The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Thank you all..

I can't take credit for him..I purchased him from Nellie. She has done all of the work and I am reaping the benefits. My Black English was also bred by Nellie. If you want top quality and a woman who will bend over backwards for you, tell her I sent you.

Vicki

http://www.rockin-g-ranch.com/TheFancyChick.html

 

[Sally8]

Delisha - He truly is beautiful!!!

My hen is hanging in there, so far. I don't have to worry about clipping any feathers around her vent area as there aren't any. I've been slathering her up with the NuStock and nothing bothers that. I also started injections of Tlan 50. there were so many open wounds I was just afraid of infection. her body size is that of a pigeon. She seemed quite stressed about not being with the babies so I booted all the other chickens outside and left her and babies in the coop and run by themselves. She was very happy. Last night I caged her back up again. My biggest concern is bacteria. By caging her, I can check her poop and make sure that she's still eating and drinking. I want to thank you all for your suggestions. It was very helpful.

I use my colander to sift through wood ash. It's time consuming but it's almost soft to the touch. I have a 50 lb bag, all done, waiting for use.

 

[mlowen]

Over-build Owen, here. I made sifters out of 2x4 scraps and 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch hardware cloth. I use them for the wood ash and gravel/sand and soil, etc. They're a little heavy (2x2 would have been better, but I don't have a table saw.) It fits over my garden cart, so I have a portable pile of what ever falls through the mesh.

 

[RedRidge]

Wood ash? We don't sift...
We heat with wood, so as you can imagine we have plenty of ash.
We have 2 ash collectors that get taken to the garden and simply tossed/spread every few days all winter.
If the chickens want it sifted, well... guess they'll do it themselves.

I'm a "work smarter and not harder kinda" shepherdess/flockmaster.

(is that another way of saying lazy?)

 

[armorfirelady]

It is the coconut oil. Honest to goodness best thing I have ever figured out!!

I am going to take pics tonight since my Mom can hold her while I change her bandages. I'm curious to compare them from Tuesday.

My hen is hanging in there, so far. I don't have to worry about clipping any feathers around her vent area as there aren't any. I've been slathering her up with the NuStock and nothing bothers that. I also started injections of Tlan 50. there were so many open wounds I was just afraid of infection. her body size is that of a pigeon. She seemed quite stressed about not being with the babies so I booted all the other chickens outside and left her and babies in the coop and run by themselves. She was very happy. Last night I caged her back up again. My biggest concern is bacteria. By caging her, I can check her poop and make sure that she's still eating and drinking. I want to thank you all for your suggestions. It was very helpful.

Glad to hear she is doing better. Can the chicks stay with her all the time now since you keep her nustocked up? I am guessing they wont like the taste and you said she seems less stressed with them around?

Wood ash? We don't sift...
We heat with wood, so as you can imagine we have plenty of ash.
We have 2 ash collectors that get taken to the garden and simply tossed/spread every few days all winter.
If the chickens want it sifted, well... guess they'll do it themselves.

I'm a "work smarter and not harder kinda" shepherdess/flockmaster.

(is that another way of saying lazy?)

Ahhhh I keep forgetting to add mine to the garden......well I guess some made it when I put their box in the middle of it and the created their dust cloud

I heat with wood as well but I use pallet pieces as starter wood so I need to sift for nails.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Yes...that kind of stuff - like nails, rocks, etc. are the only reason I want to sift. MLO - I like the idea of a wheelbarrow full!

Actually, so far I haven't sifted anything. But I found a few nails the last time and was pawing through it all by hand to be sure I wasn't tossing nails or any other stray items in there and I figured that some kind of sift system would be a good idea

 

[RedRidge]

Yes...that kind of stuff - like nails, rocks, etc. are the only reason I want to sift. MLO - I like the idea of a wheelbarrow full!

Actually, so far I haven't sifted anything. But I found a few nails the last time and was pawing through it all by hand to be sure I wasn't tossing nails or any other stray items in there and I figured that some kind of sift system would be a good idea

Ah... now I understand... didn't realize there was extra "stuff" in the burn pile.

 

[aoxa]

Yes...that kind of stuff - like nails, rocks, etc. are the only reason I want to sift. MLO - I like the idea of a wheelbarrow full!

Actually, so far I haven't sifted anything. But I found a few nails the last time and was pawing through it all by hand to be sure I wasn't tossing nails or any other stray items in there and I figured that some kind of sift system would be a good idea

If nails would hurt them, my chickens would be in big trouble.

I sifted for the babies, but never for the adults. Actually it's been quite a long time since I've used wood ash> I have been using straight organic garden top soil. I have an abundance of it, and it's less dusty and irritating (for my lungs anyway) in the chicken coop.

I made a mistake of putting it in the corner of the baby barn and they all mixed it in the bedding. God forbid they scratch around, it's like a dust ball in there now.

 

[Leahs Mom]

So far I only put ash in one area outside and not tons of it. I kind-of let them decide if they want to use the ash area or a different area. That way I'm not locking them in to using the ash if it is irritating or such.

ETA: Last winter I had some inside too. I DEFINITELY understand the indoor dust storm syndrome.

 

[delisha]

I have a fire pit for the chickens and I also have a huge container full of dirt and ash. I pull the huge container and put it in different area's so all the birds have access to ash when I have the birds set up in breeder pens. The baby's have a tupperware container full of ash that they can use and the big chickens can't fit in.

My leghorn just took baby's out for the first time yesterday and the first thing she did was show them the dust baths.