The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Mumsy,

Thank you for the pictures.

This is just a theory..

Sometimes that green look is from lack of O2 and the muscle goes into myopathy . I do know that my meat birds sometimes get it in the breast meat when they grow too fast and have to much fat if I do not free range. They stretch and tear muscles and it goes to green color. It is more common in birds that weigh over 5 lbs. She might have injured her spine and it cut off blood supply to her legs too. This is not something that could be prevented. It is not known to be hereditary. It is not from mismanagement. Unless you starve your birds they can have injury's and have the same thing happen..IMO If you raise LF and they weigh over 5lbs it can and does happen.


http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/myopathies/toxic_myopathy_in_poultry.html

 

[NanaKat]

Finally caught up...
Sulphur...I put some in nest boxes and add it to the dusting box.
Sure enjoyed the photos and the information that has been shared.
For July, we are having unusually cooler weather and rain this week. We are enjoying the break in over 100 degree temperatures.
My flock currently has 15 broody hens! We are getting 20 to 24 eggs a day from the layers and Bantams. The heat has reduced the size of the eggs they lay although several girls lay extra large eggs.

 

[countrygirl74]

I finally read (skimmed) through and caught up - so busy these days that it's hard to keep up with this thread! BUT, I had to get on here tonight and share!!!

I let my silkie Cloud sit on 4 of her own eggs. At the time, the only roo available was the blue silkie as our cochin started mounting the girls after she started sitting. So, these are pure silkies, though they are only hatchery quality.

I candled a while back and one ended up being a dud - not even fertilized. The other 3 were developing. Well, one hatched yesterday!! The cool thing is that I went out to check on her, lifted her up and actually saw the first pip happen in those few seconds! I left them alone for a while, then snuck a peek later and then again today. Was a little worried about the other two but I gently held one of the eggs to my ear and could hear movement and peeping inside! Yay! She (Cloud) is such a sweetie - never pecked me once during her whole broody time or even when I wanted to see her new baby. Here's some photos....


1st pip


Hatched!




All fluffed up...


Discovered the chick starter left in there for mom...




Hopefully tomorrow I'll have 2 more babies to show!!

 

[countrygirl74]

AOXA - just like Joy, like you said...

Got the first egg from the batch of new girls!!

All my older girls fight over one nest box and weren't using any of the others, so I knew I had to do something when the new girls were coming into lay - can't have 17 girls using 1 box!!! So, I took some of the duck eggs that I forgot to gather over a day or two and put them into a couple of the nesting boxes the older girls never used. It worked!! My naked neck "Squeaky" went in and sat on the duck eggs and laid me her first egg at only 18 1/2 weeks! It was this cute little roundish brown egg. Here is a photo of her just before she actually laid - caught her using the box and sitting on the duck eggs...
There are at least 4 girls that are 2 weeks older than her and she beat them all!

 

[aoxa]

I finally read (skimmed) through and caught up - so busy these days that it's hard to keep up with this thread! BUT, I had to get on here tonight and share!!!

I let my silkie Cloud sit on 4 of her own eggs. At the time, the only roo available was the blue silkie as our cochin started mounting the girls after she started sitting. So, these are pure silkies, though they are only hatchery quality.

I candled a while back and one ended up being a dud - not even fertilized. The other 3 were developing. Well, one hatched yesterday!! The cool thing is that I went out to check on her, lifted her up and actually saw the first pip happen in those few seconds! I left them alone for a while, then snuck a peek later and then again today. Was a little worried about the other two but I gently held one of the eggs to my ear and could hear movement and peeping inside! Yay! She (Cloud) is such a sweetie - never pecked me once during her whole broody time or even when I wanted to see her new baby. Here's some photos....




Hopefully tomorrow I'll have 2 more babies to show!!

Love these pictures!!

AOXA - just like Joy, like you said...

Congrats!

 

[aoxa]

My rabbit did not make it through the night I thought for sure she would. Even dreamt that she was recovered.

I will be taking more precautions when days are as hot as they were yesterday (did I mention 108 on our property?)

Poor thing...

 

[lalaland]

Justine, that is so sad. I can't think of anything you could have done. Keeping my fingers crossed there are no more heat losses.

Mumsy, thank you for the pics - it is hard when you are trying your best. I hate it when despite everything you can do, culling is the only real option.

And Fridayyet I loved hearing about the little ones making it up to the big girl coop. Pics were a big bonus.

BD, I hadn't seen your coop story before, it was fun to see. Loved the gingerbread. I scored a dilapadated old shed from craigs list - 8x8, made out of 1/4 plywood (what were they thinking?) and with a reused tin roof that is longer than the shed. So it has about a 2 foot overhang on the front, it looks like it wants a porch.

Spent the weekend painting, using pallet wood to frame out the door, and added 1x4 boards to make a skirt to strengthen it. Looks good, but I might try to make some fake gingerbread from pallet scraps to "cute" it up.

 

[midnightroo]

I am so sorry about the losses Justine and Mumsy. I wasn't on this time last year, but it seems like there are a lot of issues. Is this amount normal or is it a crazy year?

Country congrat on the first egg and the hatch. I love the photo of the proud mom. Fingers crossed for two more tomorrow.

Hot here til Saturday then it will cool off. I can't wait for it. I hate extreme temps. Went on vacation once to Veiques Puerto Rico and loved the weather. I think I need to get a house and stay there permemantly. There were lots of chickens and roosters running around so I would fit right in.

Oh, Justine, you are probably on the way to work, but if you are going to have hot weather again, try the frozen water bottles with the rabbits. I see them at the fairs all the time here to help keep rabbits cool.

Christine

 

[aoxa]

Justine, that is so sad. I can't think of anything you could have done. Keeping my fingers crossed there are no more heat losses.

Mumsy, thank you for the pics - it is hard when you are trying your best. I hate it when despite everything you can do, culling is the only real option.

And Fridayyet I loved hearing about the little ones making it up to the big girl coop. Pics were a big bonus.

BD, I hadn't seen your coop story before, it was fun to see. Loved the gingerbread. I scored a dilapadated old shed from craigs list - 8x8, made out of 1/4 plywood (what were they thinking?) and with a reused tin roof that is longer than the shed. So it has about a 2 foot overhang on the front, it looks like it wants a porch.

Spent the weekend painting, using pallet wood to frame out the door, and added 1x4 boards to make a skirt to strengthen it. Looks good, but I might try to make some fake gingerbread from pallet scraps to "cute" it up.

Something is going funky with the reply editor on here. I can't multi-quote.

Thank you both for your condolences. I am wondering how I would do the water bottles. Would you put them in the water bowls, or what? The rabbits are not caged, so I don't know how they would use them. I am so glad this heat wave is dying down. I feel so bad for the little girl we lost, but in all honesty I was expecting something with that kind of heat. I thought I'd loose a couple meat kings. Nope.. Just the bunny. I have no clue as to why she wouldn't find shade or shelter.

The other rabbits hid under the baby barn, which is nice and cool. She was out in the sun in a mud puddle. It was really odd. I'm going to put electrolytes in the rabbit water as well. They do drink out of the chickens' water from time to time, but probably not enough to get the benefits of the electrolytes.

ETA: It's working now.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thanks for the photos and info, Mumsy. Also Del for the link.

Justine - so sorry about the bunny. You mention taking precautions...what kinds of things would you do? (This will help us all learn, I hope.)


ETA: You (Aoxa) and I were typing at the same time on these posts.