Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens...Naturally

I believe my most recent email to Lisa explains everything: Dear Lisa! I had to write to you and tell you this story about my chicken, Sophie. Please excuse me if I get a bit lengthy, but I promise I will tie it all together at the end. Last April, I decided I wanted a backyard flock. I am a scientist by heart and training, not to mention a teacher, so I researched extensively before making the plunge. One of the many books I purchased for reference was yours. Raising chickens holistically appealed to me on many levels, as I was making a huge turn toward a healthier lifestyle. Being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and having to take strong medications to normalize, pushed me into the direction of wanting to be sure that anything else put into my body was as healthy as possible. If I was going to raise chickens, those eggs were going to be as organic as I could muster. I learned a lot from your book and it has become my go to bible. The philosophy you share and tips and instructions to go with it are a God send. Fast forward to 3 days ago. Here in Massachusetts, we had a warm May. No rain, just warm weather. On Sunday, our weather changed, bringing rain and temps down to 49 degrees during the day. My silly hens, all 5 of them, stayed out in the chilly rain, looking like drowned rats! At roosting time, I noticed 1 hen, Sophie, was not on the bar. She stood out in the rain, sopping, actually, in a stupor. Her pupils were dilated and she was stumbling. She couldn’t make it up the small ramp and into the coop. I brought her into the house, blow dried her (a first!) warmed her up then returned her to the bar. She was still lethargic, but I attributed that to it being late. Next morning, on my hencam, I saw that she was not with the others. She stayed on the roost bar, sleeping, didn’t eat, drink or move much for several hours. After bringing her in, and checking her out, I was able to get her to eat a bit but not drink. Her eyes were black, and her poop, runny and yellow. I checked for egg binding…nope. I concluded,after ruling out several things,that she probably had Coccidiosis, at which point I ran to the local grain store. They recommended Sulmet. No one online liked it, as it is crazy strong on their systems, something you already know. They liked Corid (Amprolium), which I promptly ordered, but what to do in the 1-2 days it would take to get here?? Out comes your book. I remembered reading how Oregano counteracts Coccidiosis. I needed to get her into a holding zone until the meds arrived, or so I thought, so, as you suggested, I put garlic, Kocci Free (had that on hand because you recommended it), and ACV into the water, picked some fresh Oregano from my garden, made up my “special” oatmeal (Sea Kelp, Flax Seed, Probiotic, yogurt, DE, wheat germ, again, inspired by you) and fed her what she would take. She picked at that, and the watermelon, and the cucumber I offered, BUT what she devoured most was the Oregano. She had a voracious appetite for the herb, and I let her eat as much as she would take, multiple times during the afternoon. She was not doing well, Lisa. I didn’t think she would make it. Unless I hand fed her and encouraged her to drink, she wouldn’t. At this point, she was inside so that I could watch her and get her away from the stress of the others. Here is the amazing part. About 3 hours after being in with me(6 or so hours after starting treatment), probably warmed up. she stood up and began moving around, pecking at the veggies on her own. She could stand without collapsing. Her vacant, distant stare became more focused. She started drinking independently, and a lot. She was doing so well, I put her out on the roost bar for the night to avoid separation issues. This morning, when I awoke, she was out in the run with the others. Checking on her, I saw her balance was good, her eyes, normal. She was eating on her own, albeit smaller amounts and walking around the run. I have continued to “treat” her with fresh Oregano throughout the day, which she continues to eat in vast amounts, and she continues to slowly improve. She’s going to be ok. I am elated! And flabbergasted! Absolutely speechless! The power of herbs and a holistic approach cannot be ignored in this story! She has not been given any meds whatsoever….they have not arrived, yet. She knew that she needed the Oregano, I trusted in that, let her take as much as she wanted, and I wouldn’t have known to offer it had I not been a follower of you and had access to your book. Because of the knowledge you imparted, I have been given a solid base in holistic care, which I fell back on in a chicken emergency, and which pulled us through. I want to send you a sincere thank you for writing the book and for continuing your search in new, wholesome ways to treat our flocks without jumping to chemicals and meds. It takes a LOT to make me speechless, as my husband would attest(:)), and the turnaround with this hen has done just that. I admit, I was somewhat skeptical but willing to be open minded. Skepticism no more! Funny thing, I have been studying Herbology with Rosemary Gladstar’s course, and this experience has solidified the knowledge that I am going in the right direction! Oh, If herbs can heal a chicken that well, what can they do for us?? For RA? Thank you, thank you and God Bless you for sharing your wisdom with the masses! Know that you have saved one little chicken and made a chicken momma very happy. Be well, and take care during your move north! Welcome back to New England! With warmest regards and thankfulness," As a footnote, Sophie continues to do well 3 days later. Many of her symptoms have cleared and she continues to get dosed with fresh oregano several times a day. I can't recommend this book enough! I have implemented her practices since the word "go" and will continue to do so! If you truly want to raise healthy, organic chickens, this is the way to go!

