The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Mumsy]

And for those of you following the saga of my sick Orpington... when it became evident to me in the middle of the night last night that she was failing, I helped her along quickly and quietly and then put her in the freezer so she would still be "fresh" for a necropsy this morning... no way I was going to do a necropsy at 3:30 AM!!

My 9-year-old helped me with the necropsy. It was an apparent tumor and an almost total obstruction of the intestine. Poor bird! Part of me feels like I should have put her out of her misery sooner, but the truth of the matter is that it presented much like an impacted gizzard and the bird did show some signs of improvement after warm soaks and massages... giving me false hope.

I took photos which I will post on the thing with complete necropsy details. Don't know if I'll be able to do it today, but I'll post it as soon as I can, so keep checking back!

You did the right thing and by telling and showing us you do a great service by teaching many. I'm sorry though. It never gets easy.

 

[stonykill]

BDM I am so sorry about your Orp. I was so excited when it sounded like she was doing better.

Can I ask you all a slightly gruesome question? When you have to cull, like really cull not just rehome, how do you do it? I haven't had to do that but if I did I would have no idea what to do.

I have a nice sharp hatchet for the deed

 

[galefrances]

I am very far behind, trying to skim through the posts so I'll keep it brief:

Melabella: your horses are gorgeous, loved the pics
Leahs Mom: I envy your beautiful chicks
jendodd79: such a cute puppy
Mumsy: congrats on Phoebe's 1st egg
Ashdoes: sorry to hear about your puppy, it'll work out
camilleathome: I sure hope you get that farm, it sounds perfect for you
BDM: I am so very sorry to hear about your hen. You put her well being first, that's not an easy thing to do.

Well, I was out today in 50 degree weather after 2 ft of snow just last week cleaning up around the coop. I found a breech in the 1/2 in. hardware cloth. I'll have to keep an eye out for what predator it might be. That makes me a bit nervous. I didn't think anything could breech that wire.
I haven't gotten around to dyeing any vents yet. But whoever was laying on the poop board stopped. Now one of them are laying in the corner of the coop on the floor. She's burying her eggs under the DL. I can live with that.

Question: Is it normal for the poop to have water rings around them? The poop looks normal, dark brown or black, firm, with white caps on top. But then there is a large wet area surrounding it. I probably shouldn't obsess because they look and act healthy. Just curious.

 

[camilleathome]

I am very far behind, trying to skim through the posts so I'll keep it brief:

Melabella: your horses are gorgeous, loved the pics
Leahs Mom: I envy your beautiful chicks
jendodd79: such a cute puppy
Mumsy: congrats on Phoebe's 1st egg
Ashdoes: sorry to hear about your puppy, it'll work out
camilleathome: I sure hope you get that farm, it sounds perfect for you
BDM: I am so very sorry to hear about your hen. You put her well being first, that's not an easy thing to do.

Well, I was out today in 50 degree weather after 2 ft of snow just last week cleaning up around the coop. I found a breech in the 1/2 in. hardware cloth. I'll have to keep an eye out for what predator it might be. That makes me a bit nervous. I didn't think anything could breech that wire.
I haven't gotten around to dyeing any vents yet. But whoever was laying on the poop board stopped. Now one of them are laying in the corner of the coop on the floor. She's burying her eggs under the DL. I can live with that.

Question: Is it normal for the poop to have water rings around them? The poop looks normal, dark brown or black, firm, with white caps on top. But then there is a large wet area surrounding it. I probably shouldn't obsess because they look and act healthy. Just curious.

She told us that even if it ends up she cant sell it to us that shes willing to rent it to us

 

[Miss Lydia]

She told us that even if it ends up she cant sell it to us that shes willing to rent it to us

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

BDM, so sorry to hear your Orp was a cull and you couldn't help her. I was rooting for her to recover. But at least your tried, and are educating so many with the results.

