The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's why I ordered turkeys (more eggs coming Friday) and didn't want to vaccinate (increase resistance in virus and weaker natural immunity) but losing my daughters show birds makes me question vaccinating. Originally planned on just keeping those that survive but losing chicks often is tough emotionally (was gone a lot this summer, plus fowl pox, and heat extreme) birds off their normal routine for care

Here's a link to that article.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/tthis-chicken-vaccine-makes-virus-dangerous/

 

[curious chickee]

You've done the most pro-active thing, IMO by getting a poult.  However, I think I'd get several b/c they tend to be fickle till you get them past the infant stage.  Also, birds of a feather flock together!  Also, keeping a closed flock is important, especially if you've had flock test positive.  Keep it at home, practice good sanitation by sterilizing shoes, or using special "away from home" shoes.

Had your dtr showed any of the birds?  Many folks who show birds make plans to show, but never bring the show birds back home, due to all of the pathogens present at shows.  Makes me wonder why anyone would risk showing, but that's just my mental outlook on it.  I'd enjoy going to a show, but would never take a bird to a show, and would immediately wash everything just as soon as I got home.

Fully agree.  

I ordered 7 eggs but had incubation problems only one poult made it which is why I ordered more eggs.

Yes my daughter shows at poultry shows. It is her passion. Our birds go into quarantine after show. The breeder we got them from shows also and brings his birds home. I am sure I picked mareks up from another breeder (friend) I got some chicks from her and they were the first to show symptoms. My older flock did not have any issues just the birds hatched this spring. Figured I won't be selling any of these birds. I got very strong case of mareks as they only show symptoms for about a day before passing away. Now that I have results I am culling any birds with early symptoms. Plus still dealing with fowl pox.

 

[MargaretYakoda]

It has been a long time since I posted anything about using a wool hen. This is because we had a good broody. Well, last fall she went out under the blackberry brambles (probably to raise another brood) and never came back. AND a person that I loaned my previous wool hen to disapeared and never gave it back.

Fast forward to yesterday, which was day 20 of incubation and the little guys began to fight their way out of their shells. So, without a broody (we had one we THOUGHT was going broody but she changed her mind) I made a new one. I have a seedling heating mat under the towels in the video. Clearly the chicks are happy AF.

Today I will put some sides and insulation on the wool hen and they chicks will go outside. They should do just fine, with no broody mama.

 

[lazy gardener]

It has been a long time since I posted anything about using a wool hen. This is because we had a good broody. Well, last fall she went out under the blackberry brambles (probably to raise another brood) and never came back. AND a person that I loaned my previous wool hen to disapeared and never gave it back.

Fast forward to yesterday, which was day 20 of incubation and the little guys began to fight their way out of their shells. So, without a broody (we had one we THOUGHT was going broody but she changed her mind) I made a new one. I have a seedling heating mat under the towels in the video. Clearly the chicks are happy AF.

Today I will put some sides and insulation on the wool hen and they chicks will go outside. They should do just fine, with no broody mama.

Margaret, what kind of fabric? Do you have any issues with them shredding it/ingesting long threads?

 

[MargaretYakoda]

Margaret, what kind of fabric? Do you have any issues with them shredding it/ingesting long threads?

Wool. This one is a wool blend because it was all I could find on short notice. I think it will be OK however because there is enough wool in it to have felted already. But wool is important. Two reasons: The first is the qualities of wool help keep the heat even when wet. VERY important for an outdoor application. The second reason is because it's felts and that makes it hard for the chicks to get a good bite out of it. If you have a good supply of ruined wool sweaters or shirts that's the perfect stuff.

As for shredding or ingesting long threads, wool again.... As I pointed out it's just tougher to shred when it's felted. And since it is natural I imagine if any of it is ingested it will break down in the crop MUCH easier than a man made fiber. But that is just a guess since this one is new. And as far as I could tell the previous two times I used my old wool hen there was absolutely no issue with the chicks eating the wool. The really do seem to treat it like a mama hen. It's pretty cute, actually.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Huh, never heard of a wool hen but i rather like the idea. I used the MHP (Mama Heating Pad) method for my last chicks and it's similar but basically a wire frame and heating pad on top or underneath the frame and yeah. It's similar and seems a lot more natural than a heat lamp. I guess the only difference with that is the heat the comes from the top rather than the bottom which is what a hen would do anyway but this way seems like it would work well too and the chicks seem to love it

 

[lazy gardener]

Thank you.

 

[Johnsbaby54]

I use escential oils for myself as well as cleaning my home. I was wonderingif there is anyone who uses oil recipe for cleaning there coups.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I'm not a big coop cleaner! The only thing that I've used anything on is roosts when trying to prevent mites (which I've never had so far).

I do use herbs in the nest boxes. As far as a cleaning solution, I've done the orange cleaner made with peels, cinnamon sticks and white vinegar (recipes abound on the net). I've used that to spray in the crevices of the roosts and along roosts. You could likely put a little orange oil in with it too.


VetRX is an essential oil blend made for using on chickens. But....Please remember that birds can die very quickly from various fumes that you'd never imagine. EOs are very strong. Rather to be safe than sorry.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed. I have asthma. Last summer when I was on a trip, one of the girls opened up a vial of Peppermint, thinking it would help my breathing. It sent me over the edge.