The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Alibabe]

Hi all

I am a long term lurker on this thread and really love reading all the info that is shared.

I have two questions that I am hoping to get some advise on...

I keep getting broken eggs. I think I know the chicken that is doing it but have no idea of how to stop it. I have in total 6 chickens of which 4 are recently introduced but the egg breaking has been happening for a while now. It started when I only had 2 and I thought it was perhaps something(animal) that was coming into the garden that was going into the coop and getting the eggs as I found 2 that were on the opposite side of the garden to where the coop was. Because I was worried about predators getting into the garden, I fenced of an area to confine the girls which is 10.5 meters long x 4.5 meters wide (ish) so they have plenty of space to scratch etc and collected eggs in the morning before work (if they laid) and on weekends I watch them and as soon as they finish laying, I collect the eggs but during the week, I only manage to collect 1 egg before I have to leave for work. The eggs are not completely broken and eaten, they just have a hole poked in them. I do not give them the raw egg to eat, but do give them the shells after they have been dried out in the oven.

Does anybody have any suggestions as to how to stop the egg breaking? Should I close off the nest that they are using in which they break the eggs. The eggs in the 2nd nest are not broken.

My other problem is with one of my new hens. She has runny poop. Other than this, she looks and acts absolutely fine. She is very skittish and I have not been able to catch her to check her vent but although she had a messy bum when I got her, now it is clean.

I have avc in their water which is refreshed every day. I have started them on fermented layers with fresh garlic and oregano in it which they gobbled up at first but today they did not eat it.

I have tried fermented food a number of times but my original two just don't like it. My new ones loved it but today did not eat it much except for the girl with the runny poop. The fermented feed is not off so I don't understand why they are not eating.

Has anybody got any ideas that I can try to clear up the runny poop.

Thanks all

 

[Shan30]

I was just thinking that, the ironic justice that would be the surviving chickens eating the bear!

Hahaha I too thought of this but decided to leave all of the organs in the woods. For one thing I didn't know if putting meat out with the other bear on the prowl was a good plan and two, I don't know if you have ever cleaned a bear but they absolutely stink inside. Seriously nasty and I didnt really feel like carrying the aroma home.

 

[armorfirelady]

Hi all

I keep getting broken eggs.
Do you have oyster shell available at all times?

My other problem is with one of my new hens. She has runny poop. Other than this, she looks and acts absolutely fine. She is very skittish and I have not been able to catch her to check her vent but although she had a messy bum when I got her, now it is clean.

I have started them on fermented layers with fresh garlic and oregano in it which they gobbled up at first but today they did not eat it.

I
I would just leave the FF out.....when they are hungry enough they will eat it. And perhaps they are out in the run they are getting enough to eat out there & dont need the FF for a full crop?
My hens only get FF......if they dont eat it they will be hungry

As for the messy bottoms......I have 2 girls that have messy bottoms. No smell in the vent area, no runny poops. Just seems their fluffy butt feather tend to get in the way. I try once a month or so to trim the dirty feathers and use some baby wipes to clean up the other feathers. I find its easier to doat night after they have roosted for the night & also to have a helper. One to hold the hen & one for clean up

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Well then they should at least have a bear skin rug to snuggle in at night then

 

[bruceh]

i will be on this post every night now

 

[Leahs Mom]

i will be on this post every night now

OMGosh, Bruce! I was just thinking of you! Hope you're well and it'll be good to have your input

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: I agree welcome back

 

[Alibabe]

I keep getting broken eggs.
Do you have oyster shell available at all times?

My other problem is with one of my new hens. She has runny poop. Other than this, she looks and acts absolutely fine. She is very skittish and I have not been able to catch her to check her vent but although she had a messy bum when I got her, now it is clean.

I have started them on fermented layers with fresh garlic and oregano in it which they gobbled up at first but today they did not eat it.

I
I would just leave the FF out.....when they are hungry enough they will eat it. And perhaps they are out in the run they are getting enough to eat out there & dont need the FF for a full crop?
My hens only get FF......if they dont eat it they will be hungry

As for the messy bottoms......I have 2 girls that have messy bottoms. No smell in the vent area, no runny poops. Just seems their fluffy butt feather tend to get in the way. I try once a month or so to trim the dirty feathers and use some baby wipes to clean up the other feathers. I find its easier to doat night after they have roosted for the night & also to have a helper. One to hold the hen & one for clean up

I have oyster shell in the coop available at all times - should I put it out in the run instead of the coop?

I am going to try your idea with the FF but it will be hard because when they don't eat it, they will be shouting at me and then I feel sorry for them and give in and give them dry layers and scratch. I know I spoilt them in the beginning and am paying for it now.

I do know that they get plenty of worms etc from their run as the soil is black and very healthy looking and I see them scratching and eating all the time. I do agree their crops are not empty

I think I am the problem because they know how to get me to give them other things to eat like cucumber, celery, lettuce, cabbage to name a few

Any idea what to try for the runny poop, it is making such a mess in the coop?

 

[bruceh]

thank you all. i am here . i will be breeding rhode island reds. thanks to bill radford i still keep a pen of layers and meat birds for food. things are good right now . i will post a couple pics later of the reds. they are simply beautiful.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: No idea on the runny poops though. Maybe one of the OTs have some suggestions. Do you see anything in the poop? blood, worms?
I do add cayenne pepper to their FF once a month or so as a natural dewormer. They have never had worms so its just a preventive.