The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I personally do nothing for frost bitten combs, the points turn black and eventually fall off, the following year it's not a problem.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I personally do nothing for frost bitten combs, the points turn black and eventually fall off, the following year it's not a problem.

I agree. From observation of other's experiences, I observe that treating usually makes things worse. Only time I'd treat or put anything on combs or wattles would be if there was stinking/rotting.

Earlier in this thread I did a journal of frostbite with a roo on wattles that had gotten into wet feed. You can search this thread only to find it (or I can repost if that would be helpful). My roo healed beautifully with nothing added while I observed on other threads people doing all kinds of treatment which was making the fb worse.

I make it a point to only offer "restricted opening" waterers and if I'm giving ff or wet feed, restricted opening feeders to keep wattles from dragging in water or wet feed and freezing.


ETA: Have had frostbite occasionally on the combs too and also left them alone. All those birds are still healthy and happy today.

 

[delisha]

Hey Leah's mom, nice to hear from you! Are you still concentrating on sfhs?

curious chickee, I'll keep my fingers crossed you don't get swamped with the rains. Really, all these weather changes are a challenge - all the stuff we took for granted about when things would happen and what we need to do for them has changed, and the stuff we didn't plan for is either exasperating or devasting. Where I am, lilacs were budding a few weeks ago, getting green buds so I have no idea what will happen in the spring when the buds are all rotten from freezing.

When I was checking out the buff with the bum legs, I found she has a bad mite infestation so spent yesterday dusting everyone and bathing a couple of others. Takes forever to blowdry a buff orpington! I ran out of wood ash so used flower powder on the rest. And here I thought I had a sufficient store of ashes!

I didn't bother removing the bedding - I had just cleaned it out from the nests and roost areas 2 days prior. THe bedding on the floor, well it is deep litter. I would clear it out, but there is also a large area under the coop of hay, leaves, loose dirt and there is no way to clean that out. So I will concentrate on trying to keep the girls healthy.

Only 3 out of 25 had mites, they were all treated and I will retreat in 7 days. I am adding a pinch of flowers of sulphur to the feed and will keep that up for a week. That should do the trick, along with the redusting in a week.

Also going to top dress the feed with codliver oil.

Anyone have additional ideas about what to do next?

Neem oil all areas they nest and roost.

Quote: X2

 

[slordaz]

I agree. From observation of other's experiences, I observe that treating usually makes things worse. Only time I'd treat or put anything on combs or wattles would be if there was stinking/rotting.

Earlier in this thread I did a journal of frostbite with a roo on wattles that had gotten into wet feed. You can search this thread only to find it (or I can repost if that would be helpful). My roo healed beautifully with nothing added while I observed on other threads people doing all kinds of treatment which was making the fb worse.

I make it a point to only offer "restricted opening" waterers and if I'm giving ff or wet feed, restricted opening feeders to keep wattles from dragging in water or wet feed and freezing.


ETA: Have had frostbite occasionally on the combs too and also left them alone. All those birds are still healthy and happy today

That may be why it was bleeding then, the tip was coming off. They have restricted heated waterer we just hit -37 for almost a week straight guess should have restricted them from going out but these crazy birds were still venturing out for short bits. Nothing seems to bother them other than high winds or lightening then they all run and stay in the coop until it's over. We tried putting vasaline on the roosters combs before we were expecting extreme cold to try to help protect but they weren't having non of that

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That may be why it was bleeding then, the tip was coming off. They have restricted heated waterer we just hit -37 for almost a week straight guess should have restricted them from going out but these crazy birds were still venturing out for short bits. Nothing seems to bother them other than high winds or lightening then they all run and stay in the coop until it's over. We tried putting vasaline on the roosters combs before we were expecting extreme cold to try to help protect but they weren't having non of that

I have never used Vaseline on a rooster either, nature will dub your chickens the first cold year, they will heal and be better off in the end. That's why it bothers me so much when people lock their coops up and put out heat lamps, chickens need to move around, they get mentally bored very quick, and they don't mind the cold unless it gets really cold, then they shiver a bit but that's still a natural way of warming up.

 

[slordaz]

well these guys are doing remarkedly well with a couple of weeks of -30 temps here, never new a chicken would get more down like a calf or dogs and cats will get harrier if it's gonna be super cold, but you can see they got a lot in as it's poking up through the feathers. we can deal with a little bit of frost bite.They got plenty of ventilation and are out in it. The hens are smart enough to stay in if need be, roosters are another story though lol.

They decided didn't like the FF during the winter, is that normal? They are wanting more yogurt and their warmed oatmeal

 

[lalaland]

Delish, thanks for reminding me about the neem oil. I have some but never used it because it is so sludgy it wouldn't dilute for a sprayer.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

well these guys are doing remarkedly well with a couple of weeks of -30 temps here, never new a chicken would get more down like a calf or dogs and cats will get harrier if it's gonna be super cold, but you can see they got a lot in as it's poking up through the feathers. we can deal with a little bit of frost bite.They got plenty of ventilation and are out in it. The hens are smart enough to stay in if need be, roosters are another story though lol.

They decided didn't like the FF during the winter, is that normal? They are wanting more yogurt and their warmed oatmeal

I have never done FF, I just mix up their all flock, with some oatmeal, a handful of sweet feed and a handful of scratch, poor warm water over it and after a minute put it down, they fight over. I think a scoop of yogurt in it would top it off, they like warmer food in the winter and it help keep them hydrated and laying.

 

[lalaland]

on another topic, related to why some of us are so fervent about non-chemical means of treating our flocks whenever possible: try reading this (long) article about toxins in your blood (yup, yours) from Dow Chemical.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/10/m...=Full&region=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article

It will help you when you are thinking that perhaps you are taking this natural approach too seriously. Because, you can't take it seriously enough.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thanks lalaland, scary stuff, it is crazy what goes on in our world, where making money is more important than caring for the earth and its treatment. I have always tried to live as clean as possible, but I still went through 2 kinds of cancers and am trying more than ever to try to clean up my environment, we have given rid of Teflon pans and their poison and am working on ridding ourselves of as much plastic as possible, but that has become hard, I miss the days of glass jars. Most everything can be done in a natural way.