The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Mumsy]

The Bald Eagles, Osprey, and Red Tailed hawks are getting closer. It's only a matter of time until they start helping themselves to my birds. So armed with loppers, sizzors, ribbon, and bamboo canes I set out a lot of fluttery things high above the orchard and pens. Hope it helps. It's the young, stupid, and very hungry predator birds that scare me most.




Ribbons, bamboo canes, and flags flying above the baby turkey pen.




The ribbon moves with the slightest breeze.




The turkeys are most vulnerable so get the most streamers and flags above their run.




This is a partial view of the orchard and entrance to the potager garden. Looks like a cheap carnival out there but it's where the barn and the chickens live and where I spend most of my time with the flock.

 

[NanaLynn]

The Bald Eagles, Osprey, and Red Tailed hawks are getting closer. It's only a matter of time until they start helping themselves to my birds. So armed with loppers, sizzors, ribbon, and bamboo canes I set out a lot of fluttery things high above the orchard and pens. Hope it helps. It's the young, stupid, and very hungry predator birds that scare me most.




Ribbons, bamboo canes, and flags flying above the baby turkey pen.




The ribbon moves with the slightest breeze.




The turkeys are most vulnerable so get the most streamers and flags above their run.




This is a partial view of the orchard and entrance to the potager garden. Looks like a cheap carnival out there but it's where the barn and the chickens live and where I spend most of my time with the flock.

Nice, I like it! Very festive look! If it keeps the predators away, even better.

My older chicks are now 18 weeks old today. I guess we'll get an egg any day now. I just have to bend down to rub them on the back and most of them squat now. I never knew what it meant when a chicken squats and always heard people talk about it on here, I sure know now! It seems very weird to me. I guess that's another sign. Waiting for your very first egg is so suspenseful, yet fun!

I let my chickens roam around in my garden as well and your set up is similar to mine. I've been a gardener for a long time and decided chickens were the next step. Your garden looks so much better then mine though, I am inspired.

 

[Mumsy]

Nice, I like it! Very festive look! If it keeps the predators away, even better.

My older chicks are now 18 weeks old today. I guess we'll get an egg any day now. I just have to bend down to rub them on the back and most of them squat now. I never knew what it meant when a chicken squats and always heard people talk about it on here, I sure know now! It seems very weird to me. I guess that's another sign. Waiting for your very first egg is so suspenseful, yet fun!

I let my chickens roam around in my garden as well and your set up is similar to mine. I've been a gardener for a long time and decided chickens were the next step. Your garden looks so much better then mine though, I am inspired.

Thank you. Your words are very kind.

After all these years, I still smile when a chicken will come up to my leg, peck my cuff and squat when I pet her. I know it means she thinks I am head of the flock in her world. I laugh when they shake after our encounters. I aways comment out loud, "Was that good for you?"

First eggs are the best. Take a picture to mark the occasion.

My garden and flock get a lot of my attention. All the children are grown, married, and gone. My husband still works full time. Rain or shine, I'm outside puttering.

 

[PatQ]

RHUBARB!
My chicks are 6 weeks old and love the rhubarb leaves - if I'm not right there, they are in the rhubarb pecking the leaves into not so pretty lace - What is the consensus here on rhubarb leaf eating? In my research, it looks like over time it could be damaging to kidneys from the oxalic acid - but others say no - it is fine and is a great dewormer...let them eat it. I don't know whether to try to fence in my rhubarb or not worry about it. Right now I'm spraying them with the hose when they start chomping down

 

[danib]

I'm going to repeat a question I didn't find answered, how do those who use garlic give it to their chickens? For those that start immediately how do you feed it to chicks?

I'm getting hatchery chicks later this week, and am thinking from reading this thread it wouldn't hurt to give them garlic until they get into the coop (didn't get finished in time) as I now have to brood them in the house or garage, which means a smaller brooding space

You can add garlic powder to their food

 

[bluebirdnanny]

RHUBARB!
My chicks are 6 weeks old and love the rhubarb leaves - if I'm not right there, they are in the rhubarb pecking the leaves into not so pretty lace - What is the consensus here on rhubarb leaf eating? In my research, it looks like over time it could be damaging to kidneys from the oxalic acid - but others say no - it is fine and is a great dewormer...let them eat it. I don't know whether to try to fence in my rhubarb or not worry about it. Right now I'm spraying them with the hose when they start chomping down

I was worried about this too. Mine tested the emerging bumps in early spring but I circled them with little white wire garden fence to deter. Once it grew and pushed up the fence they didn't try to eat but took shade breaks underneath and ducked between two if they saw something large fly over head or a blue jay, robins alarm cry.

I wait with you for this answer. They don't free range unless I am outside, otherwise they get the run confinement if I am home and can check. When gone they are penned in the porch of the coop with access to back half.

 

[delisha]

Quote: Delisha

Del - I wonder if this could be what my friend's chicken had...the one I had discussed w/you all on pm?

Are you doing anything to treat? Does anything need to be done?

