The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

How would we know if our hay had a problem?

 

[lalaland]

Leahs Mom, about the mason jar waterers tipping over:

I usually try to stablize them with bungee cords - putting the waterer in a corner, with the cord securing the jar.

When I've had too many chicks to use a corner, I've rigged up a loop of wire that goes over the mason jar about midway, and with duct tape or packing tape or string or soemthing, is fastened to the sides of the brooder. It keeps it from tipping over. But, at a certain point, they try roosting on the tape/string.....its a challenge, isn't it?

 

[lalaland]

How would we know if our hay had a problem?

danged if I know! I always check to see if it is moldy - the vet was returning my call in while he was on the road to calving emergencies and the cell reception was lousy, so I didn't get that part figured out. I have some hay stored at a friends place, and I' m going to get one of the old bales from the old batch. THe bale I have now is from the "new" batch.

 

[lalaland]

about metal waterers - I've used galvinzed metal waterers in the warm months for more than a decade and a half and never had any problems . RIght now, given it is still winter (more snow tonight and below freezing, but warming up tomorrow) , I'm using the plastic inserts in heated water bowls. And the last couple of years have had glass so I can use acv, but still have used the metal waterers in parts of the run so that there is always multiple water sources.

having trouble seeing the metal waterers as a health problem.

 

[Bulldogma]

Really Bad News:

Oh lala... I'm SO sorry!!

Thank you! That is very good advice and I'll read Stoneykill's article. I don't have the kind of divider that you do, it's an open coop with the nest boxes on one end. I'd like to get her out of there for sure though because we're starting some hot weather and even though we have windows galore, I still think it's pretty hot in there. All the other girls are out in the run. I have some water right near the box for her for now.

You can even use a large dog crate - put the nest box in one corner and put food and water up at the front. It's a quick, simple solution if you happen to have an extra crate about.

danged if I know! I always check to see if it is moldy - the vet was returning my call in while he was on the road to calving emergencies and the cell reception was lousy, so I didn't get that part figured out. I have some hay stored at a friends place, and I' m going to get one of the old bales from the old batch. THe bale I have now is from the "new" batch.

Lala - is there any chance your friend might have put any kind of poison in the hay storage area, or did the bale you recently put in the coop not come out of that storage??

 

[OohLaLa]

Breaking news dot dot dot....may babies did figure it out. For the past two nights I have been playing Mama hen doing my usual (don't laugh now...or not so loud I can hear it all the way over the internet) cheap cheap cheap and they come running to me. I tap tap tap on with food all the way up the ramp and they follow my fingers. Then they flap back to the ground arghhhh....but tonight....ahhhhh. I went out with a new tub of meal worms with the intent to do all of this finger tapping and cheap cheaping up the ramp to find my babies put themselves to bed like big girls. There my sweetie husband and I stood watching from the porch to make sure they did not come bak out as the automatic door closed for the night. He turned to me and said woman what have you done to me. I played basketball all over the world, seen and done it all and now look at me. Watching to make sure chickens stay in bed while the door closes. lol Now how is that for a sweetie of a hubby

 

[kian]

On top of fitting into the standard, they have to breed true 50% of the time! To have pure Ameraucanas without seeking out a real breeder is next to impossible.

I have two bantam Ameraucanas and I won't seek out pure stock again. I will be getting plenty of EEs in May though. 15 on order.

Yeah, even on the Ameraucana thread they say EEs are usually better layers. Plus you still get pretty eggs I had considered trying for the pure breed (and I still might, in the future) but for now, I'll stick with what I have. I am looking forward to when they lay and it'll be neat to see the Olive Eggers.

 

[kian]

Oh lala... I'm SO sorry!!


You can even use a large dog crate - put the nest box in one corner and put food and water up at the front. It's a quick, simple solution if you happen to have an extra crate about.


Lala - is there any chance your friend might have put any kind of poison in the hay storage area, or did the bale you recently put in the coop not come out of that storage??

Thank you BDM! That is a great idea too!

 

[Eggcessive]

Why can't we find the round worms when we clean the chickens then? Even if we are looking for them. They are a pretty good size worm. I am not disputing this really raises my curiosity.

I have poop boards under my roosts. Each morning I kitty litter shovel the stuff. The same ameraucana roosts with 3 banty hens every night in the same spot. One morning I found several long round worms in her droppings about a month ago. Since then (and before,) no other worms. Another time, I found an orange 1/4 inch blob in another hen's spot--when I examined it, it was little hair-like projections--don't know if that is capillaria or hairworm. Haven't seen either since. I've never wormed my chickens in over 2 years, but I suppose they have a few here and there.

 

[Eggcessive]

MOST worms are microscopic. You cannot see them with your own eye. Others hide in specific areas of the body and you will not see them unless necropsied as they never get to the hind gut.

You can see tapeworm(THey look like rice) but roundworm you cant unless your looking through a microscope at a fecal float.

I have seen round worms in dogs, cats, and now chickens--they can be 5 or 6 inches long and very skinny.