The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[chickiemomy]

Do you all cull chicks with splayed legs? The one chick so stuck ended up with splayed legs. I left him in the incubator for a full day. At the beginning of day 2, I noticed splayed legs with the last 2 "problem children. The one corrected itself before I could help. The one I'm talking about is heading for day 4. I had put a band aid, cut length ways on him like hobbles. He walks fine with them on but if I take them off, he splits. I've read where they can correct themselves in a day and some take a month. It's one of the super blue layers. Has anyone had experience? He/she won't be used for breeding. What are the chances it will correct? Tonight I'm replacing the band aid with vet wrap. Help! sue

Mumsy - those pictures almost make me want to have a few Silkie's. There s a breeder quite close to me called CJ Silkies that look very beautiful. Sometimes I see an ad on Craigslist.

don't know if this helps - one of my BA's had a severe limp - not really splayed - as a young chick. So much so that in order to get from one end of the brooder to another she flapped her wings mightily to give herself a little momentum. Had to stop & rest along the way. Not wanting to cull - because, well, I'm a wienie - I just kept an eye on her. She was seeming to get to food & water eventually, just took a longer. Long story short - she did grow out of it - is completely fine now. Can't tell you how long, seems as though it was kind of a gradual thing - not like one day it was just gone, Limp was gone by 6-8 weeks for sure.

agree those mumsy silkies are quite the cuties.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

It could be several things..pullets are very curious. Sometimes when they are going broody or they have a hormone flush they *peck* egg to check if they are good enough to make chicks. If they can break them, they do not think they are good enough. (this is an old wives tail and I have no idea if there is any scientific study or evidence to support this theory.) I have had only young pullets do this, or hens at the restart of lay after winter or a heavy molt. I have found if I put more fresh greens in at this time of year they do not do it as much. I also add extra food higher in calcium.(Flax, collard greens and Kale)
Beautiful!!!

Thanks so much. There is definitely a lack of grass right now in their pen. I do have oyster shell in the coop for them but I can put more out. All of my laying girls are new to laying so maybe it is a new thing to peck at but I hope not.

for the fermented and soaked feed series:
Since I started using soaked feed, I noticed my production RIR roosters are much calmer and my scardy cat rooster is starting to have some nerve. He is even attempting to mate right in front of the other roosters.

 

[jockeyeba]

Question: If you use a broody to hatch chicks, how long do you let her raise them? I have 2 AG hens raising 2 W chicks each, I let them out every morning

I let them do there own thing if they are good moms. I had two broody's at the same time. The chicks are a month old. One hen already left her chicks in the care of the other hen and has started to lay again. They are all different. Some of my hens I take the chicks away when they reach a week old or the poor chicks never make it to two weeks old. Some hens are not good moms. Some are ridicules. They will keep chicks for ever and never lay again. If I want a hen to lay eggs, I take the chicks early. I normally do not intervene unless the chicks are at risk or I need the eggs.

Thanks they are both being good moms but one is taking her 2 out of the back yard into the front yard, the sheep pen & the horse pen. I'm worried somethings going to get them that far from the backyard.

 

[Sally8]

The chick is cleaned leg, not Thor (the hammerhead). . I make a hobble and he gets around just fine. Eats and drinks fine. moves with the herd. Exactly what do you mean by a splint? The splint as in side ways between the legs, not up and down like a break, correct?

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote:
So I read you can do it with cilantro and garlic. Do you know how much to feed and how long to treat for poultry?

 

[delisha]

Quote: Thanks

they are both being good moms but one is taking her 2 out of the back yard into the front yard, the sheep pen & the horse pen. I'm worried somethings going to get them that far from the backyard.

I understand your worry..she is teaching them. Sometimes hens loose chicks because they are slow or refuse to listen. The surviving chicks will be your best chicks. I have had hens hatch out 10 chicks and by the end of a month be down to two. You need to decide what type of flock you want. My free range flock is free range. Those chicks survive or not. The best survive.

My show chickens are different. I intervene. I do not free range my show chickens. They have about 1/8 acre protected by a 7 foot fence. The Silkies will have access to that area under supervision, but, for now they will have a 12x12 area.

 

[delisha]

Quote:
So I read you can do it with cilantro and garlic. Do you know how much to feed and how long to treat for poultry?
Chlorella, aloe vera juice and cilantro..I have never heard that garlic helps with metal poison..

I would use as much cilantro and chlorella as the chickens would eat... Let them eat as much as they want.
The aloe juice I would offer as the only liquid for 8 hours each day for a week
I would do this until they stopped eating the cilantro or one week
than offer cilantro weekly.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Okay...did you guys see this? It was a link in the BYC newsletter. Very affordable....Thinking I may get one after checking in w/the experts (that's y'all!)

http://www.powerplucker.com/?utm_campaign=website&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email

 

[bluebirdnanny]

How exciting for you! I hope it is a fertile egg under her.

 

[cywiar merch]

I would love to read that link

Raw milk is good to give chickens..great on feeds..great to use to Ferment grains

Apologies for the delay in replying. I have been having problems with m ylaptop only to realise that one of my cats has been chewing the lead 1So had to order a new one. Now I am over 700 posts behind.

I have been reading so many things on chicken keeping that i cannot really remember the source or sources as I do remember reading it more than once.more than once. I will post if Ido find thme .