The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

KK - I wonder if your birds that are pecking each other to blood may need some meat protein. (Besides more room?)

You might try going down and getting some ground beef or venison and feed it to them raw to see if this helps.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Peeps - Thanks for all the Dakins info!

 

[rachlore]

That is weird. I've rarely heard of chickens fighting that young. I think the raw meat idea is your best option.

I'm sorry you have to experience this drama

 

[lalaland]

kk, about featherpicking - you know I have that rescue flock that came badly featherpicked - that was from boredom I think because the guy had raised them in the bedroom.

They started again after a spree of -30 weather when I kept them cooped up for a few days. I did make more room for them inside, got a feather block, added more activity foods, top dressed with meat grease, .....but I have been told it is a learned behavior and once learned will never go away.

Someone told me to cull the whole flock and start over

I did try something called rooster booster pick no more lotion on one hen. It worked. I don't like it - it is a) expensive, b)perfumey and I don't like to smell perfume on people let alone chickens, c) messy in the extreme, .....but.....it worked.

Also tried spritzing the hens with vinegar water, and I think that helped but it needed to be replaced about daily, and given the below zero weather and the fact that I was only seeing the hens in the dark because it was dark when I got up and left for work and dark outside when I got home, ...it was not a good solution for me at that time. I also felt skeptical about why it would work since they were getting acv in their water, but the spritzing solution is very strong so maybe the aroma?

I wouldn't want to spritz vinegar on open wounds either, though,

Keep us posted on what you try and what happens!

 

[delisha]

I have calf manna..I have added it to the Orpingtons feeds. I used to do it all the time but holly cow that stuff is expensive. It is 55.00 for 50 lbs here. I was told to give them a cup per bird a day. I gave them a cup for all of them per day. It lasted 4 months. I will buy another bag just before the show season starts here and give it to all of my show stock. I was reserving a gallon of it to feed to the catdance chicks..however..I do not have any to feed. (well just one). I will get more eggs and feed it to them when I do.

 

[delisha]

kk, about featherpicking - you know I have that rescue flock that came badly featherpicked - that was from boredom I think because the guy had raised them in the bedroom.

They started again after a spree of -30 weather when I kept them cooped up for a few days. I did make more room for them inside, got a feather block, added more activity foods, top dressed with meat grease, .....but I have been told it is a learned behavior and once learned will never go away.

Someone told me to cull the whole flock and start over

I did try something called rooster booster pick no more lotion on one hen. It worked. I don't like it - it is a) expensive, b)perfumey and I don't like to smell perfume on people let alone chickens, c) messy in the extreme, .....but.....it worked.

Also tried spritzing the hens with vinegar water, and I think that helped but it needed to be replaced about daily, and given the below zero weather and the fact that I was only seeing the hens in the dark because it was dark when I got up and left for work and dark outside when I got home, ...it was not a good solution for me at that time. I also felt skeptical about why it would work since they were getting acv in their water, but the spritzing solution is very strong so maybe the aroma?

I wouldn't want to spritz vinegar on open wounds either, though,

Keep us posted on what you try and what happens!

Who told you to cull your whole flock? I never read that.
Who told you that feather picking will never go away? I missed that one too. I must be missing so much information.
Good information about ACV in a spritz bottle..

 

[delisha]

I have never had chicks draw blood..you might want to mark the fighters with a band, or marker and see if it is just one or two chicks causing the ruckus. Try covering one of the naughty ones in a milk crate for a day after a fight.(with food and water)

 

[Mumsy]

I couldn't sleep so got up and candled the Catdance eggs. Interesting. Out of twenty four eggs seventeen are developing normally.

Seven were infertile. All four of the Blue Splash pen 2 eggs. One Blue Splash pen 1, one White pen 2, and one Lavender pen 1. Pen 1 isn't written on the eggs but that's how I keep them straight in my journal.

The seventeen that are developing are: One White pen 1, two White pen 2, one Porcelain pen 1, two Porcelain pen 2, two Lavender pen 1, one Lavender pen 3, two Paint, two Partridge, one Black, two Buff pen 2, one Blue Splash.


I want to breed Buffs. If the two eggs hatch I will need Buff from Karen from a different pen. Same with the others that are from one pen.

Breeding matching Catdance pens is breeding brothers to sisters with the same sire. Not what I want to do with my first year flock. I don't want quantity. I want quality.

 

[delisha]

I couldn't sleep so got up and candled the Catdance eggs. Interesting. Out of twenty four eggs seventeen are developing normally.

Seven were infertile. All four of the Blue Splash pen 2 eggs. One Blue Splash pen 1, one White pen 2, and one Lavender pen 1. Pen 1 isn't written on the eggs but that's how I keep them straight in my journal.

The seventeen that are developing are: One White pen 1, two White pen 2, one Porcelain pen 1, two Porcelain pen 2, two Lavender pen 1, one Lavender pen 3, two Paint, two Partridge, one Black, two Buff pen 2, one Blue Splash.


I want to breed Buffs. If the two eggs hatch I will need Buff from Karen from a different pen. Same with the others that are from one pen.

Breeding matching Catdance pens is breeding brothers to sisters with the same sire. Not what I want to do with my first year flock. I don't want quantity. I want quality.

Buff must be hard to be fertile..out of her eggs and the eggs I have here..non of them were fertile. 17 are still many eggs to have hatch..wonderful news!!

 

[aoxa]

Buff must be hard to be fertile..out of her eggs and the eggs I have here..non of them were fertile. 17 are still many eggs to have hatch..wonderful news!!

Yes very good news!

http://www.triple-h.ca/Bantams/Silkies/default.html
Here are where my buffs will be coming from.

I wish I could enlarge the pictures.. She works exclusively with the buffs.