The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[CoopChick719]

I sprained my ankle taking a bucket of water out to the hen shed this afternoon. (I think just sprained...I suppose it "could" be broken...)

I had about 1000 things to do out there today. Not to mention that I've been keeping hawk-watch and going out at various times just to change what's going on to keep those preds guessing.

How in the heck do you take care of animals when you can't walk?

That sucks! Any local kids you could trust to help? My family took pity on me a few months ago when I fell on ice, bruising or cracking my ribs when I landed on top of a hexagon-shaped waterer that I was taking to the coop. I'd hobble out to scrape the roosts and give feed but carrying anything heavier than a gallon of water took my breath away.

Must be the week for mishaps. I took needle nose pliers to the face & had to get stitches. I have a pretty rainbow colored half mustache. I have been trying not to bend over close to the hens since I am afraid they will want to check out the pretty stitches

At least I wasn't using power tools lol Ice on for 20 minutes off for 20. Keep it elevated when you can. I would have to guess if your still hobbling on it probably not broken. In my experience sprains/strains hurt worse then breaks. But an xray certainly will tell you what you need to know.

Please let me know how the comfrey works. I have none here but am always looking for herbal ways to heal myself. I am using coconut oil on my lacerations & chapped lips to see if I can stop from getting a scar. Dr said I couldn't use lip balm (breeds nasty things apparently) & my lips are super dry from the injury.

Yikes on the pliers to the face! Glad it wasn't more serious! When I use coconut oil on my lips or face, I get big kisses from the dogs and the cats. They love it!

Every man needs a tractor. No matter his circumstances.

A few years ago, we had at least 5 tractors in the garage. DH likes restoring them but decided he didn't need 5 so he sold 3. He had an old John Deere B. I was sad to see that one go. It made that great johnny popper sound!

 

[hellbender]

Every man needs a tractor. No matter his circumstances.

Once you get used to having one around, you will cry when it's down, which shouldn't be often, if well cared for. Also, the harder you work them, the better they hold up. We don't 'dog' our wheeled equipment but we demand it earns it's keep, (especially under warranty). If anything is going to go wrong, that's the time to have it happen!

 

[paulsooie]

Ok I'm new to chickens, but want to try and stay natural. I'm sure the answers are on here but couldn't make it through 1000 pages

. What are the natural way I need to medicate, worm and prevent mites lol no problems yet but I don't want any either

 

[tjo804]

Ok I'm new to chickens, but want to try and stay natural. I'm sure the answers are on here but couldn't make it through 1000 pages

. What are the natural way I need to medicate, worm and prevent mites lol no problems yet but I don't want any either

PREVENTATIVE

medicate? for what?

Use a small amount of ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar with *the Mother* in it . it should be Raw unpasteurized READ LABLES!
Builds up good bacteria in Chicken many vitamins and minerals (kind of like Yogurt) also helps to control slime in water system
NEVER USE ACV IN A METAL WATERING SYSTEM IT BECOMES TOXIC

Worms , Mites and lice Garlic clove crushed in drinking water 1x month or so and Pumpkin seeds in their feed.
keep an area that has good wood ashes for them to dust bathe in especially if they will go for long periods of wet run from rain or snow something small in coop with ashes from fire pit /place. make sure it was for burning wood only no sharp objects or melted chemicals.

Those are natural ways I have.

BTW Welcome

 

[RedRidge]

Ahhh! I came home today planning on locking down the incubator and there's a chick in there! Day 18. So glad it didn't get squished by the turner! I quickly pulled it out, pulled out the turner, put the eggs back in, filled the water trays, put the chick back in and closed the bator. I don't know if I should risk candling or not. No idea what time the little one hatched. Brooder not set up. What should I do? This is my first hatch so I'm panicking a bit! Humidity was at 40 now up to 60. Any advice?! Oh and there's another with and external pip but its at the wrong end.

every thing will be fine..just remove the turner or turn it off and let things finish out. You can add water if you need it with a straw or a tube threw the air holes if you are worried. I usually have a warm damp wash cloth ready before I open the box for any reason. Adding it to the incubator while I am doing what I need to do adds humidity and heat that i am stealing by opening it. (I do try not to do it. It risks chicks still in the eggs, but you have an early start and probably should.) I never suggest anyone to assist in a hatch. They do not hatch for a reason. Saving them now is not about the chick..it is about ourselves. Quote:

There is such a thing as snow guards! ?! :-0 I'm sure that my husband would add that to his "I will never live there if...". For instance... Top on his list... I will never live somewhere where it gets so cold people plug their cars in. ;-P

LOL I am getting them now that I know they exist!! Thanks for that I don't plug my car in, and it gets way too cold here.

Hi stranger!! I have not been on much either..I miss and skip so much... I do not plug in either. If I can't find a vehicle that starts in this weather all the time with out a plug..I am stranded eventually.

