The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[SherrieC]

I had what looked like black mold spots forming in my water drinker when I was putting ACV in with the water.

 

[JulesChicks]

Thanks @Leahs Mom , I did not like using the straw but thought they needed something under them. We're going to burn it and tonight we are putting them on the hard packed gravel and hoping no predators dig under the tractor. I am worried they may have something serious and if so that it's now transmitted to my other birds, something like MG. I'm so frustrated, I really tried to get the birds from good sources. How likely do you think what they have is from the straw and stress of the move and not MG? The young CL pullet had bubbles coming out of her nose the night we put her in the tractor on the fresh dry straw. They had left the breeders on the other side of the mountain from us, had about a 3-4 hour drive to Everett where they driver visited with his parents and all the pullets rested in the shade. I then met him about 5pm and drove them home and then got them settled in the just built tractor.

I will put a hanging feeder in there tomorrow and try the VetRx again and keep them on the probiotics/electrolytes and vitamins/minerals for another day or two to see if there is any change being off the straw. We are also going to either skirt the tractor to predator proof it or attach chicken wire or hardware cloth to the bottom of it. Does anyone have any opinions on these? I think the skirting would make the thing even harder to move and dangerous for us working around it. I would rather do the chicken wire (preference, since it's on the bottom and has more space for them to peck, or hardware cloth). We have lots of coyotes nearby and my DH thinks they would have no trouble digging under it quickly. He is worried about their feet if we staple it on the bottom. Thoughts?

Thanks so much everyone! I'm going to call an avian vet tomorrow and see how much it would be to test for infectious diseases like MG to ease my mind a bit. I do NOT want that in my flock.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Chicken wire on the bottom would make it so they could peck the grasses and whatnot underneath, however, a coyote could dig underneath easily and flip it and tear that chicken wire right out. Hardware cloth would be harder, maybe impossible, for them to get through since I don't think they can catch their incisors hooked into it and so would be better for their safety. However, they wouldn't be able to pick grasses and stuff through it.

If you mow an area and then put a tractor with hardware cloth on the bottom there, give the grass a few days to grow through and then they will be able to enjoy it.

Keep us posted on what the vet, if you find one, says.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Hmmm..... bubbles. I didn't realize you were seeing bubbles.

I also didn't realize that they had it when you first got them. That's not good. If it was just a drive like you describe, I'm guessing that they had whatever it is before you ever got them, unfortunately.



I once got a couple of young cockerels shipped to me from what I thought was a good source. I had never had anything shipped before and thought I never would, but decided to try it. They looked very healthy, but one of them had a chronically "crusty" nostril area. It was obviously mucous that was getting caked over with feed or whatever. I would get a q-tip and wipe out the crust and it would just continue to return. There was thick mucous under the crust that I'd clear out and the next day it was back. (I also used some VetRX to no avail.

I ended up making a very hard decision to process both of them. It was hard because they looked and behaved very healthy. I think I had them here for about 5 weeks in quarantine before I did. But I had never had any discharge from any of my birds and this just wouldn't seem to go away. I didn't want to take a chance of getting something in the flock. Very frustrating.

I was going to send in a swab to the Purdue lab but ended up not doing it for a host of reasons.

If I were you in that situation and you have the time and energy, I think having them tested is the best option. That way you know and you can make a good decision.


eta:
I've heard way too many bad stories about folks getting started birds bringing illness with them. One of my friends had the same issue with started birds as well, and she didn't have the experience to be able to see there were problems when they picked them up.

I finally decided not to purchase any started birds again unless it was very special circumstances.

Again, frustratingg.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I had what looked like black mold spots forming in my water drinker when I was putting ACV in with the water.

Might want to stop the ACV and just use fresh, clean water daily while it's hot out.

 

[MargaretYakoda]

Mind = BLOWN!


Especially that last one.... Slaked lime AKA Calcium hydroxide. Mixed with water, preserves eggs for 8 months or more with no refrigeration...

 

[JulesChicks]

I'm having the same issue with moldy water with the ACV so I'm stopping that. I made an appt with an Avian Vet today to take in the sickest bird so I can hopefully get to the bottom of this. I didn't really think I'd be taking my chickens to the vet, but after reading about MG I'm worried my whole flock will be affected. It's so frustrating when you spend countless hours researching and try to do everything "right" and have this sort of problem. My brother goes to the local co-op, buys a dozen chicks at at time and doesn't lose any to illness. Predators yes, illness no.

 

[lalaland]

Hang in there, Jules.....
It is really really frustrating when you are trying hard to do everything right - getting chickens from anyone else is always a little russian roulette. Day old chicks aren't such a risk, but still could bring something in.

I had chickens for years with no problems, and then somehow got Mareks in my flock, so for the past few years have had strange illnesses and deaths. I can't undo that - can work to manage the flock to lessen the mortality but I will never have marek's free chickens (unless I move, and don't take anything with me, including chickens, coops, chicken equip, etc).

Thats kind of why I was pointing you to diseases....because although it is heart wrenching to consider culling them, there are some diseases that you could bring into your flock and just never be able to eradicate it. Some diseases which show up with bubbly nose symptoms don't necessarily cause the chicken to die, but could be a carrier type situation where you expose everything else to it.

I'm very skeptical that there is any kind of allergy problem going on with your chickens.

I am so sorry you are having this experience - no fair!!

Good on going ot the vet and finding out. I don't know where you are located, but university ag depts often have vets familiar with chickens, too.

 

[JulesChicks]

Thanks Lala...it really does suck. I think MG is like that, and probably many others. So sorry you are dealing with Marek's in your flock, that really sucks too.

If it ends up being just these three birds, even if I have to cull them, I'll be relieved. I'll let you guys know what I find out. The feed store I go to recommended the vet, said it's the only one they know of in our area. I'm in Skagit County in WA state and the vet's in Sedro-Woolley which is about 35 mins away. I certainly didn't think I would be taking chickens to the vet at all, let alone so soon!, but hopefully I can get some good information, and even better would be good news.

 

[JulesChicks]

Alright, so the sickest girl is at the vet. She was very good for her checkup. I left her there for the afternoon so they could take several swabs which I will then send to the state lab tomorrow. The most expensive test is the one for MG, which is $50, the others are much less. I need the information though. The vet said there are very few antibiotics approved for chickens and the FDA has recently made a more stringent rule- if you treat with antibiotics you cannot consume meat or eggs from that bird EVER. So, it looks like best case scenario we are culling 3 birds, worst case, my whole flock of 17 (which includes 11 healthy birds not in quarantine). I didn't have the strictest quarantine since I had to go into their pen to take care of them- if I ever brought in birds again I would put them in cages where I could reach food, eggs and water. So, time will tell. A very difficult situation and learning experience to be sure.