The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[kian]

Thank you Justine, I'm following her now.

Poor Booster! This cold we're all getting is just no fun for anyone

TeaChick, I am sorry about your girl.

 

[Pozees]

TeaChick - sorry. Bummer. We have one we've been nursing about the same time as you nursed yours, which I remain conflicted about, but DH has been so very attentive to her I can't give up yet. Like yours, she has not given up, so we won't either. The day she does we will cull. And hate it.

Lala, I had a cockerel whose comb was looking at least as bad as yours, and now he appears to have largely recovered without losing anything (so far) - though there's a good chance that's because after we had our six day freeze we had a week where we topped freezing at last part of the day, and the last four days we've been over 50. The coop stays around 10 degrees warmer than ambient outdoor temp, so the nights it was zero it was ten in the coop, etc. I think our bottom out low was around -4. I was confident his whole comb was going to fall off when it warmed up, it had a thick yellow stripe and black tips, but now he just has a tiny bit of black at the tips, the rest is pink to red again. I'm surprised, to be honest.

He just came to live here a week before the freeze, I took him in from a woman about 40 miles North of us because she could not keep him due to his maleness (lives in the city) and she sent him with his pullet mate. She told me they were Barnevelders from a breeder, but after I got them I discovered they are in fact hatchery quality Partridge Rocks. He is very good sized, and while a teenager (first full crow was the day after he got here), because he is with my layer flock of pullets and hens all older than he is, they keep him in line, and when they go out to forage he behaves well and is basically a pretty peaceful guy all things considered. When we saw how bad his comb looked a week ago I felt just awful for not putting anything on it, but now it looks like he'll get to keep it. We are due another freeze late this week and this time I will put something on it, coconut oil or vaseline.

 

[armorfirelady]

 
i get these painful skin infections, and it immediately soothes the pain. The infection clears up after 48 hours if it is mild, and 3 treatments if one of my bad infections. 

I use it on cuts as well.  

Justine, you are the reason I ahve a jar of coconut oil!  haven't used it yet....if I apply something, maybe I should do half oil and half nustock.  true test!

Yup she is the reason I have 2 jars lol I found them at a good price. When I remember I cook up the hens eggs in them. That way they get the benefit of the eggs and the coconut oil. I forget the other day so I just put a few spoonfuls on the eggs when they were cooked & didn't worry if they melted since the girls eat it when it's solid also.

I also figured out a way to prevent from the hens wearing their yogurt during these freezing temps. I mixed in some corn meal today and it was thicker and Sophie didn't end up wearing it. Next time I am going to add some sunflower and pumpkin seeds . Girls don't seem to mind the extras added to it

 

[zinia8]

I learned a whole lot about feather picking from this book "Poultry signals".  There are a few pages on it!
1. absence of meat protein can lead to feather picking beginning at earlier ages.
2. too much light can be a factor, as can boredom, cramped quarters
3, a lack of pecking targets as a chick can lead to feather picking as they get older
4. irritation from red mites
5. deficiencies in diet - lacking fiber, minerals, vitamins or amino acids
6. stress

a chicken has to eat 4 grams more food each day for every 10% of feathers it loses.

what to do?
keep chickens busy with scattered grain, suspended ropes, peck blocks, corn cobs - keep introducing new distractions, change it up.
give feed in mash/meal form rather than pellets or crumbles
think the feed with high fibre stuff like ground oats, sunflower seeds

Now, having said that - I have 7 hens that were raised their first year in a guy's bedroom.  never outside.  they are champion feather peckers, and nothing I've done has helped, they had a year to perfect their obsession.  I've had them about a year and ahalf, and the feather picking has lessened...but it is still there. 

I did try a rooster booster peck no more, but gave it up because it was lightly fragranced and I am not found of scents.  
good luck

Thanks lala
Think she is going to a champion feather picker.
I feed FF and try to give them meat at least once a week. May have to up that.
Looked for mites but haven't seen any but that doesn't mean they are free of them.

 

[armorfirelady]

Here is the white stuff I had to put up with last week. Don't worry I had almost 3 ft of the other white stuff to shovel when I got home. I tried bring the warm wx home but wasn't very successful.

Sending warm thoughts to those like me in frigid temps

 

[lalaland]

Here is the white stuff I had to put up with last week. Don't worry I had almost 3 ft of the other white stuff to shovel when I got home. I tried bring the warm wx home but wasn't very successful.

Sending warm thoughts to those like me in frigid temps

oh, afl, you have a mean streak in you!

 

[Scott H]

Yeah that's just wrong.....

 

[CoopChick719]

For what it's worth I do feel sorry for you all (and your chickens). I'd rather be farther south than I am; you guys give me perspective not to complain so much. =)

We are enjoying beautiful weather here too, days have been sunny and in the 60's, will continue for a few more days. One of the great things about OK just when you think you can't stand another day of cold (I am a cold weenie could never survive what you guys do) in comes a warm front to give the strength to get through the next cold snap!!!!

I try very hard not to go out in this type of cold. However, I do make an exception for the girls!

Lala... remember aspircream? Topical treatment might feel good to him. I think you can still get it at the store.

Aspircream...that might be something to add to the chicken medical kit.

TeaChick, I am so sorry to hear about your girl.

Lala, Poor Booster! Hope he heals up soon!

AFL, Will trade your white for mine! Oh wait you're in New York--we have similar weather!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: You know...I'm going to sound like a "broken record" here but...

I am very cautious about putting anything on frostbite while they are still outside in the cold. One thing that I saw that was posted from the Chicken Health Handbook makes sense to me. It says:

Quote:
I think it is really hard to apply any kind of ointment, oil, etc. without some level of added damage (or without some level of "massaging"). I had not read that before this morning, but my own personal caution tells me that the more I mess with it the more damage I might cause.

It's good to hear folks saying that even when they looked really bad that they have had some turn red again with much less loss than it looked like they were going to have.

Now, of course, I may change my mind on this so I'm just thinking out loud here...and putting it out here for consideration.

ETA: Justine - I just noticed that you think you sound like a broken record too

 

[Leahs Mom]

I also figured out a way to prevent from the hens wearing their yogurt during these freezing temps. I mixed in some corn meal today and it was thicker and Sophie didn't end up wearing it. Next time I am going to add some sunflower and pumpkin seeds

. Girls don't seem to mind the extras added to it

Good idea! I have been slow to give the wet stuff in the cold since the flick it around and it can cause more frostbite issues.