Welcome to the Holistic Hen - Sharing Experiences Raising Organic Chickens, Quail & Pigeons

Organically raised chickens, quail, fantail pigeons and the occasional guest poultry all living in 1000m2 of organic forest garden. My articles attempt to look at the poultry's view of life in the backyard and to observe and share how they thrive and survive in the environment we created for them. On the occasions when I need to intervene, I do so with a holistic approach to the bird as an individual and also to infer from the situation what this tells me about the general health, happiness and dynamics of the flock. I also look at stress management and show how to use nutrition and phytotherapy for both prevention and cure of various conditions. 

LATEST ARTICLE


Raising Mealworms Organically for Optimum Poultry Protein - Part One - Sourcing/Detoxing & Creating an Environment


Raising Mealworms Organically for Quail

Can't wait for  a mealworm!

I've always been concerned about the level of protein in the diet of my quail. This is not only from the point of view of egg laying but also and more importantly because from my observation that my quail undergo a complete personality change when they are short of amino acids such as L-methionine. They become fractious and argumentative with each other and shout angrily at me when they see me in the garden. ...read more 

Part Two - Optimising the Environment, Population Growth & Grain Mite

Raising mealworms organically for poultry

As with all my work both writing and films, my intention is to share that observation is key in the understanding of how we can best raise our poultry. This also holds good for how we raise their food. Understanding how invertebrates live, reproduce and interact with their habitat, helps not only in time-saving and avoiding unnecessary labour but also in getting positive results. The first conclusion we came to was that the plastic box was not an optimum environment!......read more 

These articles are on-going, they occur either as they happen to us or because someone has asked me for help with their birds and thus to share what I have learned from the experience. Below you will find my my latest YouTube video:


Organic Poultry Food For Free - Creating Leaf Mould


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8 comments:

  1. Roysfarm17 March 2015 at 14:12

    Very informative and useful for poultry farmers like me. Thank you very much!

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    1. Pavlovafowl26 April 2015 at 17:17

      Thank-you very much Roy for your kind words, much appreciated. Great excitement here, one of my quail has started to sit her own eggs! All the very best, Sue

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  2. Fish17 October 2015 at 19:43

    I need a help my chicken and her chicks have flu they cant breathing properly even not eating anything coz of flu i gave them antibiotic medicion but they not going healty ther healh going more down i m very upsat and loss i tried many things but they cant please help me i early lost my 2 roosters and 3 hens all coz of this flu and they also doing green watrly poop please help me as soon as possible if u can other wise I will lose them too. I am waiting for it reply

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    1. Pavlovafowl17 October 2015 at 22:42

      Hi there, Firstly this may not be flu, it could be coryza/catarrh, flu is really something that happens in big commercial poultry enterprises like battery hens not small flocks. If they can't breathe then it is probably that their nasal passages are blocked and you need to get these open both so they can breathe properly and also because if they have coryza then they a re detoxing through the nose and it needs to keep happening. I would give them an inhalation and you can give the one in the following film to the whole flock : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gDn4xkARik the recipe for the steam inhalation is one dessert spoon dried thyme, I handful of fresh thyme, I dessert spoon eucalyptus, one teaspoon pine buds in a pan of hot mineral water. If you can not get these herbs, use essential oils of thyme, rosemary, eucalptus and a particularly good one is peppermint - only one drop of each in a bowl of hot water and let the bird breathe in the steam (cover the eyes as it is very strong). The birds need to be kept warm and the ones that are ill should be kept separately from the others, you should also change your clothes after you have handled them as it is infectious. You need to get them to eat and drink, this is very important, otherwise they will not have the strength to fight this. The reason why they have green poop is because they are not eating and are producing bile. One of the best supports for the immune system at this time is turmeric, coconut oil and cabbage, if possible fermented cabbage (sauerkraut), the Chinese actually use this to cure flu. However it must be raw not pasteurised. If you can't get this then very finely chopped cabbage is almost as good. Put the food in their mouths right to the back of the beak and they should eat it. To get them to drink, put the tip of the beak in water, or fresh orange juice would be good too, and just stroke the back of their heads this should get them to drink. Unfortunately giving them antibiotics will have suppressed their immune system and will have affected their gut flora, which is a critical part of the immune system but don't worry you can remedy that. Give them apple cider vinegar just a couple of drops in a dessert spoon of water each, this is also an electrolyte and will give them a boost. Do not feed them any grain, this is basically a sugar and will not help. Feed them fruit and vegetable and if possible beef liver and or insects or other wild protein. What you need is for them to fight this and they can only do this if they eat well. You should also find out what has caused this. Have they been near any toxins or moulds or pesticides because you do not want this to continue to reinfect the flock. The other major factor is stress - so has anything happened in your flock or has anything changed? Fluctuations in weather can also cause serious stress problems also deficiencies in food - have they been getting plenty of greenery, such a leafy vegetables and what about their protein levels? Do they just eat grain? Hope this helps. Really good luck, Pavlovafowl aka Sue

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    2. Pavlovafowl17 October 2015 at 22:45

      Sorry here is the live link for the steam inhalation film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gDn4xkARik All the best, Sue

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  3. Anonymous22 March 2016 at 18:38

    Absolutely love your posts! Forest gardening is something I've admired for a long time, but this is the first time I've come across catering for chickens too. Very inspiring as I love my little family of poultry.

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    1. Pavlovafowl15 May 2016 at 20:37

      I'm so sorry I only just found your comment but it is still very much appreciated, thank-you. Forest gardening with poultry is wonderful fun for us and I hope the birds alike. They have, in many ways reverted to jungle fowl, forming their own small flocks within their own boundaries, defined by a hedge or rose arch... They also seem to have a structure of complex hierarchies, sometimes fluid but which seem to work, from small groups of 'friends' to couples and families. It is a really interesting study and you get your garden weeded! All the very best, Sue

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  4. Apnabuilder2 February 2021 at 18:09

    Thanks

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