The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[maidenwolfx80]

Very nice I love the pics.

 

[stonykill]

thanks Maiden!

I reallized I may have more birds than I thought. Pictured is roughly 1/2 of the free range flock...and I just counted 40 birds in that picture

 

[Bulldogma]

absolutely. I have pics of them as well with their lil ones...but was going to use them on the broody blog I'm working on for you

. Feel free to use this one for the upcoming RIR blog. FYI these 2 girls are from old farm stock. From a chicken farm of 60 years or so that closed. These 2 are between 4 and 6 years old.

RIRs... I must have some to add to my legion of minions... uhh... I mean "flock."

(Hey - they follow me where ever I go and grovel at my feet... so I think "minions" is appropriate.)

 

[maidenwolfx80]

thanks Maiden!

I reallized I may have more birds than I thought. Pictured is roughly 1/2 of the free range flock...and I just counted 40 birds in that picture

That happens sooo fast. I have 41, I have given birds away almost all year and still the numbers never go down. Maybe its because I bring in more babies then I give adults away...... Chicken math...

 

[lalaland]

Thanks ChickChickCkicky, I appreciate the info. Am actually looking in Minnesota, but all info is helpful.

 

[stonykill]

I thought I had around 75 chickens. That estimate I think is low. About 20 hang out next door in my parents yard. Another 15ish hang out out in my back yard, plus the penned birds ....which is 30. Plus the 11 ducks. And the 40 pictured I'm not adding that up

. There are more roosters to go to freezer camp. That will bring the number back down some

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I thought I had around 75 chickens. That estimate I think is low. About 20 hang out next door in my parents yard. Another 15ish hang out out in my back yard, plus the penned birds ....which is 30. Plus the 11 ducks. And the 40 pictured I'm not adding that up

. There are more roosters to go to freezer camp. That will bring the number back down some

Yea I am sure it is time to heat up the stew pot

 

[galefrances]

I don't know how you all manage.... I have 12 birds and I have all I can do to keep up with them. Especially now that the cold weather is here. How do you all feel about keeping a continuous feeder in the coop during winter? Seems a lot of people say the food will attract mice and rats. I really would like to use my auto PVC feeder. I only had to fill it once per week...so much easier than going out twice a day to feed them.

 

[galefrances]

Stony...really nice pictures. You have a nice set up there.

 

[stonykill]

Stony...really nice pictures. You have a nice set up there.

I don't know how you all manage.... I have 12 birds and I have all I can do to keep up with them. Especially now that the cold weather is here. How do you all feel about keeping a continuous feeder in the coop during winter? Seems a lot of people say the food will attract mice and rats. I really would like to use my auto PVC feeder. I only had to fill it once per week...so much easier than going out twice a day to feed them.

thanks Gale. Simple, not pretty ....except for the duck coop

. I do the same any season. Feed in the morning and spread a little out at 3 in the afternoon. Just enough in the afternoon so they clean it all up by bed time. In all opening coops, feeding twice, collecting eggs and lockup is an hour out of my day. Roughly.
If you have chickens you are attracting mice and rats anyway, without even trying. Reminds me, I need to set a rat trap tonight

. Personally, if I had such a feeder, I would be using it.