The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

In case anyone is interested and doesn't want to search, here's the info about the fish antibiotic I referenced above:

Tricide Neo used for pond fish. First read about it at this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/303829/vet-suggestion-for-non-invasive-bumblefoot-cure

I ordered some from this guy...really nice guy if you ever want to order some...I told him I'd recommend him! https://www.pondrx.com/products/16166.html

 

[delisha]

Justine,

Take a little movie clip of your meaties free ranging. Add weekly pictures of development that you have already taken, and just do an outline on : how much feed, how long free ranging, area covered etc
People are only going to go by what they see and hear. If you give a visual more people will understand that meaties are great foragers. They are so food motivated they learn so quickly if you start them early and if they have other birds to show them where food is.They love greens and bugs. Some will hover over fresh poo and wait for flies to land.
Most people cage birds now. They do not, nor have the room to free range. Some are terrified they will get eaten by preds. (I just lost 4 chicks this week to a cooper hawk). The rest of the chicks are hanging pretty close to the coops now. It does happen and it is a risk I take.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Good post, Del. I'd love to see those videos and be able to reference folks to see them and read the info also.

While goat shopping I had talked w a young couple who have goats and were raising meaties. I sent them to this thread and we talked some about how they had been taught that you always have to use medicated feed with them.

We talked about the issues of med feed, and they said that they really wanted healthy meat from non medicated birds raised in a more natural way. I also sent them a link to the video that we always reference showing the meaties ranging all over the place.

Just got an email from them and they had just finished raising their first batch totally non-medicated.

I know folks want to do it, they just think it's not possible due to the teachings out there. Having more info and another few good videos would be wonderful.

 

[aoxa]

Justine,

Take a little movie clip of your meaties free ranging. Add weekly pictures of development that you have already taken, and just do an outline on : how much feed, how long free ranging, area covered etc
People are only going to go by what they see and hear. If you give a visual more people will understand that meaties are great foragers. They are so food motivated they learn so quickly if you start them early and if they have other birds to show them where food is.They love greens and bugs. Some will hover over fresh poo and wait for flies to land.
Most people cage birds now. They do not, nor have the room to free range. Some are terrified they will get eaten by preds. (I just lost 4 chicks this week to a cooper hawk). The rest of the chicks are hanging pretty close to the coops now. It does happen and it is a risk I take.

I wish I had more videos of them starting out. I am TERRIBLE at videoing. lol I will be doing this, but everyone has to excuse my abilities.

I took one this weekend at an inappropriate time (after they ate) so it didn't turn out how I would have liked it to.

I get a kick out of grain time. I spread the grains where the grass is long. They do an amazing job at trampling/eating it down to where I'd like to see it. It is hilarious watching a flock of at least 100 of them running behind me when I get the food scoop.

 

[aaggjg]

Oh I doubt kefir will "cure" a serious problem... but with all the beneficial probiotics it's what I would do in the future for prevention.

Yeah I didn't think it would cure a serious problem.... I give my girls yogurt regularly to help promote good gut bacteria!!

 

[BlueMouse]

I have two meaties that I'm keeping as breeders that range with my layer flock. They are the first out, the most active foragers, and the last in at night. I raised the rest of my meaties in a tractor and they were tiny for some reason. Only dressed out at about 3lbs a bird. but they were healthy! we lost one bird to flip, and she was free ranged from the start, so I think it was just genetics. No leg problems, nothing. They were busy eating the grass down in the tractor to the very end! I think I'm going to try the "grain trick" with this next lot I give them two meals because they're in the tractor. Maybe give them their first meal as grain scattered in the new forage, and their second meal as fermented mash in their trough.... That's why I love this thread. I learn something new all the time.

dissapointed to add that none of the eggs I saved after my broody was driven off her nest made it in the incubator. I'm really disgusted. I have so wanted cream legbars and have had zero luck with hatching eggs so far. Either by broody or by incubator.

