The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Eggcessive]

What are the good ways to cull a chick? One just hatched that has its insides hanging out and a bad leg. I might have considered trying to fix a leg but not the insides on the outside.

You have probably received many people's advice by now, but we uses the vinegar/equal parts baking soda in a coffee can with the lid on. It is pretty swift in a minute or so, and they just go to sleep from carbon dioxide poisoning. I have used this twice for chicks that were suffering.

 

[Eggcessive]

yes I was sad when I watched as it hatched, one of the few I got to see coming out of the shell. DH took care of it thankfully ~ he thought it would be similar to killing a mouse. I warned him that off with the head method would be messy, so he did it outside. I'm very thankful for that as I did not watch it or hear it. I did say goodbye but no tears though. DH said I'm on my own if it happens again. I guess he decided it is not like killing a mouse even if they are close in size.

ok ill admit it, I am a 250 lb man, and I cried the first time I had to do it. I still don't like to do it.

My husband is the one who suggested it, and looked it up because he can't stand watching the little ones' suffering in the house. I keep wanting to "give them one more day..."

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: I also was not trying to question you. I was more wondering why someone would want a coyote to come onto their property.
I love the cute pictures too. The duck pictures are so adorable.

 

[salt and pepper]

Sorry, had to share, anyone agree with this?

 

[brandislee]

ok, I just have to whine again about those expensive chicks,....the ones that were supposed to be sfh (3 of them), icelandics (4), cream legbars (4)and superblue layers.(4).

The hatching woman must have gotten them ALL mixed up. There were 4 cream legbar chicks - they are easy to identify and all were pullets. If you aren't familiar with them, they can be 100% sexed at hatch because the color patterns are very different in girls versus boys. one died. of the three remaining, well one has developed a rose comb - ???? so I did more research and what a surprise, legbars don't have rose combs. And yesterday I thought I heard a crow...and today the largest "cream legbar" with the rose comb started crowing. NOT a legbar (yup, I am shouting). He is 2-3 times the size of the other legbars that are actually legbars for real, so I am guessing she grabbed the wrong one out of the swimming pools full of all kinds of chicks. This roo has to be older than 4 weeks. I do have two legbar pullets, I can tell from the coloring they are developing.

and the bantam chick (not what I ordered) looks to be a roo.

And I have been slowly getting the hens treated for feathermites, and found some also have those lice that lay nits on the feathers around the vent - first time for that too. 9 hens to treat, did 3 the first night, 3 tonight, and 3 tomorrow. wait a few days and do it again! It is hard to get the hens, so I take them off the roost at night when I get home from work, so I can't get them all done because it gets too dark and there is no light in the coop. I smell like nustock, and am going to have to make up a batch with the sulpher that is supposed to arrive tomorrow.

I bought cod liver oil today and am going to start adding some to the feed for both chicks and for the hens. Going to lay a thin bead of it on the feed.

thanks for letting me rant! only a chicken person would get any of this!

I totally get it... not with my chickens at the moment, but I am treating my dog for some mystery disease and I feel like I keep shoving meds/supports down his throat but we don't know what's wrong with him and we don't know if it's working. And since he won't eat, getting him to take the meds is a huge struggle.

And with the breed mixup, my first chickens were supposed to be Wyandotte's (1) and Buff Orps (2). One of the Orps was stunted badly and the Wyandotte was NOT a Wyandotte. It may have been a part Wyandotte mutt. BUT I didn't pay that much for them, definitely not the amount you paid for those rare breeds.

 

[brandislee]

I'm repeating my broody question from earlier, it was a while ago- will I have to separate my broodies? As we speak they're hatching near simultaneously. So far they each have 2. So I assume they'll be finished at about the same time. Will they be able to keep each others' chicks straight? And they'll be in with another broody with 2 week old chicks, will they fight or stay out of each other's way, or will I just have to watch and see? Of COURSE timing sucks, I'm going to be gone Wed-Sun this week. Maybe I should just separate to be safe... we'll see if they finish up tomorrow and I can get a feel for how they're going to be together.

 

[aoxa]

they are doing fantastic. I really lucked out, Lucy is the sweetest little lover, big purr and into everything. Her real name is Trouble. Mia is sure she is starving all the time but lets Lucy push her out of the way and eat her food. Mia is adapting to indoor life - I have a big porch with floor to ceiling screens, and she practically lives out there.

and you didn't come across anti- hunting to me.

That's great You were having problems at one point if I remember correctly. Glad to hear they have adapted so well.

My two boys will be barn kittens. Susan's orders. I am out there more than I am inside, so they will get plenty of love. Plus I need to train them around the poultry. Make them so used to them that they wouldn't think of hunting them.



Here is my indoor outdoor cat yesterday in my jungle of a garden. As soon as I have the camera, she is all over me. This is her spotting me with the camera

Angel is scared of the chickens. They mock her I'm sure.

 

[brandislee]

For those who doubt the safety of chicks jumping from a nest box.... the kids and I watched Earth the other day, here's my favorite part-

 

[aoxa]

I'm repeating my broody question from earlier, it was a while ago- will I have to separate my broodies? As we speak they're hatching near simultaneously. So far they each have 2. So I assume they'll be finished at about the same time. Will they be able to keep each others' chicks straight? And they'll be in with another broody with 2 week old chicks, will they fight or stay out of each other's way, or will I just have to watch and see? Of COURSE timing sucks, I'm going to be gone Wed-Sun this week. Maybe I should just separate to be safe... we'll see if they finish up tomorrow and I can get a feel for how they're going to be together.

I have had co-sitting broodies a few times. No problems with the chicks. They went mom to mom. The mothers who set in separate nests fought occasionally, but the ones that sat in the same nest never fought.

They'll figure it out.

 

[aoxa]

The Silver Pencilled Plymouth Rock chicks LOVE their eco glow!