[COLOR=FF0000]Please help with my Girl![/COLOR] When I let the ladies out today to play Brady was *off* Her head pulled in falling asleep standing up and not even looking for anything to eat. She was drinking water from a pan in the yard and looked like she had diarrhea I ran to go look it was an egg there was no Yolk in it just the membrane. I put her in sick bay tonite and not 30 minutes after being in there she passed another one. This one had a yolk but the shell still just went splat the eggs were only 3 - 3.5 hrs apart. Yesterday she was fine! I have 7 hens collected 7 great eggs. today ? I am dumbfounded! I brought her in tonight off her roost but she was not on the Kings roost tonight she was with the peasants. I dont have a clue what could be going on! she didnt eat hardly any thing today! I felt her crop throughout the day and mostly emptish! Can I help her? Is this contagious? Does anyone know what might be wrong?

don't panic..some birds do this on occasion and I have had young birds do this. If she does this as a normal thing I would cull her. I love when that happens..the chicks will be fine. Mom will make sure they get every thing they need..they are free rangers. Your FF will not be a large part of the diet. They will have mostly meat from moms findings. Soon they will be good at bug digging on their own. I would let them out and not lock them up..(JMO)

What a nice little gift! If you are feeding an all-flock the kids can eat what the others get. You can add some protein for the babies (some ground beef, tiny chopped liver, etc. can work). If you're feeding the rest of the flock layer, it will be too much calcium for the babies and then you would have to get them either chick or all-flock.

If you are going to lock them up..I agree with this.

I sprained my ankle taking a bucket of water out to the hen shed this afternoon. (I think just sprained...I suppose it "could" be broken...) I had about 1000 things to do out there today. Not to mention that I've been keeping hawk-watch and going out at various times just to change what's going on to keep those preds guessing. How in the heck do you take care of animals when you can't walk?

Get yer butt to the DR.

I LOVE that you can sex those babies. That's one of the reasons that I wanted the CL. But I hate crests. Maybe the CL crests don't become excessive?

I have 4 Cl pullets and they do not have large crests. That's how I got them for cheap. Rhodebars and bielefelders are also auto-sexing and neither have crests. These are bielefelders. If the males grow up to be as large as I read, then I may have found our perfect dual purpose chicken. The chicks are just delightful.

What I was hoping for was the colored eggs and the self-sexing chicks. I was, at one time, thinking I'd quit getting ee's and try to propagate the CLs But then I realized they were crested.

If all you want is sexable chicks you need a different male. Baring or Cuckoo with solid mates will always tell you the sex of chicks so you can get what you want..like Ameracuana's. Someone already made bared Ameracuana's. You can have blue eggs with sexed offspring.

But remember there is a big difference in sex linked and auto sexed. You can create sex linked easily but it won't breed true. Autosexed will breed true. I have fallen in love with my Rhodebars and thought RIR would be the only breed I ever loved because they are so sweet and true dual purpose - butchered one last weekend that was awesome, and the breeding pens are averaging 76% production on eggs (that's better than production birds! ). So. .. You can only imagine why I'm thrilled with my autosexed version of the HRIR - which is basically what Rhodebars are.

 

[paulsooie]

I sure do appreciate it, I've got a nice fire pit out outside that needs cleaned out, and we keep apple cider vinegar "sassy juice" around the house but I don't know it it has the mother in it or not. Just wanting to make sure we don't chemical up our chickens, that's why we are raising our own anyway.

your advice is highly appreciated

 

[delisha]

LM-

cheap sturdy pred proof

1 4x8 sheet of plywood cut in half
6 cinder blocks
2 scrap pieces of plywood for supports in the inside and for the tips of the triangle
1 roll of hard wire
2 2x2x8

I made an A frame for the birds as a temp hold. I now use it all the time.

I will take pictures later but you can immagine it..

 

[tjo804]

I sure do appreciate it, I've got a nice fire pit out outside that needs cleaned out, and we keep apple cider vinegar "sassy juice" around the house but I don't know it it has the mother in it or not. Just wanting to make sure we don't chemical up our chickens, that's why we are raising our own anyway.

your advice is highly appreciated

This is what i use



I buy it at the grocery store in the condiments Isle

 

[RedRidge]

 


correction...  every WOman needs a tractor!  I have a Massey sub-compact with bucket and backhoe (also augur, scraper blade, box blade, bushhog and wood 

Arrrgggghhh! you are like the fifth woman to post she has a tractor! I am sssooooo jealous; I really need something with bucket and backhoe, but it needs to be fairly small to get into tight spots around here.... just haven't been able to find anything under twenty grand....

Guess I am #6... I'm on my third tractor. My first was a 110hp... monster, then I had a 75 hp John Deer but it wasn't 4wd and I really needed 4wd, so...
My current tractor is a 65 hp, 4wd, kabota.
Other than my Maremma it is my best employee. Lol. I mow, Bush hog, do hay, plow, till, bucket gravel and compost, feed round bale hay all winter, and have pallet forks which are handy for all kinds of things.
I don't put near as many annual hours on it as I do my kabota diesel utv (that thing gets used for hours every day)... But both get a serious workout.

 

[tjo804]

LM-

cheap sturdy pred proof

1 4x8 sheet of plywood cut in half
6 cinder blocks
2 scrap pieces of plywood for supports in the inside and for the tips of the triangle
1 roll of hard wire
2 2x2x8

I made an A frame for the birds as a temp hold. I now use it all the time.

I will take pictures later but you can immagine it..

I would love to see pics too