The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[yellowfuzzies]

Ok thanks for tip. Still trying to figure out how to reply. Especially to people who answer my questions. This my first chat forum I have ever used so I am a true newbie.

 

[starlingdaly]

Ok thanks for tip. Still trying to figure out how to reply. Especially to people who answer my questions. This my first chat forum I have ever used so I am a true newbie.

Same here. You're not alone.

 

[FridayYet]

Unfortunately, that part of BYC functionality is not so user-friendly, especially if you want to delete part of the quote - like when there are a ton of pictures. I think it mostly happens by accident, not intentionally (at least by me.)

Something to be aware of, though.

Back to chickens: I'm going to pick up two little Olive Eggers today!

 

[Mumsy]

Just a comment on vinegar... I always say I have 2 kinds of vinegar: 1 for eating and 1 for cleaning.

Someone had commented about the ACV not being used for cleaning. Yes! Raw ACV is the "eating vinegar".

WHITE Vinegar is used for cleaning/disinfecting. I use it quite frequently for that purpose and nothing is going to grow in it.

Just have to know which one(s) you have and what to use 'em for



I hope you'll give us some photos of those at least 1x/week...at least I would like to see 'em

I'd like to see how they look as the grow.

Yes. I use straight white vinegar for house hold and garden use too. I should have clarified about why I advised against it for bio security with chickens. I was thinking white vinegar does not kill staph or MRSA in all applications. It seemed not to be the right way to go about cleaning your hands, clothes, and shoes after returning from an infected farm before going into your own barn. That's why I use Purell I keep in my purse rather than a bottle of white vinegar when I'm out and about. I think del had the right idea about a bio-security outfit that is kept in a plastic bag in the car and I still think showering before going near the clean flock is wise.

I go through gallons of white vinegar for all kinds of other uses. Including cleaning counter tops and killing weeds. Good stuff.

 

[Ashdoes]

thats great that cleared it up - I'll be interested to know if they keep their fluffly butts for a good period of time.   I occassionally have had to clean up someone whose stuck poop gets to heavy on the feathers like that - I think once some gets caught, the next load catches, and it kind of repeats itself.  havent done the nustock, just cleaned them up. let us know how long they stay clean an d fluffy!  If it lasts longer than mine do, I'll add nustock to the routine next time.

I used Nustock to soothe the red skin from the feathers getting pulled out by the poo, poor girls. You're right though, I had noticed the poo butt earlier but it was a small amount and didn't cause an issue, then all of a sudden I had chickens with little naked patches. I'm quite surprised at how quickly their fluff filled back in.

 

[danib]

Sorry if this has been discussed before, but I couldn't possibly go through every post...
I was giving my chickens Bragg's ACV in their water but now they're using chicken nipples, and I don't want ACV going through the metal nipples. So, what should I do to replace their having ACV?? They love yogurt, but chickens can't really process dairy sugar, so they shouldn't really have that either (or so I've read repeatedly). I am thinking of making LAB (Lactose Acid Bacteria) dos anyone else do this??
I've read some people put oregano oil in their water and some people put a few drops of iodine. There are so many options, it's making my head hurt. I will be using a cooler with a pump for a waterer and I just want their water to be fresh/clean and would like to use preventative methods for parasites and cocci.
I also have to decide on what to put down in the nesting boxes. We'll have sand as "litter" but I'm not sure what to use for nesting boxes. I've seen that a lot of people use straw, but is that the most sanitary option? I do know that I will add some herbs (like oregano, lavender, peppermint, lemon balm) to benefit chickens and help keep bugs away.

 

[Ashdoes]

I'm dumb...I created the post with photos from photobucket and then deleted the photos from photobucket. Trying again in a new post...sigh.

 

[starlingdaly]

Sorry if this has been discussed before, but I couldn't possibly go through every post...
I was giving my chickens Bragg's ACV in their water but now they're using chicken nipples, and I don't want ACV going through the metal nipples. So, what should I do to replace their having ACV?? They love yogurt, but chickens can't really process dairy sugar, so they shouldn't really have that either (or so I've read repeatedly). I am thinking of making LAB (Lactose Acid Bacteria) dos anyone else do this??
I've read some people put oregano oil in their water and some people put a few drops of iodine. There are so many options, it's making my head hurt. I will be using a cooler with a pump for a waterer and I just want their water to be fresh/clean and would like to use preventative methods for parasites and cocci.
I also have to decide on what to put down  in the nesting boxes. We'll have sand as "litter" but I'm not sure what to use for nesting boxes. I've seen that a lot of people use straw, but is that the most sanitary option? I do know that I will add some herbs (like oregano, lavender, peppermint, lemon balm) to benefit chickens and help keep bugs away.

You can add the ACV into their food right before you feed them. Small amount as it doesn't take much.

So far oregano oil is keeping my water bucket clear of algae, but as it gets hotter that might change. Ongoing experiment!!

My new favorite nesting bedding (thanks to this thread) is dried grass clippings. renewable resource and FREE.

 

[Mumsy]

One of my LF layers is a year old now. She has been a consistent layer of large eggs. She will occasionally produce double yolkers. Recently I noticed she takes longer on the nest than she used to. Also, her eggs are more frequently coming out with ridges and odd shapes. Today she produced a whopper with big cracks. The egg must have cracked in the Uterus because they were healed over and the egg is hard. This hen is Phoebe and I hatched a lot of large pullet eggs that produced large chicks. We've eaten all the cockerls and I sold four pullets of hers and have three nearing point of lay. I fear Phoebe is headed for big problems. If this egg had shattered in her Uterus and stayed there, she would be in serious trouble now.





Phoebe eggs. One hard cracked and one odd shaped with ridges on the tip. The small egg is from a bantam RIR pullet.

 

[Ashdoes]

That is an oddity...it's weird that the cracks were sealed over. I think you're right, poor phoebe could have been in for some trouble with that one.