The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

A HAWK STORY

I had heard how having crows nesting nearby was a good thing as they keep the hawks away. So every time I see crows I'm happy they're around.

Yesterday evening I was out burning some brush in the area that the chickens free-range so they could have a natural ash pit. As I was sitting there around 7p, I hear the crows cawing. No big deal, they always are cawing around there but this time the chickens all made a b-line for the hen house door, then stopped and all looked up.

I looked up and there was a single crow "escorting" a hawk out of the area. The crow chased it across to the next tree-line over, then circled back and went home. The hawk kept going! GOOD CROW!


Last fall I saw a hawk moving across the sky at an extremely fast pace. Then I looked behind it, and there was a murder of crows following behind - about 15 of them chasing it.

GOT TO LOVE THOSE CROWS!

I have been seeing this every day when it is clear! They are chasing the eagles! The eagles don't seem to bother the chicks, but I still don't let them free range just yet. I even feed the crows to encourage them

 

[Pozees]

Apparently my 9-year-old daughter saw that the white Silkie was pecking the 3-week-old chicks and took them out... and put them in with the Black Silkie...

I will now be submitting "Darth 'Bator" for a mother of the year award. She adopted the older chicks right away. No issues to speak of (well... she still eyes the blonde chick, but hasn't been aggressive with her). I put Darth and her 10 chicks in the larger grow-out pen in the front of the trailer coop so they would have lots of space, and I put a heating element out there so that nobody would freeze if they couldn't get under momma.

I went out just a little bit ago to check on them and...

Darth had ALL 10 chicks tucked up under her - - and she looked blissfully happy! I'm amazed that she took on 5 extra chicks that are clearly older than the ones she hatched. And I'm so proud!

The blonde SFH loving having a real Momma to snuggle up under!


Momma with 10 chicks under her... and a FF hairdo!

She certainly gets my vote!

 

[farmerfogg]

What a great day! My oldest daughter helped me get our 10x10x6 dog run in place for the delivery of our new coop next week. The hens were so happy digging and pecking for worms and bugs. When we brought the hay into their run, they were busy hens. They inspected everything more than once. It was so fun to watch them.
The baby chicks are in the house, in their brooder. They are 2 1/2 weeks old. They are growing up so fast. I know it won't be long before the little fuzz butts join the big girl's. I'm getting really excited about out larger flock. They are all so precious to us!

 

[Pozees]

That makes sense, getting trees that bloom at the same time. Wish they would list them better. I've gone to arborday.org and picked a few trees from there as well. The Pixie Crunch is a Gurney tree, so I have to go back and forth between the sites and find which ones to buy for each other.
Pozees, you know how bare it is out here. I'm going crazy, so am hoping to get at least ten trees planted this year and see how they do. My willow in the front seems to be doing well, but I'll know for sure in a couple of weeks. I like how the Arbor day website tells you which trees to get for the area.

Yep. Water and mulch. Water at least weekly the first year, hot dry weeks I water every day (last year, all of June, July, August and September - ugh).

 

[aaggjg]

As promised

Black

Blue

Splash(pigment hole on left second toe)

OMG Those Silkie Chicks are amazing! I wish I had room and time for chicks ... my poor broodies just sit and sit and sit and sit and sit ..... and SIT

 

[aaggjg]

A Saturday with husband home, sun out, 70 degrees! I am a bit red in the face and bone weary tired but oh so satisfied with this glorious day!

Finished all the pop doors in the chick house and new pen. Husband kept the power tools plugged in and warmed up and then put a new raised bed out in the potager garden. The White Silkie flock is learning to free range a bit better every day. So i picked them each up, one by one, and deposited them out in the raspberry patch. They seemed to really enjoy that freedom away from the LF girls that push them around all the time. I kept them out there for most of the day until I found them munching on the new green tops of my freshly planted garlic! They certainly have got a taste for it since it's in their FF.

