The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

Lacy, your turkey manure testimony is a balm in a weary landscape! I for one, am delighted that I have a huge flock of wild turkeys visiting my yard often. I do not like the fact that I have to chase them off the lawn on a daily basis until my grass seed is sprouted. But that's a chore I'll gladly do to reap the benefit turkeys bestow on my chicken flock. I also believe that turkeys are the greatest reason I've not had to treat my cat for fleas, and have only seen a few ticks this season.
 
I know someone had turkeys on the Minnesota thread, so I am going to ask there about getting their litter. It sure can't hurt as far as I can see......if they don't have chickens with any problems....ok lacyblue, I'm going to be nervous too.

I know years and years ago I had a parrot, and he was ill. In a last ditch attempt to save his life, the vet asked me for permission to give the bird droppings from healthy parrots. I said yes, they did something with a centrifuge and the parrot survived. never know what will work.

Gonna have to think through how to find out if they have healthy chickens...unless they keep the turkeys separate from the chickens.
 
I know someone had turkeys on the Minnesota thread, so I am going to ask there about getting their litter.  It sure can't hurt as far as I can see......if they don't have chickens with any problems....ok lacyblue, I'm going to be nervous too.

I know years and years ago I had a parrot, and he was ill.  In a last ditch attempt to save his life, the vet asked me for permission to give the bird droppings from healthy parrots.  I said yes, they did something with a centrifuge and the parrot survived.  never know what will work.

Gonna have to think through how to find out if they have healthy chickens...unless they keep the turkeys separate from the chickens.


Could always order yourself some hatching eggs... :)
 
I cannot provide case studies regarding the St. Johnswort.  I was told it works. I have seen it online in other places since then and they said the same things, including the treatment regime.

I don't need a case study or a veterinarian to tell me the turkey manure works.  My proof is out in my yard... Marek's free for 9  years.


Oh if it works for you, absolutely do it. I'm definety not against using any meathod that works. Mostly curious as to whether it treats symptoms, maybe makes the birds strong enough to form immunities or actually destroys the virus. Wonder if anyone has ever actually conducted a study. It would be incredible to see!

Thus far we have yet to have it show up in a tested bird (knocking on every wood surface available). I don't know what I would do if it did..
 
Wow. Sounds like a winner to me. Any plans to sell chicks? :-D
I'm wanting them myself.

Tennessee isn't *that* far away...
I'm sure I've posted it elsewhere, but... If you or anyone else make the trip, once she is selling, I know I want to buy some of her birds / chicks. I'd pay a delivery fee too.
 
Last edited:
I know someone had turkeys on the Minnesota thread, so I am going to ask there about getting their litter. It sure can't hurt as far as I can see......if they don't have chickens with any problems....ok lacyblue, I'm going to be nervous too.

I know years and years ago I had a parrot, and he was ill. In a last ditch attempt to save his life, the vet asked me for permission to give the bird droppings from healthy parrots. I said yes, they did something with a centrifuge and the parrot survived. never know what will work.

Gonna have to think through how to find out if they have healthy chickens...unless they keep the turkeys separate from the chickens.
Just ask them. Be up front and ask if they've ever had any respiratory issues and tell them why you want it.

My choice of using litter from a kid in 4H was because they don't generally keep the turkeys. They order new ones every year and there's several months in between batches. The turkeys would be fresh from the hatchery and their NPIP rating would still be good.

As far as I know, blackhead is the only thing that turkeys can get from chickens. Chickens don't show it but apparently cause it if they're kept together with turkeys and unless they are outside most of the time where the air can move, turkeys will come down with it. However, if a lot of fresh air movement is involved, generally the turkeys won't show symptoms at all. I used to know a lady who kept her chickens, ducks, guineas, geese, turkeys and who knows what else (oh, peacocks too) all together. She never had any problems.

I could be wrong but I think that's the only thing they can get from chickens... except maybe respiratory problems. But then again... ventilation.
 
I was going to ask you about that! I thought about your turkey manure method of vaccinating - that is probably doable. RIght now with my life, catching 11 pullets, of whom 6 are extremely skittish, twice a day and administering the st johns wort to the roof of their beak is not possible during the work week. But I could do the turkey manure. I'm reading up on what else to do....apparently stress will trigger mareks, or the general immune system is so compromised that they are susceptible to worms, cocci, etc.


I did a state lab necropsy last year. I got a report back, unsure whether to call it detailed or not....
I will call and make sure they determine whether or not it was mareks.
thanks
As an aside, stress triggers a multitude of problems. When I know my birds are stressed or are going to be stressed, I put quite a bit of yogurt into their fermenting feed. The beneficial bacteria can actually kill e-coli and cocci bacterias if it is used as a preventive. I've had birds go off their feed and look puffy and depressed, not eating and have some very green poops (this is bile that is seen readily because they are not eating - I check poops on the ground and under perches all the time to get a jump on any problems brewing). Sometimes I have to force feed them a tablespoon of yogurt. Then I'll be sure to mix plenty into their feed for the next upcoming meal. They generally bounce right back.



Raked up shavings from cutting wood & grass clippings and tossed them in the coop. Girls are busy, busy moving it around. Along with the hay & weeds I tossed in the compost. I don't think I've seen them so quiet in a long time. They are very busy concentrating on digging thru the hay and weeds lol

I transplanted my cabbage, beans and peppers to the side of the garden. They are all still growing. I want to get the cover crop down this weekend in the garden. It's suppose to be 80 on Tuesday !!
I love that chicken run beside your garden. Love the garden too. Do you like your pallet fence? I've been collecting pallets for a while so that when I get my construction projects done and can make individual large yards with pallets at the bottom and then welded wire above that. I worry, just a little, that I won't like the pallets after its all said and done.



Lacy, your turkey manure testimony is a balm in a weary landscape! I for one, am delighted that I have a huge flock of wild turkeys visiting my yard often. I do not like the fact that I have to chase them off the lawn on a daily basis until my grass seed is sprouted. But that's a chore I'll gladly do to reap the benefit turkeys bestow on my chicken flock. I also believe that turkeys are the greatest reason I've not had to treat my cat for fleas, and have only seen a few ticks this season.
If the wild turkeys wander where your chickens hang out, that is a very good thing for the health of your birds.
 
Yes, the turkeys often stroll through my yard. Sometimes 20 at a time. They sound so funny, kind of like water dropping on a steel drum. My chickens are often out to free range. So, IMO, it's a win/win situation for me.
 
The palleted area is actually my compost pile. The hens have access to it when the electric netting is up. 5 pallets long & 1 wide. The girls love being in there digging thru whatever I toss in there. And they use it for shade when its hot. The pallets work great for it. I just used those green stakes to hold them up then screwed the pallets together. I got some cheap wooden lattice for a $1 a piece & covered the outside of the pallets. Helps keep stuff in them & makes it look nicer for the neighbors. I made it last year? And everything is holding up great. The little peeps use the pallets to get over into the veggie garden
hmm.png


Having the hens in there really breaks everything down really fast. And it gets watered when I water the veggie garden which I am sure helps as well. I had a decent amount of great mulch this spring to toss in the garden. The only problem is there is no door on it so the hens tend to kick stuff out the opening you can see. I just keep a rake handy to put it all back in. (& the pvc pipe you see has my extension cord in it for my pump in my french well. Poor drainage in that area so its pumped out to the street
smile.png
)
Soon it will be filled with leaves and grass clippings
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom