The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[COChix]

I wanted to post a few cutie baby pics

Same girl in above pictures, she is the most feathered and the prettiest.

This one is cute with the eye liner

This one is definitely a BO x EE with those puffy cheeks. They will be three weeks old tomorrow. I have not yet begun the integration into the big flock. Once it quits raining we can move onto the next step. We will portion the run so the littles have access as well as the big flock. Then we will work on allowing the door to be propped open enough for the littles to get back into for safety and then move on.

 

[slordaz]

All I can say is purdy birds ya got there

 

[potagergirl]

I wanted to post a few cutie baby pics

Oh my gosh! this is so Lacey!! Tomorrow I will take a picture of her to post and you will see my Lacey at 2 months old.
I had no idea what she really was other then the EE part. Look at those beautiful eyes and gorgeous olive legs sooooo precious.
My Lacey loves to sit on my hand and lay her head on my arm to sleep =). When I first saw her I hoped she would be a hen so I could keep her as a layer and very happy she is =)

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Well everyone here is what happened.....

The new incubator quit working after I upped the humidity for hatching and stopped the turner. I had been mushrooming and didn't touch it for two days and found it had cooled!!!! I had just washed the other one to get ready for the last set..... so I transfered the 23 cooled eggs into that one while it warmed up and regulated for 24 hours for the next batch which are now still waiting as 12 of those 23 have the beginning of pips!!!!

So ..... ...... the rest pip tonight and hatching begins!!!! These were eggs from my chosen Nelson Rhode Island Red breeders.

Then I can do the last ones I held from my "Bigbie" (Nelson breeder cock).
I'll have to then make my selections for egg layers, breeding pullets, breeding cockerel replacement and downsize the overage by freezer camp or selling.

 

[flyladyrocks]

Thanks for the input. I use FF so I could add a little kefir but too much would make it quite wet. I'd be more inclined to use my homemade kefir than store bought yogurt since the kefir will have more probiotics. I do have some plain Greek yogurt but I think they'd get more from the kefir. Maybe I'll mix some FF & kefir with a little dry to soak up the extra moisture. If I can let it soak during the day today they'll get a little more nutrition out of the soaked grains tonight. I've never fed them medicated feed.

Hmmm. Just found this still open on my phone? In fear of losing it I will possibly post again. If this is a repeat so sorry!

flyladyrocks, I would get some plain, unsweetened yogurt and mix it into their food.  You don't want it soupy or too wet.  The chick starter will absorb most of the moisture .  Or you could mix a little into their water to make sure they are getting it.

Are you still feeding a medicated starter or do you have them on unmedicated now?

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thanks for the input. I use FF so I could add a little kefir but too much would make it quite wet. I'd be more inclined to use my homemade kefir than store bought yogurt since the kefir will have more probiotics. I do have some plain Greek yogurt but I think they'd get more from the kefir. Maybe I'll mix some FF & kefir with a little dry to soak up the extra moisture. If I can let it soak during the day today they'll get a little more nutrition out of the soaked grains tonight. I've never fed them medicated feed.

Hmmm. Just found this still open on my phone? In fear of losing it I will possibly post again. If this is a repeat so sorry!

Nope, you're good. Not a repeat.

Kefir would definitely be better and I have no experience with it, but I do understand that it has several different kinds of probiotics... WAY MORE than yogurt... as long as there is no sugar. Sugar , in any form, kills the probiotics.

 

[flyladyrocks]

I was too exhausted and stressed last night to ask for help with my other problem. The chicks also have lice. I checked the sick ones a week and a half ago and didn't see any bugs but never checked them all. Saw one crawling on the head of a chick yesterday. Never dealt with this before either. I dusted them with wood ash last night. How often do I dust and how long does it take for the wood ash to kill the lice?
I usually find so much joy in chicks. These have been nothing but stress and tears and headaches and sleepless nights. ARGH!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I was too exhausted and stressed last night to ask for help with my other problem. The chicks also have lice. I checked the sick ones a week and a half ago and didn't see any bugs but never checked them all. Saw one crawling on the head of a chick yesterday. Never dealt with this before either. I dusted them with wood ash last night. How often do I dust and how long does it take for the wood ash to kill the lice?
I usually find so much joy in chicks. These have been nothing but stress and tears and headaches and sleepless nights. ARGH!

I had a batch of headache chicks in the past. Almost made me want to give up on them. As with all things it will pass. I hope you get the lice under control.

I've skipped well over 80 pages but I'd thought I start back in the thread and attempt to keep up. We just finished deworming with dishsoap. None of the eggs from last week have tasted soapy either.
Does anyone have the link to herbs and oils to add to the nesting boxes for the birds? I know way back when I was active on here there was a great link describing the poultry use of a good many herbs.

 

[potagergirl]

So here is Lacey she is 2 months old

she looked just like your little one when she was a baby.





She isn't the largest pullet but she sure is a pretty EE with those gorgeous green legs!

 

[flyladyrocks]

I had a batch of headache chicks in the past. Almost made me want to give up on them. As with all things it will pass. I hope you get the lice under control.

I've skipped well over 80 pages but I'd thought I start back in the thread and attempt to keep up. We just finished deworming with dishsoap. None of the eggs from last week have tasted soapy either.
Does anyone have the link to herbs and oils to add to the nesting boxes for the birds? I know way back when I was active on here there was a great link describing the poultry use of a good many herbs.