The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[dutchlion]

So yesterday our broody Cornish wanted out of her area where she was hatching, so I opened it up and she took the babies out to mingle with our 6 week old chicks. She never did get back on the nest, she left 5 eggs. There were a few tense moments where I was afraid mama was going to attack one of the 6 week olds, she never did. Sure she chases them off and even pulled some feathers on one, who pecked her baby. She slept in the nest box of the small coop with our littles and she and the babies were able to navigate the ramp just fine.

How sweet! Congratulations!

 

[lalaland]

another reason to keep chickens for meat and eggs, feed your chickens non-maunfactured food that wasn't made in a factory, and to grow your own veggies and fruit: nonmaterials in our food!

http://www.iatp.org/documents/nanomaterials-fact-sheet

 

[Jessimash]

I have a problem. I believe my hens have stick fleas. I've been looking around the forums, and have a plan to help get rid of them. I would love further advice if anybody has some.

First of all, I have noticed one of my hens shaking her head every now and then over the last couple of days. Today, I was sitting next to my rooster, and noticed black "stuff" all over his comb and wattles. I looked closer, and realized they were bugs. Fortunately, I only have 5 chickens to treat, and have only noticed 2 that seem to have this problem.

My plan is to first bathe them in either Dawn original soap or an anit-bacterial soap. I will follow that up with a neem oil/water mixture. (40:1 from what I've read.) Then I plan to put Vaseline all over the combs and wattles. I will have Sevin Dust as a back up, but I really don't want to use that. I plan to scrub the coop with bleach and drench it in neem oil. Then add DE to the nesting boxes and coat the ground of the coop. My chickens are free range, so as much as I hate to, I am considering sprinkling Sevin dust in the yard.

The sun is going down now, so I will have to start this early in the morning. Please, if anybody has any advice or better ideas - anything that will work without having to use poison of any kind, I would love to hear it. I am only 2 months old to having chickens, and am learning as fast as I can.

 

[SherrieC]

Well I've blocked off access to the eggs, I thought it was ok yesterday but today she is really going down hill. First, I noticed she was keeping away from the others a bit and was fluffed up so I went to make up a treat, came back with the food and she was on the roost on her own and I can't get her to eat.

 

[sweetlife]

I have read somewhere that putting garlic powder in your chicken feed is supposed to help keep them healthier... has anyone experienced any truth to this and how much should be used?

 

[Jessimash]

I have read somewhere that putting garlic powder in your chicken feed is supposed to help keep them healthier... has anyone experienced any truth to this and how much should be used?

I just read that giving poultry garlic can cause Heinz Anemia since it is in the onion family. I have never tried it myself.

 

[armorfirelady]

I have a problem. I believe my hens have stick fleas. I've been looking around the forums, and have a plan to help get rid of them. I would love further advice if anybody has some.

First of all, I have noticed one of my hens shaking her head every now and then over the last couple of days. Today, I was sitting next to my rooster, and noticed black "stuff" all over his comb and wattles. I looked closer, and realized they were bugs. Fortunately, I only have 5 chickens to treat, and have only noticed 2 that seem to have this problem.

My plan is to first bathe them in either Dawn original soap or an anit-bacterial soap. I will follow that up with a neem oil/water mixture. (40:1 from what I've read.) Then I plan to put Vaseline all over the combs and wattles. I will have Sevin Dust as a back up, but I really don't want to use that. I plan to scrub the coop with bleach and drench it in neem oil. Then add DE to the nesting boxes and coat the ground of the coop. My chickens are free range, so as much as I hate to, I am considering sprinkling Sevin dust in the yard.

The sun is going down now, so I will have to start this early in the morning. Please, if anybody has any advice or better ideas - anything that will work without having to use poison of any kind, I would love to hear it. I am only 2 months old to having chickens, and am learning as fast as I can.

I use wood ash as a preventive/treatment for bugs for my hens. I usually add a little peat moss to it. I just put in a container like a litter box and the girls happily dust bath in it. I have used in the past to rid them of mites & bugs.

When they were infested i sprayed down the roost with neem oil. (my coop is made from cattle panels so not much wood in it) Just beware it is very strong in odor so make you have plenty of ventilation for you and the hens (for several days)

I have read somewhere that putting garlic powder in your chicken feed is supposed to help keep them healthier... has anyone experienced any truth to this and how much should be used?

I add garlic to their feed about once a month or to yogurt. It has great probiotics in it to keep them healthy

 

[Lacy Blues]

ally
welcome to BYC

my chicks have used a watering dish, and the bigger chicks/ducks hanging waterer with nipples on it . was pretty comical to see at first they looked like jumping beans wanting to use it but couldn't lower it for them because of the ducks, a haning one with nipples though if it's just the chicks would work without taking up floor space without the older ones needing it.

My Rhode Island Red chicks became monkeys an use the older ones stuff perches, ladders and all at about 4 weeks old, now they wanna be up at very top of coup with in a day of being able to get on the older ones stuff, if it was smaller scaled they probably would have done it earlier. The older chicks we made a small perch with popcicle sticks that was pretty short about 4 inches in height, and they used it at about a week old in the brooding pen but they broke it down pretty fast too as they grow so fast

You could put two up. One higher, and one lower.

Well I've blocked off access to the eggs, I thought it was ok yesterday but today she is really going down hill. First, I noticed she was keeping away from the others a bit and was fluffed up so I went to make up a treat, came back with the food and she was on the roost on her own and I can't get her to eat.

Why don't you just let her set? It has to be better than sulking and not eating.

 

[lalaland]

powdered garlic is just about useless, as the helpful component is in fresh, and deteriorates rapidly. So fresh crushed garlic is what you want for a booster.

Sherrie, I would worry your girl is sick, not broody - because in all the broody breaking I've done, I have never had one go on the roost and refuse to eat. Is she growly? Pacing to get to the nests? You could always verify by letting her have momentary access to the nest. If she heads straight at it, I would kennel her for a few days with food and water. Best is in a wire cage with good air circulation and no nesting materials. THe cage should be up off the ground a bit, and in the vicinity of the other hens. Make sure she has shelter from sun/rain.

Tossing treats to chickens around her might help motivate her to peck at something in the cage. Scrambled eggs, etc for her.

If she doesn't install her self back on the nest the minute she can, then maybe she is ill .
You have me curious, I hope you report back on whats up!

 

[SherrieC]

No she is definitely broody, she wasn't sick. I realise it's the first broody I have ever had but I have absolutely no doubt. She laid every day until she sat and the week leading up to it she started showing signs as she would stay on the egg for a short while. She has been broody since early May I think it was, she would get up each day and have a stretch, her temperament was more aggressive then normal but she was full of energy and hungry.

She always goes in the nest the minute she can, my first attempt of quickly stopping access was but putting one box over the other and as she managed to move the top box half way off and get in. The next day I put a lid on it and removed them, that's when she got depressed. I had to bring one out because one of the others really needed to lay and before you know it she found her and was in there.

My eggs that were under here aren't developing, I'm trying to find eggs buts it's hard as its winter here.

I'm worried if I kennel her I will lose her.