The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[bluebirdnanny]

Well I had posted a photo in the Heritage Rhode Island Red thread of a repurpose of crib sides to make an upper level for a grow out pen for the 4 chicks Fred hatched for me. I am getting them on the 14 or 15th this month.

BUT today I had to use it for one of my Kittle RIR hens after the rooster "disiplined" her for complaining (and dropped an egg when he stood on her) and trying to get away. Her back was raw and her comb back was bleeding quite a bit. I used cornstarch and neosporin. She did not fight me as usual until after I had brought her in to put the stuff on her. I had to put her in a box so I could get the top off the neosporin and that is when she almost freaked because the cat meowed at the same time. Took her back out and isolated her in the chick pen (inside the big coop). She seemed to uncurl herself then. I put some respiratory tea and FF in for her and some grit in case. That section has no liter as I had cleaned it out for the chicks to wash it down and put in fresh chips for them. Hadn't done that yet. So it is a temporary "don't pick on me" safe spot for her. I helped her up to the roost area and put a board leaned into corner I am hoping she can use to get down and up for a few days without flying up and bumping that comb to make it bleed again. Will check tomorrow and see if I need to reapply the cornstarch and make it a little thicker. Also put neosporin on the back irritation. I hope she heals up before the chicks come.

Then he went to mate another and she cowered with her head down between the front open air screen and the dust boxing! The two he did that with expelled eggs while he was trying! One was super tiny and nothing but white and the other was almost opaque shelled and sooooo thin. I guess he pushed them out before they were ready. I wasn't happy he had no spurs when I got him but now I am thinking he would really be doing some harm if he had them!

I hope I did the right things for her. I could not find the blukote I had bought so the white of the cornstarch is the only thing I could think of to stop bleeding and camo the red color a bit so she wouldn't get picked on. So pray it dries overnight and she doesn't get infected.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Are you considering removing the roo from the flock?

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Normally he does not get aggressive with the girls. He is my only cockerel and my breeder male. By discipline meant he just stood on top of her with his feet in the middle of her back. Normally he just steps on the wings/shoulder area and is off fast. He just stood until she stopped screaming this time.

He feeds them, dances for them, and will lay with them in the next boxes that have room for him. He croons gently to them. She was the instigator in a hen pecking order dispute just before that so not sure if the crown injury came from him or the other hen. She was his second favorite for breeding with so I am not sure what happened unless it was the sight of blood. It was totally out of character for him if HE did the comb damage.

 

[lalaland]

Well I had posted a photo in the Heritage Rhode Island Red thread of a repurpose of crib sides to make an upper level for a grow out pen for the 4 chicks Fred hatched for me. I am getting them on the 14 or 15th this month.



BUT today I had to use it for one of my Kittle RIR hens after the rooster "disiplined" her for complaining (and dropped an egg when he stood on her) and trying to get away. Her back was raw and her comb back was bleeding quite a bit. I used cornstarch and neosporin. She did not fight me as usual until after I had brought her in to put the stuff on her. I had to put her in a box so I could get the top off the neosporin and that is when she almost freaked because the cat meowed at the same time. Took her back out and isolated her in the chick pen (inside the big coop). She seemed to uncurl herself then. I put some respiratory tea and FF in for her and some grit in case. That section has no liter as I had cleaned it out for the chicks to wash it down and put in fresh chips for them. Hadn't done that yet. So it is a temporary "don't pick on me" safe spot for her. I helped her up to the roost area and put a board leaned into corner I am hoping she can use to get down and up for a few days without flying up and bumping that comb to make it bleed again. Will check tomorrow and see if I need to reapply the cornstarch and make it a little thicker. Also put neosporin on the back irritation. I hope she heals up before the chicks come.

Then he went to mate another and she cowered with her head down between the front open air screen and the dust boxing! The two he did that with expelled eggs while he was trying! One was super tiny and nothing but white and the other was almost opaque shelled and sooooo thin. I guess he pushed them out before they were ready. I wasn't happy he had no spurs when I got him but now I am thinking he would really be doing some harm if he had them!

I hope I did the right things for her. I could not find the blukote I had bought so the white of the cornstarch is the only thing I could think of to stop bleeding and camo the red color a bit so she wouldn't get picked on. So pray it dries overnight and she doesn't get infected.

Sounds awful. Hey, you might consider ordering some nustock - I am so convinced that it is the best thing for any kind of wound on a chicken, or a dog, or... I"ve used it multiple times on hens, dogs, and it heals so fast. No infection ever including on deep puncture wounds.

