The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[CoopChick719]

Hi

Sometimes a disease can cause malnourishment.  What kind of feed were you giving...was it a bagged feed or something you made yourself?  Also, they definitely need meat (read insect also) protein and feed with soy can definitely cause malnourishment. 

And if soy is used that isn't long cooked (roasted usually), it can definitely be toxic and cause malnutrition.

Hi LM, I was fermenting Purina Flockraiser. I stopped FF for a little while but went back to it. It's all good now. I bought some chicks who, I think, may have brought something with them. I lost all 6 plus 4 of my others. Live & Learn

 

[lalaland]

update on necropsies of mareks hen and asymptomatic rooster:
"The eyes are still being examined because the processing is different from other organs. Both birds have coccidiosis and I recommend treatment with Amprol. No evidence of Marek's disease in the internal organs. Keep in mind that the eye histology has not been completed and will be the last segment of the report."

from what I've learned, mareks (which was diagnosed in an earlier chicken two weeks ago in my flock) is a debilitating disease and chickens that survive often succumb to underlying issues, such as cocci.

Trying to decide whether to let flock alone and see who survives, or whether to treat with corid. I did some research and found that ACV is really a good preventative for cocci, it was mentioned in a couple of ag dept bulletins. Mine have ACV in one waterer and fresh water in the other. Might switch so they are getting ACV for at least half the week and a choice the other half....or ACV all the time.

I have seen a few more intestinal lining shedding droppings lately but thought it might be that I am soooo paranoid about the flock right now that I am watching everything carefully. I haven't seen any really bloody droppings.

What do you think?

 

[CoopChick719]

This year I've collected storm windows so I can make a solar warming area under the trailer by using glass to shield from the wind and snow instead of hay bales. I'll still have plenty of hay on the ground underneath. And hay bales on the north side, but I'm hoping for more light under there. I will build the sunporch addition too again (plywood on haybales.

Hey lala! Are the storm windows leaning against a pen or a free-standing structure? It's junk week in a neighboring town. I saw some old windows on one pile and thought of someone on here who did that last winter.

I will. I just went out and picked a bunch (I'm sure my neighbors were wondering what I was picking in the dark) and put it in the crock pot with coconut oil. I figure between the 2 of them he might get some relief. I don't want to keep giving him benadryl or put him back on prednisone.

Hi AFL, I have plantain by the bushel on my lawn. I, too, have been known to harvest bunches of it. I'm sure the neighbors think I'm nuts! Do you chop or crush the leaves in the coconut oil or just let them steep? How long should you let it cook?

Maybe save some store bought meat trays and "bring home" a steak all nicely wrapped in saran wrap... maybe they'll try it?

I did this with milk when DH & I were first married. Refilled a gallon container of "his" milk with my brand. Did that for about 2 weeks until I opened my big mouth when he said, "I'd never drink that stuff!!"

Funny you don't think about that type of stuff when you get married! Different brands of stuff that your family has used for years so you just think everyone does. Don't even get me started on mayonnaise!

 

[lalaland]

Hey lala! Are the storm windows leaning against a pen or a free-standing structure? It's junk week in a neighboring town. I saw some old windows on one pile and thought of someone on here who did that last winter.
Hi AFL, I have plantain by the bushel on my lawn. I, too, have been known to harvest bunches of it. I'm sure the neighbors think I'm nuts! Do you chop or crush the leaves in the coconut oil or just let them steep? How long should you let it cook?


I did this with milk when DH & I were first married. Refilled a gallon container of "his" milk with my brand. Did that for about 2 weeks until I opened my big mouth when he said, "I'd never drink that stuff!!"

Funny you don't think about that type of stuff when you get married! Different brands of stuff that your family has used for years so you just think everyone does. Don't even get me started on mayonnaise!

I'm wedging the storm windows underneath the trailer - I use an old construction trailer for the coop and it is 3-4 feet off the ground depending on the terrain. So I wedge them up underneath and use haybales for the base. I am experimenting with driving rods into the haybales to hold the windows in place. Think of putting a playing card on a fork with the card woven between the fork tines. That's what I'm trying.

