The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[bluebirdnanny]

I took this picture of Tank who has been trying her best to force Popcorn out of the broody nest .... Well it seems to be working ... Today Popcorn came out at breakfast time and stayed out with the girls. Poor small bantam can not compete with the big black orpington for real estate in the nest box! But when I went to collect the eggs .... the one laid in the broody box was being sat on by wee little Popcorn .... and well Tank she is just warming sawdust






Tank telling me to leave her alone!

Awwwww So cute and very intense expression!

I was just thinking that this was the first day in 3 days that I did not see the hawks being chased away by the crows when I hear a pterodactyl like call from the sky ... I ignore it as I was working and think good thing the chickens are locked up.... Well a little while later I went out on my balcony for better cell reception and I look up to see 3 HUGE HAWKS being chased by 2 crows.... The crows looked so small next to those hawks it is amazing that they can chase them off but thank goodness they can! There has to be a nest near by every day more hawks are circling .... UGH

I am hoping crows here will do that or I am going to be making my false rooooooooo noises alot this summer!

Tonight I am angry at the "chicken world" and I want to vent.

(And I don't mean chicken butt.)

But I don't just want to vent for venting sake. I want to vent to put an exclamation mark on what Delisha has said about how to introduce new birds into your flock.

In the past WEEK I have conversed with TWO people who picked up new "started birds". This is the story of those 2 people.

Story 1
A young lady who is in Indiana and is in High School still. She is young and loves all animals. She has started a flock of chickens and they are a great hobby for a young lady. She got some beautiful new chickens as a breeding pair and an extra. Everyone on the Indiana thread of BYC encouraged her to keep them separate even though she thought they looked healthy and happy. We explained to her the issues that Del just mentioned. Thank God she listened to us.

Within a day or 2 and more contact with these birds, she found vent gleet on one, bumble foot and a very infected toe on another.... There were several other issues as well. Although we encouraged her to return them she wants to "rescue" them. The rest of her flock is likely in danger from these birds condition.

Story 2
Some friends here in my area wanted to get some "pet chickens" but they didn't want to start w/chicks...they wanted started pullets. Found a "family hatchery" that sounded good on their website. Good lines of birds, etc. Drove 3 hours 1 way to pick up 6 14 week olds. They didn't know what to look for, just trusted the people.

Got home and several days later found lice or mites (not sure which yet), bare spots and irritation in various places, and a suspected case of vent gleet on one (hasn't been confirmed yet). They haven't examined the feet and legs yet so I don't know what they'll find there. I think they'll do full exams tomorrow.

****
The lack of integrity and just plain unethical behavior that I keep hearing about in the "chicken world" feels rather deplorable. Adding that to what Aoxa, Del, Mumsy, and others have shared with us that goes on at swap meets, and I'm just plain wary of purchasing chickens from "so-called-breeders" unless someone I know recommends them personally.

Vent over. (Or...to LW...BOTTOMS UP!)

This is why I am not sure on when or how to expand my flock. Yeah right Nancy, 3 birds make a flock! LOL

I noticed my little ee wasn't quite right yesterday when I was cleaning the coop, but had meetings and thought I would take a look at her this morning. She didn't come out of the coop, and I found her dead on the floor. poor baby. empty crop. I should not have waited, I could have gotten her last night off the roost, but it might have been too late then too.

Not sure if I will be able to make myself to a necropsy tonight when I get home. THese 3:30 ams really do a number on me and I won't be home til around 7, and will want to just go to bed.

I am so sorry. I am already attached to my 3 girls and they won't let me touch them yet. Good at flying over my head and "running down my back" when I bend down!

Happy birthday country girl!!!!

I'm the same way with birthday presents too. My parents just bought me a package of bees

Oh you sound like ME! My kids knew to buy me a plant or garden stuff for birthdays. Cut flowers and dinners just don't last. Best gifts were organic books, azalia plants etc. All my kids ideas.

