The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[holderh]

Hi, I would like to introduce myself ....I'm Hollie ! I have been reading this thread for awhile and i just cant catch up lol. I do have a question and I'm sure it has been addressed but so far I haven't come across the answer. I am pretty sure a few of my 20 month old hens have vent gleet. I do put up/acv in there water but not aways conistently. I have researched but I keep getting conflicting info. What do u do to treat and are u doing the ff to help prevent? Thanks so much!

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Hi, I would like to introduce myself ....I'm Hollie ! I have been reading this thread for awhile and i just cant catch up lol. I do have a question and I'm sure it has been addressed but so far I haven't come across the answer. I am pretty sure a few of my 20 month old hens have vent gleet. I do put up/acv in there water but not aways conistently. I have researched but I keep getting conflicting info. What do u do to treat and are u doing the ff to help prevent? Thanks so much!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/vent-gleet-aka-nasty-chicken-butt

Try reading this, good info by SallySunshine

 

[mrsamplias]

Hi, I would like to introduce myself ....I'm Hollie ! I have been reading this thread for awhile and i just cant catch up lol.

I have the same problem! Every time I log on, there is an enormous number of new posts!!

 

[jockeyeba]

Hi, I would like to introduce myself ....I'm Hollie ! I have been reading this thread for awhile and i just cant catch up lol.

   I have the same problem! Every time I log on, there is an enormous number of new posts!!

X2

 

[Sally8]

With all the talk about ducks earlier.....

Mandarin ducks.. are these real colors?  wowza

How very beautiful!

 

[chickiemomy]

Quote: The ff should help prevent gleet - but by itself, don't think it would cure. The idea behind ff is that it makes their food more digestible - making the food better utilized by the chick gut - & encouraging the good gut bacteria all of us living beings have & need. Seems gleet is an imbalance in the biotics - think yeast infection - if you've ever had one, you know what I mean.

In addition to the info on the link above - for treatment-- there is a topical ointment called Nustock, sold at some feed stores that some use as a topical cream on the infected area -- clean it up well first, tho... I believe there's sulfur & pine tar or oil in it which may help reduce the infection. At least that's what I've read here - not seen gleet on my chicks. It's claimed to be a good all around first aid ointment to have on hand.

I feed my chicks a product called forco - it's discussed over on another thread about feather picking. It has a similar mission - restore & feed the good bacteria in the gut. It is a PRE-biotic - in that it is 'food' for the good bactera - thereby making it useful for all creatures with a gut. It's actually sold for horses - don't panic - the manufacturer, I understand is developing a label for chicks, since they, and so many use it for chicks. It is available in some feed stores, and on the internet, from the manufacturer. It's a little expensive - $45 for 10 pounds - but I give my 6 chicks like 2 T a day -- that's for all 6. I mix it in a little yogurt - plop it on some crumbles & sprinkle with egg shells for their morning treat. Some folks are hesitant to use it -- I see no issues -- we all have to evaluate for ourselves. I understand they're going to start producing a 1 lb package with the chick label - haven't seen it, but haven't looked for it either. I use the forco instead of ff - figure I'm doing a similar thing.

Once I make it through this jug of forco - 10 pounds is going to last me 4ever - I may start fermenting their food. I'm quite familiar with fermentation & comfortable with it, as I ferment veggies for us people - sauekraut, pickles & such. There is quite a following for fermentation - folks who swear by its health benefits. -- people -- as well as chicks.

Hope you have caught the gleet soon enough so it's not too much of an ordeal to cure -- sounds like it may not be too bad yet - also caught the point over on the link if so many of them have it, you may want to take a sample to the vet to make sure there's nothing more serious -- certainly if, with treatment it doesn't clear up quickly, that seems prudent.

good luck with your birds! let us know how they fare!

and welcome - a lot of good folks on these boards -- I too have a problem keeping up -- it's more addicting than reality TV

 

[aoxa]

Cool, thanks. I think I will be switching over to pellets. Are yous starter/grower or Flock Raiser? I don't do Layer feed, I offer oyster shell and Flock Block free choice.

ETA: Never mind, you use Layer. Guess I need to read more closely.

Trav,

Pellets and crumble have the exact same consistency when soaked. You just need more grains to help it drain better.

 

[armorfirelady]

Hi, I would like to introduce myself ....I'm Hollie ! I have been reading this thread for awhile and i just cant catch up lol. I do have a question and I'm sure it has been addressed but so far I haven't come across the answer. I am pretty sure a few of my 20 month old hens have vent gleet. I do put up/acv in there water but not aways conistently. I have researched but I keep getting conflicting info. What do u do to treat and are u doing the ff to help prevent? Thanks so much!

I am a newbie but I am willing to share the info I have learned from here:

You need to clean their bums & vent area. You can soak them in some warm water with some epsom salts to help soften the discharge if its caked on. If needed trim feathers in the area if you cant get the clumps off. Then cover their butts/vent with Nustock. Repeat this every day. Once the discharge slows down you can just apply the nustock every day over the vent/bum area. May take a few days but it will clear it up.

Here is the link for FF: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds
It will also help with digestion problems in the future, saves you money for feed costs, reduces smell in coops/runs & you will have much healthier birds,

Also Nustock can be used on a lot of ailments...so while a tube is pricey it aids in many things.

 

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/vent-gleet-aka-nasty-chicken-butt

Try reading this, good info by SallySunshine

I am doing this treatment right now on a batam cochin. and I am using Nu stock and also feeding ff.

 

[aoxa]