The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Pozees]

Yep. There is no perfect perfect enough to meet the prerequisites.

There shouldn't have to be. You are a perfect you, a better you than anyone else could ever be. That is your mission, purpose, in life. The moment you stop seeing yourself as inferior, or subordinate, you will cease appearing so to others.

There is nothing wrong with self improvement, I think most of us on this thread are in a continuous cycle of self improvement, but that is how life evolves. We don't give up on ourselves, we don't give up on each other, we just keep working at one little thing or another in a continuing effort to improve.

There is no such thing as a perfect human - humans are imperfect.

Chin up, carry on, we are all here for you.

 

[lalaland]

All chickens have worms..it does not matter if you worm them or not.

IMO..if you worm your birds you end up with more worms and a body that no longer resists over load and worms that are highly resistant.

I do not worm..I do take two samples a year into the vet. Both dog and chicken. I butcher out my birds and eat them. I can't have worm over load. I have no idea what I would do if I ever did have it..
All anyone can do is the best they can. Figure out what works for them and where they live and the type of set up they have.
If worms are on your mind..buy a microscope online. Testing your own droppings is not hard to do. Eventually I will do that myself.

Delisha, when you take the samples to the vet, do you ever have worms in the chickens? I'm not sure if you are saying if they have worms, you butcher them, or if you are saying that you can't tolerate worm overload because you eat the birds?

ack. I am trying to ask:
1. have you found worms in the samples taken to the vet?
2. if yes, what do you do about it?


You are soo right when you say sometimes it sucks being a steward of your flock!

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Hmmm I wonder if there is a way to test the pallets to see if they are treated or not....................like testing crocks for lead. Hmmmmm think I need to do some research for the future

 

[Leahs Mom]

Last year when we put up a new fence around the wooded part of the property, the fence guys came out and dropped off the fence posts the day before the job. They were wood. When I looked at the tag on the posts, it was treated. And...yes...with the arsenic containing treatment. (Even though it was supposedly banned in 2004???)

I felt really bad, but I called them and said they would have to reschedule as I did a little research and found that it leaches into the ground. Also checked organic farm standards which do NOT allow new fencing to have treated lumber. (including chromium, arsenic) It has been found to get into the ground around and they even have a standard so that if you have it already (grandfathered) you have to keep your animals a certain distance from those fence posts.

The fence guys took the posts away and suggested a different (creative) alternative that they had gotten approved for an organic chicken farm.

I'm really glad I looked at those tags.

 

[delisha]

Quote: I have had a few test with worms. The vet said . it was acceptable amounts
I eat my birds..When I butcher them I always check intestines. Even when my birds are healthy, anything can happen. If I always check and never miss I will not be lax in my husbandry. I butcher out only 5 times a year max. Months can go in between and i would be very angry at myself if i did not check the time before.
When I tested for worms the last time, I flooded my birds with garlic, thyme, Sage, and planted a few others I did not have to help with better prevention. They are just coming up now..I did yarrow, lemon balm, and peppermint. Prevention is the ticket. Keeping enough grazing pastures for your birds. Moving them for one area to another. Planting preventative plants not only help the chickens..they smell and look pretty in the year. In the winter they do not have access to those plants. I than load on the garlic. I have two grow outs for garlic. I plant in spring and fall and dig in spring and fall. Every year I have a need for more garlic. I am up to 100 plants a year now. I will have to plant much more next spring.

 

[MargaretYakoda]

Yep. There is no perfect perfect enough to meet the prerequisites.

Some people need to have someone to look down on. It makes them feel good about themselves.
In my situation, if my stepson, his mother, and stepson's baby-mama hadn't been such disruptive, destructive, nasty, larcenous, boozing and ... well enough about them... I was gonna say I almost feel sorry for them. Almost.
As dysfunctional as that bunch is, I still could never be perfect enough to meet their prerequisites. Go figure.

 

[Sally8]

WOOD ASH WARNING

Be sure you don't use ash from anything that may be treated lumber. LOTS OF PALLETS ARE MADE FROM TREATED LUMBER. BEWARE. If in doubt, don't burn it or be around a fire in which it may be....and DON'T USE IT IN YOUR CHICKEN DUST AREA!

Obviously, I don't know my treated lumber. Any that I've seen has a little different look to it. Sort of greenish. When we built our deck we used treated decking and then later I read where some people/kids become very sick by being on it. It's been here nearly 10 years now but next year have plans to remove it. DH and I don't often use it. It's supposed to last longer.

 

[aoxa]

WOOD ASH WARNING

Be sure you don't use ash from anything that may be treated lumber. LOTS OF PALLETS ARE MADE FROM TREATED LUMBER. BEWARE. If in doubt, don't burn it or be around a fire in which it may be....and DON'T USE IT IN YOUR CHICKEN DUST AREA!




Additionally... Please don't use treated lumber around your chickens or other animals. Even if the wood is free. It's not worth the risk.

This is a pretty quick read with other resources if you're interested in knowing more.
http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HENV/HENV-100-W.pdf

I was very clear with my contractor not to use treated wood.

FYI The hen bag contest is over. Look out to see the winner.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Aoxa - I went to the website for the hen bag and didn't see an update w/winner?

 

[armorfirelady]

Aoxa - I went to the website for the hen bag and didn't see an update w/winner?

It's on their FB wall (blue yurts)