 

[chikenscratch]

I thought that I was the only one (female) that liked to get useful gifts...what a relief! Now, I love a good dinner and flowers are pretty, but gardening tools/equipment, seeds, plants, chicken supplies, etc would always be appreciated over cut flowers or the cheap dollar gifts that I've received in the past!

 

[Pullet Surprise]

Hi Everyone!

I need some advice/help. I had to do away with my rooster Duke, as he became so aggressive, it was next to impossible to have him around. If it were just me, I might have just put up with it,,actually not, he would attack if you went near anyplace remotely near what he considered his territory. I couldn't get near the hens, and what finally sealed the deal is he flogged my daughter, and on Easter Sunday flew up and flogged my two nieces. I tried, but he was a royal pain in the you know what. A week ago I brought home a beautiful Ameruacana roo and pullet, both the same age as my flock. I put them in a horse stall for 3 days, and let them settle and looked them over. I have all ready got 4 lovely blue eggs from the pullet. For the last three days I had set up a temporary pen in my run where they could all see each other, but couldn't touch each other. Today I decided to integrate them, and I surely expected some mad behavior, but not what ended up happening. Straight away Mr. cockrel started his fancy dancing, and tried to mate with some hens. Well, my three top hens got to attacking him. What transpired was a 15 minute challenge that resembled a cock fight in Mexicali rather than a cockrel asserting himself. Each hen took their turn sparring off with him, necks all fluffed up, and jumping up flogging like nuts! Is this normal? Do I just have some biker chicks that are way too nasty to accept a new man in town? A super thunderstorm broke loose, and they all ran under the coop, and the new roo and pullet ran into the coop and are up on the roosts. Is my new cockrel a wimp, or is this just chickens working out the new pecking order? I swear my BA Dahlia was whooping up on the poor guy! No wonder she is top girl, even though Duke beat her up so bad, no feathers at all on her head, and half way down her neck, two huge bald spots on her back as well.

I planned on leaving them inside all day tomorrow so the two new members of the flock learn that this is now home base, but worried now. Should I worry, or is this just the way it is when introducing new birds?

thanks for any information guys, I appreciate it!

MB

Might take more time for them to size him up and get used to him, and then possibly best done while free ranging. Maybe they are mad at you for getting rid of Duke and are seeking revenge?

 

[delisha]

Quote: Remove your Roosters spurs too.

Quote:

What a great idea! I am getting things ready for introduction and was thinking about all the ways I could work things out - I am definitely going to use this!

Welcome..

Welcome - this is one of my favorite threads too!

I shared the lower one yesterday....

Hmmph..... as if being my FB friend would be so terrible..... Shot down yesterday by CG cuz I don't like silkies, even though I would have been happy to make her silkie thongs outta coconut oil and kept her hands warm, and today you shoot me down and blow my bacon marketing to bits......

What else can go wrong?

Why isn't there a emoticon that shows the smiley spitting out water all over the computer screen from shock and laughter?

I started the ducks FF today. They should be here next tuesday or wednesday, so this gives me enough time for the FF to bubble good and for me to add more feed and thicken it up. I used buttermilk as a starter, can i also add some ACV? I messed up a little and forgot that i read to get GameBird starter for the Niacin level the ducks need, got unmedicated chick starter instead. So i'll just make sure they get the extras Delisha told me about. I'm very excited for them to get here, our girls kind of know we're getting ducks but have no idea when, so it'll be a fun surprise after school.
I'm thinking about getting my Cochin girls some saddles, so their backs are protected. I really don't like their backs right now, and i'm afraid i might end up having the same problem i had with my splash girl. Is there a special sizing system? or is it like one size fits all?

