The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Amberjem]

 

[Leahs Mom]

This is a cute little video I found today that I thought I'd share. This pertains to "NATURAL CHICKEN KEEPING' from the perspective of PREVENTION of illness by building a healthy immune system through supporting "natural bacteria warfare".

It pertains to people as well as animals, and the husbandry (or management) method we use... What we feed and their exposure to fresh air, sunshine, healthy ground (as opposed to packed down, unhealthy ground through deep litter use in outdoor runs), etc.

Enjoy!

 

[vpatt]

This is a cute little video I found today that I thought I'd share. This pertains to "NATURAL CHICKEN KEEPING' from the perspective of PREVENTION of illness by building a healthy immune system through supporting "natural bacteria warfare". It pertains to people as well as animals, and the husbandry (or management) method we use... What we feed and their exposure to fresh air, sunshine, healthy ground (as opposed to packed down, unhealthy ground through deep litter use in outdoor runs), etc. Enjoy!

Thanks! I liked that, especially because it goes along with all the things I've learned in the past year.

 

[lazy gardener]

Thanks. That was awesome! My 13 y.o. was peering over my shoulder watching it!

 

[mlowen]

Thanks, Leah's Mom. Really great!

 

[Shan30]

Great video! I have a friend who is totally freaked out by the idea of having bacteria living on her. Sending this to her right now!

For the record there are no bones in fish "guts" but usually the spine, ribs, head and fins are being disposed of at the same time.

I've thought about giving them to my chickens but don't only because fish are generally play a role in the life cycle of parasites that are transferred to birds and mammals when the fish is consumed. I also don't feed them the scraps from hunting because of this. I've seen many worms while cleaning deer.

However I'm sure it's no less safe than when they catch a mouse and if it was frozen first I would have no problem doing so. It's just seeing the parasites and knowing that they are there makes me really not want to give it to my birds.

Realistically, in hunting season, I end up with blood and guts up to my elbows if not shoulders and don't get a chance to wash until hours later so who knows!

 

[Lacy Blues]

I've decided that chicken saddles are a good thing. Not only do they protect the hen from the claws and spurs of an amorous rooster, but it would protect her from her neighborhood canniballistic coop mates!

I've had chickens for a lot of years and I've never seen this happen before.

Yesterday, she had feathers on her back... they were short and broken from the rooster but she had feathers. This morning I saw blood on one of the roosts so I was looking at feet to see if someone had broken a toenail and didn't find one. I didn't look at this hen. She was there this morning, walking around but I didn't notice any injuries. I sure wish I had taken the time to find the bleeder. It might have saved her life. In fact, I'm SURE it would have saved her life. She was only about a year old.

I need to make up some saddles and have them on hand.





I think they ate at least one of her kidneys!

 

[COChix]

I've decided that chicken saddles are a good thing. Not only do they protect the hen from the claws and spurs of an amorous rooster, but it would protect her from her neighborhood canniballistic coop mates! I've had chickens for a lot of years and I've never seen this happen before. Yesterday, she had feathers on her back... they were short and broken from the rooster but she had feathers. This morning I saw blood on one of the roosts so I was looking at feet to see if someone had broken a toenail and didn't find one. I didn't look at this hen. She was there this morning, walking around but I didn't notice any injuries. I sure wish I had taken the time to find the bleeder. It might have saved her life. In fact, I'm SURE it would have saved her life. She was only about a year old. I need to make up some saddles and have them on hand. I think they ate at least one of her kidneys!

Wow, so sorry for your loss and thanks for sharing. I have been concerned about our girls as some have bleed due to rooster treading and then they get picked at by others and had some bleed before. I have been using Blu Kote and Peck No More but was wondering about saddles.

 

[lalaland]

Lacyblues, so sorry about your hen. Poor baby.

Those pictures are the best reason that everyone should have blue kote on hand. I did, a couple years back, have a very timid ee who as a chick was getting tail feathers pulled and chomped on to the point where her tail was bleeding from the skin. I actually had to use duct tape on her as a last resort - with the blue kote they stopped pecking at the red but it wasn't stopping the feather chomping and there is blood in the quills. I didn't want to separate her, I just needed to get her past the point of those new feather stubs.

The duct tape actually worked pretty well, it would stay on for a few days before it had to be replaced. Looked pretty bizarre, but, that and the blue kote saved her life.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

It pertains to people as well as animals, and the husbandry (or management) method we use...

Heh. People husbandry and management.