The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
You better be glad I don't live in your neighborhood..she might just disappear during the night

 

[aaggjg]

Get rid of the buff silkie.

Definitely keep the little cochin. Oh my he is so adorable, and the best foot feathering I've ever seen on a cochin of that age.

I just don't like your buff silkie. He's not a good boy, and he's not particularly good quality. It would be hard to decide between the two older boys. Both show mild assertive behaviour, but they are young. I think it's up to you guys. Have a family vote between those two, and get rid of the buff boy.

x20000000 You HAVE to keep that cochin! OMG he if it is a he is the cutest thing EVER!!! I also agree with Justine on the Buff Silkie Roo ....

 

[aoxa]

OMG that is SO EXCITING!!!! Can't wait to see the progress!!! Do they have a estimate of how long it will take??

About a month!

DH just left for the 2nd brush fire of the day. This one just a mile up the road, by the church. Unbelievable! I just love all the pictures of Mama and babies. Thanks for sharing them.

Justine, I haven't felt well for almost 2 months and today I sat down and read your response to Countrygirl74. Telling her to get rid of the buff Silkie and your reason why made me bust right out loud laughing. I know nothing about Silkies and apparently it is very evident. Thanks.

I took my little poults out yesterday and after a few minutes they enjoyed it so much. I then let out all my 8 week old future layers.. They took longer to adapt. I would have had pic's but after beating my attacking tom with it, my battery was dead in my camera. should be ready for today.

Hope my opinion on that silkie didn't offend anyone.

but I'm glad to put a smile on your face

 

[aaggjg]

About a month!

1 MONTH!!!!! OMG that is awesome!!!! insert emoji building barn here

 

[Leahs Mom]

Dreads! (Must be a "hippy chick").

 

[aaggjg]

So I have a question for the group. A friend of mine found one of her hens dead in the coop a few days ago... She took the body to the UC Davis for an autopsy and they came back with obese chicken which made for fatty liver disease??


The chicken was obese and the liver was very friable and fatty. This led to the rupture of the liver which led to the acute death due to internal bleeding. The ovary is usually active, at least in the early stages, and the metabolic and physical stress associated with oviposition (laying eggs) may be factors that induce the fatal hemorrhage. In older birds diet should be closely monitored so that they do not get obese.

They will do parasite screening and get back to her with the results but for now she is worried that she fed her too much BOSS (not sure how much) or too many mealworms or just treats in general? Couldn't this hen just have been genetically predisposed to being fat?? But it does raise the question how much is too much BOSS?? and how do you tell if your hens are obese??

 

[Eggcessive]

New to layers got 26 EE's suppose to be pullets 1 big pretty Roo and he has started his duties at 7 weeks should I separate them until 6 months old.

Your 7 week old is trying to mate already? That seems really young. I would leave him with the girls. 25 girls and 1 boy--wow, he will be popular, plus he shouldn't bother them that much. My friend got 15 chicks from a hatchery--supposed to be pullets. Three turned out to be cockerels when I checked them a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Eggcessive]

My 3 week olds are off their heat lamp. Will they be okay outside in the coop with the 5 week olds? The older ones stay inside mostly. I toss them out in the enclosed run, which they love once they're out. Our nights are in the 50's.

My 3 week olds are in the coop in their brooder. I have an 85 watt red flood light bulb on them only at night since we've have 40-50's at night.

 

[FarmerJH]

I had a feeling you were going to say that .....

My coops are down a hill in a high fire zone so no burning allowed here! I saw the video you posted that is why I asked if I needed to burn it .... was hoping the answer would be put enough stuff they hate in there and they will leave ... Wishful thinking I know

Well I know what I am doing this weekend .....

I just learned about these, maybe worth a try if you can find them, in addition to the coop cleanout? http://old.post-gazette.com/magazine/20000902monkeyballs6.asp

 

[Leahs Mom]

Interesting quote about intestinal microflora and chicks raised by broodies (bold emphasis added by me).


Quote: University of KY Cooperative Extension Service
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/afspoultry-files/pubs/Anatomy_Digestive.pdf

Both the small and large intestine are normally
populated by beneficial bacteria, referred to as
microflora
(‘micro’ meaning small and ‘flora’
meaning plants). This population of microflora
are important since they
aid in digestion. Intes-
tinal disease normally occurs when the bal-
ance of normal microflora is upset or the nor-
mal microflora is overrun by too many foreign
organisms. The result is
enteritis
or inflamma-
tion of the intestines,
producing symptoms that
include diarrhea, increas
ed thirst, dehydration,
loss of appetite, weakne
ss, and weight loss or
slow growth.

When the damage to the intestinal tract is se-
vere it is typically referred to as
necrotic en-
teritis
. ‘Necrotic’ means ‘dead tissue’ while
‘enteritis’ refers to an in
flammation of the intes-
tinal tract. Necrotic en
teritis is a problem in
many different types of production systems.

So where do these ‘benef
icial’ bacteria come
from? When chicks hatch their digestive tracts
are virtually sterile. If
raised by a mother hen,
they would obtain the beneficial microflora by
consuming some of their mother’s fecal mate-
rial. This is not possible in artificial incubation
and brooding. Probiotics ar
e a collection of the
normal beneficial microflora that would inhabit
a chicken’s digestive tract. By spraying it in the
shipping boxes or supplying it in the first feed
the chicks receive the ’good’ bacteria that they
need to fight off infection by pathogenic bacte-
ria, such as salmonella.