The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Sally8]

So very cute!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Those are very nice looking kiddos, bdm!

 

[aoxa]

Frankle's new girlfriend - Daisy Mae (Holland Lop) who is thought to be pregnant.. She was just given to us. She was someone's pet, but they grew tired of her :/ Oh well. Works for us!

She is beautiful. I'm thinking of making a little area in the baby barn for them, but right now she is in the office hanging out. She is litter trained. Works until I can get a better set up. I've been looking for a girlfriend for Frankle for some time, but everyone is just selling males.

It was a nice day out today! Let the chicks outside, and they are very cautious with the birds ahead. Good signs

 

[delisha]

Quote: I looked and gave information..
It does not look like cocci to me and I would never advise to give drugs with so little information. A picture of poop is not something to give a diagnosis.

Anybody up for a session of "identify that chicken?" I went to pick up a second pullet for my rooster (from the same lady I bought the pair from) and she threw in three "mystery chicks" that her husband had felt sorry for at tractor supply and brought home a few weeks ago. She just doesn't have room. So, I have three four week old chicks now.



Please excuse sideways, I can't seem to get it turned... My computer is being cranky about it. Unknown chick #1 I was told he/she is possibly a meaty of some kind?





Mystery chick # 2 this is bossy bird. he/she is possibly a speckled sussex or a production red? bigger than both of the others.



almost positive this is a white leghorn girl, and boy can she hop/fly already!





this is what happened when I tried to take the new girl out for pictures... She's very friendly and a little shy. So tiny compared to the orpingtons! She's staying in a big dog crate for a couple days while everyone gets used to everyone. do we think she's actually an Ameracauna or an EE? I don't really care either way but I am curious! She's about six months old. I'm hoping she'll start laying soon.



Excuse blurryness, she was being photo shy, and I'm not a camara whiz with the digital thingy.


I've never had chicks. They're pretty hilarious, scarfing down the FF like they've never seen food before in their life... I just put the fermented grains from my other guys in the food processor for them and chopped it up to be a little more manageable, they should have grit though too, right? should I just sprinkle it on their bedding? ACV in the water, and if I can find a spot in the yard that's neither frozen solid nor mud I will dig them a chunk of sod as well. Am I missing anything?

also, how soon do you think these guys can go out into the coop? it's still well below freezing here at night, although the days have been up into the hight 30's and very low 40's. I have no electric in my shed, so I can't put a heat source in for them. My plan was, once they were big enough for the cold, put them in the giant wire dog crate that the new girl is in now for a couple weeks until they're big enough to hold their own/the older birds are used to them.

They are feathered..they can go now however you can't put them out with your girls for 30 days. After the 30 days you need to put one of your girls in with them for the next 30 days, before you expose the rest of the flock. These are not day old chicks. These chicks have been exposed to people and the environment for weeks already.

you have a leg horn, production red, and possibly a cherry egger, and a EE. They are adorable!!! You are very lucky! Congrats.


I have had such a busy and productive day!! Chickenscratch came for the second day and boy oh boy did she put me to work!! We completely emptied my second coop. You can actually see the floor in every room. I now have two additional room for my BCM and BLRW during breeding season. One room has nest boxes already. I just need about 20 gallons of Oxine. The last time those areas were used were for pigeons. She is one heck of a worker and save me tons of work and time. I am blessed to have her in my life!

 

[Mumsy]

More sunshine here and I did not squander it. Turned the last of last years compost pile and introduced the White Silkie flock to the joys of foraging in it. They have never seen earth worms before, this much was evident. I tossed a couple huge night crawlers their way and it was hilarious watching them try to kill them. It took a while but a few kept at it to the end. Every day they become more confident in free ranging. I don't think they will ever wander far but they are learning and it warms my heart.

Finished the pop doors in the chick house but the week old Catdance chicks did not venture outside today. I won't push them but will open it every day until they get brave enough. I will have to let the HRIR chicks and Silkie chicks take turns using the chick run for now.

Eleven adults. Twenty two HRIR chicks, twelve Silkie chicks, thirteen juvies. My flock is now closed. No more birds will be coming onto my property. Bio security is now in effect. Hatching eggs only and that will be a while. It is now time to attend to and watch these grow. Then select for the future. It was just last October I had but the one Production Red rooster. Times are a changing. It's all good.

