The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[MumsyII]

I find the silkies do much better with silkies as moms. I witnessed a barred rock step on and kill a baby in front of me. it was SO sad. it must have broken it's neck. It gasped for 15 seconds and went limp.

I have some adorable new broody silkie chicks to share here. One was sitting with it's legs way out front and I splinted SUCCESSFULLY! I was so happy!

I do have a gimpy silkie chick I've dubbed Dumpling after your disabled girl. It shall be Margaret's BFF!

I've lost a Silkie baby from crushing by a Silkie mom too. Posey crushed one of hers day one. Judy is a seasoned broody but she stirs up the litter vigorously and sends them flying if they get too close. Both dead chicks were still warm when I found them. It made me sad too. Broody hens killed two so far. I've still got my eleven in the house growing and thriving. I'm not sure I want to give extras to the broodies. May keep them safer with me.

Very funny. Another Dumpling. Someone on the Silkie thread named a disabled Silkie chick 'Mumsy' because of advice I gave that saved the chick. It's weird to read how 'Mumsy' is doing this and that. Weird.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Very funny. Another Dumpling. Someone on the Silkie thread named a disabled Silkie chick 'Mumsy' because of advice I gave that saved the chick. It's weird to read how 'Mumsy' is doing this and that. Weird.

 

[lazy gardener]

Mine have been really leary of new things. They recognized grasshoppers as food right away, but I'm not sure if they are eating the Japanese beetles I've thrown in the run. Probably, by now. I haven't tried any worms or catepillars, yet.

I put my Japanese beetles in about an inch of water. the girls love "bobbing for beetles".

 

[armorfirelady]

I know that Aoxa has praised the uses of Coconut Oil for a long time. I have been looking for a small container to purchase (the health food store is expensive). Then this morning I found this article via a friend on FB. Very interesting read:
http://coconutoil.com/coconut-oil-offers-hope-for-antibiotic-resistant-germs/

I think I will put it on my shopping list & try it on greens feet. Even after Bumblefoot surgery and keeping it wrapped for a couple weeks with a iodine/sugar poultice she still has the scabs on her feet. I have been spraying them with blue kote as a sort of protective covering since the gauze was causing the scales on her legs to raise.

I might just try wrapping them again after applying coconut oil. Or I was thinking I could give it her orally? A drop or 2 every day in some food. Thoughts?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Anyone ever had experience with a chicken having maggots get on a dirty bottom? I just read that someone had that happen and I'm wondering how in the world you can stop something like that and get them all off. Seems like they'd go up into the vent and just kill the bird.

So...how do you fix something like that?

 

[Kassaundra]

Anyone ever had experience with a chicken having maggots get on a dirty bottom? I just read that someone had that happen and I'm wondering how in the world you can stop something like that and get them all off. Seems like they'd go up into the vent and just kill the bird.

So...how do you fix something like that?

Maggot do not eat live healthy flesh, only diseased, dying, or dead flesh. They are used medicinally to clean non healing sores and necrotizing faciatis (flesh eating disease) diabetic sores and things like that.

 

[flagirl]

Neem oil is good for all sorts of things. even dr. oz recommends neem oil toothpaste, so those who worry about using it in the coop should not. I work part time in a health food store and we have neem oil in tablet form, shampoo, skin cream, toothpaste, ointment and soap. I use it in my garden for organic pest control, only not on tomatoes. the tomatoe leaves do not seem to like it.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
So...if a chicken has them on their bottom (bottom that is "oozing"...perhaps gleet?) what would you suggest doing to remove them?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Oh...and I'm thinking they'd be likely to go up inside the vent. Seems like they'd find plenty to eat in there.

 

[armorfirelady]

Oh...and I'm thinking they'd be likely to go up inside the vent. Seems like they'd find plenty to eat in there.

I would think Leahs Mom that this would not be a problem for you or any of us who practice good chicken health/coops & who are aware of our birds and their health. Kassaundra is correct about maggots not liking healthy skin. I would think & hope that none of our birds would sit still long enough to have a fly land on them & lay eggs.

Or have bottoms that filthy that it would attract flies.