The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[hotrodflash]

Hey stony, delisha, hot rod and all, you were right!! it was the heat. by morning there was not one single pasty butt, and i just came home from work to find just the last teeny tiny sfh chick needing help. I think he has a problem all of his own, probably the same thing that his now gone sister had.

thanks again

I am glad that we could help solve the pasty butt issue, it is no fun to clean fluffy butts.

 

[uglychickens]

Or any butts for that matter...

 

[stonykill]

Hey stony, delisha, hot rod and all, you were right!! it was the heat. by morning there was not one single pasty butt, and i just came home from work to find just the last teeny tiny sfh chick needing help. I think he has a problem all of his own, probably the same thing that his now gone sister had.

thanks again

good to hear!

 

[armorfirelady]

I've been rambling a lot lately so it was probably got overlooked but...

Those of you that use electric netting at what age did you put chicks in it? And did they get stuck in the netting or zap themselves?

My big girls have not touched the electric netting to my knowledge. But Stella the 5 week old BR went right thru it today followed by one of the BCMs. The netting was not plugged in because one of the cords is bad & I am waiting for the replacement to come in.

Thoughts? Experiences?

Thank you

 

[starlingdaly]

I've been rambling a lot lately so it was probably got overlooked but...

Those of you that use electric netting at what age did you put chicks in it?  And did they get stuck in the netting or zap themselves?

My big girls have not touched the electric netting to my knowledge.  But Stella the 5 week old BR went right thru it today followed by one of the BCMs.  The netting was not plugged in because one of the cords is bad & I am waiting for the replacement to come in. 

Thoughts? Experiences?

Thank you

I saw your post but have no experience in that area because I don't use electric netting.

 

[Eggcessive]

She
she pecked the next two as well. I agree with you, but within limits. This is a hatchery bird, and as such she is about the epitome of the weakened state you mention. But the eggs aren't hers, so I'm more invested in ten living than in her instincts. I can't really explain what I mean by that... I guess that letting a weakened bird kill the chicks of the improved(ing) line of EE's I'm working on doesn't do anything for strengthening the flock either. I don't trust this particular hen and I'm taking the chicks that she pecks away to at least give them a chance. She's still got four eggs, two of which are pipped. It's gonna be a long night.

The good news is that I have another broody due to hatch Thurs or Fri, so if any of the pecked chicks survive and look healthy I can just give them to her. And she's not a hatchery bird and was herself raised by a broody, so i have no worries about her. Astonishingly enough, the chicks don't look half bad. If they survive the night they're going to need some serious first aid, though.

I had a very nice hen of mine peck her babies, and I had to remove them. I didn't get rid of her, but each time she goes broody, I just put her in my broody-breaking cage for a for days of R and R. She is a really sweet girl, but a terrible mom. Hope your chickies make it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Okay - the turkey walk thing for a broody is new to me. Never knew that they did that. Is that pretty common? Do they all do it or just on occasion?

Mine all do this--they just walk around showing that tented Vee clucking all the while.

 

[starlingdaly]

How long do broodies generally take to stop being broody? And if they start sitting in a nest again before they are completely broken, does the process start over?
I ask because I thought my turkey hen was done being broody but she surprised me by incubating eggs and a preexisting chicken broody today. So I boarded up my nest boxes so that only chickens can fit in them and will keep the turkey's box out of the coop until she's broken.
Sad thing is, I think she ruined the eggs I had out there from all the clumsiness. I had seen development a couple of days ago but now I don't see anything and the chalaza appears damaged in each egg. :/

 

[BlueMouse]

Question for the broody masters... I have my very first broody sitting on eggs that were in my incubator (she went broody after they went in, and then I wanted to be sure she was serious about this whole broody business) Anyhow, day 21 was monday, and I still have no internal pip on any of the eggs in my incubator. I'm going to call the whole hatch a bust on friday.... If that happens, do you think I can sneak some young chicks under her, take away the eggs, and convince her to be done being broody and go to being a mom? I don't want her to sit for another month, and she's very determinedly broody.

Still crossing my fingers that these eggs will hatch, but getting to the point where I think a contingency plan is in order.

My cream legbars!

 

[TipihlowLadies]

I would still quarantine. Do you have a hen that you are willing to sacrifice? That way the extremely lucky hen will have someone for company while you wait to be sure she is ok. She has to be very stressed. I'd be giving her electrolytes in her water. Other's can help with ideas for distressing. You are a very kind person. Thank you.

Yes and that was what I thought so one sacrifice hows about a meat bird . Just animal lover !