The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[SherrieC]

I have access to free mulch, mostly conifer and red gum. It's very aromatic, I started shoveling it into their area where its gets really muddy and it was making me sneeze!

I was wondering do you think something so aromatic would be ok in the floor of their coop as a deep litter?

 

[COChix]

Thank you =). 
The birds will probably love the Lavender. I've ordered some tea tree oil. After reading all the benefits I thought it would be a good thing to keep around. I'll let you know how the cream goes when we start using it. I'm thinking as good as the 18 pairs of legs look we might stop the Vaseline and start with the cream next week. I plan on putting a batch together this weekend and very excited about making my first real herbal cream lol.
The Bird with the most redness is the Buff Orpington  Rooster. Someone had mentioned it might be natural to the bird so I looked it up and sure enough by golly they have red on their legs! I've never looked up anything about the BO breed. I have Ameracauna's and LF Cochin I raise. I know there had to be pain the first couple times we worked on their legs because the worst ones reacted like it hurt. The other night when we did the legs they seemed a lot calmer and only one bird pulled it's legs and screeched. It's the one with the mass on it's neck which is something else I will be looking in to when I think it is strong enough. I'm wondering if it could be some kind of vitamin deficiency or just because the bird is very old. 
I'm very excited they have started laying eggs again including one of the EE's. I had another 3 lovely eggs from the group today so they are feeling better. I know they look tons healthier and most of them are getting a nice shine to their feathers.  

I was wondering about the red shanks on our BO roo awhile back and found out the same thing about the breed. Glad you figured it out, I have noticed at different times our roo's shanks can be more red than others. I notice more redness when it is wet out.

I have this recipe for a Drawing Salve, have never made it. If anyone tries it please post the results. Thanks

Taken from Happy Day's Farm Website

Homemade Drawing Salve
1 1/2 cups olive oil infused with plantain
1/2 cup Castor Oil
1 ounce beeswax
1/2 cup activated charcoal
1/2 cup Bentonite clay
1 teaspoon total of essential oils : clove, rosemary, lemon, lavender, and eucalyptus
To make the olive oil infused with plantain: I pulled fresh plantain from my yard and placed it in a small crock pot with the olive oil for about 4 hours on low. You can also infuse it by placing the ingredients in a jar and allowing it to sit for about ten days. Then, strain the oil and press the leaves out to get as much as possible. (or, I put the leaves and the oil in the food processor and liquified them. This way the salve gets as much benefit from the plantain as possible.
Then, I placed it in a small glass pan and slowly warmed it up enough to melt the beeswax. Slowly stir in the remaining ingredients, I used a wooden spoon to keep the bentonite clay active. Pour into small glass jars and allow mixture to cool. It will slowly start solidifying, so don’t add more beeswax than it calls for, or it will be a solid, not a salve!

 

[flagirl]

interesting article about Bell & evans using oregano and cinnamon in their chicken feed
http://complete-health-and-happiness.com/chicken-farm-uses-oregano-oil-instead-antibiotics/

 

[Purpletie3]

interesting article about Bell & evans using oregano and cinnamon in their chicken feed
http://complete-health-and-happiness.com/chicken-farm-uses-oregano-oil-instead-antibiotics/

I have been using cinnamon and garlic in mine...sometimes tumeric...

 

[Lacy Blues]

I have access to free mulch, mostly conifer and red gum. It's very aromatic, I started shoveling it into their area where its gets really muddy and it was making me sneeze!

I was wondering do you think something so aromatic would be ok in the floor of their coop as a deep litter?

Cedar is a conifer. Cedar makes me sneeze too.

I've heard tell, by very few people, that their birds do fine with cedar chips for bedding but the have to have LOTS and LOTS of ventilation.

I would maybe use this mulch (and it is beautiful) as a deep litter in their run, not in a partially closed coop. That looks like a lot of cedar and you could be asking for trouble if you put it in the coop and you only THINK you have enough ventilation.

Maybe pine shavings for the coop and this mulch outside. When you clean the coop, you can add it to the outside and all will be fine.

Maybe water it down occasionally so it isn't releasing so much dust?

 

[Lacy Blues]

I have been using cinnamon and garlic in mine...sometimes tumeric...

How do you incorporate these herbs and in what amounts? Do you do it daily or periodically?

 

[Purpletie3]

How do you incorporate these herbs and in what amounts? Do you do it daily or periodically?

When I mix up their food I put a good sprinkle in of each. I can smell them both. I just started using them a few weeks ago when I put the chickens outside. Usually two feed periods a week. They all seem pretty good with it.

I just started huge herb gardens for them. I also have about 400 cloves of garlic planted. We will see if they like it...they eat the onions!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Do you serve your food dry?

A "good sprinkle" for how many birds?

 

[SherrieC]

Cedar is a conifer.  Cedar makes me sneeze too.

I've heard tell, by very few people, that their birds do fine with cedar chips for bedding but the have to have LOTS and LOTS of ventilation.

I would maybe use this mulch (and it is beautiful) as a deep litter in their run, not in a partially closed coop.  That looks like a lot of cedar and you could be asking for trouble if you put it in the coop and you only THINK you have enough ventilation.

Maybe pine shavings for the coop and this mulch outside.  When you clean the coop, you can add it to the outside and all will be fine.

Maybe water it down occasionally so it isn't releasing so much dust?

Thanks, there were other piles of mulch too so once I empty the trailer of this I will get something else. It smells so lovely, worse comes to worse I will spread it around the gardens. They said once they give you their address then you're welcome to come back and help yourself whenever you want.

 

[SherrieC]

Whenever I make mine a wet mash I add in crushed garlic and some oregano leaves from the garden.