The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Mumsy]

How strage Mumsy! Thanks for posting these... when Ifirst looked at it, I thought it was a shell less egg. Almost like it was stuck up there for a couple of days! Maybe it got extra shell!

That indented imprint on the flat surface and wrinkles all around made me think it was stuck between a hard place...And well...another hard place. It was one of the hardest shelled eggs I've ever seen. Yes! Like it was double shelled over just the yolk. A real anomaly of an egg. Chickens. Always gots surprises for us.

 

[aoxa]

It's true. There are many on this thread with a combined and vast store of knowledge. I would say most that follow this thread are also keenly interested in treating their flock with more natural methodology. It can be a real challenge.
Many times with chickens there are just no easy answers. I personally can only offer comment or give suggestions if I feel I have first hand knowledge that might help. People can take it or leave it of course. It was certainly not my intent to single any one post out. I'm truly sorry if you felt that way.
An egg breaking inside a hen is out of my realm of experience.

I've had this happen.

Ever have an egg that comes out with broken lines down the centre, and the hen healed it herself? I've had that happen as well.

As long as she can expel the egg she'll most likely be fine. It's when they re-absorb it you can have infection issues.

 

[aoxa]

Please I need more thoughts about my little bantam with the possibly impacted crop. She broke her broodiness after only two days. (she has never done that) she is not eating. Her crop is much softer than last night but still very full. But now she is sleepy. she was just sitting in front of the water bowl and fell asleep! I have separated her into a small cage in the garage. she was coughing or sneezing a bit when I put her in there. I left to go get a bowl of water and found this on the floor. She either coughed it up or pooped it. Neither one is good.






I have given her a bowl of water with a little ACV in it. I am off to the store now to get some olive oil to squirt down her throat. What else should I be doing??????

Looks like the stuff that came out of my RIR hen when she had sour crop.

I would NOT give her ACV. One of the only ailments I would recommend against such. Give her sugar free probiotic yoghurt and massage until the cows come home.

I had to google the address of her place. It is about a four hour drive from Seattle in the foothills of Mt. Helens. Waaayyyy off the beaten path.
The web site pictures of the farm are breath taking. This time of year there is likely snow on the ground. Her farm is situated in spectacular country.

I wish you could go with too! I'm afraid I'll get so excited when I see her flock my mind will go numb! You would be the voice and I would be the blinking, hyperventilating, numbskull. Hah!

Going to ask the hubby tonight if we can make a weekend of it and stay in Portland over night before heading back to the island. Hopefully with a couple dozen eggs. Or a pair of drop dead gorgeous dream Whites.

I'm beyond jealous!

We have some BEAUTIFUL whites here. Some of the best you can imagine. I don't get into the whites just because of it. Too much competition!



This is a 5 month old pullet from the best breeder of white silkies in Canada. She was still filling out, and was missing one of her primaries.

 

[aoxa]

Ok guys...I'm taking the plunge, i need an incubator. We're going to be be getting rid of the Cochins this summer and switching to Cream Legbars, since they do everything we're looking for. So, suggest a good incubator for beginners, with a turner, under two hundred for sure hopefully under one fifty. And from what ive read in the Colorado forum still air is no good here...whatever that means. Thanks!

1588 Hovabator Genesis. Works great, but needs to be kept at room temp. Humidity is awesome during lockdown.

Evrytime I'm in the barn I tell the ladies it sure would be nice if they could sit on some eggs for me...they haven't taken the hint. I have one Silkie girl, and four Cochins.

Keep your cochins for the incubators, or trade them in for silkies. Guarantee if you had more silkies (or Sumatras!) you will have plenty of hens willing to set for you. Each silkie hen of mine went broody from 2-5 times each last year.

Ok.
Do not give ACV with sour crop
Are you feeding FF?
If you are sour crop does not sound right

Offer yogurt and scrambled egg only till you answer some question
No mollases..that is sugar based

This has been on the site for a long time. In the learning center / BYC Index of Abbreviations. HQ = Hatchery Quality. Found here.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/byc-index-of-abbreviations

I know this was started a few weeks ago.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/acronym-list-for-byc

Shouldn't it match the the old list though so we don't have to learn all over again. I just think there should be a standard that we go by for all threads to reduce confusion.

Not trying to start anything. Just thought I would bring it to your attention.

Pigeonguy,

I do agree now that you put that out there. I'll change it up. Heritage quality is really show quality is it not?
ETA: Delisha beat me to it! Thanks girl!

