The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lalaland]

About broodies:

No one told me they are as much work as chicks!!!!

Mine won't eat. I have to hand feed her ( when she hadn't eaten by the 2nd day, I started the take her off the nest routine, and she wouldn't eat on her own either then.
I've taken to hand feeding her mashed egg yolk mixed with a mash gruel to get water in. very tedious. she might take in a tsp each time I try. Today, though after 3 days of no poop she did have a good poop. Not humongous, but somethng at least.

Tonight I put her in the run to see if she would drink - reasoning it was a familiar set up - she didn't, but she did scratch her neck like crazy, repetively, both sides.
Anyone think I can give her an ash bath without breaking her broodiness?

 

[Leahs Mom]

@jockeyba

More questions:
-Have you changed feed?
-Have you recently been doing work around them that was dusty - like cleaning out the coop?
-Have you put DE or wood ash out recently?


-Is there any eye discharge?
-Is the face or wattles swollen? Any gunk in eyes? Fowl odor?
-Noticed any change in egg production?
-Any diarrhea? Staggering or problems walking?
-Difficulty breathing?
-Gasping? bloody mucous? Any dried blood around nostrils and lower beak?

 

[SallyinIndiana]

About broodies:

No one told me they are as much work as chicks!!!!

Mine won't eat. I have to hand feed her ( when she hadn't eaten by the 2nd day, I started the take her off the nest routine, and she wouldn't eat on her own either then.
I've taken to hand feeding her mashed egg yolk mixed with a mash gruel to get water in. very tedious. she might take in a tsp each time I try. Today, though after 3 days of no poop she did have a good poop. Not humongous, but somethng at least.

Tonight I put her in the run to see if she would drink - reasoning it was a familiar set up - she didn't, but she did scratch her neck like crazy, repetively, both sides.
Anyone think I can give her an ash bath without breaking her broodiness?

Not a natural remedy but frontline about 3 -5 drops for a large fowl should get her bug free. Under the wing is a good spot to get to skin easily.

 

[Leahs Mom]

lala...I just let my girl do things on her own. There was food and water right near just outside the nest but I never removed her from the nest to make her eat or poo. There were some days that I don't think she cam out at all judging by the lack of the broody poo. But she survived 2 broods without intervention.

If I was giving others in the flock an item that wasn't in the regular feed dish (like sunflower seeds or ground meat) I would put a little portion for her right in the corner of her nest - whichever way she was facing so she could see it. That was the most I did as I wanted her to get the meat right away (since it is raw) and I wouldn't leave anything like that out where it may sit for too long. The few sunflower seeds were no issue if she didn't eat them right away, of course.

 

[lalaland]

Well, I read the link, but am not convinced that it is too much of a threat - I use mine to "serve" , dumping into the feeders. Nothing stays in the pots long, and there is no heat..
Think a bigger risk is those plug in smelly things...

 

[Scott H]

About broodies:

No one told me they are as much work as chicks!!!!  

Mine won't eat.  I have to hand feed her ( when she hadn't eaten by the 2nd day, I started the take her off the nest routine, and she wouldn't eat on her own either then.
I've taken to hand feeding her mashed egg yolk mixed with a mash gruel to get water in.  very tedious.  she might take in a tsp each time I try.   Today, though after 3 days of no poop she did have a good poop.  Not humongous, but somethng at least.

Tonight I put her in the run to see if she would drink - reasoning it was a familiar set up - she didn't, but she did scratch her neck like crazy, repetively, both sides.  
Anyone think I can give her an ash bath without breaking her broodiness?

I feel your pain.....I haven't seen mine get off her eggs by herself since she started sitting. I feed her high protien snacks and about an hour before sunset so she can frantically consume, poop and drink and then she's right back on.

 

[delisha]

I haven't been on here for a while-too busy but also I suddenly quit getting BYC subscription email after April 30th. I contacted the administrators-they said nothing seemed wrong. I even unsubscribed & resubscribed-still nothing is showing up in my email. Its not in the spam folder either. My main reason for coming on is: one of my hens is suddenly crying nonstop, a ca ca sound with a sort of sneeze sound every few "ca ca's". I felt her crop & underneath & she is eating but something is definitely wrong. Any ideas? (on both my problems)

If she is not laying..she may be going broody..some cry non stop just before they go into it..they sound like a cat in heat..
Chickens do not cry when they hurt or when they are sick..they hide it..

Quote: ...
leave them alone unless you see pale comb and wattles..they get off the nest..just because you don't see them... does not mean they do not get off....they do get off..trust your birds..if she was healthy before brooding she will be fine..

If you are worried about mites in her nest box..clean the mites up..mites can kill..

don't worry about them on the bird as much as ..worry about the source..... than get them off the bird....put garlic, citrus, and citronella around the box after you get rid of them.

If you have mites...the last thing to worry about is breaking her brood...a dead bird and chicks would be worse.

 

[ki4got]

lala, like delisha said... just because you're not seeing it, doesn't mean she's not doing it. I've had broodies I'd swear haven't moved, except for the HUGE broody poop deposted on the far side of the pen. some don't like to go near their nest, and will only get off and on when they know they're not being observed. it would be their way (if in the wild) to avoid a predator noticing where the nest is.

broodies I've had in the past that had hidden nests, I'd go for days not seeing them, but then notice them eating with everyone and surreptitiously follow them back to the nest. they would take a meandering roundabout path that crossed back on itself several times then suddenly disappear. when I finally did find the nests, then they got relocated to a safer nest area. the only 'wild broodies' that never got relocated were one dorking girl who decided to put her nest under the door step (only access would have been to remove 3/4 of the deck) and currently a red dorking girl who's sitting on eggs just outside the French doors, in a box under the table against the outside wall of the house. LOL the cats' bed is just to the side of it, and they seem to have an understanding.

 

[jockeyeba]

@jockeyba

More questions:
-Have you changed feed?
-Have you recently been doing work around them that was dusty - like cleaning out the coop?
-Have you put DE or wood ash out recently?


-Is there any eye discharge?
-Is the face or wattles swollen?  Any gunk in eyes?  Fowl odor?
-Noticed any change in egg production?
-Any diarrhea?  Staggering or problems walking?
-Difficulty breathing?
-Gasping?  bloody mucous?  Any dried blood around nostrils and lower beak?

I feed the same ff that I've been feeding for a long time,no, & no.
She looks healthy, it's 10:15pm I just went out & checked her again, she's been crying non stop even now in the dark. She's on the roost but standing up, she stretches her neck up & back down with each cry. He crop feels full & I couldn't feel anything underneath. I can't answer the egg laying question I have never been able to identify which egg is hers, I honestly don't know if she's laying or not at this time. Listening to her is killing me

 

[jockeyeba]

...

If she is not laying..she may be going broody..some cry non stop just before they go into it..they sound like a cat in heat..
Chickens do not cry when they hurt or when they are sick..they hide it..

[
I've seen her broody in the past, acted like a normal broody hen. It's dark now & she's still crying non stop