The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Since I don't have a rooster my only thoughts on un fertilized eggs for those who have a rooster is the cold has an effect on it. On another thread here where OTs are they have been talking about how fertilized eggs has gone down with the bitter cold.

I went to a reuse store today to pick up old hardware for an old door I purchased from there that I stripped and stained. As we were walking around I noticed a roll of something tucked in a corner. Hardware cloth !!! They had 2 rolls that are 3x5 & sold them to me for $2.50 each!!!!!!! Regular price at TSC is $12.50 each. I hung on to them tight as we finished walking around. Coop will be getting wrapped in some and the rest I can use for my step herb planters

Great score..I will talk later about males and fertility..

Quote:
males and fertility later on bottom

Okay. Here I go again. But..

Doesn't the fake flapping owls desensitize the chickens to the real thing? I know that "Mister" sounds the alarm when he hears wings flapping nearby (even if it's another chicken behind him that he can't see...he alarms to the sound).

If the chickens are smart enough to tell the difference between the fakes and a real threat, wouldn't the hawks be smart enough to tell the difference too?

I have an Owl on my roof..the chicken are not desensitized. Those are my chickens though..my chickens are culled for stupid..so .....

I found a bunch of old CDs and have read that some people have had good luck with those. Just need to find spots to hang them from with fishing line.

great idea..




Old age..fertility..and weather

Fertility has to do with the shinning sun..the brighter and higher on the back of the rooster the better his semen..as the old saying goes..
The hens will *spit^ out the semen since some have common sense even when we do not... and do not want to raise chicks this time of year even when we are forcing them to lay with heat and lights.
Some breeds are more fertile than others..some breeds are simply very poor in the fertility department. Poor feed and nutrition will make a rooster sterile...like feeding him layer feed..filled with hormones...some breeds are fertile for two years and they are simply done..
As far as cold and fertile or not fertile..
It is pretty darn hard to live in Wisconsin and not be cold. We are always cold except July and August. I am hatching eggs right now and some of them were pretty darn hard when I brought them in the house. There are fertile or not..all eggs I put in the incubator but one breed was 100% fertile. That breed is in a back pen and does not have full access to all day sun, just afternoon sun. poor birds.

 

[delisha]

Cute Blue Lindz

 

[Jewelwing]

lol that's Awesome but no its Walmart bags wit old plastic lids in them for just enough weight to keep them from wrapping around things but still moving.. its the movement that keeps the Starlings out..

Oh, I thought it was maybe dead starlings you had hung up to warn off the others!

 

[lalaland]

Old age..fertility..and weather

Fertility has to do with the shinning sun..the brighter and higher on the back of the rooster the better his semen..as the old saying goes..
The hens will *spit^ out the semen since some have common sense even when we do not... and do not want to raise chicks this time of year even when we are forcing them to lay with heat and lights.
Some breeds are more fertile than others..some breeds are simply very poor in the fertility department. Poor feed and nutrition will make a rooster sterile...like feeding him layer feed..filled with hormones...some breeds are fertile for two years and they are simply done..
As far as cold and fertile or not fertile..
It is pretty darn hard to live in Wisconsin and not be cold. We are always cold except July and August. I am hatching eggs right now and some of them were pretty darn hard when I brought them in the house. There are fertile or not..all eggs I put in the incubator but one breed was 100% fertile. That breed is in a back pen and does not have full access to all day sun, just afternoon sun. poor birds.

hmmm very interesting.
so it isn't the cold eggs.

I don't know what either of the rooster breeds are, they are from that dag blasted woman who hatched potluck. Am not feeding layer except on a rare basis - that stray bag of sprout I picked up when I didn't make it to the mill and they didn't eat it anyway.

But....they have been in the coop without sun for extended periods. This weather has been so nuts, it has been a rare rare day when the windchill is not -30 or -40 below until noon, today is another "normal" day with windchill advisorys out til afternoon, so maybe thats it. Maybe I should stop worrying about Boosters frostbit comb and just let them out despite the windchill.

danged wwinter

It isn't a big deal if these two roosters aren't fertile. We'll see if things change with

 

[Pozees]

Quote: Which breed, Delisha?

 

[delisha]

Quote: I have Heritage Silver laced Wyandottes..they are young and they take a while to sexually mature. Males rarely are 100% fertile to begin with and this time of year are not sexually very active. They need that sun beating on them..



He is so young..not yet a year old..He is just starting to breed and spends more time on the ground. He weights almost 11lbs and is so uncoordinated. It is funny to watch him breed. Unless a female fully submits this fella is on the ground.
It is -21 with the wind chill this morning..I have coops open...My coops are always open unless the snow or sleet blows directly in the door.

 

[armorfirelady]

Lala & Delisha I'm curious are your winters always this cold? I know aour temps are not normal here. While we do get temps I'm the teens every winter not for so long.

I'm sick of winter. The gate to the chicken area has been fighting me with these low temps. Finally I just bungee corded it closed this morning. I can't wait till spring when I can move the gate and put it up higher so it clears the snow easier. Even shoveling is not helping since its ice hats blocking it.

 

[RedRidge]

I was wondering about hawks too.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT A HAWK FEARS?

Italian Maremma...Although when they are young? not so much... LOL

 

[armorfirelady]

I was wondering about hawks too. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT A HAWK FEARS?

Italian Maremma...Although when they are young? not so much... LOL

RR the pup is adorable My answer would be a gun. (Yes I know there are federal & state laws that ban shooting hawks & other raptors- I'm not suggesting anyone shoot a hawk-just that they would be afraid of them)

 

[Leahs Mom]

Interestingly the DNA in some states encourages shooting near the area you don't want them to stay around to scare them away