The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[ChickensRDinos]

Hi Claire,

I was wondering the name of the feed you are using? I feed soy free as well, and am trying to learn all the feeds that are produced without it as a point of refrence. Countryside organics was not an option as it doesn't deliver to my area. Thanks for your help!

MB

If you end you finding a good feed that looks like the will ship to a lot of different place, please let me know. I am also looking at different food options and have to drive really far to find an organic or soy free grower feed. It is getting kind of ridiculous and I am thinking at this point shipping may be cheaper than gas and time.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

For NPIP you purchase the antigen for the testing. You schedule an appointment with a certified tester (you can also take the class and get certified), and someone comes to your home and draws blood from each bird over 3 months. It is a pin prick between the toes.They send the results in with your check. You get your number in about a month if your flock is clean. Your tester will tell you if you are clean too. It is pretty easy to do and the cost is minimal. The antigen for me with this test is about $15.00. That is enough to do 100 birds. The cost of the tester is nothing(she is my friend). The cost for the certification is determined by your State. Most are under $100.00. Your have them come out to renew your license the first year than you need to contact them monthy with any new birds on your property, birds sold, consumed. Each State will be different. Once you are certified you must only bring certified birds onto your property.

I will post some links for you to find your local agents and more information.


http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/poultry/participants.shtml
http://datcp.wi.gov/Animals/Poultry/index.aspx

I believe once you are NPIP you can only buy birds from others who are NPIP as well, correct? Have you found this difficult or limiting or not really a problem? I have wondered how common the certification is among breeders.

 

[Sally8]

Is this like the Pullorum testing? I've read that in NY, you have to have that certificate to ship eggs. And it's free. They come, test the whole hen house and put bands on everyone.

Ok, I just read that the Pullorum s testing for typhoid and is only good for 90 days. The NPIP is for a variety of other. Hmmmmm, something to think about.

 

[aoxa]

Congrats on the broody...!!!!



More new chicks!!! And Silkies at that!!

Aoxa..how are the chicks?


I talked to catdance lady..she said her eggs have a habit of piping on the wrong end... I am having some stressful moments..

The chicks are fine. Had two more bloody poops, but it was not nearly as bloody. just a tinge that stained the shavings when touching the poop. Poops still hard. Lots of poops are without blood. Chicks still running around mock fighting and roosting on their training roost. No one is puffed up. No one refuses to eat. I have been keeping extra care to remove all wet spots and ensure water is clear of shavings very often. They get shavings in it, and I cleared it twice a day prior to this blood in poop thing. Now I clear at least 4 times a day if I can. I have water up on a block, but they are active and take very deep dust baths in the shavings, as well as scratch around for gold.

 

[aoxa]

Speckled Sussex pullet for sure
Looks like an American Blue Orpington pullet
Looks like a Welsummer possible cockerel sickle feathers look possibly pointy ..can't really see..I am blind.

Welsummers are colour sexable. If so, that's a pullet

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Has anyone ever had a few bloody poops from chicks without it being a cocci overload, and it clearing up on it's own?

I remember reading that dark blood would possibly be cocci and reddish blood an injury. The dark blood was my case and it was cocci.

 

[aoxa]

I remember reading that dark blood would possibly be cocci and reddish blood an injury. The dark blood was my case and it was cocci.

It seems everything I read online says blood always = cocci.

I do not want to treat with medicine. If they acted ill I would cull. However, none are.. So I'll just wait it out

I waited it out this summer and nothing came of it. So there has to be other reasons for bloody poop

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Look what the kiddos learned to do! (Must be watching mom.) 5.5 Weeks








They have their own canning jar waterer on the other side of the hen house and I never showed them that there was water in these cup waterers.

And...I DID find a way to keep these from freezing in the winter!

I'm going to do a blog post on winter use of the cup waterers when I get some time.

Awwwww...so smart!

 

[Toast n Jelly]

More pictures..she is showing them the food and water so I do not need to intervene. She is trying to get them out of the box..so by tomorrow they will probably be all over the place. Some hop out and in pretty easy..others are just chicken...ha ha

Adorable!

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Quote:
Awwwwww....that's not what you told me