Love this book. Informative and also very attractive.

I have been a backyard chicken keeper for almost 5 years now! Prior to actually getting my chickens, I read, read, read everything I could get my hands on that had to do with keeping and raising chickens and found myself continually returning to the egg-stensive knowledge base of the Fresh Eggs Daily blog by Lisa Steele. Now, she puts all that great knowledge together in her EGG-straordinary book- Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy Healthy Chickens...Naturally! Her great passion for chicken keeping comes shining through in her delightful conversational tone. Lisa not only helps us to raise our feathery friends as nature intended, but shares her vast knowledge of herbs, plants, flowers, and seeds as a go to source for preventing illness and treating any health issues that may pop up. Lisa is a gifted writer and passionate backyard chicken keeper who wants all who seek her advice to have the absolute BEST egg-sperience possible as they raise and keep these wonderful feathery little creatures! This book is for anyone who is considering raising chickens or who already has a backyard flock and wants to be proactive in tending them in the most natural way possible. This EGG-cellent resource takes Lisa's generation's old egg-spertise one step further by organizing the chapters in such "an easy to refer to" style that even a novice chicken keeper can easily find the egg-act advice for the situation at hand. Individual chapters suggest natural ways to keep the chicken coop,nesting boxes, and run cleaner and smelling scent-sational, natural ways to provide your bathing beauties with an EGG-straordinary dust bath egg-sperience , natural help when they are molting or broody, natural ways to supplement their feed and water, special chapters addressing the special needs of hot steamy summers and cold blustery winters, naturally assisting the wee chicks growth and development while residing in the brooder, and natural help for when something just isn't right! Add to this, an egg-stensive appendix of safe-to-eat weeds and flowers and a list of all of the awesome health benefits of some of the most common herbs, weeds, and flowers and wait for it...all alphabetized!!! I say Kudos to you-dos, Lisa for sharing your EGG-ceptional chicken keeping know how with all of us who are embarking on this EGG-citing chicken keeping EGG-stravaganza!

Must read for beginner chicken farmers who want healthy happy chickens. Packed with so much info, I love this book.

Fabulous book full of clear uncomplicated information.

Excellent book! Promotes how to look after your chickens naturally and to really high standards- highly recommend to all chicken (potential) keepers!

In dem Buch findet man massenweise Tipps und Rezepte, damit man seine Hühner gesund und glücklich halten kann. Viele Anregungen, welche Kräuter und Plfanzen benutzt werden können, um die Tiere gesund zu erhalten und Krankheiten entgegen zu wirken. Ich möchte das Buch nicht mehr missen, gibt es allerdings derzeitig nur in englisch.

- Übersichtliche Kapitel - leicht zu verstehen (nur auf Englisch erhältlich) - gute Rezepte für Hühnerfutter Fazit: Ein sehr hilfreiches Buch für jeden der an Hühnerhaltung interessiert ist.