Here is where I purchased my saddles and duck diapers (I just have a couple diapers on hand in case I ever need to bring in one of our ducks for illness/injury). There are different sizes depending on the breed. I am using the saddle right now because I have too many roos and they are wearing on my girls. I am anxiously awaiting all my new girls to get big enough to add to the flock and give my big girls a little break. The "saddle maker" is also on BYC but her website shows more information.
http://www.chickensaddlesanddiapers.webs.com/



In other news... tomorrow is my birthday and I asked for a grow-out pen to be built adjacent to my current run. So, my husband and I went to get the materials and tomorrow we are going to build it! I know, I'm weird. I like practical things - instead of going out to dinner, etc., I just like doing or getting stuff for the ducks or chickens, or the yard. Got a new grapevine with birthday money from my mom - yes, my mom still sends me a card and money to spend on myself. She even put a little duck sticker on the envelope - so fun! Spending the day outside building a new pen and getting all the babies outside will be a great day to me!

Happy Birthday

Hey everyone, I need some advice.

My dad is the head of maintenance for a group of retirements homes here and is therefore responsible for pest control.

He is being forced to get rid of the rabbits on the property that the residents feed. Long story short the adults were released and I have 6 babies in a cat carrier on my porch as we figured they were to small to make it on their own.

Wondering if anyone knows if it's best for them to sleep out there. They are a
Bit bigger than a pop can and are eating solid food. Will they be warm enough?

Depends on your weather and if they were raised outdoors.

I have 6 black stars and only 5 are laying. Does anyone know a good way to determine which hen isn't laying?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/389809/who-uses-food-coloring-in-vent/40

I noticed my little ee wasn't quite right yesterday when I was cleaning the coop, but had meetings and thought I would take a look at her this morning. She didn't come out of the coop, and I found her dead on the floor. poor baby. empty crop. I should not have waited, I could have gotten her last night off the roost, but it might have been too late then too.

Not sure if I will be able to make myself to a necropsy tonight when I get home. THese 3:30 ams really do a number on me and I won't be home til around 7, and will want to just go to bed.

lala,
Having animals comes with parts that are inconvenient, not fun, and plain a pain in the butt. Place the bird in a bag in the freezer and do it on a day off. But do it.

I thought up until cull that one of my birds was sterile, but found that all were laying eggs. So your girls may just be on their own schedule.

x2

 

[delisha]

I have one interior pip so I put all my eggs in the hatcher. I am so worried about the few Marans eggs I have. I sure hope they are good. Everyone I eggtopsied was sterile. I only have 4 left.

 

[Melabella]

Might take more time for them to size him up and get used to him, and then possibly best done while free ranging. Maybe they are mad at you for getting rid of Duke and are seeking revenge?

Maybe so Pullet! I tell you, I waited a long time, and really tried to do so many of the things that I read all over BYC to try and show him I was the dominant one, and not to be a threat. The final straw was when he chased my daughter across the courtyard, flying up and flogging her. It really was frightening. I tried to hang in there since he was so wonderfully protective of the girls while free ranging. I had a wonderful 4-H woman here explain to me that a rooster doesn't have to be human aggressive to be a good protector. she asked me if I had brought home a puppy and it turned aggressive and started attacking people and family members if I would keep it just because he was a good protector if someone tried to come into the house? Of course the answer would be no. She also said if I ever hatched any chicks from my lil flock,, I would be passing the aggressiveness along. I never thought of it that way. He as just too much of a risk, and I couldn't ever get near the girls. I felt bad, but also would feel worse if anything ever happened to anyone due to his aggressive nature and attitude.

Now as i have learned, I hope for the best with the new introductions. Poor guy is getting more than the cold shoulder from the girls. He has a long road ahead of him. I named the new black pair Clark and Vivian like the beautiful beautiful actor/actress in Gone With the Wind. Right now, John Wayne is far tougher than Clark Gable!

thanks,
MB

 

[armorfirelady]

I am so sorry. I am already attached to my 3 girls and they won't let me touch them yet. Good at flying over my head and "running down my back" when I bend down!