It won't get to you in time for this hen likely, but for the next time...something to consider anyway.

I know what you mean about not finding stuff you know you have..I know I have wd40 and need it for a gate today, but I've spend more time looking then it would have taken to drive to town, get some, and come back!

 

[delisha]

Well I had posted a photo in the Heritage Rhode Island Red thread of a repurpose of crib sides to make an upper level for a grow out pen for the 4 chicks Fred hatched for me. I am getting them on the 14 or 15th this month.



BUT today I had to use it for one of my Kittle RIR hens after the rooster "disiplined" her for complaining (and dropped an egg when he stood on her) and trying to get away. Her back was raw and her comb back was bleeding quite a bit. I used cornstarch and neosporin. She did not fight me as usual until after I had brought her in to put the stuff on her. I had to put her in a box so I could get the top off the neosporin and that is when she almost freaked because the cat meowed at the same time. Took her back out and isolated her in the chick pen (inside the big coop). She seemed to uncurl herself then. I put some respiratory tea and FF in for her and some grit in case. That section has no liter as I had cleaned it out for the chicks to wash it down and put in fresh chips for them. Hadn't done that yet. So it is a temporary "don't pick on me" safe spot for her. I helped her up to the roost area and put a board leaned into corner I am hoping she can use to get down and up for a few days without flying up and bumping that comb to make it bleed again. Will check tomorrow and see if I need to reapply the cornstarch and make it a little thicker. Also put neosporin on the back irritation. I hope she heals up before the chicks come.

Then he went to mate another and she cowered with her head down between the front open air screen and the dust boxing! The two he did that with expelled eggs while he was trying! One was super tiny and nothing but white and the other was almost opaque shelled and sooooo thin. I guess he pushed them out before they were ready. I wasn't happy he had no spurs when I got him but now I am thinking he would really be doing some harm if he had them!

I hope I did the right things for her. I could not find the blukote I had bought so the white of the cornstarch is the only thing I could think of to stop bleeding and camo the red color a bit so she wouldn't get picked on. So pray it dries overnight and she doesn't get infected.

A matting will not expel an egg and matting will not make an egg come out before they are ready. Eggs are formed way before they make the decent down the final leg of the journey. They are soft because they are lacking something in the diet..Try some spinach and feeding back all egg shells..

Quote: x2 on the NuStock..
Having a medicine chest for just chicken stuff is a life savor...I even have baby wipes in them...a suture kit..and all kinds of weird things I have needed over the years.

 

[delisha]

Just a chime in about the eggs and fertility..those eggs were not fertile.

They looked odd with those spots too..not sure what that is and I have never seen it before..(I have opened some old eggs and they do not look like that)

 

[ki4got]

ok trying to help out a friend who's son's been having seizure issues, they're trying to cut out some things from the diet... there were several books recommended recently, but I don't remember who recommended them or the titles, but it was about going non-gmo/organic/etc I think.

 

[lalaland]

Hey, anyone know about how late you can candle eggs when a broody is sitting on them?

I'm not at all sure any of the eggs were fertile, so need to figure it out. She's at day 16....

it is coop cleaning day. I hate hate hate doing it, so dusty that even with a face mask I spend a week hacking crap up out of my lungs. Upside is it smells so nice and clean when I'm done, with fresh hay and all. also, first hummingbirds are here, and orioles, grosbeaks, yellow rumped warblers, ....its darned colorful out there . tulips are starting to poke otu of the ground....

 

[armorfirelady]

it is coop cleaning day.  I hate hate hate doing it, so dusty that even with a face mask I spend a week hacking crap up out of my lungs.  Upside is it smells so nice and clean when I'm done, with fresh hay and all. also, first hummingbirds are here, and orioles, grosbeaks, yellow rumped warblers, ....its darned colorful out there .  tulips are starting to poke otu of the ground....

Have you thought about using deep litter in your coop? I only clean out my coop once a year. It's dusty more this time of year because there is hardly any litter material in the coop but I have been adding just cut grass clipping and damp leaves & it cuts the dust way down.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

ok trying to help out a friend who's son's been having seizure issues, they're trying to cut out some things from the diet...  there were several books recommended recently, but I don't remember who recommended them or the titles, but it was about going non-gmo/organic/etc I think.

Some people recommend adding coconut oil to the diet to foster better excitability thresholds in people with epilepsy. I'm trying that with our older dog who occasionally has seizures.