The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Okay...so it's ONLY BARLEY AND OATS that are supposed to be the issue so..none of either of those in the scratch and your oats certainly don't go over that percentage.

So...just wondering and racking my brain to see if I can think of anything...

I know that GMO grains can cause reactions like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) in people.... If the feed and grains are regular feed (which would be GMO grain items), I wonder if they are having some kind of reaction to the GMO items? (Sometimes GMO grains can cause "allergic" reactions in people and it seems that animals avoid them altogether if given the choice.)

Now...I have no idea if that's what your experiencing...just thinking out loud here.

Delisha or Mumsy - Do you have any thoughts on what might be causing this??

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Yes...but I was told that HAIR SHEEP also browse...which is what got my curiosity up!

 

[bbsnooks]

Oh.. my goodness.. News at 6...
"white crested black polish..vs..black jersey giant"
Get some meal worms for your chicks...
I dont have time.. to fill you all in on the new chicks I got in monday.<photo's tomorrow?>.
However,.Chic TV has taken over my life, If you have little chicks..or bigger ones too, and are not strapped for cash.. find some meal worms. (some here @byc)

I just saw the best tug o war.. with a meal worm.. (it was a med to big). so it took a loong time to settle who won.. was it the little
white crested black polish..vs..black jersey giant
I'm putting these girls in training.. to do the out door work.. when they get bigger.

so get your self some meal worms.. and the movie camera.
-- new chick mom.. it must be love .. even their little back up and poop is cute!

----Debra

 

[Melabella]

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/no-...-hotel-even-offers-turndown-service-1C9290628



http://www.thechickenhotel.co.uk/

 

[aoxa]

Okay...so it's ONLY BARLEY AND OATS that are supposed to be the issue so..none of either of those in the scratch and your oats certainly don't go over that percentage.

So...just wondering and racking my brain to see if I can think of anything...

I know that GMO grains can cause reactions like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) in people.... If the feed and grains are regular feed (which would be GMO grain items), I wonder if they are having some kind of reaction to the GMO items? (Sometimes GMO grains can cause "allergic" reactions in people and it seems that animals avoid them altogether if given the choice.)

Now...I have no idea if that's what your experiencing...just thinking out loud here.

Delisha or Mumsy - Do you have any thoughts on what might be causing this??

http://www.askdrgonzalez.com/gmo-foods-cause-bowel-inflammation/

My MIL made some jambalaya last night and I had the worst IBS flare up in at least 3 months. She had corn in it. I haven't been eating GM for a month and I have noticed zero flare ups until last night. So it's very likely.

My stomach is still not right this morning.

 

[gevshiba]

It's been warm here 88* 65-70* at night so I was going to leave the heat lamp off of my 5 week old W's but I could hear them peeping so I turned the light back on & one of them runs under the light, flops down on its side & spreads its wing out

too cute

I'm in TX too and with chicks in the house, I haven't turned on the A/C. It's 79 degrees in my house this morning. All my groom dogs cancelled today (all owned by one person), so I'm headed to Lowe's. I'm getting their grow out pen built so they can go to the barn. They started yelling at 4:30 this morning about breakfast. They are trying to fly out of the brooder every time I open the top. Quick screams everytime I go in to feed them. But the biggest incentive-Quick is hot. Since Quick is The Best Dog Ever (official title), he must be kept comfortable. Of course, it's supposed to be in the 60's tomorrow.

 

[aoxa]

Yes...but I was told that HAIR SHEEP also browse...which is what got my curiosity up!

Get some goats LM! They are so much friendlier with people! Unless of course that is not important to you. ETA: And by not important I mean you are just using them for meat and lawn mowers.. I don't mean that sheep are not friendly, just that I have found goats much more so.

My breeder has both sheep and goats. She says the goats are more mischievous (ie: escape fences and what not), but they are like puppy dogs. Her sheep are more timid and will not come up to strangers willingly for a scratch.

I have had bottle raised sheep, and they would only let us pet them when they felt like it. The goats just seem to always feel like it.

Also noticed sheep are louder. Believe it or not, I swear my sheep were the loudest thing I've ever owned. Her sheep are loud as well compared to the goats when I visited.

Goats will eat pretty much anything, sheep graze and will browse as well, but are less destructive that way.



Alice.. Oh come on barn!! I need you built!

I am buying two rolls of electric fencing and a charger (2 years old) for $100. Not bad. Not bad at all! From a friend who is getting out of chickens so he can travel.

