The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Lacy Blues]

I do my best to keep birds from sleeping in the nests. Usually, it's my buckeye hen. I don't know why but that breed of bird would rather sleep on the floor or in a box. They're very reluctant to perch.

 

[vpatt]

I got four chicks at the store today! They are really cute. I don't know which hatchery they come from....my granddaughter picked three aracauna and one RIR. I am not sure about the aracauna but the store lady said that is what they are.....I wonder about them being EE's. They are the chipmunk marked ones. I don't know what I will do when they start flying out of the tote I have them in. I did put a clump od wild grass and moss and sand in with them. Tomorrow I plan to start some ff for them.

 

[jtn42248]

I got four chicks at the store today! They are really cute. I don't know which hatchery they come from....my granddaughter picked three aracauna and one RIR. I am not sure about the aracauna but the store lady said that is what they are.....I wonder about them being EE's. They are the chipmunk marked ones. I don't know what I will do when they start flying out of the tote I have them in. I did put a clump od wild grass and moss and sand in with them. Tomorrow I plan to start some ff for them.

It is pretty unlikely that you would be able to find real Aracauna chicks available at a store. However, stranger things have happened. People have found Van Gogh paintings at thrift stores afterall. However they are most likely Ameraucana or Easter Eggers.

 

[lalaland]

you know awhile ago I was having a ton of droppings with intestinal lining - not blood exactly but ....I treated with corid which helped tremendously, but there was still questionable droppings, just fewere and less frequently. With mareks in the flock, their immune systems are definitely compromised. I dosed with tumeric for a good month, and then went heavy on probiotics.

Today I cleaned frozen poopsicles out and guess what? Not a single bit of red in any of the droppings. I really think it was the probiotics, I've put some in the water daily for the last couple of weeks. very very pleased with the results. Also upped the garlic in the past week.

 

[vpatt]

It is pretty unlikely that you would be able to find real Aracauna chicks available at a store. However, stranger things have happened. People have found Van Gogh paintings at thrift stores afterall. However they are most likely Ameraucana or Easter Eggers.

I knew from reading here that there was a good chance of them being EE's. And that is alright.

 

[sunflower4you]

you know awhile ago I was having a ton of droppings with intestinal lining - not blood exactly but ....I treated with corid which helped tremendously, but there was still questionable droppings, just fewere and less frequently. With mareks in the flock, their immune systems are definitely compromised. I dosed with tumeric for a good month, and then went heavy on probiotics.

Today I cleaned frozen poopsicles out and guess what? Not a single bit of red in any of the droppings. I really think it was the probiotics, I've put some in the water daily for the last couple of weeks. very very pleased with the results. Also upped the garlic in the past week.

What type of probiotics and how much? Just for my future benefit...never used probiotics with my flock before.

 

[sunflower4you]

I think I may have a feather picker in the flock, but have not actually witnessed the picking. I just noticed one bird with fluffy butt down missing and another 2 with front neck feathers missing. The other 2 birds have no feathers missing. Does this sound like a feather picker? Do I need to give them more protein? I scatter mealworms for a treat about every other day. Otherwise protein is sporadic depending on what kitchen scraps make it into the chicken bucket. For example, they got a few leftover hamburgers the other day. They ate them up like they were going out of style! I have heard of others giving cat food for protein? Or am I way off?

 

[lalaland]

What type of probiotics and how much? Just for my future benefit...never used probiotics with my flock before.

well, I've read contradictory info on which probiotic is best for chickens. The manna pro people even say you shouldn't give them yogurt because they supposedly can't digest the milk sugars. I don't know if I believe that - buttermilk was routinely fed to chickens a few decades ago. And I've never seen any problem with yogurt, cheese, buttermilk, cottage cheese, milk, etc when I've fed to chickens.
Getting off the subject, anyway, Leahs mom recommends http://www.avi-culture-2.com/shop.html

I am currently using one made for dogs and cats, which I ordered sometime ago on Amazon. Its a powder. http://www.amazon.com/Probios-68300...71896&sr=8-1&keywords=probiotics+for+chickens
I know someone who buys a liquid from a GNC store (I guess they are in malls?) and uses that. Personally, I would go for whatever is easiest.

 

[armorfirelady]

mom and babies are lucky to have you!

I am like a new Mom. We have never had a nursing Mom & young pups. Had to take them to vet last night they all had fevers & respitory problems. They were much perkier after some fluids

you know awhile ago I was having a ton of droppings with intestinal lining - not blood exactly but ....I treated with corid which helped tremendously, but there was still questionable droppings, just fewere and less frequently. With mareks in the flock, their immune systems are definitely compromised. I dosed with tumeric for a good month, and then went heavy on probiotics.

Today I cleaned frozen poopsicles out and guess what? Not a single bit of red in any of the droppings. I really think it was the probiotics, I've put some in the water daily for the last couple of weeks. very very pleased with the results. Also upped the garlic in the past week.

Its been so cold here I cant give them yogurt everything is frozen in minutes.
Lala you can have your weather back !!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Regarding yogurt and lactose (milk sugar...)
You don't need to worry about the "milk sugar" if giving plain yogurt. Yogurt is a lacto-fermented product. The lactic acid bacteria digest the milk sugar and produce lactic acid - the tangy/sour taste you get in the yogurt. Yogurt and the "english" cheeses (Not mold-ripened ones like blues) both use that process which is why folks that have issues with lactose in pasteurized milk can often eat cheeses with no problems.

So...anyhow, plain yogurt shouldn't create a lactose issue. But I do keep the Avi-Culture 2 in my fridge all the time and put it in their feed or water from time to time.