The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

I probably should add those to my baby-aid box. I have a separate one for them. I also have a few of these in my aid box for chicks

I have CM, just one pair. I do not think they are as dark. I have BCM in my incubator now..these are dark dark eggs. Beautiful eggs. I hope they hatch. I would like a nice flock of hens, just for the eggs alone.
Thank you for this link!

It really sucks that I can not find any breeders anywhere with BCMs. I even asked Jamie Carson who judges across the country and he does not know anyone who breeds them.

A few friends are going to import chicks from McMurray ($100 flat fee for as many chicks as you want - so we hope to get lots of people in on it to make it a smaller amount per person)

I'm going to order Easter Eggers, a few polish, at least 10 Mottled Houdan pullets, and possibly some white rocks. They will just be layers, not breeders. I like that they come sexed.. they just don't do that here lol

Susan, Dylan and I have been reading up on GMOs lately. I now see why you guys were so heavy believers in avoiding them at all costs.

We have taken the same outlook now.

http://gmo-awareness.com/2011/05/05/is-organic-always-gmo-free/

Anyone like Blue Seal Organic chicken feed? It's the only organic brand of food here that I can get my hands on.

 

[Arkansas81]

Just thought I would pop in and say hi! Just got some pics downloaded of the new coop and my new babies:

new silkie coop

Hershey and Midnight-our new silkies. They are sq black, now I'm on the lookout for splash and blue

blue polish babies

crele polish

blue splash polish



i got 8 eggs yesterday..started the layers back on the ff, so the numbers are slowly climbing back up. we were away a week so i guess being out of their routine messed them up. everyone is settling in just fine, our own hatched babies are fiesty and loud!! it's been very diffucult getting pictures of the lil buggers-will try again sat. well i need to get outside to check everybody...

aoxa-i'm so happy to see you and your family making your way back into having your new dreams coming true. you and your family is a true inspiration to me...i wish you and your family the best of luck!

hugs to all~april

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Blue...sorry for your loss of Gigi. They do like to wiggle their way into our affections, don't they.

On the "dye the hen vent" thing.......when I was digging down through the fluffy butts for the vent on the hens...... all of their vents were healthy. No gleet issues or anything going on. I just dropped the food color dye in the vent. A big drop or 2. If they had the actual vent closed, and I put it in the other exit......then I don't know how to actually get it in the egg vent. I really don't want to be digging around to locate the right hole.....not wanting to do any damage to their tissues. I just would have thought some would have made it onto an egg yesterday. I only got 2 eggs, and not a streak of color on either of them. Oh, I didn't use the yellow color either. I thought it might be hard to see on a tan egg.

 

[Ashdoes]

Delisha, I'm still have an issue with my Roo to Hen ratio. I've got 7 LF hens and 2 Roos, but my older girls don't let the boys mate much (we got them 6 weeks before the cochins) so that leaves 3 Cochins girls and they're starting to lose the feathers on their backs. I don't know what to do. Do I get rid of one of the two boys left? We're talking about getting more hens, but obviously they won't be mating anytime soon, and we aren't getting any till after hubby gets home. Just two weeks ago my blue and black girls had big fluff on their backs and tails and now I'm seeing their grey down...I'm worried about my self blue girl ending up the same way.
I did not enjoy culling my blue Roo, but no one out here wants them so that's about the only option. We're thinking of just getting rid of the males all together and only having hens, even though my self-blue Roo is so good with the hens. It's starting to take the fun out of having chickens when I'm constantly worried if I'm doing things right or wrong.

 

[aoxa]

Delisha, I'm still have an issue with my Roo to Hen ratio. I've got 7 LF hens and 2 Roos, but my older girls don't let the boys mate much (we got them 6 weeks before the cochins) so that leaves 3 Cochins girls and they're starting to lose the feathers on their backs. I don't know what to do. Do I get rid of one of the two boys left? We're talking about getting more hens, but obviously they won't be mating anytime soon, and we aren't getting any till after hubby gets home. Just two weeks ago my blue and black girls had big fluff on their backs and tails and now I'm seeing their grey down...I'm worried about my self blue girl ending up the same way.
I did not enjoy culling my blue Roo, but no one out here wants them so that's about the only option. We're thinking of just getting rid of the males all together and only having hens, even though my self-blue Roo is so good with the hens. It's starting to take the fun out of having chickens when I'm constantly worried if I'm doing things right or wrong.

Maybe a bachelor pad is in order until you up your hen ratio?

I can't imagine a flock without a rooster. I find them so entertaining. That is when they are at a good hen to roo ratio.

 

[aaggjg]

Now that cochin has some wicked foot feathering! Nice! Hope it grows out of the vulture hocks. I love this little girl!

X2 love her!! Is she a LF?? I've always wanted a LF blue Cochin! I have a black bantam who is the cutest thing.... But I'm obsessed with grey chickens!

 

[armorfirelady]

Thought I would post a pic of the eggs in the bator
I

I love the dark color of those BCM......I am hoping to get a couple in May

 

[mrsamplias]

Tomorrow I put my eggs in lockdown. I'm excited and hope I get a few chicks! The eggs are so dark I can't see anything going on.

We are on day 20....very nervous.

Blue so sorry about Gigi

x2

Quote: We have 12 in our incubator. I could see nothing through the shell...hope something hatches!!



Just saw this video. Not sure if it's been posted already. Very sweet!!

'Bravest Silkie in the World"

 

[Shan30]

Thought I would post a pic of the eggs in the bator

Jealous! There's a breeder near us with really nice Marans. There a bit pricey tho $55 for a dozen Black Coppers and $60 for the Blue and Blue Birchen hatching eggs. If I diddn't have my broody going and 24 Blue Amerecaunas being hatched for me I would be breaking the bank.

 

[armorfirelady]

Its a slow day today and I am roaming thru the forums on here randomly...........I read on one thread the person sands their BCM eggs to remove the color then sprays with an acv mix to hydrate them. That way they can see inside easier to see if they are viable and it makes it easier for the chicks to get out with a thinner shell.

Now I have NEVER incubated/hatched eggs. And I know everyone has different methods for how they hatch eggs and I respect that.

But somehow this goes against what I have learned. There is apparently a reason why Mother Nature made these eggs so dark and thick. And I have always been told not to help a chick hatch out of an egg since that's what helps them get stronger.

I know some people had said they have poor hatch rates with them. Does a broody hen have a poor hatch rate as well with their eggs?

Just curious on what others thought? Or their experiences with BCM.