 

[aoxa]

Mumsy, wow you have your hands full!!

How many of these chicks are you going to sell?

What time of year should I get meaties? Do you think the baby barn is a good home for meaties, or should I use it for a bachelor pad once the barn is built?

I had a coffee at 3pm. BAD idea. I am wired again.

 

[OohLaLa]

Growing so fast every day until they can move into their mansion lol.



There is no replacement for good helpers by my side through every step of this build...even if they are furry. Okay true they have problems hammering, but hey we all have issues.

 

[BlueMouse]

I looked and gave information..
It does not look like cocci to me and I would never advise to give drugs with so little information. A picture of poop is not something to give a diagnosis.
They are feathered..they can go now however you can't put them out with your girls for 30 days. After the 30 days you need to put one of your girls in with them for the next 30 days, before you expose the rest of the flock. These are not day old chicks. These chicks have been exposed to people and the environment for weeks already.

you have a leg horn, production red, and possibly a cherry egger, and a EE. They are adorable!!! You are very lucky! Congrats.

as per bio security: these came from the same place that I got my buff orpington pair from not quite three weeks ago. So I figured that if they have any bugs they should all have the same bugs right?? So quarantine isn't really an issue?

also, what is a cherry egger??

Mumsy, I have so enjoyed reading your journey from the start of the thread through the hatch of your catdance silkies... I'm almost, almost caught up, and I have just so enjoyed it all. Learned a lot too! I'm looking forward to see where it all goes!

Aoxa, you have the most ridiculously cute animals. I was thinking of naming my little EE Gigi, her coloration reminds me of your great photos of the original, would you mind?

 

[Mumsy]

Mumsy, wow you have your hands full!!

How many of these chicks are you going to sell?

What time of year should I get meaties? Do you think the baby barn is a good home for meaties, or should I use it for a bachelor pad once the barn is built?

I had a coffee at 3pm. BAD idea. I am wired again.

I am glad to be busy with the flocks but I'm a bit weary now of incubating eggs and dealing with new hatch-lings. I posted my 'Closed flock' ultimatum before I realized that my Blue Slate turkey poults are still on order to arrive in May! *Gah!* My old green house may need to become the new chick house at this rate! Hah!


I haven't raised meaties before if you mean Cornish X. My Johnny babies are my meaties. I'm going to butcher them young because I just need a small carcass to make a dinner for my husband and I. I have no idea when other people raise them.

I think your baby barn seems like a great place for bachelors but also a good quarantine house.

edited to add: I plan on selling a few excess birds at the local farmers tilth this summer. Any Johnny pullets will go to my daughter that lives in Seattle for layers. I won't sell any Silkies this year.

 

[aoxa]

as per bio security: these came from the same place that I got my buff orpington pair from not quite three weeks ago. So I figured that if they have any bugs they should all have the same bugs right?? So quarantine isn't really an issue?

also, what is a cherry egger??

Mumsy, I have so enjoyed reading your journey from the start of the thread through the hatch of your catdance silkies... I'm almost, almost caught up, and I have just so enjoyed it all. Learned a lot too! I'm looking forward to see where it all goes!

Aoxa, you have the most ridiculously cute animals. I was thinking of naming my little EE Gigi, her coloration reminds me of your great photos of the original, would you mind?

I would be honoured

I am glad to be busy with the flocks but I'm a bit weary now of incubating eggs and dealing with new hatch-lings. I posted my 'Closed flock' ultimatum before I realized that my Blue Slate turkey poults are still on order to arrive in May! *Gah!* My old green house may need to become the new chick house at this rate! Hah!


I haven't raised meaties before if you mean Cornish X. My Johnny babies are my meaties. I'm going to butcher them young because I just need a small carcass to make a dinner for my husband and I. I have no idea when other people raise them.

I think your baby barn seems like a great place for bachelors but also a good quarantine house.

edited to add: I plan on selling a few excess birds at the local farmers tilth this summer. Any Johnny pullets will go to my daughter that lives in Seattle for layers. I won't sell any Silkies this year.

Your hands are so full!

You won't sell any silkies that don't make the cut for breeding? Or are you just going to use them for meat?

I'm excited for your turkey adventures. They are a blast. They attach to humans very easily, and love to help you with things (like putting up a fence).