The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[brandislee]

I found one of my turkeys dead this morning. It was a total shock- they were all totally fine last night. So I was seriously thinking about (just thinking about... I have an irrational fear of dead things) doing a necropsy when I went in to get the body, and I saw a bunch of blood splattered on a trough near the dead turkey. So I used that as a completely lame reason not to do a necropsy, and figured it was a predator of sorts. But there doesn't appear to be any damage done to the fencing, so ??? I'm thinking one of two things- a raccoon reach through (but it's chicken wire around the bottom, and I figure a racoon would try to get through and stretch the wire, and I saw no sign of that) OR a weasel or mink. I've never seen any sign of weasels or mink here before, and we don't live super close to water... but there is a river like 3 miles away. Anyway, I'm thinking the turkeys, who were in a tractor last night, might be sleeping in the main coop with the broodies tonight. But even my main coop isn't 100% weasel proof. There's hardware cloth around the vents and everything, but there were a few places where I couldn't get my hands/tools up under the eaves to secure it very well. Here's hoping it was a one time thing...

 

[uglychickens]

I found one of my turkeys dead this morning.  It was a total shock- they were all totally fine last night.  So I was seriously thinking about (just thinking about... I have an irrational fear of dead things) doing a necropsy when I went in to get the body, and I saw a bunch of blood splattered on a trough near the dead turkey.  So I used that as a completely lame reason not to do a necropsy, and figured it was a predator of sorts.  But there doesn't appear to be any damage done to the fencing, so ???  I'm thinking one of two things- a raccoon reach through (but it's chicken wire around the bottom, and I figure a racoon would try to get through and stretch the wire, and I saw no sign of that) OR a weasel or mink.  I've never seen any sign of weasels or mink here before, and we don't live super close to water... but there is a river like 3 miles away.  Anyway, I'm thinking the turkeys, who were in a tractor last night, might be sleeping in the main coop with the broodies tonight.  But even my main coop isn't 100% weasel proof.  There's hardware cloth around the vents and everything, but there were a few places where I couldn't get my hands/tools up under the eaves to secure it very well.  Here's hoping it was a one time thing...

Sorry to hear that it's always painful when you loose one(worst for pets)but to not know what caused it has got to be the biggest ack in the heart cause it seems like such a waste! I lost three of my girls to a dog last month plus my main rooster got hurt( still living) it just hits you in the solar plexus...

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Justine- I feel for you. When either horse flies, mosquitoes or gnats bite me I have a horrible reaction. I get bumps the size of half dollars even after taking benadryl. And the itching last for weeks.......all this unneeded rain is going to mean more mosquitoes

 

[brandislee]

It isn't that emotional for me, unless as you say, it's a pet. These turkeys aren't pets, they're food. It's more 1) my personal phobia of dead things, 2) the wasted time and resources gone into the bird, and 3) not knowing what happened so I can't effectively prevent a repeat.

I have one other issue I keep forgetting to ask about. I have this one silkie. She's been acting totally fine, but her laying has gone all weird. She lays like 1 egg every few weeks, and it's always super thin in spots and kind of flattened. Every time I get near her I pick her up and check her out an palpate around her vent, and I don't think I feel anything out of sorts (but honestly, I don't know exactly what I'm feeling for...), and she's eating and acting normal. But I'm worried because she came from the same breeder as my other hen that just dropped dead out of nowhere last month. I feed her fermented GMO-free layer and she has free choice oyster shell AND my chickens get most of the egg shells from all the eggs we use. Anything else I should do/watch for?

And I can hear you all saying "cull! cull!" In this case and only this case, I can't. She is the one and only chicken that my kids consider a pet. I will cull her if she is sick with something communicable, or if she is suffering, but not otherwise (besides, I'm not worried about her polluting my gene pool, because it's obvious which eggs are hers...).

 

[bbsnooks]

Hello and welcome to all the new folks..
tfletch.. asked what / where to start.. a while back..

