The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aaggjg]

Glad you enjoyed it

Since I don't have chicks or ducklings just yet to brag about... Here's Henry - 1 day shy of 10 weeks old. He's growing by the second! Reminds me... Time for a pee break.. He can't go more than 4 hours in his kennel at night without a break to pee.

OMG OMG OMG I LOVE HIM!!! I know I am late as I am just catching up and I know this picture has been reposted on the thread ... but its been a few days and really can one have too much HENRY??

I grew up with lots of Newfy's and I love big working dogs!!!

 

[CoopChick719]

CoopChick awwwww thats my hubby to. To hear him tell it he built this coop...um one post hole, 4 wonky A Frames and helping me hoist the wire up on the frame for the roof is the sum total lol. Now that said...while I've been at work he has been helping care for the babies, giving them attention and treats. The only side step was when I came home to find he had left the door open and there was a ten degree drop in brooder temp. He has been very careful since then. I'm hoping the temp will get up by next weekend so I can take them out to their new run for a few minutes.

I gotta say DH is pretty handy. My friends are envious and borrow him from time to time to jump start their home projects that their husbands won't do or don't have a clue how to do them. He & my daughter had my flock out free ranging when I got home from work today. The roo was not happy...flew at hubby, daughter and 1 of the dogs who wasn't doing anything, not even near the girls. Didn't hurt anyone and they weren't too upset. I told them he's just doing his job...protecting his flock. I've told both of them to pick him up when he does this to show him who's boss. I gave him some scratch from my hand and he called to the girls, waited for them to have some before he ate. He really is a good boy!

Happy Easter

30 chicks out..the last one is pipped

30 Chicks!! Your eggs are beautiful!!

In the line-up - only one of them is alive.

Happy Easter
HE'S ALIVE!
​

Too cute!!

I often see the crows chasing hawks away from my yard! Although some hawks slip through when the crows are away

!! I believe I have a crow nest in a tree not far from my coop. I am loving that!! I do notice dry spells of no crow chatter and then I'll hear the hawks.... I only let my girls free range when I'm with them but still as I have a hillside with many nooks and crannies it's hard to watch everyone a the time. So I record the crows when they are loud.... On my iPhone and when I hear the hawks I play my recorded crows

it usually brings in the real ones in a few mins .... Yes I am that person :-0

H A P P Y E A S T E R everyone!!!!!

I never thought to record the crows...love that idea!!

 

[CoopChick719]

Here it is It was a lot of fun!

We found a local free range farm that does not use medicated feed, and eggs were fertile, I even stuck one in the incubator for fun

Gahhh...this picture makes me want deviled eggs!!

My sister did up some of her bantam eggs for Easter. When my husband saw them he said, "Kinda small, aren't they?" My sister said, "Think of them as portion control!"

Time for some "kiddo" photos!

13 weeks and they just got the courage to venture out to the free-range area yesterday when several of us were out doing yard work. Burned some wood brush right in their range area to see if they'd use the ash pile it leaves.

Anyhow - here are some photos.

These SFH have GREAT CAMOFLAGE! Here's a couple of camo photos:

The CAMMO Kids - All 4 (Where's Waldo?)

It took me a minute to find the 2 on the right. Perfect cammo!! SFH's might be on the Wish List for the future flock.

I took this really neat action shot today lol. My brother's 8 month old puppy Carrie LOVED Henry. She kept doing hurdles over him. Henry's main trick: Play dead

Once she was going a different direction, he'd get up and chase her.

CUTE...CUTE...CUTE!! I love watching dogs play.

Uh, I had the L in there and the grammar/spelling check corrected it!!!!!!!!!! Thought I had it wrong all this time.

I was thinking "What the heck is womanized plywood?"

 

[Shan30]

Thanks for talking me down guys haha! I was thinking of trapping her in there for the day but this particular nest box just wouldn't work.

I'll leave her alone and try to have some faith.

 

[amberr]

wooooohoooo I have finally after WEEKS read the entire thread! I refused to post anything because I didn't want to lose my spot. Wow everyone so much great info here, love the narratives and step by step instructions with visual aids followed almost all the links and read more valuable advice it's been great.
So much loss and so much happiness in here and everyone shares in it all. Can't wait to start replying now! AOXA love Henry so sweet!
Realized after LM bubblefoot video and some of the necro (sp?) that the little bit of queazy stomache I get better get use it I'm sure ill have my share of those moments.

 

[countrygirl74]

Welcome amberr!!! Lots of great wisdom on here - one of my favorite threads!

Okay, so if someday I got a Delaware or a Partridge Rock, are either of them cold or heat hardy? I heard that you have to be careful with Delaware combs as far as frostbite??? We can get down to the single digits in winter on occasion, very rarely have a few nights at 0, and in the summer it can get into the high 90's for a few weeks.

Delisha, I only can do supervised free-ranging for a couple hours a day and sometimes they don't get out at all. They have a decent sized run, but definitely not the same as free-ranging. So, I am thinking maybe I should wait on those breeds until I have more land and room for them to free-range more often...

Thanks everyone for all the great info on the two breeds - they both sound wonderful and someday I would love to add some!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Wondering if you have a way to separate the broody nest to a different area of the coop? I have a small area that I moved mine to in the night after dark. I was able to close a door between the 2 areas so that when she got off the nest to eat she couldn't get over to the nest boxes on the other side...and the others couldn't get in and lay eggs in her nest. The door is covered w/hardware cloth so they could all see each other.

Some folks put them into a small dog house w/a door so they don't just randomly go from nest to nest.

 

[Leahs Mom]

wooooohoooo I have finally after WEEKS read the entire thread! I refused to post anything because I didn't want to lose my spot. Wow everyone so much great info here, love the narratives and step by step instructions with visual aids

followed almost all the links and read more valuable advice it's been great.
So much loss and so much happiness in here and everyone shares in it all. Can't wait to start replying now! AOXA love Henry so sweet!
Realized after LM bubblefoot video and some of the necro (sp?) that the little bit of queazy stomache I get better get use it I'm sure ill have my share of those moments.

Glad to meet you! And...yah...I've done things I NEVER thought I'd be able to do (including butchering) because of the input of all these folks!

 

[Leahs Mom]

On the staff infection in Bumble Foot -
I wouldn't worry about it! If you are using deep litter and good husbandry things should be in balance and you're giving your chickens the best chance at a healthy, strong immune system!

I think it's like any other infection that could possibly happen. They get exposed and they get the opportunity to develop a stronger immune system. But with something like bumblefoot, they may have just gotten a deep wound/cut from scratching in something sharp, a sliver, or injury of some type that gets infected.

My thought is to just let them be chickens, provide the healthiest food and housing you can, and be attentive enough to notice if something seems "off".

 

[Toast n Jelly]

can squash seeds be substituted for pumpkin?

Interesting question.