 

[aoxa]

I started using ff on my 3 14 week old chicks a couple of weeks ago -chick starter with a little scratch. I'm almost out of chick starter are they too young to use my Layena pellets or can I mix something with it to make it better for their age?

14 weeks is probably ok to switch. It is real harmful when they are younger and organs are developing into adult size. I have read that some make the switch as early as 12 weeks, but I would try and hold off as long as possible.

If you can, hold off altogether if you have roosters or non-laying birds. Offer a flock raiser, a grower or un-medicated starter indefinitely. Oyster shell on the side. Very few breeders actually use layer food because it can cause issues with the roosters.

If you only have laying hens, offer it once they start laying. Too much calcium that they don't require makes their kidneys work harder to release what they don't need - and that can put them into liver failure.

 

[aoxa]

Question time for me.

I have a bunch of 8 week old chicks outside in the brooder. They are fully feathered, and all that good stuff - but it is ridiculously cold out this week.

​

Wednesday
January 23​

Thursday
January 24​

Friday
January 25​

Saturday
January 26​

Sunday
January 27​

Monday
January 28​

Conditions
6am - 6pm​

​

Sunny Variable cloudiness Sunny Light snow Variable cloudiness Cloudy periods

P.O.P.​

10 % 20 % 10 % 80 % 20 % 20 %

High​

1 °F 3 °F 9 °F 14 °F 9 °F 16 °F

Feels Like​

-22 -18 -11 -6 -11 -4

Low​

-6 °F -6 °F -4 °F 1 °F -2 °F -2 °F

Wind​

W 16 mph W 9 mph W 6 mph N 12 mph NW 9 mph W 6 mph

24-Hr Snow​

- - close to 1 in close to 2 in - -​

Trying to figure out how to get these guys acclimated so I can remove heat lamps, but is it just too cold to do so this week?

I have some valuable bantam Ameraucanas in there, so I'm hesitant to risk it. I know a few of them would do just fine (barred rock, EE, NN). Advice.. Should I wait until Saturday when it seems to be the least cold?

 

[Melabella]

Found this on the picture thread and thought it was good for a smile on a cold morning. Anyone know what the heck it is? Probably like the chicken poop lip gloss...nothing to do with chickens!

 

[aoxa]

Found this on the picture thread and thought it was good for a smile on a cold morning. Anyone know what the heck it is? Probably like the chicken poop lip gloss...nothing to do with chickens!

 

[delisha]

Quote: I would not worry unless someone is acting off. I have had hens that have had injurys and broken eggs inside. They passed the shells usually with the next egg or during a time I was not around. I am sure broken shells can turn into some kind of infection if left unattended and unnoticed if an egg passes after.

 

[loanwizard]

Question time for me.

I have a bunch of 8 week old chicks outside in the brooder. They are fully feathered, and all that good stuff - but it is ridiculously cold out this week.

​

Wednesday
January 23​

Thursday
January 24​

Friday
January 25​

Saturday
January 26​

Sunday
January 27​

Monday
January 28​

Conditions
6am - 6pm​

​

Sunny Variable cloudiness Sunny Light snow Variable cloudiness Cloudy periods

P.O.P.​

10 % 20 % 10 % 80 % 20 % 20 %

High​

1 °F 3 °F 9 °F 14 °F 9 °F 16 °F

Feels Like​

-22 -18 -11 -6 -11 -4

Low​

-6 °F -6 °F -4 °F 1 °F -2 °F -2 °F

Wind​

W 16 mph W 9 mph W 6 mph N 12 mph NW 9 mph W 6 mph

24-Hr Snow​

- - close to 1 in close to 2 in - -​

Trying to figure out how to get these guys acclimated so I can remove heat lamps, but is it just too cold to do so this week?

I have some valuable bantam Ameraucanas in there, so I'm hesitant to risk it. I know a few of them would do just fine (barred rock, EE, NN). Advice.. Should I wait until Saturday when it seems to be the least cold?

Where are they now? Where will they be? If you have a place sheltered by the wind, I would go ahead and turn them out during the day and have the heat lamp with an extesion cord for them to use if they want. Funny thing for me is, when I turn them out it is usually when it is most comfortable for me. My brooder is a trailer and unless they are crowded, what's another week or 2?

I though I was cold this morning when I got up and it was 5 degrees.

Shawn