The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[hennible]

@ronotti1--no mites or lice (she was never infected), plus I just rechecked again today.  and no, the protein isn't helping--though all girls are super shiny right now!

@SallyinIndiana--I only have three hens, thus my continued over-worry...I think if I had more, she'd be stew for sure!

The weird thing is the spot hasn't gotten much bigger since it started in the spring--it looks worse, but only because now there's trace blu-kote involved and because the little feather pins are picked right to the skin, instead of to nubs, in places.  If it were lice or mites, it would've spread in 6 months, right?  Both other girls are fluffy (other than the moult), she's the only one with the marks.  I've never caught her over preening or being pecked by the others and since there's only three of them, and I'm home all day, I'm pretty sure I would've seen something by now.  My only guess is that she's doing it at night.  

I guess I'll just leave it and see--she's otherwise fine and I can't find anything definitive out there to solve it...

thanks for the feedback.

This sure isn't a permanent solution but you could put one of those head cones on her to stop her from picking for a while... just make one yourself out of some cardboard, light weight cereal box cardboard... If she picks because she's neurotic maybe she'll stop if she can do it for long enough... Maybe she will forget about the habit

 

[chicalot]

I was thinking cone too, although I've never seen a chicken cone. If you do we need pics, lol.

I have a dog house in an enclosed run and the chickens would sleep on the ground before getting in there. Ducks use to lay eggs there but the ducks are gone. Maybe with no other choice in time they would go for it.

 

[vpatt]

Would it help if you set it on blocks?

 

[hennible]

http://thewhimsicalfeather.blogspot.ca/2012/10/an-e-collar-on-chicken.html?m=1
Wow I found some, and a blog mentioning about it...

 

[FridayYet]

Has anyone taken chickens on a 12 hour car ride?? We are in the process of moving to New Mexico from SoCal and will be taking our 4 hens to their new home next week. They will be in the back of the RAV in a big plastic dog kennel on fresh shavings. I don't really want to have water open during the trip since it may spill.

I have a heavy crockery bowl for feed, but am wondering how long they can go without water? We stop about every 3-4 hours to let the dogs stretch, and if I put in the chick waterer at the rest stops would that be enough? I could also put in apple halves for the trip.

If anyone has advice, please let me know! Thanks.

 

[ronott1]

This sure isn't a permanent solution but you could put one of those head cones on her to stop her from picking for a while... just make one yourself out of some cardboard, light weight cereal box cardboard... If she picks because she's neurotic maybe she'll stop if she can do it for long enough... Maybe she will forget about the habit

You could use peepers too. They are designed to stop feather picking.

https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/anti_pick.html?cl=crumbtrail

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Is yours open all night long...the dog styled house, I mean?

They can go in there to get out of the wind but that's about it.

yes. The one has the entire south side open and the other has a small dog / chicken door opening on the west side. Once the dead of winter comes neither of these will get used much but there were roosters and ducks playing and hanging out in each of them today. The smaller more closed in one had 2 duck eggs in it this morning. At one time it was the favorite place for ducks to lay eggs.

 

[Turk Raphael]

A "housing question" for those of you that may have experience....

I am wondering if anyone has ever used a dog house, inside a kennel that is fenced on all sides and top, to house birds in the current weather.

Reason for the question is that I want to put the new boys out with the elders, but I don't want them in the same run quite yet and side 2 of my hen shed is currently occupied. I had "Mister" using that kennel with the dog house as his only shelter...and an outdoor roost...earlier this summer. I just don't know it it would be way to cold for just a dog house at this stage in the game.

It isn't as secure as being locked into the hen shed either as something could presumably get under it at night - though it is enclosed by electric netting on 3 sides. There is always the 4th side.

So...
Opinions and experiences, please.

This wouldn't be my first choice but I seen birds housed this way with great success, all over the country, including northern areas. This is not just summer housing...they seem to thrive in this type of shelter in VERY cold climates.

 

[Turk Raphael]

Has anyone taken chickens on a 12 hour car ride?? We are in the process of moving to New Mexico from SoCal and will be taking our 4 hens to their new home next week. They will be in the back of the RAV in a big plastic dog kennel on fresh shavings. I don't really want to have water open during the trip since it may spill.

I have a heavy crockery bowl for feed, but am wondering how long they can go without water? We stop about every 3-4 hours to let the dogs stretch, and if I put in the chick waterer at the rest stops would that be enough? I could also put in apple halves for the trip.

If anyone has advice, please let me know! Thanks.

Mix the feed with water....that way they will have their moisture too.

TURK

 

[hennible]

This wouldn't be my first choice but I seen birds housed this way with great success, all over the country, including northern areas. This is not just summer housing...they seem to thrive in this type of shelter in VERY cold climates.

Smaller space so body heat goes further hmmm...