The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:

Uh..... isn't this the family channel?

 

[Sally8]

Mumsy, how is your little Silkie doing with the sand as litter? So sorry about all the rain. We'd like some sun shine on the east coast as well.

Everyone's fuzzy butt's are so cute.

 

[jendodd79]

Here's my pullet that I suspect is moulting. Every time she flaps her wings feathers go flying! It's my first time for any of my girls, so if she's not moulting I have no idea what's going on





It's our first week of sun in months - everyone is loving the dry run



My Easter Egger Anne Shirley is starting to pink up nicely


Little One - just love her feathers - and we thought she was going to be dull!


Lacey -our Dark Blue Laced Red Wyandotte

Moll - our black copper maran is starting to go red too




Fluffy Butts loving their new organic feed. It's different this time and they are loving it! Sylvie (LO), Little One (EE), Annie Shirley (EE), Nellie Olsen (EE), Moll, Lacey peeking over, and a touch of Mabel (BO)




Nellie Olsen - slowest to mature so far. At least her beard is starting to grow in!

Even the new babies got a touch of sunshine today for the first time!

Cruella DeVille checking out her first worm (Houdan)


Frizzle Bizzle finding her first bug (hoping it's a her!)






Goldie Hen

 

[Mumsy]

Mumsy, how is your little Silkie doing with the sand as litter? So sorry about all the rain. We'd like some sun shine on the east coast as well.

Everyone's fuzzy butt's are so cute.

It is such fun coming on this thread and seeing puppy pictures, and chicks, and fluffy butts. Spring has sprung!

I moved all the White Silkies together into the hoop coop. There was some shoving and pushing between a few but the Catdance cockerel is boss. No doubt about it. He is a good rooster for this group. Not too beligerent. I still have not seen him try to cover any of the hens. The Grey Silkie free ranges with them in the orchard. He is the only one on sand in a seperate pen at the time. The White flock is learning to free range and roaming a little further every day. Dumpling is pretty much helpless outside so I pick her up and move her with the group as they move. The hoop coop has shavings for litter. I decided she is going to have to learn to be a chicken with the rest of them. Crippled or not. She will have to adapt. It is just too much work cleaning those sand pens every day. My chick count is now at forty under two weeks old. My juvies number thirteen. There are still chicks hatching today and eggs coming in the LG incubator. I'm in full on chick production right now. I'll keep the sand pens for emergency penning but I really don't like to clean them.

The sun came out! My husband is home early so I'm going out to join him and have him cut me pop doors in the chick house so the Catdance and Fogle chicks can go outside at will this weekend in their own run! I planted rye grass seed in it a month ago and it's coming up. Fresh young grass for the babies.

 

[delisha]

I love all the new chick and chicken pictures!! Thank you so much!!

I had such a nice day today..I spent it with chickenscratch

LW..I am thinking of you and sending out thoughts of strength.

I have hatched the early chicks..and now I buttoned down the hatches for the last 27 to finish Saturday. I should have set more to hatch early..oh well

I sold my HRIR's. A young man wanted to have a bunch of *Rosie's* to show for 4H. He seen them and just wanted them. I doubt he will have an opportunity to have such nice birds as these were. I have so many projects going, that I could see no reason not to let him have them. He has a few really nice birds to start a great HRIR line. I can get more eggs or chicks if I make a decision to show them too. I kept one male that I am going to butcher out and decide if I like the meat any better than I presently have. I am doing that next weekend.

I decided I am going to work on Orps and silkies for the shows and work on the lacing for the GLO's and the BLRW.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

I put Elphaba down. Her body cavity was filled with a clear yellow liquid when I began the necropsy. I think someone else had this issue, what does it mean?


WARNING: GRAPHIC NECROPSY PICS(Click on photo to see bigger view)



L to R:Gall Bladder, Heart, Liver


Ovum cluster(no developing eggs at just over 6mo)


Gizzard


Intestines


Cut open intestine for evidence of parisites, none found


Contents of gizzard


I did not use any meat/organs as the yellow liquid was everywhere.

 

[Sally8]

I put Elphaba down. Her body cavity was filled with a clear yellow liquid when I began the necropsy. I think someone else had this issue, what does it mean?

So very sorry. Have you done necropsy's before? My EE's legs are looking better and she's been out foraging. I'm just going to watch her for next few days Im home. Thank you for sharing the pic's. We all learn. sue

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote:
Yes, this is my 3rd. The other two were on Silkie chicks. And you changed your avatar, took me a second to figure out it was you.

 

[cywiar merch]

Adorable! look at the size of those paws!!

 

[Bulldogma]

Great pics, jendodd79! Thanks for sharing!

Here are a few of mine from today:

Production Red (PR)


H/RIR


H/RIR


PR


PR


H/RIR


First SFH chick to be hatched by Darth 'Bator


2nd Darth 'Bator SFH chick - do they get any cuter than this??


And my SFHs hatched by the white Silkiebator.


Boy!