I treated with a ton of garlic the first day in FF. Than I switched to dry chick feed and gave them raw milk and no water for the next day. Than I used plain water and FF, the third day. They drank and drank and drank. They seemed fine and normal, however on the forth day I used a ton of garlic in the FF. Gave them dry feed and raw milk on the 5th day. Plain water and dry feed the 6th day. They have had regular FF, garlic, and electrolytes in water since. They seem good, yet I am watching like a hawk.
I never noticed blood in stools, or loose stool or smell..ever. I am almost wondering if the vet misdiagnosed.

Quote:
And - to that point: It would be very interesting to me to hear from everyone who wants to contribute. Please be as specific as you can:

As Preventative:
1. What additives do you feed? (Cayenne, Oregano, Garlic, ACV, Other)
Additives? I do not consider anything I normally offer additives.It is just part of what i do. I observe my flock and watch. Sometimes it is just history and guess work on what I offer. Most of the time it is what is available in the garden or the grocery/feed store. Kelp is planted, Oregano is planted, Cilantro, brussel sprouts, pumpkin, cucumber. garlic, ACV(in one container in the yard). White clover, too many to remember honestly.
2. What form are they in? (Fresh, Dried, Oil, Prepared Tea, etc.)
This time of year they are growing either right in the yard or in the garden fresh. They help themselves and eat what they want or need.
3. How is it given? (Mixed into feed, free-feed in a separate container, etc.)
They can get it them selves for the most part. I do give more garlic this time of year. it is hot and damp and not good for the birds.
4. How much is given? (Need to be as detailed as possible. If you put 30 garlic cloves in the feed, how much feed is that (by measure)? How many birds are eating from it?
I have about 30 birds in each coop, 3 coops. They each can go into a different coop and the older ones make them selves at home in what ever coop they can cause as much stress in. With garlic, and this last issue with cocci, I did three heads of garlic the first day in a 3 gallon bucket of feed. I chopped it all up, left the skin on and stirred it in the FF. I have been chopping up a head of garlic a day since. I have no idea who is eating it but it gets eaten.
5. How often is this given? (Daily, weekly, monthly, etc.) I will not feed it now for another week.
6. Results? How do you believe this has affected your flock? Do you have anything to compare to? Have you raised without using these items? If so, what is your observation of the difference between the two methods?
I have added Oregano to my grasses, kale, and white clover. Usually my birds are very healthy. This is the first time I have had to actually treat for something spacific in my own birds in a very long time.



As Treatment:
1. List the illness or symptoms you treated.
Cocci
2. Specific items used.
See above
3. Answer all the questions above.
4. How long was the duration of the treatment?
7 days
5. What were the results?
So far so good
I have one thing to say about my experience. I was not prepared for a long trip with a long time gone from home. I should have put my birds on a garlic and oregano regiment before I left to build immunities. I should have use Oxine everyday and not just the first day. I should have had people use sanitizer before handling my birds.

PLEASE TRY TO BE SHORT AND CONCISE. (Otherwise, folks may

)

I'm going to repeat a question I didn't find answered, how do those who use garlic give it to their chickens? For those that start immediately how do you feed it to chicks?

I'm getting hatchery chicks later this week, and am thinking from reading this thread it wouldn't hurt to give them garlic until they get into the coop (didn't get finished in time) as I now have to brood them in the house or garage, which means a smaller brooding space.

I chop it up pretty fine. I have never fed new chicks garlic. They get those all flock chick crumbles and raw liver.

Quote: Very great idea Mumsy! Your yard is looking more and more beautiful as the season progresses.

 

[Eggcessive]

I treated with a ton of garlic the first day in FF. Than I switched to dry chick feed and gave them raw milk and no water for the next day. Than I used plain water and FF, the third day. They drank and drank and drank. They seemed fine and normal, however on the forth day I used a ton of garlic in the FF. Gave them dry feed and raw milk on the 5th day. Plain water and dry feed the 6th day. They have had regular FF, garlic, and electrolytes in water since. They seem good, yet I am watching like a hawk.
I never noticed blood in stools, or loose stool or smell..ever. I am almost wondering if the vet misdiagnosed.

I chop it up pretty fine. I have never fed new chicks garlic. They get those all flock chick crumbles and raw liver.
Very great idea Mumsy! Your yard is looking more and more beautiful as the season progresses.

You know I have wondered about this from all of the posts on coccidia, shouldn't all chickens test positive for it on a stool sample at the vet's if it is in the soil? Chickens are supposed to build up immunity to it, but it is out there and it still should be present in their droppings, right?

 

[Eggcessive]

The site I did a quick search on before posting the comment sited a high mortality rate, but did not differentiate between adult and sub-adult. I do know the difference in mortality and morbidity. This time I went straight to a vet site, and the morbidity rate for IB is near 100%, while the adult mortality rate generally is low. Antibiotic tx can do nothing for the IB itself as it is a virus, but can help if secondary bacterial infections take advantage of the weakened state of the bird.

http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...view_of_infectious_bronchitis_in_poultry.html

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/78/infectious-bronchitis-ib This is what i was quoting.

 

[delisha]

Quote: all chickens have it. It is the level that they should be looking at. Perhaps I asked him the wrong questions. They did two tests. A float test for worms and for cocci. The vet said they tested positive for cocci and negative for worms.