The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Here's one I found...but have to run and don't have time to get on again until much later!


Quote:http://www.avianweb.com/chickdeformiities.html

 

[Bulldogma]

Here's one I found...but have to run and don't have time to get on again until much later!

Strange... it was in an egg turner and I moved them about to different places in the incubator when I candled the last time.

 

[BlueMouse]

Ok, so it totally just lost my multi-quote thingy. ugh.

Stonykill, so thrilled you're hanging around. I've read your posts with great interest.
Kasundra, adorable chicks! Does that "mommy" work ok with a heat lamp? My husband is the same way, he's worried that they'll be sad with nothing to cuddle under, but I was unsure that they would be warm enough, as in, does the feather duster mommy block the heat??

The owl pictures are amazing. This is what we have hanging around, to my great chagrin.
Obviously my murder of crows is NOT doing their job. So far he hasn't taken any chickens... keeping my fingers crossed.




My little guys are getting bigger! My EE and bantam cochin pullets with their fodder square this morning They're ridiculously cute. I would stick the EE outside with the other bigger kids, but she and the cochin are buddies, and I'm worried that the cochin is just too small.

I am trying to figure out how/when to integrate my 7-9 week old pullets with the main flock. They free range in a fenced area during the day, and sleep in a dog crate in the henhouse right now. I don't trust my big buff orpington hen within ten feet of them, she has a propensity to a mean streak. I'm going to need the dog crate in a few weeks for my guinea keets, but I'm not sure if it will be ok to integrate the little folks with the flock by then? or how to do it really... Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Pullet Surprise]

OMG!!! It just doesn't pay to be off the internet for a few days....FINALLY caught up, but that involved soooooo much skimming! All I can say is WOW! So much of interest going on....welcome to all the new people, Aoxa, Henry is sure a handsome young man! Your basement chicks look wonderful! I suppose by the time I go out in putter in the garden which is going like crazy (Thanks to the ummm Chicken By-Products) there will be at least five more pages posted. The thing is a life saver! So much to digest now.

 

[Mumsy]

Mumsy - another question on the cockerels.

I have just the ONE little guy who's 16 weeks. 6 adult hens (1 yr) 3 16 wk old pullets. I imagine with just ONE cockerel it wouldn't work to try to separate him since he wouldn't have company?

(I guess I could house him with the hen that takes him down every time he tries to get fresh! )

One young cockerel with six adult hens is going to work because the hens will put him on the bottom of the pecking order until he is closer to sexual maturity. When the hormones kick in, he will start bullying the young pullets first.

It's going to get interesting at my place when the HRIR cockerels all start getting hormones at the same time. Catdance farm has boy grow out pens and girl growout pens. That is what I will be doing.

I can stagger flocks at free ranging at the same time because I have my property divided by gates. I play yard tetris every day.

I finished planting the garden except for peppers. I use the hoop coop design for my tomato and peppers only using 6 mil clear plastic and spring clips rather than tarp and bungee cord. Works great. Inside the tomato hoop house it registers 100 degrees when the sun is out.

I'll take some new pictures today of the flocks free ranging together and the gardens. 70 degrees today and yesterday. Blue skies and bird song. Ate my lunch outside watching chickens. Rain supposed to start again over the weekend. No worries. It will water the seedling carrots, beets, and peas. I was cultivating one of the herb beds and throwing weedlings over the fence. The entire flock was begging on the other side. Too funny!

Someone was mentioning what we all say to call the chickens. I sing, "Talk, talk, talk, come on." My husband laughs when I do it because forty chicks and chickens all chase after me!

 

[Mumsy]

Catdance Lavender Silkies in the lavender pansies today.


Little one. I believe this is a pullet.




Bigger one. Possibly a cockerel.

Their beards and muffs were pulled out by the HRIR chicks when they were brooded together. FF was stuck all over them and it was irresistible while they were piled together.

 

[FruitfulFaith]

Can I jump in? I'm new-ish around here. I live in Alaska and am planning on raising my little brood of chickies as natural as I can

 

[camilleathome]

Can I jump in? I'm new-ish around here. I live in Alaska and am planning on raising my little brood of chickies as natural as I can

Welcome You will love your new chickies!

 

[Pullet Surprise]

Catdance Lavender Silkies in the lavender pansies today.


Little one. I believe this is a pullet.




Bigger one. Possibly a cockerel.

Their beards and muffs were pulled out by the HRIR chicks when they were brooded together. FF was stuck all over them and it was irresistible while they were piled together.

They look so good!!!

 

[Mumsy]

They look so good!!!

Thank you Pullet Surprise. My youngest daughter came to visit the other day and remarked on them. She said, "I never knew Silkies came in such lovely colors. Pastel Silkies are pretty."

I'll try and take pictures of the buff one's too. They are my favorite of the batch.