My $.02 IF you have chickens.. already ( vs.. there comming.. soon) I would recommend starting with the fermented feed, and getting some apple cider vinegar with the mother in it.. you can read about this at the blog.. that is at BDM signature.. is probably a better place to start.. ( even better than this.. thread.. ) because you can read it all on a page or 2. please start there.. its a labor of love.. and we all get to benefit from it.
thanks..BDM and contributors.
I have 2 batches of FF going..
1) one for Scratch.. grains.. with water covering.. like on the "thing." and a different batch for the chick starter crumbles..
2) Using the water from the scratch.. to "start" the crumbles going.
Now I can get a ferment in less than 24 hrs.. by adding warm water to the Feed ( then adding 1-2 cups of yesterdays.. fermented feed to the new)

I personally think it is easier to start with the scratch ( grains ).. and get the soak / ferment .. going.. so that your comfortable with the process and the smell.. there may be questions you want to ask.. < know that if your feed has fish meal in it.. it may be ok.. even if it smell's off.> this is a great place to ask those kinds of questions. your new chicks will take right to it.. but older chicks may take a several days.. since its not what their used to.
I do not have organic feed.. but i feel i'm starting where i can.. and when they free range.. that's all organic.

I got rid of all my bad cleaners and hygiene products when I got my first kitten a few years back. It was a great wake up call to be more Eco friendly. For some reason doing things naturally is so addictive and within a few weeks I had replaced just about everything with my own recipe or all natural product/reusable.

I cant say I've gone that far.. but I'm getting closer.. < oh my !!... a soap box.. to stand on.. ; )

I started with the laundry and bathroom.. 2 yrs ago..
I found ZUM from indigo wild for laundry and http://www.mrsmeyers.com/ rosemary counter top spray, and the natural health food store.
and when the mrs myers cleaned the window's.. from adhesive tape.. with out streaking.. with just a tiny bit on cloth.. < i was testing just how small ammount would work..> So I started using lots less of every thing...
( thinking .. commercial advertising.. has us using a whole lot more than is necessary to get the job done ... toothpaste is one example.. do we really need an s curve.. worth of toothpaste to clean the teeth? - this from a person who now uses baking soda and neem oil. enuff about me.)

then.. I ran across a documentary.. that show's how to do it.. "Chemerical" great.. documentary.
The Goode family trying to turn a new leaf by creating and living in a toxic free home. Director Andrew Nisker works with many experts to give audiences the tools and inspiration to live toxic free.
Chemerical tackles "the toxic debate" in a truly informative and entertaining way, not only by raising awareness, but most importantly by providing simple solutions.
this lady has a good synopsis of it here - and where to watch.. if your interested, some make at home recipes to clean with..
http://cheryls-kitchen-recipes.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-decision-to-green-clean.html


I think it may be similarly - as hard for us .. to de-tox our homes and kitchens.. and cosmetics
< that's what started me - sensitive skin.>
--- just as it is hard for the farmers and ranchers to de-tox.. from the petro chemicals and gmo's.

its is what is available.. convenient .. and marketed to us and - bottled - labeled and ready to use..
-- most of us would have to do.. some thing..or learn some thing new ( or old.. ) to bring about change.
-- i would like to see more green cleaning ideas.. i've seen a lot here for the chickens..
but maybe .. that's a different thread...

have a great day..
oh.. edit.. the lets see your inventions.. is a good read too.. thanks for posting

 

[TexasLisa]

I remember reading that on here. I looked for the sunscreen, but there are so many different kinds of the brand, is there one kind of banana boat better then others to use that works the best? Does anyone know?

Supposedly banana boat sunscreen works really well against biting flies for humans.

That was me that suggested trying the Banana Boat. When I first came to Texas I was the main meal for the black flies. BIG welps all over me!

I use the Banana Boat 50 Sunscreen Lotion. It works for me. It not only protects me from the bugs, but I am protecting my skin from the sun.

Lisa

 

[uglychickens]

Hate to brake it to ya texaslisa, but sunscreen is another one of those products marketed to us to use that is actually worse for causing cancer then the sun ever was...sunscreen is a scare tactic nothing more... Made only for the naive to feel like their doing something to protect themselves from something the media has deemed as bad! Where a hat! I'm from texas too believe me I understand the sun down here...
Just my 2¢

 

[uglychickens]

Avon sells a product called "skin so soft" best thing I've ever found to keep bugs off ya... That and olive oil... Seems they don't like thick oils... Messes with their suckers and gets all over their feet

 

[Ashdoes]

I appreciate talking about natural living, but this thread has veered far from chicken talk.

 

[stonykill]

I appreciate talking about natural living, but this thread has veered far from chicken talk.

x2

belongs elsewhere