Unsecure chicken perches

[Lewis]

We're making a series of short info videos for poultry keepers at my work placement and I thought the wise Omleteers may have some other suggestions

 

Things like Wing clipping, Fitting a beak bit, Syringe feeding etc which some people take for granted but may be useful for others...

 

Wondered what else people may find helpful, for both beginners and more advanced keepers?

Thanks

[Daphne]

Despatching if you can face it, possibly showing a couple of methods - I'll pm you my thoughts.

 

For a bit of light relief you must show somebody fitting a saddle on a bird

 

Washing and blow drying for show? Spur clipping. Nail clipping. If you have a bird with an illness or lice/mite infestation that can be useful to show.

[Lewis]

Interesting you said Dispatching first, as we spoke about it at work.

I think it would be really useful for a lot of people as there are some really crude videos around, but I think its something you need to be shown and be able to ask questions rather than watching a video?

Would feel bad if someone did it wrong and it came back to me or the video...

 

Good point about nail and spur clipping, be really handy so I shall try + find some birds that need doing!

Lice + mites and powdering with Diatom or similar is another good idea

[The Dogmother]

I think that despatching is best done on a course, partly for the same reasons as Lewis' reservations but also because it's very hands on and you actually need someone to show you.

 

Lice/mite inspection

Syringe feeding

Health check

Cleaning out housing and which products to use when.

Broody cage set-up - could do with a video as well as the post that I made.

[Chicken shack]

How to deal wht sour crop

[The Dogmother]

Yup...

 

Treating impacted crop too

Scaly leg and treatment

Spraying for lice etc.

[Lavenders_Blue]

Checking and treating for lice/mites (all kinds)

How to hold a bird

 

I would also agree with despatching. I understand the reservations about making such a video, but it's not always possible for people to attend a course (might not be one nearby), or the course might not be suitable (for example, I would not want to attend a despatch and dress course as a vegetarian who is never ever going to prepare a bird for eating) or it might not have been possible for someone to attend a course before they need to be able to despatch a bird.

I will be honest and say that hubby and I had to despatch a hen in an emergency some while ago and had to look on the internet for instructions on how to do it (we knew to look for the broomstick method). We would have really welcomed a well presented instructional video showing us how to do it (I can reassure you that all went well and we managed a clean despatch!).

[Duncan08]

I would like a good video about health checks. I do it regularly but not always entirely sure what I am looking for.

In particular the vent. I check ours but I know that with egg problems you should be getting inside and making sure there is no shell. How to handle the bird and get inside, how far is safe to go, that sort of thing.

[superkitty]

What a good idea! Dr Chicken speaks...

 

Definitely how to hold a chicken, especially a large one! I still struggle with this as my girls are so big that I can't actually hold both of their legs in one hand (breeder told me to slide my hand under them and sort of slot the legs in between my fingers so that they're kind of sitting on your hand/arm with their legs held firm....completely impossible, they're too big!)

 

Also health checks, like everyone else has said. Really useful!

[Chooks-in-London]

Are these health check videos available to view anywhere? I think they would be useful to watch.

[good_egg]

Fab idea. Ditto the general health checks video - that's what I would have really appreciated last year!!

[merlina]

oooh this is a good idea!

 

I think a really basic, how to hold a chicken, how to do a basic health check would be good

 

if possible, a 'compare and contrast' video (eg a scaly leg vs a healthy one) would be useful for people who think all hen legs look scaley! or don't really know what 'normal' variations might look like

 

On the despatch front, I think something that emphasised that this was how to do it in an emergency, but 'ideally you should go on a course' would be good.

I think there's a fine balance somewhere between encouraging people to think they are capable (when they're not) and giving vital information

 

On a brighter note - how about a quick guide to types of breeds? Again with the 'compare and contrast' - eg this is a bantam standing next to a full sized hen, this is a big breed, small breed, a fluffy breed etc - which talked about 'typical' characteristics of each group

[PoachedPlease]

Definitely a despatch video.

 

Is a different method applicable depending on whether you are going to eat it or not? I don't see why this issue needs a course, as a good video should show all. no point being squeamish!

 

Xx

[The Dogmother]

...........I don't see why this issue needs a course, as a good video should show all. no point being squeamish!

 

Xx

 

It really needs to be taught in person to make sure that you get the pressure and technique right to avoid causing any suffering to the chicken. The course Lewis is referring to also shows you how to pluck and gut the chicken properly, and ends with either dressing to roast or jointing to casserole.

 

I'm often asked to show someone how to despatch a chicken efficiently, and it usually takes them one go of watching me, then 2 or 3 tries with supervision before they feel confident to do it on their own.

[PoachedPlease]

So dog other, do you take your own chicken with you in these courses or practice on theirs??

 

Xx

[The Dogmother]

Usually the course provider provides the meat birds; the standard is to provide 2

 

... one which you despatch and pluck, the other (for time's sake) is 'pre-dead', plucked and is for you to learn how to gut properly - there's a skill to making sure you get the innards out cleanly, you are also usually shown what's what in the innards, what is edible, what you can feed to the dog, and how to cut out the liver without damaging the bile duct (which would render the liver inedible). You are then shown how to dress it either for roasting or jointing for a casserole. Some courses teach how to bone and roll, but this is very fiddly and isn't really in demand (when you've done it once, you won't be in a hurry to do it again!).

 

The bird you despatched is also yours to take home (you end up with two birds) to practise gutting etc whilst referring to your notes.

 

I hope this helps