The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[bluebirdnanny]

Please keep us posted. I am hatching shipped BCM for the first time. What are you using for an incubator? What are your temps and humidity? Did you automatically do lock down at day 18?

I wish these were better photos and I was not so blind.

The bare spots look like a normal hard used hen...however it also looks like loss of feathers from lice activity. I would need a close up of the vent area and about 3 inches towards the belly.

I was suspecting scale mites from the way the legs look. I have some Nu stock on order as I can not find it here.
I will put some of the bag balm I have on the neck if I can catch her tomorrow. (stupid little door between the two sections lets them through but not me) coop isn't big enough for me to get anything fatter than my head in. They already figured out they can duck and dodge me. Then they get in opposite end and cackle laugh at me!

I shot that through the fence of the kennel. I thought it was the sticky clay soil they tore up from the grass clumps I threw them from the garden. They mixed it with the ashes from the wood then wallowed in it. I sure hope it wasn't the clusters. I will try Monday to get a closer look and try photo if I can.

I will go shopping on Monday.... then if nice will open doors to kennel and then close it once they are in. Then I will have a chance of getting in with them if I pull it away from coop.... Then the chase will begin..... bring your video cams and watch the chase and falls as this beginner tries to catch her chickens. Let alone hold them and treat them or photo at the same time. Should be a good show!!!

But their poop no longer smells so that is ONE step in the right directions for their health.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: Bluebirdnanny

 

[Leahs Mom]

Aoxa -
On those playpens...
-Are they tall enough to use for a "hospital" pen for an adult bird?
-What do you put over the top?

(It's been a long time since I had little kids so I don't know how large they are.)

 

[pigeonguy]

Oh definitely yes...I will. I have to rope the DH into helping me though. If not tomorrow, then next weekend. Sometimes, I get lucky and he is not too wiped out after work. It out to be an interesting experiment!

Plus, I need to find out who has shell gland problems.

I don't know if this makes sense but I would stick my little finger in there to make sure there is no egg in the way to break. delisha please.

 

[pigeonguy]

Not at all...I don't think this is sfh. I'm just trying to figure out what it is!!!! Still looks more like a BA to me.

Ok I went and looked at a whole bunch of BA chick pics. I think your right but still leaning toward roo.

 

[delisha]

Quote: Naaa..as long as it is done after 4, she is all good..all chickens lay eggs before 4 pm.

Quote: Time for more SFH chickens!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Yep on more sfh...
I already have one of the guys who has some beautiful "blacks" who is going to have some around June when I was hoping to get a couple of cream legbars too!

 

[aoxa]

Trees will flower, even if they don't poliinate - as in hens have eggs with no rooster around

'They' graft fruit tree varieties onto dwarfing rootstock for the home market. I believe this has the affect of reducing time to maturity, as well as keeping the mature height within a more decent height for harvesting. Not to worry - these are not GMO-or other crazy- horticultural ideas - this has been going on for over 50 years at least.There are numerous root stocks - you can find M-9 is the most common, at least here - it creates semi-dwarf trees. There is dwarfing rootstock, semi-dwarfing - many kinds. The vigor of the original tree is modified by root stock, so a tree that is naturally very large will still be larger than one that is naturally smaller - even if both are on the same type of root stock. It's also why those combo trees don't often work out well. The most vigorous variety can take over the growth of the tree & become the dominant. IMHO, it's better to get 2 trees.

It is actually extremely difficult to buy a standard size tree - on its own roots. I prefer standards to get a height over deer browse - but that's just me. Most people prefer to not need tall ladders to harvest the fruit.

Some trees - Gravenstein is one, have a habit of producing every other year. In order to get a good harvest each year from a Gravenstein - you need to thin HARD on the bearing year. You then have a better chance of getting fruit on the off year. Gravensteins are also not good for pollinating other varieties, so you will see suggestions if you have a gravenstein to purchase TWO other varieties to pollinate each other and the gravenstein.

One other thing that can happen with fruit trees, that folks don't always note - is that trees that happen to flower, or bud up early,- if they are hit with a hard frost at a vulnerable time, the flower buds can die & drop off - you don't see flowers, and you don't get fruit. Don't know if Northern Spy is an early bloomer Justine, but if you note swelling on the fruit buds - they are short, fat spurs coming off main limbs. Limbs at a 45 degree angle to the trunk are the most likely to have fruit spurs. LImbs that are more vertical or horizontal are less likely to be fruiting limbs.

In Master Gardeners, we often got - 'my fruit tree bloomed, then dropped all it's fruit, what did I do wrong?" That is classic pollination problems - ranging from no bees! - if it blooms before the bees are active, no pollinator & fruit will drop. Also the cross pollinators should be within eyesight of each other - You can 'make a deal' with a neighbor to plant pollinators.

In some fruits, think cherries & almonds - the best pollinators are the worst tasting. They've done some work in this area, developing better pollinator varieties - but sometimes its better to bite the bullet & just get one good pollinator & several good-tasting varieties.

I really recommend talking to your local Master Gardeners, or other horticultural professionals before investing the time & money in fruit trees. There are many local considerations, climate, & disease wise - let alone pollination -- they will know the best varieties for your locale. Gurney's & other national sellers, ,may not have the best varieties for your area. My experience -- FWIW

Thanks for all this info!! I'll keep my eyes out for early buds!

 

[Bulldogma]

CAUTION!

Ownership of the Swedish Flower Hen can lead to addiction.
Please seek help from your nearest breeder to get your next fix!
​

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[Leahs Mom]

CAUTION!

Ownership of the Swedish Flower Hen can lead to addiction.
Please seek help from your nearest breeder to get your next fix! ​

I resemble that remark