While my hens are not pets....I don't hold them or bring in the house......I still wanted them to eat out of my hand on the occasions I had treats for them.
I found if I sit inside the coop or outside where they are and started with a bowl of meal worms (aka chicken crack) and began with them eating from the bowl, then trying hand...they will come to me when they see a cup or bowl to see if I have any treats. But the are still leery of people (which I want so they are more predator/people savy when I am not home) Also sitting with them feeding treats is also a good time to watch them and see if you notice any changes in them physically or in their behavior. Besides nothing better than some chicken tv

I don't use the treats in the hand method to grab them for hen inspections. I used a bowl of treats/veggies for that purpose. Of course now I can get them while they are roosting. (My old coop didnt allow this.

 

[bbsnooks]

ok .. I'm daring to post again... ; )

Having read up on egg bound hens, I took her inside and gave her a warm bubble bath and then used a hair dryer to dry her off.

but she seemed to enjoy her hour at the salon, especially the hairdryer!

I love these photo's!!!

also.. ?? could Epsome salts work for chickens like it does for humans.. would that be some thing for the bath water for the egg bound?

I would like to give my 2 a bath but I figured they would make a fuss.. I'm waiting for warmer days out side
?? are you a chicken whisperer??

I will only be breeding HRIR and Silkies. Johnny and a few barn yard layers will not cramp my plans.

Johnny must be famous.. -- what kind of breed is he.. ?

The only thing that I think you couldn't leave whole would be the corn if you use it. Del is grinding her feed in the blender fresh for the chicks but doesn't grind as they get older, I believe (am I right Del?).

Yes...it can go rancid shortly after ground. Since I share, I don't have it long but, in my opinion, having it ground even as short as I do isn't optimal. I'm definitely considering purchasing the components and making it fresh now that I have a little more experience.

Del - do you use corn? Can you grind it in the blender?

On whole corn fermented...I've not tried it but it seems to me that it would work as the soaking should soften it up. Has anyone soaked or fermented WHOLE corn? How did it work for you?

I have fermented the corn.. I took the liquid from the FF and started the whole corn.. and soak'd for 3 day's. they did soften up..
and I dont have a blender.. so i fed them whole in the FF .. my boys loved them.. and would pick them out first.. and then look up at me.. like where's the rest.. i have 2 (6-7 mo old) JG roos.. It didnt seem to bother them that the corn was not cracked.. and they always look for it first.. and if i forget to put it in.. well. the look they give me.... you'd think.. i fed them like a step child..

Thanks for sharing your recipes. Is it possible to FF the above without grindig or for example the ones in the Ussery book. I don't have a grinder. Also, I read that grinding grains and leaving them out results in the degrading of nutrients. is this true? Thanks for all the help and info onthis forum. It is a minefield of info.

I wonder this too.. maybe for adult birds it would be worth a try.. and possible due to fermenting.. where it may not be as good for them.. in the dry state.
I have to remember that all the feed.. is basically made for "factory" farming conditions.. and that where i am willing to do a bit of extra work.. to FF I may be able to use more "whole" food.. ---------- but I can see the chicks.. need smaller bits.

my concern right now.. is.. can i feed to high a protein in feed / if they are also free range. ( I think i got the wrong bag of feed.. its high P)

 

[aoxa]

I have one interior pip so I put all my eggs in the hatcher. I am so worried about the few Marans eggs I have. I sure hope they are good. Everyone I eggtopsied was sterile. I only have 4 left.

Oo looks like you and I will be hatching together in the next few days. Race? lol

I am debating whether or not to keep a few.. Convince me either way.

I wouldn't mind having RIRs for laying and looks. What's holding me back is my fear of heat lamps.

 

[armorfirelady]

I wouldn't mind having RIRs for laying and looks. What's holding me back is my fear of heat lamps.

I to am afraid of the heat lamps. I will be getting chicks in a month or so but I wanted them off the heat lamps because I didnt want to put a heat lamp in the coop. I was so happy when I was able to unplug the heated dog bowls. Its suppose to get in the 30s this week again but I dont think it will freeze the food or the water and the temps will be higher during the day so I will not be dragging the dog bowl into the new coop.

Heck I am afraid to hook up the electric netting

But anything I plug in is on a GFC so if there is a problem it will pop the breaker & hopefully prevent any further problems.