 

[aaggjg]

OH... wanted to also say about the bumblefoot that I had purchased the fish antibiotic (Tricide Neo) and tried it on my first bird.  However, by the time I got it I had already been working with her for 3 weeks and I was just plain tired of soaking feet on a bird in the middle of winter at night.

The antibiotic comes in powdered form and you dilute it at the correct ratio for the soak.  [COLOR=FF0000]In the future, I may dilute some and try soaking a cotton pad with it, put it on the site of the bumble, then wrap w/vetwrap.  That way they can get the "soak" without me having to stand around with a bird in a bucket nightly for what felt like days on end.[/COLOR]

Not sure how that would work, but it might be worth the try

I read about that powder it's days to dip for 5-7 mins no more & not get it on yourself!! I'd worry about leaving it on for too long... But the chicken soak is time consuming!!! My girl seems to be the only one who doesn't like it!!

Her scabs are hard and dry. Her feet don't appear to be swollen or red. I tried to peel back the scabs .... One foot I got it 1/2 off. I didn't see any puss or infection do I slathered it with Nu-stock and wrapped it up. The other one I didn't manage to get up so I slathered it & wrapped. I wrapped them much looser this time. I think I had them to tight before as her discomfort the next day was noticeable!!!

She is still panting but was up this morning when I went in to check on her. So I hope that means she's feeling a bit better!!!

 

[aoxa]

I have two meaties that I'm keeping as breeders that range with my layer flock. They are the first out, the most active foragers, and the last in at night. I raised the rest of my meaties in a tractor and they were tiny for some reason. Only dressed out at about 3lbs a bird. but they were healthy! we lost one bird to flip, and she was free ranged from the start, so I think it was just genetics. No leg problems, nothing. They were busy eating the grass down in the tractor to the very end! I think I'm going to try the "grain trick" with this next lot I give them two meals because they're in the tractor. Maybe give them their first meal as grain scattered in the new forage, and their second meal as fermented mash in their trough.... That's why I love this thread. I learn something new all the time.

dissapointed to add that none of the eggs I saved after my broody was driven off her nest made it in the incubator. I'm really disgusted. I have so wanted cream legbars and have had zero luck with hatching eggs so far. Either by broody or by incubator.

The goats are no help with cutting the grass, so at least the meaties pick up the slack!

I keep going closer to the house. It's quite long up at the fence line. I feed them mostly whole grains now.

 

[aaggjg]

Sitting in my yard having coffee while my girls free range.... They all just ran for cover even the silkies. I saw nothing. Nothing at all.... But a minute later I heard the hawks call. It always makes me think of the person who said not to handle your birds too much as they'd lose their predator instinct.... Umm that's a big fat NO!!! Hahaha. I often handle my girls and they are still scared of strangers in my yard let alone hawks, coyotes etc etc well done girls!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

I also have had the scabs where there appeared to be no infection. I have decided not to mess with any feet if there is not an obvious infection present- even if they have scabs. Sometimes I think that it is healing and their own immune systems have taken care of it. Maybe I'm wrong.


I know we are trying to PREVENT rather than treat problems, and a strong immune system on a healthy bird can fight off infections. I also know that when I have an infection from a sliver or whatever, I remove the sliver, try to clean out the infection, and often put on some kind of ointment whether it's lavender oil or whatever, to kill any bacteria remaining so that my body can begin to heal. So...if I see infection I'll try to drain it. If I don't, I just keep a watch on it to see how things progress.

On the tricide neo, I agree. I don't want to spend days and days soaking their feet. That's why I think I may use it on a soaked cotton pad inside the bandage if I ever decide to use it again. I just won't take the daily time needed to mess with those soaks. It's really more simple to just do the surgery, clean out the infection (if there is one) and be done with it. I did try it a few days on my first bird, but quit using it as I didn't want to keep soaking for weeks. T

It isn't a problem getting it on you. However you need to know that it will absorb through the skin so it depends on how much antibiotic you want to absorb.