The road less traveled...back to good health! They have lice, mites, scale mites, worms, anemia, gl

[bairo]

wow...what an interesting thread. Sorry I just found it and am trying to catch up. I will def. be studying FF for a while

 

[Pullet Surprise]

That's another thing I've been wondering about, what the heck are they eating with all their scratching and pecking in the leaves and dirt...I guess they are getting bugs, but I'll be darned if they are big enough for me to see (course, that's not saying much).. We had such horrible tick infestations this spring, hope they are getting their share.

 

[bairo]

@bekissed

Can you lead me in the direction of the main FF thread? My search turns up several results where it is mentioned, but none that look like the "main" thread if you will

 

[Bulldogma]

@bekissed

Can you lead me in the direction of the main FF thread? My search turns up several results where it is mentioned, but none that look like the "main" thread if you will

Here ya go
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

 

[Leahs Mom]

Bee..what is the base measurement of your hoopcoop? (Inside measurement.) (I'm thinking I might want to add one next spring and get a few more "kiddos" than would fit handily into my current coop.)

 

[Beekissed]

It is 8 X 10, which cuts down to 7X 9 when hay bales are added along the walls for winter insulation.

 

[Beekissed]

I just want to run this by everyone and get your thoughts. I ended up with 2 roos. Both are excellent boys, not a human aggressive bone in their bodies, both have different qualities, both are fine birds. They were the best of buddies until a couple of weeks ago when all heck broke lose (I KNEW it would...was just hoping I had a little more time) They really got into it and I reacted and separated them. Combs were bloodied and I fixed that. So it was time for each to have his own flock. Got 5 more girls from the friend that we got the original flock from a few months ago, built a second coop etc. Quarenteen did not last but I'm not worried about that as they all come from the same "Stock" etc. It just happened. Frank likes his new girls just fine, they had enough time to get a good look at him and have accepted him well and they have started laying again right after the move. So far I have not let the new flock free range, but they have a large 'pen", just wanted them to aclimate to nests, coop, Frank and surroundings etc. The new girls have been to visit the original girls, everyone is getting on well. New flock has established its order etc. Original flock free ranges for a good part of the day I would like to get both flocks free ranging. So when Frank and Chunk Morris meet again without a wire fence between them................I suspect there is going to be a fight because I intervened and didn't let them settle it the first time. How far do you let it go? I would rather act than react...I have learned my lesson. Each flock consists of 5 girls & one roo and we have about two acres (although I would rather they stay away from one side of the house , the neighbor's fence has gaps under it that they can sure scoot under if they wanted to and I don't want them going over there. Any tips on getting the two flocks out and about at the same time? the reason I didn't get rid of one of the roos is that, well, they were both so good I would not begin to beable to figure out which one was "best" yet.

Your main problem is that you have too many roosters to too few hens. They are going to fight for flock rights and there ain't many flock rights between 10 hens and 2 roosters. I'd sell the one that loses the next fight...and I would let them fight. I've never broken up a rooster fight. It's the way of things and must be done and social orders must be worked out. Give them space out on range and let them work it out...and then get rid of that number 2 rooster.

That's my best advice.

 

[bama gal]

I mentioned this on the FF thread but I think it bears mentioning here as well. There is something I've noticed about the eggs since these hens have been on FF, instead of the feed I used to feed. All the yolks, no matter which egg from which hen, are E-normous!

I've eaten thousands of eggs and always look closely at the yolks as they are cracked into the pan. Since I haven't really been eating these eggs until I knew the chickens were back to normal in health, I hadn't gotten a chance to compare their yolks to one another. They are all, each and every egg, huge...no matter the actual egg size itself, the yolk is HUGE.

I'm wondering if this would mean the chicks born to these hens would have much better nutrition from the get go and naturally thrive better, grow faster and larger and just start out as a better bird all around due to this enormous amount of nutrition while incubating.

Just posted on the FF thread. But since you mentioned it here first I have noticed larger yolks in my eggs. I bake pies for our local Farmers Market 3X/week, so I see lots of egg yolks. My birds have been on FF for a little over 3 weeks. Noticed a few to begin with, but all of them have large yolks this week. Being a newbie, I just thought this was 'normal'

BUT they are larger than the yolks in store bought eggs, so you are probably right. It has to be the feed!!! They love it and I'm loving the results!

 

[bobbi-j]

I think folks who are familiar with fermenting foods like kraut, pickled corn, sourdough biscuits and such are much more comfortable with it all...as are the folks who make wine and beer. It's just one of those country things that the new generation were not brought up knowing or eating. I don't know too many people anymore who eat pickled corn or buttermilk but those are the two best foods ever to ferment on this Earth! Two of my favorites...

Anyhoo, once you've moved a scum of green mold to one side and reached past it to pull out that golden ear of pickled corn and ate it right there without bothering to rinse it off, nothing much else concerns you when it comes to fermented things, molds, yeasts, etc.

Yeah, I never had that experience. I was raised a city girl by a single mom with a full-time away from home career. I've been on the farm for 30 years, and have learned gardening, canning, freezing, and raising animals for food. I've gotta admit, I've never had a desire to ferment anything as I'm not fond of pickled anything other than dill pickles. So, this is a new thing for me. I know, I just have to take the plunge. Going out of town for a couple of days starting tomorrow, but hopefully when I get home I'll git 'er done!

 

[cowcreekgeek]

With exception of Middle Sister, I consider this flock out of the woods in regards to health. They are free of parasites, free of gleet, the bumblefoot is not progressing and is slowly going away, the new scales are growing in on their legs and old scales sloughing off and they are all putting on weight and feathering out nicely.

I don't think we'll need anymore comparison pics unless it's a group pic maybe next spring but I will still document any changes for the better here and any rise in egg production or any culling for such next spring.

I feel that my experiment has been a good one and I feel even Middle Sister would make an eventual recovery to stable health but her swollen feet are an issue that I feel will probably not go away. I'll be mulling over what to do about her before it gets too awful cold and if I think she is suffering too much from the cold, I will give her mercy.

I've been very pleased with the results of my little experiment and it turned out much like I expected....not only are these methods good for preventative, but are real handy on the curative side and I hope this has been a help to any of you who wanted to see if these types of all natural remedies and methods really work. The pictures are worth a thousand words, so I'll let them speak for themselves.

You shouldn't be surprised by your success, however humble, and I congratulate you ... guess it'd be too unkind to call Middle Sister by Big Sister or Big Foot, but I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't think you could continue to improve her condition. If all others responded to treatment, and she's otherwise healthy, then her pododermatitis is most likely caused by plain ol' staphylococci. Looks severe enough that it may have already entered her joints ...

​

I can't see well enough, even from these pictures -- is there .. an absence of abscess? If not, I'd suggest that you tighly tie off the legs one at a time, and surgically remove the core(s). Wouldn't suggest such a thing to most folks (but, clearly, you ain't most folks ~'-)

I realize it sounds a bit severe, but given the alternative? Seems to me it'd afford her the better chance of healin' up before the weather gets too severe.