The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[camilleathome]

Just finished watching the video - thanks for sharing! That was really great! I was just about to rent a rototiller and now I'm going to try this approach - completely makes sense.

I know . Im almost done watching it and all the questions I asked before got awnsered. I just need to find a spot for newspaper. I have enough horse manure to do a decent start at a garden. Just gotta make sure I get enough wood chips. They wont be partly composted though sadly but that will be just for the first year.

 

[FridayYet]

Funny, I was just talking to someone on Etsy about this exact problem because they were looking for a product from my shop to help their son.

Chronically dry skin that doesn't respond to lotion is a sign of a systemic problem- no cream is going to help. Lots of time is is a gut imbalance, and something as simple as cutting sugar and refined carbs and/or adding daily probiotics can help. But it can also mean deficiencies in certain micronutrients, specifically the B vitamins, the fat soluble vitamins (A, C, K, and to a lesser extent E, but it's hard to be deficient in E because we don't need much), zinc, iodine, amino acids like glutamine, or a number of others. I would suggest exploring those avenues next. Adding a fish oil might be a good start. Also coconut oil (eating it as well as using it on the skin- my kids eat a spoonful a day in the summer). Nutritional (aka brewer's) yeast is a good source of B vitamins, and kelp is a good source of both iodine and magnesium. Those would be a few things she could start with. Hope she figures it out soon!

I agree with brandislee and countrygirl - find out what's going on inside. We have a wonderful holistic vet in town that helped my disaster of a rescue border collie overcome his skin issues. Fish oil, high quality grain-free food (Orijen), and Chinese herb did wonders for his skin. We had to fix the internal problems before his skin & coat reflected the changes.

I went grain, legume & dairy-free for 6 months, started taking fish oil and coconut oil, and even though I lost weight- I got more compliments on my skin than anything else!

My chicks are doing well. They eat organic 22% crumbles, but every day I offer them something different - a bunch of cilantro from the garden, today was some lemon balm I have growing in the courtyard, or a clump of ryegrass with the dirt still attached. Tomorrow we may try some yogurt. So fun to watch them try new things!

Question: In a corner of my courtyard I had put some slug & snail bait a couple months ago. It seems to be gone now and the sprinklers have been coming on twice a week. Do you think it would be safe to put the chicks out there? I think the active ingredient is iron phosphate. I'll search the net and see what I can find.

 

[Bulldogma]

Hey folks - an new thing up in that place. See it HERE.

The article is about free ranging and I know there are a lot of vocal folks in internet-land who are avidly against free ranging (helicopter chicken parents? LOL!) So I'd really appreciate positive comments from those of you who do free range to back up the article and show others this isn't just one person's opinion.

Also -
armorfirelady, Leahs Mom, Aoxa, Mellabella and stonykill - I have used some of your photos and given you credit... but if you would rather I didn't have them in there, just let me know!

Night all!

 

[dcba flock]

Delisha, Mumsy, others who study natural healing/health, I have a coworker whose 6 year old son suffers every year from horrible dry skin.  She has tried myriad ways of treating it, every lotion and oil she could think of, and so far no luck.  She was telling me today the skin on his legs is so dry they look like ash.  I promised her I would ask here in case anyone can suggest natural remedies for extremely dry skin.  She has even asked his pediatrician about it, who recommended a few of the things she tried to no avail.

Thanks

Judi

Hi Judi
I make my own lotion that is all natural and made from organic oils, butters. Rose Mountain herbs have a huge variety of the raw materials that can be melted in a dbl boiler and then using an emulsion blender water can be mixed into make the good fluffy creamy lotion! I use a mix of coconut oil, cocoa butter, mango and Shea butter. But there are lots of possible options!
Coconut oil alone also can be tried!
Not sure if this helps?
Chris

 

[pigeonguy]

Its really good to read all of this and see other perspectives. I too was someone that read that DE was a sort of de wormer and anti mite and lice. I sometimes use it in my cats' food. Am I just wasting my money?

It worked for my cats. 1 table spoon mixed with a 3 pound coffee can of food every day for at least 3 months. Don't know if they had worms but they had poopy butts (gross) Whatever it was went away. Can't catch most of them so conventional medicine did not work. They had problems with the gross butt for over a year some died. Neighbor told us about DE and 3 months later we had strong healthy cats.

 

[countrygirl74]

I know . Im almost done watching it and all the questions I asked before got awnsered. I just need to find a spot for newspaper. I have enough horse manure to do a decent start at a garden. Just gotta make sure I get enough wood chips. They wont be partly composted though sadly but that will be just for the first year.

Mine probably won't be partially composted either, but you gotta start somewhere, right? Also, I found the video clips under the FAQ's to be really helpful...

 

[aaggjg]

I just priced some of the grains from Azure standard (yes, it's a different grade than if you have feed grade organic grains available to you, which would be cheaper, but they're hard to find as well) and the CHEAPEST ones were $40/50#.

I buy from Azure standards and although some of the grains can get pricey they do have a bunch that are really reasonable for organic non GMO grains! Bulk chicken wheat 50Llbs for $15.20, Animal whole barley 50Llbs $18.95, Milo 25Llbs $10, Wheat soft white or hard red is $19.15 for 50Llbs , Whole Oats Animal Feed 45Llbs $15.35 etc etc you get the point....

Justine people in the city often try to order a pallet of the feed because there is a huge discount on the per bag cost! It might be something worth looking into....

 

[camilleathome]

Mine probably won't be partially composted either, but you gotta start somewhere, right? Also, I found the video clips under the FAQ's to be really helpful...

Thats for that I hadnt noticed the videos


Another question I have for you all. We have access to a commercial grade hopper in the shed next door and were told we can use it as it used to be used for making feed for the cows, chickens, horses and all other animals on the farm here. Anyone know if I would be able to save money/make a much better quality feed for my chickens this way?

 

[amberr]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/g/...from-two-old-rabbit-cages/sort/display_order/
Tried to post pic of my brooder set up for chicks coming Thursday but wouldn't work so here is link I hope. Started my FF tonight plan on picking up some buttermilk from natural grocery tomorrow to add to it. I worry about them out growing it too soon and having to put them in coop before we move to new house and they would be alone with someone only checking on them 1x a day. How long do you think they could be in this brooder?

 

[amberr]

10 chicks btw 4 bantams, 2 BR and 2 each SLW &GLW.