The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[atmaclean]

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?

Thanks MB and Sue....

Leahs Mom,

No, noting out of the ordinary with them. I had noticed them drinking. Nothing out of the ordinary on their poops. Looked normal. No curling ties or walking troubles until they were already pretty listless. Then they would get knocked over so I separated them.

I wondered if the FF could have killed them. I just dipped theirs out of the same bucket I get the other chicks' food from...?? I did take little fingers of food and smear it on their paper towels so that they would eat it. They didn't seem to want to eat it out of the little glass dish I had in there and it would dry out from the heat. I didn't put a lot - they are so tiny they didn't seem to eat a lot so I would just change it a lot and keep fresh down for them. Today, I put dry feed out as I am not sure if the FF was "wrong" or maybe what killed them.

Again, the others seem perfectly fine.

Angela

 

[delisha]

Thank you for the additional information..it helps my confusion
..it sounds like you take really good care of them and offer a well balanced diet. So assume it is not diet related. If you give meats..do not cook it, feed it raw.
You bird that is loosing feathers needs an exam. Make sure she is laying. Check her for mites and lice. I would give them some ground up pumpkin seeds. Add some fresh Oregano
Toss some citrus peelings in there nest boxes.
I hope you can get pictures soon,..that should help me more..
I hope others have more suggestions.

 

[atmaclean]

1. You can feed a chick straight vinegar and you will not hurt it.


2. If you did not cover your feed with water you are not fermenting,if you do it for weeks all you are feeding is wet feed with vinegar and not really FF, but wet feed is better for the chicks than dry, they get more moisture.

3. That breed of bird is very delicate. It is not accustom to this environment. It is not strong enough yet and will take years. You are helping in natural culling. Eventually your birds will be strong, and unfortunately when a new breed starts in the states it takes patience and heartache.

From what I read that breed needs raw meat from hatch to be strong.Mille fleur d'uccles

Very interesting Delisha - thank you. I did not know about the fragility of the breed, nor about the meat. I can tell you that the first one that hatched is definitely the strongest! He is very vigorous and feisty. Maybe it was just that these were weaker...? It still makes me sad to lose one - they are just so tiny and precious.

Thank you for the info on the fermenting! I am feeding the crumbles and I do not completely cover it with water because it soaks up the water and turns into kind of a peanut buttery type consistency. Are you saying that this is not fermented when it is like that? I DO add vinegar and water to the "soup" every day. If I get it much thinner, it will be impossible to spoon it out of the bucket and will be a runny mess. How do you suggest I remedy this?

With the grains, I DO cover them with water and add a little vinegar. I can raise the bucket and let the extra fluid drain off, then scoop the grains out for my older birds. I have not given the babies any grains yet as they are less than a month old.

Thanks!
Angela

 

[delisha]

Mumsy...Johnny is defiantly very consistent..those chicks have his stamp.

 

[atmaclean]

Thank you for the additional information..it helps my confusion
..it sounds like you take really good care of them and offer a well balanced diet. So assume it is not diet related. If you give meats..do not cook it, feed it raw.
You bird that is loosing feathers needs an exam. Make sure she is laying. Check her for mites and lice. I would give them some ground up pumpkin seeds. Add some fresh Oregano
Toss some citrus peelings in there nest boxes.
I hope you can get pictures soon,..that should help me more..
I hope others have more suggestions.

Actually, I don't have any birds losing feathers but I DO add ground pumpkin seed to the "mash" that I make them - I read your suggestion about that a couple weeks ago and got some fresh pumpkin seeds to grind. I also add oregano to it per your suggestion. I also grind up some alfalfa pellets to throw in as well as some ground flax seed. I'd say maybe a 1/4 cup to a gallon of feed.

Does that sound alright or should I just do the plain crumbles? I've been mixing the flock raiser by Purina with a grower that is medicated (they had NO baby feed without cocci med in it, sadly). I purchased the brand of feed that the silkies are on because I was under the impression that silkies were sensitive to food switches. I won't buy it again because Aoxa told me they do fine with food changes.

My regular feed is a laying crumble that is "all natural" and is 21%. I thought that I had read on here to feed a flock raiser instead of a laying feed due to feeding a wide range of foul - guineas, roosters, babies and then my hens that are almost a year old....?? Was it because the calcium is too high in a laying crumble??

Anyway, I'm trying to do things the healthiest way that I can and maybe I've just screwed everything up!

Thanks again for any ideas or suggestions....

Angela

 

[Leahs Mom]

gram -
I agree w/ del. The kefir is good for fermenting - not the kombucha. If you get a chance, take a look at the link I posted a little earlier today - it shows the type of fermenting I do and why.

On the meat - RAW MEAT rather than cooked leftover meat. I give mine meat a couple times a week and I could give them more. With the new babies around I've give it more often. I just use a ground meat - venison, beef, etc. Works good because it's already ground.


PigeonGuy suggested using canned meat based cat food. I like the ground because I know what it is rather than having a lot of other stuff mixed in and it is also "cooked" if it is canned. So...that would be a 'second best" choice for me.


Edited to correct an error!

Want to be sure the corrected post is seen. I made a mistake with writing the first time and mixed up the word "kefir" w/ "Kombucha".

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Delisha: Lovely chicks and oh so hugable!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thank you for the info on the fermenting! I am feeding the crumbles and I do not completely cover it with water because it soaks up the water and turns into kind of a peanut buttery type consistency. Are you saying that this is not fermented when it is like that? I DO add vinegar and water to the "soup" every day. If I get it much thinner, it will be impossible to spoon it out of the bucket and will be a runny mess. How do you suggest I remedy this?

With the grains, I DO cover them with water and add a little vinegar. I can raise the bucket and let the extra fluid drain off, then scoop the grains out for my older birds. I have not given the babies any grains yet as they are less than a month old.

Thanks!
Angela

Were you able to take a look at this? It may answer some of your questions on the ff.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds/4270#post_10304875

 

[Leahs Mom]

On the "soupy"...Just scoop up the thick sediment from the bottom of your container when you scoop it out.

Sometimes I mix in a little dry w/the ff when I put it in their bowl to soak up some of the extra but they will drink up that liquid anyway!

 

[gram of five]

Thank you so much for all the info you have all given me. I did check out the information on fermenting delisha, thanks I will change how I ferment. You make it look alot easier than I imagined it. I have a question on the meat. Any type of raw meat? I have ground pork in the freezer right now that is not seasoned, can they eat ground pork? I think I have venison in there too, so I will begin with that. I am going to grind up some pumpkin seeds I have at home and give them to the girls. What does the citrus peal in their nests do? I ocassionally spread diamtamatious earth occasionally, but haven't in a couple of months. I will do that too.

Thank you also for not making me feel like didn't deserve to have chickens. I have been having so many doubts as of late, but I love those girls and try to do the best I can. Thanks for understanding and giving me great suggestions. I am keeping a very close eye on my BR right now. She is a tough little thing. I make sure she gets in there to eat before I leave them every morning. Her new name is Scrapper. before this happened they were all so healthy and beautiful feathers, lively and funny.