The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

originally like the chickens they were for enjoyment and eggs. The ducks are actually my wifes even though I am the one who feeds them, cares for them, changes their pool water, cleans their coop etc

. last summer we sold a bunch of Pekin drakes. We had too many drakes. Our plan with the Runners when one or all go broody this year is to sell off some mating pairs, like we originally bought. And keep some of the females.
For the runners I used a kiddie pool for quite a while. Now that I only have Pekin females all of the ducks live together. The eggs are easily distinquishable so that is not a problem. The Pekin eggs are HUGE and the Runner eggs are jumbo and bluish tint. So giving a broody the correct eggs will be easy. The pool the ducks use is a livestock waterer I dug into the ground with my backhoe.
The kiddie pool I used.

the buried pool

I just had to repost this picture. I think I'll take some of those. Look at their posture.. It's so cute!

 

[armorfirelady]

Beautiful ducks Stony. Are these the runners? I love how they look like they are standing like humans.

Someday when I win the lottery and can have my dream ouse with lots of acreage I would love to get some ducks and geese.

I know you said you have them for eggs but do you eat them as well?

 

[Bulldogma]

Well I'm a day late and a dollar short but wanted to share pics of a feeder a friend found for me at an antiques store.
I added the candles.

Love it!!

 

[stonykill]

I just had to repost this picture. I think I'll take some of those. Look at their posture.. It's so cute!

Beautiful ducks Stony. Are these the runners? I love how they look like they are standing like humans.

Someday when I win the lottery and can have my dream ouse with lots of acreage I would love to get some ducks and geese.

I know you said you have them for eggs but do you eat them as well?

thanks Aoxa and Armorfirelady. They are Fawn and White Runners. The person we got them from had various colors available. Here is the pic we chose ours from.

My wife and I loved them all but prefered the Fawn and Whites so went with them. I never actually saw them until we met at a Mall parking lot

.

I have a Pekin in the freezer but haven't had Runners long enough to think of eating them. I actually can't imaging eating a Runner is worth the effort. Skinny things. Unless you meant eat the eggs? Yes.... in this house we eat Sumatra eggs and Duck eggs. Selling the balance of the duck eggs and selling all of the large foul chicken eggs to pay the food bill. I get $4 a dozen for duck eggs, $3 for chicken eggs. And I sell in the spring and early summer Sumatra hatching eggs locally. So it adds up pretty quickly.

The posture is what made us fall in love with Runners from pictures. Owning them made it even better

 

[Bulldogma]

Question for you folks -
I seem to have a sick Lavender Orptington. I thought it was a crop issue, but now I think her crop may be completely empty - it feels like neck bones when I fee the front and I can feel all the way around.

No respiratory issues. Eyes are clear.

But - she's hunched up, lethargic and not eating.

No bad smell on her breath. no sign of external parasites. Has been fed FF and free ranging daily.

I'm at a loss - she's been this way for a few days now... but aside from acting off, there are no notable physical symptoms.

Thoughts??

Oh - and since having her quarantined, I haven't seen her poop - - that can't be good!

 

[Bulldogma]

Oh - I forgot to mention - my sick girl is a pullet getting close to POL - but not there yet. She's about 23 weeks.

 

[Melabella]

Sorry I have no info for you Leigh,, wishing her a speedy recovery soon.

MB

 

[stonykill]

Question for you folks -
I seem to have a sick Lavender Orptington. I thought it was a crop issue, but now I think her crop may be completely empty - it feels like neck bones when I fee the front and I can feel all the way around.

No respiratory issues. Eyes are clear.

But - she's hunched up, lethargic and not eating.

No bad smell on her breath. no sign of external parasites. Has been fed FF and free ranging daily.

I'm at a loss - she's been this way for a few days now... but aside from acting off, there are no notable physical symptoms.

Thoughts??

Oh - and since having her quarantined, I haven't seen her poop - - that can't be good!

is it possible her 1st egg is bound? Given a situation like this I would give her a nice warm bath and let her sit in it for a while. Then massage her vent and butt. In case she is constipated or egg bound. I have had this help.

 

[aoxa]

Question for you folks -
I seem to have a sick Lavender Orptington. I thought it was a crop issue, but now I think her crop may be completely empty - it feels like neck bones when I fee the front and I can feel all the way around.

No respiratory issues. Eyes are clear.

But - she's hunched up, lethargic and not eating.

No bad smell on her breath. no sign of external parasites. Has been fed FF and free ranging daily.

I'm at a loss - she's been this way for a few days now... but aside from acting off, there are no notable physical symptoms.

Thoughts??

Oh - and since having her quarantined, I haven't seen her poop - - that can't be good!

Impacted gizzard?

 

[aoxa]

is it possible her 1st egg is bound? Given a situation like this I would give her a nice warm bath and let her sit in it for a while. Then massage her vent and butt. In case she is constipated or egg bound. I have had this help.

My Orp was really bad in this respect. She was egg bound twice and both times I got the massive egg out, but she died the third time she had one.