The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[bluebirdnanny]

Thanks vPatt. I hope so too. As I am breeding the Nelson and Kittle line RIR. Will be going just to the Nelsons once I have enough to really make selections according to the standards for the breed.

Then will either sell, cull, or move Kittles to selling eggs group.

 

[vpatt]

Thanks vPatt. I hope so too. As I am breeding the Nelson and Kittle line RIR. Will be going just to the Nelsons once I have enough to really make selections according to the standards for the breed.

Then will either sell, cull, or move Kittles to selling eggs group.

There is one rir in my 8 week olds and i have some rir mix eggs in the hatching eggs I bought....I hope most of them hatch.

 

[Kikiriki]

Anyone know of any natural/herbal antibiotics for chickens?
I don't need any but I like to be prepared just in case.

I have been compiling things I find in research. Not all the links go to full articles, but will show only abstracts. I do try to find supporting info, and I don't track the ones for plants that are going to be impossible to find. I list by the problem, followed by the link to the research, followed by the common name of the plant. Then if any supporting documents apply, those links come next, followed by a brief description.

Plants for Treating Illnesses and Parasites Chickens

Worms
http://www.banglajol.info/index.php/BJVM/article/download/1521/1485
Pineapple leaves for 28 days
Pineapple leaf

http://dasnetgroup.com/IJBR/data/2010/May/41-44.pdf
Instructions for prep and dose of pineapple leaves

From the paper:
Pineapple leaves (Ananus comosus) were collected from “Medicinal Plants garden” of Department of Pharmacology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh.

To obtain 10% aqueous extract, 20 gm of pineapple leaves were thoroughly washed in tap water. The leaves were cut into small pieces with the help of knife, there after the fleshy parts were mixed with the help of mortar and pastels. The extract was made up to 20 ml by adding distilled water and filtered it through a piece of clean silk cloth.

each chicken of this group was treated with Pineapple leaves extract @ 1 gm/kg body weight orally by dropper for consecutive seven days)

My comment:

The interesting result, here, was that even though they only used the extract for 7 days, by the 21st day, the chickens were parasite free.

http://journal.ipb.ac.id/index.php/hemera/article/download/4842/3295
Green papaya latex
http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/20000810165.html;jsessionid=5B9150B14B5482C750BE102C04DC0800
Garlic

http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/content/30/4/497.short
Vitamin B12 deficiency increases susceptibility to some parasites

http://www.researchgate.net/profile...key_poults/links/0c9605178038ac6b95000000.pdf
White wormwood. Note that artemisia annua (another variety of wormwood) is a treatment for malaria in humans)

http://docsdrive.com/pdfs/academicjournals/jp/0000/15433-15433.pdf
C. Micanthra flower extract in solution affected worms...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corydalis_micrantha (includes map of North America where it grows)
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Corydalis (includes photo)

http://orgprints.org/15721/
Worms and mites, various plant oils and DE






Enteritis
http://journals.cambridge.org/actio...e=online&aid=8976474&fileId=S0007114512006083
Capsicum and turmeric

Coccidiosis
http://www.researchgate.net/publica...Immunity_against_Eimeria_acervulina_Infection
Capsicum, turmeric, and shiitake mushroom

Better growth and feed use efficiency
https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/jas/articles/92/4/1531
carvacrol (from oregano), cinnamaldehyde (from cinnamon), and capsicum
And
http://www.researchgate.net/profile...PICE_HERBS/links/549fcd860cf257a635fe78b5.pdf
Garlic, black pepper, red pepper

Newcastle Disease
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874101003701
Aloe
And
http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/content/85/12/2169.full
Bee propolis and horny goat weed

Salmonella
http://www.uokufa.edu.iq/journals/index.php/kjvs/article/view/2385
Capsicum

Fowl typhoid
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037887410100397X
Aloe

Egg shell thickness and reduced bacteria in poop
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00071668.2014.938020?journalCode=cbps20&
Longevity Spinach

Some varieties of Influenza (this study did not include poultry, but I would try it)
http://www.researchgate.net/profile...za_viruses/links/0f317538efdb7b23d6000000.pdf
Agrimonia pilosa (hairy agrimony of the rosacea family)

This one includes other plants for influenza, but it only shows the abstract.
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11101-014-9357-1

Mondia: white's ginger a tropical vine native to Africa
Phytochemicals and nutritional status
Studies were undertaken to establish important phytochemicals and its nutritional status to support the traditional claims and enhance the species value for improved marketing and conservation. The main flavouring principle preferred by consumer was identified as 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzaldelyde. Both root and leaves extract were active against, brine shrimp. The root extract were active against Neisseria gonorrhea, and superior to minoglycine drug used for control of sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Both root and leaves showed antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhii, Pseudomonas auriginosa, Bacilus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Shigallae dysentrae. Escherichia coli was more susceptible while Salmonella tyhpii showed the least. Fungal bioassay carried out on Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger showed root extract to be more potent than leaf extracts.

