The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[RedRidge]

I didn't want to take a chance on getting that one chick confused but wanted her to have buddies. Funny though... After I added the HRIR chicks this morning I realized how different she looked. I need to toe punch ask the RIR because I have more from the other pen hatching in 3 days. I've hatched just enough now that I'm going to have to start combining in the brooders so vet wrap and toe punching will be necessary now.

 

[lalaland]

What about ear mites? Gently push the feathers covering her ear canal forward and see if you see a tiny bug and/or the canal is crusty or smelly. My sister had a rooster that got ear mites and lost a few feathers on his head too, that is when we caught him we could smell the stench from his ears. Cleaned them out with peroxide, cleaning as much gunk out as possible, then filled the ear canal with antibiotic ointment. He was healed after about 3 treatments, none of the hens have had ear mites just him.

ack! I haven't heard of ear mite in chickens,....and have never ever looked at a chicken's ear canal. might have to take a look next time I am bothering one for something.
AFL, let us know if that might be it! nutstock will work for that too, although the cleaning out the gunk first sounds good.

interesting that you could smell the mites.

 

[lalaland]

It's that time of year... had 12 of the 16 of these HRIR hatch night... another is pipping.
I so LOVE the babies.

In this second pic the bottom 2 are HRIR (they are fresh out of the bator)...
Top chick with chipmunk stripes is an F1 who is a few days old - part of my Rhodebar improvement breeding (an Rhodebar cock over HRIR hens).



Brooders are getting full... at least the temperatures are improving... spring is on the way...

thank you for the pics! like the pink ankle bracelet, creative use of vet wrap! I'm definitely jonesing for chicks, but it is winter here. and a blizzard forcast for thursday. But today is above freezing.

I've forgotten what your coop or barn setup is, you must have a huge layout like Aoxa to have so many chicks!

 

[aoxa]

I didn't want to take a chance on getting that one chick confused but wanted her to have buddies. Funny though... After I added the HRIR chicks this morning I realized how different she looked. I need to toe punch ask the RIR because I have more from the other pen hatching in 3 days. I've hatched just enough now that I'm going to have to start combining in the brooders so vet wrap and toe punching will be necessary now.

She looks just like my Buckeyes at that age

I just hatched the most beautiful Buckeye chick. Since you breed for quality, I am sure you know the importance of big thick heads. Well this chick has the nicest head I have ever seen. Nice wide set legs as well. I have banded it, even though I can easily tell the Buckeyes apart from everything else. I don't want to accidentally sell this chick.

 

[armorfirelady]

Did you show her pictures of my NNs and maybe she thought she could pull it off?

In all seriousness I am voting feather picking from the others.

You know I did ask her if she was changing breeds after asking her if Leahs Mom stopped by.............

AFL where does she roost - near a wall or vent? Any chance there's a hole she is sticking her head through, or some stray piece of wood or plastic she's catching the feathers on? I agree with lala I would go ahead and put some Nustock on - it may address whatever the problem is even if you never figure it out. The pin prick sized blood spots do indicate the feathers may have been pulled out, the question is, by what/whom?

I have a 8 ft roost & she is normally towards the middle of the roost. She can't reach the roof vent from the roost its about 3 ft over their head. And she wouldn't fit at the end where the coop curves. She is to big & that's Edie or Lucy's favorite spot. They get up there before dusk to claim their spot.

Quote: Their old run is wood lattice which she could stick her head through however it's covered with plastic so I doubt she would stick her head through it. Besides there is no food between the lattice & plastic.

What about ear mites? Gently push the feathers covering her ear canal forward and see if you see a tiny bug and/or the canal is crusty or smelly. My sister had a rooster that got ear mites and lost a few feathers on his head too, that is when we caught him we could smell the stench from his ears. Cleaned them out with peroxide, cleaning as much gunk out as possible, then filled the ear canal with antibiotic ointment. He was healed after about 3 treatments, none of the hens have had ear mites just him.

Hmmm never thought of ear mites. I will look later with the magnifying glass & see if there is anything I can see in there. Or an smell. I did hold her last night and didn't notice any odor tho I did not sniff her ear. I would think the ear mites would make her scratch?

 

[aoxa]

You know I did ask her if she was changing breeds after asking her if Leahs Mom stopped by.............

She must be Lucy's long lost sister

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Lucy is adorable. And yes she could pass for her sister now



I was reading an article and saw they said that epsom salts was a raccoon deterrent. They susgest using it to keep them out of the garbage but I was wondering of sprinkling it around your coop would work as well.
http://centslessdeals.com/2014/02/household-epsom-salts.html/

 

[ki4got]

I didn't want to take a chance on getting that one chick confused but wanted her to have buddies. Funny though... After I added the HRIR chicks this morning I realized how different she looked. I need to toe punch ask the RIR because I have more from the other pen hatching in 3 days. I've hatched just enough now that I'm going to have to start combining in the brooders so vet wrap and toe punching will be necessary now.

I've never toe punched, but use wing bands and colored leg bands (zip ties for chicks, split ring for adults)

 

[aoxa]

Lucy is adorable. And yes she could pass for her sister now



I was reading an article and saw they said that epsom salts was a raccoon deterrent. They susgest using it to keep them out of the garbage but I was wondering of sprinkling it around your coop would work as well.
http://centslessdeals.com/2014/02/household-epsom-salts.html/

AFL: Note that my silkies pick the beards off one another. The hens do this to eachother and to their boys. I am wondering if this is what your girls are doing to Lucy?

I had a huge issue with them doing this especially in my bantam Ameraucanas. I had registered them for show last year and brought them all without beards because I had already paid the fee.. Wasn't going to leave them behind... A judge friend of mine told me it's quite common for bearded birds to do this.. especially if in pens or during the winter.


Here is an example.. Ugh.. Ugly I know. Sorry.. I think they are mostly picking the FF off one another in the Silkie coop. Every single one of my silkies need a bath.. They have been swimming in the FF. The whites look TERRIBLE! Plus I have clipped every crest in there. Gave one a mohawk after being inspired by Leahs Mom's pullet

 

[Leahs Mom]

Okay...instruct me on the vet wrap leg bands.

I tried using vet wrap on my last group of kiddos. I'd put it on and they'd take it off. I'd put it on and they'd take it off. Repeat. (This is the song that never ends....)