 

[Sally8]

BDM - I also am so very sorry. I think you did the very best you could for her. None of us like to lose one we didn't plan on. I like the 24 hr waiting period to see if there is an improvement. I'm going to implement that into my own. I would like to see the pic's too. We can learn from them, although without an xray machine, it's hard to see from the outside if it doesn't want to show itself. I let one of my Delaware hens suffer way too long as she was egg bound and her stomach turned all black before I realized what was going on.
I wasn't going to share this story because it tells you just how lame brain I can be. In my earlier life when we had chickens, we just fed, watered and collected eggs. Now, with the help of the computer and you all......I had lost 1 Delaware so when another, not so long after started with the swollen crop, I read where you give her oil and message. I thought I read where you do this for 2 hours, holding her upside down. So, Sally and I sat on the back porch, 9pm, for 2 hours while I held her upside down for 5 min at a time and messaged her crop. Supposedly, she was to throw up. She did burb a lot, but no vomit. The next morning she was fine. She probably would have been anyway. I never told anyone because my extended family things I'm nuts anyway, while accepting free eggs.
I'm on day 7 of incubating eggs. A lot of veining going on in the brown, white and some blue eggs. The BCM and green eggs, I can't see anything. However, I can see an air sac very well in some. Does that mean it is growing at this time? Thanks. Sue

Originally Posted by galefrances
Well, I was out today in 50 degree weather after 2 ft of snow just last week cleaning up around the coop. I found a breech in the 1/2 in. hardware cloth. I'll have to keep an eye out for what predator it might be. That makes me a bit nervous. I didn't think anything could breech that wire.
I haven't gotten around to dyeing any vents yet. But whoever was laying on the poop board stopped. Now one of them are laying in the corner of the coop on the floor. She's burying her eggs under the DL. I can live with that.
It's been in the 40's here. We heat with wood and it is way too warm. I've had 2 windows wide open for the last 36 hours. 84 is way too warm for my livingroom.

 

[delisha]

BDM I am so sorry about your Orp. I was so excited when it sounded like she was doing better.

Can I ask you all a slightly gruesome question? When you have to cull, like really cull not just rehome, how do you do it? I haven't had to do that but if I did I would have no idea what to do.

It is not gruesome at all. It is a very normal part of owning and being responsible for chickens. But I understand why you might be cautious about asking, some are very sensitive. Some even feel killing chickens is cruel. We do not. Most of us here feel chickens are part of sustainability. A natural way to feed your family in a healthy manner with out interference and added chemicals. Today we have all kinds of children with all kinds of health issues that probably came from processed foods we ate while children. Even as natural chicken keepers most of us are having a challenge even finding grain without chemical changes and engineering.

Killing chickens is never easy emotionally. Physically it is quite easy after you do a couple.
You need a rope, and a sharp knife and a tree or a place to tie the rope.

I just take the chicken by the feet and hang them upside down, using a slip knot. tied to a tree branch, they calm down and close their eyes. I use the sharp knife and cut the jugular vein, and simply walk away while they bleed out. Make sure the knife is sharp.
I usually place my thumb into the little hole under the beak. Wrap my finger around the baack of the head and pull down slightly. Than I simply place the knife at the side of the throat below my thumb and quickly slice. if it is not deep on my first slice I re-slice. The bird is usually quiet through the whole process. It flaps its wings as the last of the blood passes through the heart. It is already dead but it can be unpleasant to watch.

With the chick I just wrung its neck. I usually do it quite firmly because I do not want the chick to suffer. I have been known to take the whole head off, in my emotional state. I would rather do that than have them suffer for one more second.

 

[delisha]

They are sure growing..good for you..you will have chicks in two weeks!

 

[Pullet Surprise]

.....I had lost 1 Delaware so when another, not so long after started with the swollen crop, I read where you give her oil and message. I thought I read where you do this for 2 hours, holding her upside down. So, Sally and I sat on the back porch, 9pm, for 2 hours while I held her upside down for 5 min at a time and messaged her crop. Supposedly, she was to throw up. She did burb a lot, but no vomit. The next morning she was fine. She probably would have been anyway. I never told anyone because my extended family things I'm nuts anyway, while accepting free eggs.
I'm on day 7 of incubating eggs. A lot of veining going on in the brown, white and some blue eggs. The BCM and green eggs, I can't see anything. However, I can see an air sac very well in some. Does that mean it is growing at this time? Thanks. Sue

.

Oh this soooooo much sounds like something I would do!!!!! Thank you! I feel better now! It only takes one "hands on" for me to get it and understand, but sometimes I read WAY too much (or not enough) into written instructions!