The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[PeepsCA]

Quote: Oh Mumsy (sigh, heavy heart here too), just to warn you... butchering day for those Blue Slates will probably be a very hard day for you. Turkeys are very personable, and so easy to get attached to/bond with... I wish you lots of luck with avoiding that part of raising Turkeys.

Blue Slates are exceptionally beautiful and unique... I hope you end up with a pair to keep, raise and breed. I lost this guy at barely 16 wks old to a dog attack. He was not a Turkey, he was a Puppy, with a personality to match. I was heart broken to lose him.

 

[Sally8]

Because we are all part of a family here, mourning is a process we need to go through. It's been hard to log on and not go through the agony and tears for all of us. But it would be unhealthy for us to not move on. Aoxa does not want to log on and be pulled down each day. I think she'd like some upbeat interaction, photo's of our babies and a reason to move on herself.

Seriously Mumsy, turkeys? lol Have to laugh. As PeepCA warns, shield your heart. I am not a turkey person (snicker, snicker) I hatched 2 last spring and watched them grow. Not sure if this correct, but I was told that turkeys imprint. So, by keeping mine in my bathroom (for way too long) they think they are part human. Before I penned them up, Rosie was up on the ladder, (crowding me, I might add) helping me wash windows. She'd crane her neck around to look me in the face (one of the few times I'm glad to wear glasses) and look me right in the eyes to say "You missed a spot!" I think I posted that when my husband went deer hunting, she went up in the woods and found him. He carried her home. Most recently, we received a phone call from my neighbor to say that the turkey was out in the road standing on a chicken. Cars were stopping and people were getting out taking pic's. It was mating season for Chuck and Rosie. They were just being exhibitionists. They have to be penned up to keep Rosie home. She likes to go chat with my neighbor, who promptly runs in the house screaming. Her husband shoots at Rosie with an air gun and says that she doesn't mind/ NOT NICE! Turkeys are very friendly!
I tried to find homes for them last fall claiming that I'm not a turkey person. But I lied. They're not going anywhere. Right now Rosie is sitting on a nest and being much more faithful than those darn chickens.

I need to add, the eal reason we finally penned them up was because I saw Rosie stomping the hens while they were dust bathing. Not nice, either. The turkeys are so big, it wouldn't take long before they killed the hens. Also, on the turkey thread there are warnings that the Tom will try to mate with the chickens and kill them. Chuck had been doing the happy dance with the chickens for quite a while, so while there is controversy over that, I'm inclined to believe it to be true.

PeepsCA, your turkeys were very beautiful. I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[Leahs Mom]

No turkey here

But...
Still working on that crazy bumblefoot. Soaked again yesterday and tried to get hold of something to pull. Still no luck.

 

[Sally8]

No turkey here

But...
Still working on that crazy bumblefoot. Soaked again yesterday and tried to get hold of something to pull. Still no luck.

Do you see something to pull? In that awful video when she squeezed the pad the core protruded a little before it came out. My poor hens. Besides being dusted now I hold them upside down to poke and prod all after they think their going to sleep!

 

[atmaclean]

I am struggling to understand what has happened with 2 of my little mille fleur d'uccles. One died yesterday and another looks like it is dying today. They are just listless and laying there barely able to stay upright.

I gave them some electrolytes with an eye dropper, I suctioned some liquid off the FF to give them, but the one still died and the other looks the same. They have heat, water, food.....what am I doing wrong? The other babies are very vigorous and moving about. I'm just so devastated that I have not been able to help these 2 babies. They seemed to be doing fine until yesterday. I had 7 eggs and 6 of them hatched and seemed fine. They are 6 days old today.

Any thoughts or ideas? Today, I put some dry food down for them to peck at - I was afraid that maybe they weren't eating the FF??? I spread some of it on the paper towels and I saw them eating it....? I don't understand.

Thanks for any help.
Sadly,
Angela

 

[Melabella]

So upset to hear Angela, I have no information for you, as I am only a neophyte to all of this. Just wanted to say sorry, hugs,
MB

 

[Elliemae 77]

Aoxa,
Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

 

[Sally8]

Thanks for any help.
Sadly,
Angela

I'm sorry to hear of your loss also.

Sue

 

[Leahs Mom]

I am struggling to understand what has happened with 2 of my little mille fleur d'uccles. One died yesterday and another looks like it is dying today. They are just listless and laying there barely able to stay upright.

I gave them some electrolytes with an eye dropper, I suctioned some liquid off the FF to give them, but the one still died and the other looks the same. They have heat, water, food.....what am I doing wrong? The other babies are very vigorous and moving about. I'm just so devastated that I have not been able to help these 2 babies. They seemed to be doing fine until yesterday. I had 7 eggs and 6 of them hatched and seemed fine. They are 6 days old today.

Any thoughts or ideas? Today, I put some dry food down for them to peck at - I was afraid that maybe they weren't eating the FF??? I spread some of it on the paper towels and I saw them eating it....? I don't understand.

Thanks for any help.
Sadly,
Angela

Do you see anything out of the ordinary in the droppings? Pasting?

Did you observe if these 2 had been drinking water?

Any sign of problems walking or curling of toes?

 

[Sally8]

Do you see anything out of the ordinary in the droppings? Pasting?

Did you observe if these 2 had been drinking water?

Any sign of problems walking or curling of toes?

Sorry to jump in here but I had a baby chick (barnyard variety) that was doing great. No reason at all for it to drop dead, but about a day after I started with FF, it died. Could be that my vinegar was too strong? I only used a tiny, tiny amount but maybe it was too much. Thoughts? I thought about it at the time and now that I have 5 babies, I'm not using it, at least until they are much older. (Again, sorry to butt in.) (The odd thing about this death was that I found the chick on his back with wings and legs outstretched like he was trying to make a snow angel)