The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

@amanda1
You don't have fresh wood chips in there do you? I think the other birds would be showing signs too in that case.

We're talking wood CHIPS, not the wood shavings you get for bedding at tsc, etc. I use wood chips from tree grindings, but you have to let them "cure" before using them with the animals. I let my piles sit until there are worms in them. They get filled with redworms here.

But I also remember about what @Molpet was saying and I think it was aspergillosis that they got. Hopefully @TerryH will come over and let us know what happened there.

 

[Elemes]

The vet attempted to look down her throat but the bird was not cooperating so she gave up. She did give her some type of one dose oral medication for worms while we were there. I had looked down her throat previously and didn't see anything suspicious, but I'm no expert. I sure wish it were worms at this point, but I'd wormed her a few weeks earlier too. I also think gapeworm is rather rare?

So what are your thoughts on this?
.

Hi Amanda

I'm not sure if I caught all the details but I had a head shaking Cockerel (like he had something in his throat) and he was raspy, negative for worms or anything in his fecal sample. I paid for an antibiotic, which makes him unsafe to eat, and gave him a steady treatment of probiotics and access to any desired treats -in about 6 days he recovered.
I know it's frustrating not knowing what the issue is you need to treat.
In another case I had a young pullet who was about 4 months old when she displayed similar issues, no head shake, but seemed to have trouble breathing comfortably. Voracious appetite. Rather liked being away from the other birds because she couldn't keep up to graze. She passed away suddenly one morning right after she ate breakfast. I chose not to have an autopsy done because her siblings (and none of my established flock) exhibited any like symptoms.

It's a waiting game, sometimes.

 

[amanda1]

I use pine shavings I get at TSC as their bedding. I do my best to keep it clean. None of the other birds have symptoms. This hen has been head shaking for months. She has a rather large comb, so initially I thought it had to do with her not being used to her new comb. I wish I'd paid more attention to it when I first noticed it. It was quite a while after the head shaking started that I noticed her difficulty breathing. I plan on getting her autopsied if she dies, if nothing else, to help other chicken owners.

Yesterday was rainy and cool and she really seemed slow. I only had them out free ranging for about an hour and a half and I think she spent most of the rest of the time in the coop, except when I was offering treats.

With the head shaking and the vet not looking down her throat it occurred to me, maybe she has something stuck in her esophagus, but the vet said she had dry rales, so I guess that means there is something definitely in her lungs.

i have simply run out of ideas. I can tell you though, their coop smelled strongly of garlic this morning! I'm at the point where maybe I just need to leave her alone and hope her immune system will knock whatever it is out. I am just not good at doing nothing!

 

[amanda1]

The vet believes she has aspergillosis. There is no known medical treatment.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You said she's doing okay, so I would let be okay for as long as she is. If you are having troubles with moisture in your coop perhaps switch thing to something like sand would be better for a floor cover.

 

[Grannys Peeps]

Hi, I have reading through these threads and love it. I was just wondering how much ACV you would put for a gallon of water for your chickens? I am all for natural ways of
curing or preventing things before they happen.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hi, I have reading through these threads and love it.  I was just wondering how much ACV you would put for a gallon of water for your chickens?  I am all for natural ways of 
curing or preventing things before they happen.

I'm in the camp of "nothing in my water" so hopefully someone who uses it will help out. I just wanted to say hello.

 

[Elemes]

Hi, I have reading through these threads and love it.  I was just wondering how much ACV you would put for a gallon of water for your chickens?  I am all for natural ways of 
curing or preventing things before they happen.

Hi Granny!
I use ACV in the summer and probably add roughly 1/4c per gallon. I don't want to really smell the ACV, if that helps. I also add it to the dog's water and I drink it straight. Must have "the mother" to be useful. Not for everyday addition. Offering clean "no additive H20" at the same time is recommended.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I also don't use ACV. But when I did, I always offered fresh water alongside. Never ACV only.


ETA:
Whoops...forgot to add that the normal recommended amount was 1 Tablespoon per half gallon.

 

[CuzChickens]

When putting ACV in water, be sure to use a good brand, like Braggs, if you do something cheap like GreatValue ACV, your birds won't benefit from it much. Lisa Steele makes her own ACV, you can find her article on how to at fresheggsdaily.com