherrys. Lots on the vines, though.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

Yes! She seems perfectly normal. Her behavior never did indicate illness or injury, but that amount of blood really gave me a fright!

Seems like I read somewhere that they continually shed stomach or intestine lining, and that now and then they'll let go a big chunk all at once, and it can look like a bloody mess, but it's perfectly normal. Maybe that's what you saw? You can find nasty pics of it if you look around.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I've got an excess of basil right now; can I scatter it in the coop for happy smells? I didn't see it on the chicken death list.

my chickens liked it last fall.