The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aaggjg]

Here's a great detailed video on how to do it. I have a batch I made a while back in a big glass jug in my fridge. My chicken coop has NEVER smelled like ammonia BUT my ducks have!! They get everything so wet and I noticed one day that their wet deep litter smelled like ammonia. I mixed some in a spray bottle and sprayed it all down and haven't had the ammonia smell since. I am guessing I will need it again - probably especially as summer comes along. I am going to use it in the coop to help break down the bad stuff in the deep litter and hopefully keep it from smelling. Plus, it's good for the ducks!

BDM I was given a detailed hand out at my meetup about how to make this innoculant. Let me look for it .... Not sure if it made it home!! The guy who talked about it said it lasts a really long time and he sprays his run with it which keeps flies down & smell ....

I love hearing countrygirl74's use of it in the DL!! I'm guess I'm going to have to try this!!!

On another note. Dave used this to rinse his sprouting seeds (after day1 soak) to keep them from going moldy.

 

[armorfirelady]

Double post

 

[armorfirelady]

Beautiful sunny day here. The hens run area has very little snow & they are happily digging to china. I changed out part of the fence yesterday and they dug a trench where old fence was and were happily finding worms & insects. That must mean spring is near

Took them out their veggies since I am going away for the weekend and they chatting away. Went into my garage and came back out & 2 were gone & the other 2 were statues. Looked up into the sky and way way up high I spotted a hawk circling above our yard. As soon as it started squawking the other 2 hens ran for their enclosure. Told them they were good girls for noticing him way up there. At least I know they are paying attention while they are busy digging since they have no Roo to keep watch over them.

 

[Mumsy]

How old is your silkie Mumsy? I am patiently (not) waiting for my first egg...

Karen of Catdance told me they were young. My guess is between six and seven months. Which is young for Silkies. The roo is young too.

I just returned from the barn and checked both pullets vents. I laughed. When I touched each pullet, they both squatted and took the 'position'! It is the little crippled pullet Dumpling with the active vent. And she winked through the entire exam! I took sissors and trimmed the bottoms of both pullets and roo and put them together. They are now an official breeding trio! Such a happy morning for all concerned. Most of all me!

Silkies I've had in the past usually go Broody after twelve to fifteen eggs. I will probably pull all the pullet eggs and give her something else. Her first egg is so small.


I'm going to the store to get the home lead test kit and will put the liver, spleen, kidneys, and gall bladder in my old blender strictly used for barn stuff. I did a little reading on lead poisoning again this morning. Highest concentrations would be in these organs and the yolk of eggs. She had nothing forming in her oviduct. Eating lead poisoned eggs is a very real hazard to children and adults of low weight to eat! *Gah*!

 

[lalaland]

Justine,
yes! I got one little scrawny kitten that reeked of those horrible fake scents/air fresheners that people plug into their walls so they can add bad chemicals, and bad scents, and probably formeldyhyde to their indoor air . The poor kitten has the worst ear mites I have ever ever seen. Her ears were covered with crackling brown dead mites/blood/pus, you didn'/t even have to try to look inside to see this. She is on her second day of mite infestation treatment. Has a great purr, very friendly, has to be right there with me.

Tonight I am picking up a year old female cat that someone rescued from a pine tree. Keeping my fingers crossed that the two learn to be friends and companions.

I can't believe how happy having a cat in the house again has made me!

 

[lalaland]

about the lead issue,
if the breeder has different pens, it is possible that some of her stock might not be located where the source is of the lead - maybe if, for example, there are some old windows with lead paint peeling, pens near that might be contaminated, but perhaps other areas would be safe?

And if the "safe" areas had breeding pens, then maybe she could figure out if any of her stock is not poisoned.

Just thinking, and wishing for the best outcome.

 

[delisha]

If you test positive for lead you can add Chelation to the drinking water. it will bind to the lead and come out in the urates. You will need to sanitise the pen after a few days of treatment.

 

[Mumsy]

If you test positive for lead you can add Chelation to the drinking water. it will bind to the lead and come out in the urates. You will need to sanitise the pen after a few days of treatment.

Thank you del. Good to know.

 

[Noncentzter]

She will be just fine. A little weird, but fine.

This sounds like quite a few of us!

 

[chikenscratch]

www.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/dining/worries-about-lead-for-new-yorks-garden-fresh-eggs.html?

Article about lead in chickens