Free ranging Silkies amongst the raspberry canes.

Mumsy I am away for 2 weeks and your white silkie flock has GROWN!!!! I guess I'll go back and figure out where they came from

There is nothing better then watching all those fluffy butts in the garden!

 

[aaggjg]

Momma with 10 chicks under her... and a FF hairdo!

Awww Darth is awesome. So hens are just 1000% programmed to be moms. I snuck a ton of chicks under my bantam cochin Popcorn 10 total and she somehow managed to keep them all warm. Even though they were bigger then her in a few weeks

 

[CoopChick719]

Originally Posted by Sally8 After losing the 2 poults yesterday, I changed things around. I'm taking the pen and tote to the car wash today and going to disinfect all dishes. I've had such a terrible cold. It just makes me wonder.

The best part of chickens is a comfy chair, a cold drink & watching some chicken tv

Just an FYI for those on the thread today you can get Aoxas Chicken Ebook for free on Amazon...........Just wish I had internet for my Ipad at work so I could start reading it now

http://www.amazon.com/Must-Love-Chi...+Stories+[Kindle+Edition]+Erin+Kelly+(Author)

Enjoy !!! Its only for today its fre

Thank you for posting this! I can't wait to read it!!

While its not chicken related *technically* I thought some of you would get a chuckle out of this picture:


Apparently my cat, Max, thought he would try out *nesting* in the egg carton

I was half tempted to give him some eggs and see if he would go broody

LOL...we have a picture of my sister's cat sitting in egg cartons. What is it about the egg cartons?

As promised

Black

Blue

Splash(pigment hole on left second toe)

Silkies and the "meat group". The Silkies are a week older than the meaties and half the size.

Adorable chicks!!

A HAWK STORYI had heard how having crows nesting nearby was a good thing as they keep the hawks away. So every time I see crows I'm happy they're around. Yesterday evening I was out burning some brush in the area that the chickens free-range so they could have a natural ash pit. As I was sitting there around 7p, I hear the crows cawing. No big deal, they always are cawing around there but this time the chickens all made a b-line for the hen house door, then stopped and all looked up. I looked up and there was a single crow "escorting" a hawk out of the area. The crow chased it across to the next tree-line over, then circled back and went home. The hawk kept going! GOOD CROW! Last fall I saw a hawk moving across the sky at an extremely fast pace. Then I looked behind it, and there was a murder of crows following behind - about 15 of them chasing it. GOT TO LOVE THOSE CROWS!

Thank you for posting this Leahs Mom! I thought I had read something about this but a co-worker said oh no, I have crows at my place and I see hawks all the time.

A Saturday with husband home, sun out, 70 degrees! I am a bit red in the face and bone weary tired but oh so satisfied with this glorious day!

Finished all the pop doors in the chick house and new pen. Husband kept the power tools plugged in and warmed up and then put a new raised bed out in the potager garden. The White Silkie flock is learning to free range a bit better every day. So i picked them each up, one by one, and deposited them out in the raspberry patch. They seemed to really enjoy that freedom away from the LF girls that push them around all the time. I kept them out there for most of the day until I found them munching on the new green tops of my freshly planted garlic! They certainly have got a taste for it since it's in their FF.

Free ranging Silkies amongst the raspberry canes.



First time out in the chick run and sun shine on their backs for my shipped heritage RIR two week old chicks.

So cute!! I had my Silkies out free-ranging today too.

Darth had ALL 10 chicks tucked up under her - - and she looked blissfully happy! I'm amazed that she took on 5 extra chicks that are clearly older than the ones she hatched. And I'm so proud!

The blonde SFH loving having a real Momma to snuggle up under!


Momma with 10 chicks under her... and a FF hairdo!

Hooray Darth!! What a good momma!!

 

[aaggjg]

Oh and Henry is home!!

I'm late but OMG HENRY!!!!! LOVE!!!!

 

[jockeyeba]

Wishing everyone a blessed Easter