With the sunporch, I have haybales laid in a row, with spaces in between for the storm windows, and scrap plywood on top. It provides additional space out of the snow for the flock. I scatter hay inside, and it is open on the south.

 

[sunflower4you]

I did this with milk when DH & I were first married. Refilled a gallon container of "his" milk with my brand. Did that for about 2 weeks until I opened my big mouth when he said, "I'd never drink that stuff!!"

Funny you don't think about that type of stuff when you get married! Different brands of stuff that your family has used for years so you just think everyone does. Don't even get me started on mayonnaise!

This is so true!! In our house it is peanut butter and sloppy joes.

 

[armorfirelady]

This year I've collected storm windows so I can make a solar warming area under the trailer by using glass to shield from the wind and snow instead of hay bales.  I'll still have plenty of hay on the ground underneath.  And hay bales on the north side, but I'm hoping for more light under there.  I will build the sunporch addition too again (plywood on haybales.

Hey lala! Are the storm windows leaning against a pen or a free-standing structure? It's junk week in a neighboring town. I saw some old windows on one pile and thought of someone on here who did that last winter.

 I will. I just went out and picked a bunch (I'm sure my neighbors were wondering what I was picking in the dark) and put it in the crock pot with coconut oil. I figure between the 2 of them he might get some relief. I don't want to keep giving him benadryl or put him back on prednisone.

Hi AFL, I have plantain by the bushel on my lawn. I, too, have been known to harvest bunches of it. I'm sure the neighbors think I'm nuts! Do you chop or crush the leaves in the coconut oil or just let them steep? How long should you let it cook?

Maybe save some store bought meat trays and "bring  home" a steak all nicely wrapped in saran wrap... maybe they'll try it?

I did this with milk when DH & I were first married. Refilled a gallon container of "his" milk with my brand. Did that for about 2 weeks until I opened my big mouth when he said, "I'd never drink that stuff!!"

Funny you don't think about that type of stuff when you get married! Different brands of stuff that your family has used for years so you just think everyone does. Don't even get me started on mayonnaise!

I put it in coconut oil in a canning jar and set that inside my crockpot and let it steep on warm for about 6 hours. The oil has to cover the leaves completely Then I strain it with cheese cloth.

 

[Leahs Mom]

What do you think?

That's a hard one. From the outside... (not having to deal with it myself) I think I'd let the strongest survive. But I also don't see an issue with using items like ACV. I'm with you - I don't think it's good to have the ACV constantly. Perhaps like you said - couple days on and the rest without unless you're treating for something more aggressively.

Plus, I don't know if you ferment feed. If you lacto-ferment, the feed will have an acid content that should preclude the need for ACV. And I am hesitant to offer ACV AND lacto-fermented feed that is truly acid at the same time. I think that moderation needs to be used in that arena. If you don't lacto-ferment, then the ACV wouldn't hurt anything!


You might consider contacting Susan Burek to see if she has anything for your situation. She will make tinctures to order and I'll bet she'd have some ideas for you. This page lists what she has "ready made" http://www.moonlightmileherbs.com/poultryherbcart2014.html but it also states that she can make to order. I notice she has the new worm balancer tonic. I wonder how that would affect cocci? May be worth asking.

 

[Lacy Blues]

lalaland, I would increase the amount of yogurt you give to your flock... either more often or more of it. It will help.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Had to share some photos.... I can smell chicken poo on me from this photo shoot! (I was laying in the grass and thought I had looked for poo but.....)

These are the 2 new SFH boys I got shipped to me last week (16 wks old now...chocolate is still peeping!)

I've been trying to get a good photo of the chocolate boy since I don't have one...that's why this has more of him


2 Boys



Young chocolate....yum!













Two curious boys.



Hey! Where are the photos of me??? I don't see any photos of ME!!!!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Love those curious boys! I have one that does the same thing to me... unless I have a camera!