The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[cockoftherock]

I sing like a crow but I love the awesome icons lolquote name="Leahs Mom" url="/t/729605/the-natural-chicken-keeping-thread-ots-welcome/28320#post_12820504"] I'll bring the guitar.

[/quote]

 

[ki4got]

BTW, @ki4got

How did that roast turn out?

LOL so much else going on with weather and such, I forgot to take the roast out to thaw... so it's planned for Saturday.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

No answers for the blackhead questions. But I like what Sue posted.
As for the roast recipe, I enjoyed reading it and modifying it to what I had on hand for the chicken I have roasting overnight tonight in the crock pot.

 

[Shan30]

Shan - It was me that has the area the smaller birds can go in. Those fence pieces I got from Lowes. My 24 wk olds can still go through and when they're young they will hop on top and over too. If silkies are the size I think they are, these would probably work for them. I just zip tie them together and to the fence so that I can easily remove them or change the configuration. http://www.lowes.com/pd_260261-1641...e&pl=1&currentURL=?Ntt=black+fence&facetInfo=

Ah yes thank you! I will take a look for something like that. If not I'm sure I can just build something similar. It was a genius idea but the way!

 

[delisha]

Quote:
To be very clear -
Do you put the crate girl in total isolation where she can't even see the rest of the flock? Or is she crated within eyesight.
They have to be removed from everyone..chicken are social creatures..the isolation and putting them with the chicken they are beating up after a week of being alone sometimes works. They do not like to be alone.

Random question for Silkie Owners:

Are you able to house your regular LF with the silkies or do you have to house them separately to keep them from being mauled?

all my birds are together..all ages all LF and bantams

No answers for the blackhead questions. But I like what Sue posted.
As for the roast recipe, I enjoyed reading it and modifying it to what I had on hand for the chicken I have roasting overnight tonight in the crock pot.

blackhead
OK
prevention by keeping turkeys off the ground/on wire grates..it works. as long as they can't eat poop/bugs or dirt are away from chickens and are not in an area where chickens have been for 4 years or more..they can avoid black head...not a life i would give any animal..but it is done for Thanksgiving every year!! gobble gobble

 

[aoxa]

They have to be removed from everyone..chicken are social creatures..the isolation and putting them with the chicken they are beating up after a week of being alone sometimes works. They do not like to be alone.


all my birds are together..all ages all LF and bantams
blackhead
OK
prevention by keeping turkeys off the ground/on wire grates..it works. as long as they can't eat poop/bugs or dirt are away from chickens and are not in an area where chickens have been for 4 years or more..they can avoid black head...not a life i would give any animal..but it is done for Thanksgiving every year!! gobble gobble

I cannot get my silkies and LF to co-mingle unless the silkies have been free ranging since chicks with them, and are given hair cuts. However, after breeding season, I'm unsure how I will reintegrate. :S

Margaret did just fine being crated alone. She did really get excited to see us at the end of the day. In the last stage of her life, she was a loner. She's hang with the rabbits or with humans, but did not really enjoy the company of other chickens. Not that she was bullied.. she actually picked on a few herself... she just was different.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I cannot get my silkies and LF to co-mingle unless the silkies have been free ranging since chicks with them, and are given hair cuts. However, after breeding season, I'm unsure how I will reintegrate. :S

Hair cuts.

Did that help keep the other birds from singling them out? (By their appearance?) Or do you cut them so they can see better to free-range?

This one girl that the BA attacks is my one SFH that is a different color than everyone and has a large crest. I HATE CRESTS. Just saying. I had planned on cutting back her crest feathers before you mentioned that...but wondering what effect you think it has on the situation.

Also...have any photos of any after a hair cut?

 

[aoxa]

Hair cuts.

Did that help keep the other birds from singling them out? (By their appearance?) Or do you cut them so they can see better to free-range?

This one girl that the BA attacks is my one SFH that is a different color than everyone and has a large crest. I HATE CRESTS. Just saying. I had planned on cutting back her crest feathers before you mentioned that...but wondering what effect you think it has on the situation.

Also...have any photos of any after a hair cut?

You hate the look of crests or that they get in the way?

No they don't single them out, but the large crests impairs their vision. They can't see and seem to lose confidence when they can't see. When I clipped back crests the girls got all cocky and stuck their chests out and told the boys where to stick it. lol

 

[aoxa]

Bad hair cut

 

[Pozees]

Quote:
I have a young Silkie pullet (I think) I had to trim the crest on so she could see her food - I watched her standing over the food cocking her head this way and that, but not eating. I trimmed back feathers all around and below her eyes, and she started eating.