The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

Honestly Groucho cracks me up. How can I not keep him?

He's my pick for the EE breeding pen. Bonus: He has slate legs. That's what I like to see on EEs rather than the green. Just a preference.

 

[delisha]

I'd check that straw to make sure it's not harbor if the mites. I think it was Delisha who said straw can carry mites?

Quote: Much of the healing activity of wild cherry bark is associated with scopoletin: analgesic, antiarrhythmic, antibacterial, anticonstrictive (in the bronchial tubes), antihepatotoxic, anti-inflammatory, fungicide, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood sugars, relaxing the muscles, "sedating" the uterus. The bark is also about 1/2% hydrogen cyanide, just enough to stop coughing and to relax the bronchial tubes without having any other physiological effects. You might consider tossing a handful in the coop for the winter. I am so jealous you have that cherry bark.

I just put alot of mixed hardwood sawdust in the run. I didn't let it cure. Did I do something wrong. Chooks don't seem to mind. Figured it will be covered by 3 feet of snow by the end of October. Oh yeah the leaves changing colors on the hilltops of Pennsylvania already and summer is not suppose to be over yet.

You did not do nothing wrong. Usually curing the wood is done for different reasons. Bugs live in trees, like mites. Curing the tree trimmings give them an opportunity to break down and let good microbes start.

Just wondering if anyone else has seen a bird with this; Nasty smelly discharge from the EARS! along with sneezing and some discharge from the nose.

This is an Ameraucauna pullet, hatched last Dec. Not laying yet, tho her hatchmate started about 3 weeks ago. I did not notice anything odd Sat evening when I let birds out to range, tho I have heard a few sneezes the last few days (just didn't see who it was). But tonight I really noticed her, one eye almost shut, but not with any bulging type of swelling. Noticed her beard and muffs looked dirty and her sneezing. So looked closer, her ears were crusty. I cleaned them of the dried goo and noticed the smell. I never really looked at chicken ears before ;-) didn't realize there were actual holes there, I guess I was thinking the openings were covered with skin.

Anyway, I poured peroxide in both her ears because I could see more nasty whitish discharge inside. Got them as clean as I could and wipe out her nose some. She became pretty lethargic in my lap once she realized she couldn't get loose and when I set her down I was really thinking she is just going to die tonight, that she'd be dead when I came back to check on her. Well, not so. She was up on her feet and her eye was opening up bigger than it was.

So far her crop is empty and she is not wanting to eat yet, but man when I have a head cold/ear infection I don't want to eat either. I did put down a small amount of feed, with some chopped garlic and mealworms.

Some background, this bird has been raised on certified organic feed, fermented, from day one. We do tend to have bad bouts of feather mites or some kind of lice. I dusted everyone with sulfur about the first of the month and this bird has the first live bugs I have seen since.

Ideas, suggestions? I'm going to keep her isolated and give her a couple days. Otherwise off with her head. I don't need her infecting 80+ other birds.

Ear infection possibly. Might be mites too.
Q tip swipe the ear and than take the q tip and wipe on a piece of white paper. You will be able to see them.

Quote: Thnks for this information..never heard to use neopsorin

Honestly Groucho cracks me up. How can I not keep him?

He's my pick for the EE breeding pen. Bonus: He has slate legs. That's what I like to see on EEs rather than the green. Just a preference.

cute boy

 

[aoxa]

cute boy

Did you notice the eyebrows? Sometimes people miss it




The meaties @ 8 weeks. As big as my full grown chickens (at least the hens).

The one to the far left is Lydia, my layer x BR mutt hen. Penny's daughter.

 

[MumsyII]

When I got to Catdance Farm to pick up my White trio, I was intrigued by all the outstanding boys she had in separate cages. There were single boys and boys doubled up and there were pairings. I thought it was a great set up. Obviously, it is a great set up for this world class Silkie breeder. I think there were upwards of three hundred Silkies on her farm and keeping roos in reserve or for re-sale is always tricky.



Nearly every barn we went into had sets of these cages. As soon as we got home my husband made me a set. I want more.


My set measures roughly 28"x48". My husband wired them so I can put a low wattage bulb in it. I turn the lights on when it's dark. Mr. Nasty is on the top. I have a four month old cockerel below him that is hiding.


I already had breeding cages set up permanently in my barn. These two are 3'x3'. I have six of them. Catdance Porcelain boy on top and a Catdance Paint on the bottom.

My White flock have free access into the barn and a large outside run. The cooped cockerels in reserve in the barn can see and hear the flock. The roo that is breeding now doesn't fight through the fence but he still likes to give those on the ground floor the stink eye. I keep thick planks in the front of these pens to keep the litter from being scratched out. The only Silkie that likes to roost is this one in the last photo. The Catdance Paint. He has a 2"x4" plank to roost on. It's removable.

edited to add: All of the ground floor pens have pop doors to the outside but they are closed now.

 

[aoxa]

First real predator attack: Goshawk. Actually got one this time. It injured one last week (it died) but it took off with it this time.

Juvenile Barred Plymouth Rock. Sucks, but glad it was not an adult. They were smart enough to take cover.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Those hawks seem to be thick this year for some reason. I don't know my specific hawk types, but they seem to be in abundance here whatever they are.

Just in time for my broody's hatch time

 

[Leahs Mom]

Mumsy - when you use the cages, you said that there is a pop door at the bottom level. Does that go outside into a separate fenced area?

 

[aoxa]

Those hawks seem to be thick this year for some reason. I don't know my specific hawk types, but they seem to be in abundance here whatever they are.

Just in time for my broody's hatch time

Thankfully my broodies are always in the brush. Way out of sight. It's the little ones that are easy targets. Funny though, it's never the white birds. Both captured chicks were Barred. Another one was injured and is fine, with a little limp (Silver Pencilled). I've put her in the brooder to recover.

The crows are awesome though, warning US about it. The roosters sound an alarm, and everyone takes cover - so any stragglers are just asking for it. Not something I'd want in my breeding program, but I don't like to lose any of my animals this way.

 

[MumsyII]

Mumsy - when you use the cages, you said that there is a pop door at the bottom level. Does that go outside into a separate fenced area?

The pop doors on the back of the barn (South side) open up into a large run under the old growth fir trees. I can erect small individual runs for trios in a hurry during the winter. The pop doors on the East end of the barn are the layer pens and they have a separate run that is only closed at night after the hens are locked in the barn for the night. The pop doors on the North side (porch side) open into small runs. Same routine. They are only closed at night after birds are locked up tight. In a very small area using the entire barn I have eight separate runs. This does not include the turkey hoop coop or chick house.

 

[MumsyII]

@Aoxa: I love the pictures of the meaties and the eyebrow guy. Nice looking flock. I'm am sorry about the hawk attack. I sit outside with my flock and can count Eagles, Ospry, and Red tailed hawks all in an afternoon cruising over head. So far, all those whirly gigs and streamers and flags are keeping them away from my birds, but I know it's only a matter of time before one of them gets hungry enough to take a chance. I know what you mean about not breeding 'stupid' into your flock but it still doesn't help when you lose them like that.

About cherry wood. I've got the biggest wild cherry tree on the island (told by various tree trimmers) Been using the leaves in my DL until I ran out. We use the branches for roosts. I save all small prunnings, twigs, and chips to cure and use them to smoke meat. I love all my orchard trees for these uses but that cherry tree is the best.


Turkeys on a Cherry limb roost in the hoop coop run.