The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

http://tomatotales.com.au/chicken-worming-the-organic-and-low-cost-treatment/

Someone on BYC had posted this great link, but I can't remember who. Its a good one! I used it on my birds (I've got 7 currently) last month, and they all seemed to be the better for it.

Interesting recipe! Thanks for posting

 

[Bronson]

Nothing out of the ordinary. They are happy and seem healthy. We recently moved, last month, and they are able to free range more and have a wider choice of plants available. I have never noticed a worm, but their old run could get really muddy and took forever to dry out. Their new run is larger and much drier. I figured it couldn't hurt to dose them just to make sure if they are carrying bugs from the old place, they don't take hold at the new place. I did add a few birds this year The new house also has a wet and marshy section that they love to forage in. Doing it once every 1.5 years shouldn't hurt anybody. ;-)

 

[lalaland]

I've been using Mollly's herbal wormer. You dose every 3 months or so with it, in between you use a supportive herbal blend weekly. I did the wormer for the second time, and the next day a hen dropped a cecal poop teeming with moving white hairs (worms.).

I did add a few drops of bronners to all the waterers.

worming damange can cause lots of things including gizzard impaction.

the little pullet has been in the kennel all day, still very alert, cheeping, wants out....but hadnt pooped until the third oil dose and crop massage. Then, an explosive poop, right color wrong consistency. Poor baby.

I read somewhere that chickens close their eyes when in pain, and she isnt, but she is making the chick call made when distressed - when can't find the siblings.

 

[lalaland]

It was with no food at all. Hard I know but I did 3 days with no food just water then fed her just spinach the 4th & 5th day which is suppose to aid with digestion. It did finally work for Sophie.

Good luck !!

ETA: I tried liquid olive oil and massaging her crop but she fought so much trying to get it into her crop I was afraid she would inhale it and cause more problems. So I stopped trying it and just went with withholding food.

P.S I will check out your link as well

I hate the concept of no food for 3 days. much of what I have been reading has been stressing the need for nutritional support and how fast they go downhill without food. she is so little!

 

[lalaland]

@lalaland
I keep wondering if the straw/mold may be the issue since you originally talked about it. Can't look at your link till later. Keep us updated!

PS: Did you try some coconut oil? Solid they will eat it and it is both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. Worked well for others with the same issue and may be worth a try.

she has ignored the blob of coconut oil. I will try mixing it with yogurt.

 

[lazy gardener]

Do you have any Poultry Nutridrench? If she has to fast, at least the nutridrench might keep her from getting too run down too fast.

 

[flyladyrocks]

Help !!I have my first sick pullet and could use your help input. She is a 10 weeks old Buff Orpington. When I went out this afternoon, she looked like she was squinting a lot, holding her eyes closed. I sat and watched her for awhile and her one eye is bubbly. I separated her from her best buddy (who is not happy) and now have her inside (I don't have any other place to quarantine!) I rinsed her eyes with some warm purified water. It seemed like their was a lot of goo around them that had attracted alot of dirt. It seemed to give her some relief, but then it started bubbling up again. I don't know if she is tired, or just her eyes are bothering her so she is constantly keeping them closed. She hasn't seemed to feel bad - she was free ranging, dust bathing, doing chicken things. But now I feel even apart from the eyes she may not feel good - she is snugglier than normal, but is it just that it was afternoon nap time? Cause now she is being rather fiesty and not happy at all with being inside.

So what do you all think?

 

[Leahs Mom]

@flyladyrocks
I know you just got a new little boy. Have they been completely quarantined away from him where there is no contact at all? I saw the photos of them looking at each other through the glass. Have they been where they can touch each other through bars or even on opposite sides of the screen?

It seems like this is happening right at the time you brought in the new kid.

Bubbling eyes like that can be the symptom of some very bad problems...

 

[Leahs Mom]

I hate the concept of no food for 3 days. much of what I have been reading has been stressing the need for nutritional support and how fast they go downhill without food. she is so little!

I also think that's too long for a little one. I think I'd keep the coconut oil and grit out and offer easy to eat items otherwise. Maybe even some scrambled or raw egg. If I was going to hold anything it would probably be the grain based feed and grassy items for a little while. I think the yogurt and probiotic in the water would be fine also.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I've been using Mollly's herbal wormer. You dose every 3 months or so with it, in between you use a supportive herbal blend weekly. I did the wormer for the second time, and the next day a hen dropped a cecal poop teeming with moving white hairs (worms.)

I'm glad to hear you're having good experience w/Molly's. That is one that I would recommend too in addition to a couple others.

When you first used it - did you see any evidence of worms?