Roots and leaves showed varied significant amount of proteins mineral vitamins and sugars depending on source. Mean concentration levels of minerals varied as potassium 11.34 - 32.05 mg/g, Sodium 5.61 - 24 mg/g, Magnesium 1.40 - 2.83 mg/g, Calcium 3.08 - 8.25mg/g, Iron 0.20 - 0.43 mg/g, Zinc 0.03 - 0.07 mg/g, Copper 0.003 - 0.06 mg/g, Manganese 0.64 - 0.05 mg/g, Cadmium and Lead were in trace amounts. Crude protein ranged form 4.35 mg/g - 21.8 mg/g, highest being from leaves. Vitamin varied as B carotene 4.35 - 21.81 ugg-1, Thiamine 0.78 - 3.70 mgg-1, Niacin 0.52 - 8.15 mgg-1, Riboflavin 0.62 - 2.45 mgg-1 and sugars, fructose 7.908 - 15.26 ugg-1, Xylose 9.17 - 18.70, glucose 2.40 - 9.0.

Comparison of basal diets for animal feeds, showed Mondia leaves had high crude protein and ash percentage of 20.25 and 16.98 respectively while dairy meal had crude protein and ash percentages 16.76 and 7.83 respectively. These results support traditional medical claim on use of Mondia whytei. The results show it has potential for human and animal health care. The chemical and phytochemical results have been used to reschedule Mondia whtyei products for quality assurance that are now being sold in leading Kenyan supermarkets.

 

[Kikiriki]

Does anyone have a picture of a chick in bandaid brace for sprawled leg I tried but the chick just lays on it's side and can't walk

This is from pipe insulation: I made this then didn't need it... Secure with Velcro or tape. I used a healthy chicken to fit it, including trimming some off the manufacturers split to make the diameter smaller where it needed to be. The "V" notch allows some flex, and goes to the front of the leg.

Oops...I just realized "sprawled leg" was not a single leg going wrong! Lol... Reading comprehension requires reading!

 

[COChix]

Can anyone suggest an easy to grow cover crop we could toss down in some of the chicken pens. I am going to be blocking off half of their free ranging area and wanted to toss down some easy to grow chicken cover crop. I was leaning towards red clover currently after reading a few different forum about it. I need something we can put down now, with minimal tilling and we will cover with old bedding and droppings from the flock. Hoping to keep blocked off for 4-8 weeks. Thoughts or input? Thanks!

 

[Kikiriki]

Can anyone suggest an easy to grow cover crop we could toss down in some of the chicken pens. I am going to be blocking off half of their free ranging area and wanted to toss down some easy to grow chicken cover crop. I was leaning towards red clover currently after reading a few different forum about it. I need something we can put down now, with minimal tilling and we will cover with old bedding and droppings from the flock. Hoping to keep blocked off for 4-8 weeks. Thoughts or input? Thanks!

I have been adding whole wheat to feed: what they have not eaten is now sprouting...my chickens have wheat grass! Wheat only takes a couple of days to sprout, too: just add water!

The green is just sprouted wheat. Annie Oakleaf wanted to be in the picture! They already ate much of since this morning...

 

[Lacy Blues]

I have been compiling things I find in research. Not all the links go to full articles, but will show only abstracts. I do try to find supporting info, and I don't track the ones for plants that are going to be impossible to find. I list by the problem, followed by the link to the research, followed by the common name of the plant. Then if any supporting documents apply, those links come next, followed by a brief description.

Thank you thank you.

That was copied and placed into my arsenal. I'll check out everything on there a little later.

 

[COChix]

Thank you thank you.

That was copied and placed into my arsenal.  I'll check out everything on there a little later.

X2

 

[Lacy Blues]

Can anyone suggest an easy to grow cover crop we could toss down in some of the chicken pens. I am going to be blocking off half of their free ranging area and wanted to toss down some easy to grow chicken cover crop. I was leaning towards red clover currently after reading a few different forum about it. I need something we can put down now, with minimal tilling and we will cover with old bedding and droppings from the flock. Hoping to keep blocked off for 4-8 weeks. Thoughts or input? Thanks!

I think if you put old bedding over seedlings trying to grow, you will burn them with the nitrogen. That kind of thing should be mixed into the soil in the fall or composted before putting on anything growing. Or if your stuff is down to dust, a light sprinkling might be ok.

How about regular white dutch clover? They'll love it.

 

[Kikiriki]

Great article on feeding organic

http://sd.appstate.edu/sites/sd.appstate.edu/files/methionine.pdf

Greek yogurt from cow milk looks like the best supplement...

I take that back.

Sweet potato is really good! They are super easy to grow and the leaves are also edible for you and the chickens!

I have not done the math to figure out how much they need...

The potato, cooked
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2667/2

The leaves, raw
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2664/2