 

[delisha]

Sorry I have been absent guys..My FIL is in the hospital and I have been running around and trying to get stuff done. I have been trying to keep up and have not been posting much.Some poopy but is not going to go away. Those skirts catch it on the way down.
Loose stools on the other hand is a problem..
Pellets..it has glue in it..some chickens intestines do not like it....ACV...sometimes more is not always better in FF
One way to find out..buy a small bag of calf conditioner or calf manna to try..give it to them on top of the food for a few days and see if it improves. For 10 birds you need a cup.
I have Orpingtons..they have skirts to the ground..talk about poopy butt..gross..calf manna works to keep them clean (I think it is the licorice in it)

Quote: Put them out..i they are feathered they will snuggle..make sure they have an area that is deep they can snuggle into to for warmth

Sigh... as a two week old newbie I am really excited to find this thread. However I now have 12036 posts to go through in order to catch up... Sniff sniff.. I will comment again in three days when I finish the required reading.

on a serious note, I'm so glad so much info is all in one place!

welcome to the group!!

Mumsy-Your pic's are just beautiful. It would be so therapeutic just to sit and drink in it's peacefulness. The world may be filled with doom and gloom but isn't it nice to be able to see and feel why it is so worth while.

The Silkies are so pretty.

x1000

Does anyone know if moon lilies are a hazard to chickens.

sorry I do not..I am not a plant person..and never heard of moon lilies..my birds don't eat much of my lillies

I am only going to say this once. IF you are doing nothing against the rules, If you are 100% within your rights, DO NOT allow a neighbor to buffalo you.

You are a lady and trying to appease your neighbor by doing as he says. He chose to be a bad neighbor by even saying anything to you about it. How DARE he cause stress to your daughter. He is complaining about noise pollution. I would complain to him about his visual pollution as I can just picture him entering and leaving the hot tub... He SURE ain't no Loinwizard.....

On another subject, mosquitoes breed in an ideal environment. If I remember correctly, old tires are a good spot.... so.... dark, hot, stagnant water is ideal for them. If you shade it so it isn't so hot, or go the other way if you have to.... change the environment. I would probably put in a small (300GPH) pond or bilge pump. A little current keeps the water fresh and bug breeding free.

Maybe some recall how I have been struggling in business.... Just had a meeting at the bank today and they decided to lend me a bunch of money to sell cars on EBay. I hope that I can make it work and not make myself and them look like idiots. Of course the top dealer on EBay sells 1000 cars a month on there, and number 4 sells 250. I would be happy with 10 month....

Time will tell.
I will lurk but have to devote my passion and energy to my business.
Much love to all!

Shawn

PS.... CG, I have 12,000 acres behind me. Wanna come? LMBO!

good post

Much needed laughs tonight on here thank you between the poopy butts the torcher techniques for annoying neighbors oh and my favorite the" little crippled shaving eater! " Love the pics of spring and chicks playing outside someday WI will see spring!

WI is starting..we had sun yesterday!! I have some green grass peeking

Nothing like a 5am wake up call from the post office. The ducks are here and I could hear the peeping over the phone. Got the lamp on and the fresh water ready, I hope they all made it, it's been cold.

yeah!!!

Quote:

Okay...so it's ONLY BARLEY AND OATS that are supposed to be the issue so..none of either of those in the scratch and your oats certainly don't go over that percentage.

So...just wondering and racking my brain to see if I can think of anything...

I know that GMO grains can cause reactions like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) in people.... If the feed and grains are regular feed (which would be GMO grain items), I wonder if they are having some kind of reaction to the GMO items? (Sometimes GMO grains can cause "allergic" reactions in people and it seems that animals avoid them altogether if given the choice.)

Now...I have no idea if that's what your experiencing...just thinking out loud here.

Delisha or Mumsy - Do you have any thoughts on what might be causing this??
get rid of the corn for a week.

 

[Kassaundra]

Does anyone know if moon lilies are a hazard to chickens.

Moon lilly is another name for datura, it is a night shade and very poisonous all parts. Do not feed it to your chickens, I do not have any (have some seeds, but wasn't willing to see if the chickens would ignore it) I went to a drive through safari type zoo that had many, many animals from birds to grazers, to monkies all in pasture w/ datura plants, no animal touched them, they stood out like sore thumbs b/c much of the grasses, plants, foliage was eaten except the datura. I do not know if grown in thier area they would ignore it.

 

[Kikiriki]

Hope you don't mind me butting in on the poop problem...

Could be just just the change in water or even different bacteria in the soil.

On a side note, I also noticed a change in my IBS after quitting corn. I had quit eating eggs before I got chickens because they gave me such bad flare ups and outrageous gas... My girls get no corn and their eggs do not bother me at all... I miss corn on the cob, though, and I am thinking of growing a heritage variety. No one growing it near me so I do not have worry about cross pollination contamination.