The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

These are the Crocs that I have and wear while in the garden or around the chickens. I have them in pink for about three years now and they are very comfortable. I don't wear them off my property. I change into them when I get home and work outside. I have my 'leave the house' shoes and these plus rubber boots for winter use. My husband also has his 'at home' outdoor shoes and others. It is just one small part of our bio-security around our chickens.


One final thing to share today. We have a feral kitten that has been sneaking around our place. We have to shut every hole and opening from the garage to the barn to keep it out. So far it has not killed anything. I can't catch it yet. This morning I found it inside the Hoop Coop hiding under the shelves in the shavings. The White Silkie flock is in here. I found a small opening and it crawls under the fencing. I believe the rain forced it to find shelter. My husband will kill it if he sees it in the pen. Going back out now with a net and see if I can corner it. Wish me luck.

Did you get him?

 

[holderh]

Sounds like you have some nice area for them to run! The reason I asked about the pen is because I also have a pen for times when they can't free-range and, of course, the grass in a confined space like that doesn't last long! It can get pretty unhealthy in there over time. It's great that they're going to get a new area with fresh grass in their pen but it will be gone soon too. Someone had been asking about mucky, muddy pens on another thread and I'm going to copy here for you what I wrote. I hope it may help give you some ideas for the future! Here is is:

Thats a great idea!! I was planning on moving the coop and run closer to the house but was worried about the smell and look once it became dirt agian...this should help with the smell and look. We have a lot of trees that have fallen in our woods and my dh wanted to chip them all up this year so that will be just the thing to use.

I've never heard of pvc roosts, but you wouldn't need to use anything on them. The neem is for wood roosts or wires, or for any part of wood in the coop, say nest boxes - to take care of any lice/mites etc.

How big is the diameter on your pvc roosts? do they fall off?

I use hay in my coop, works just fine. I have too big of a coop to use shavings, although I like to use them in a brooder. Anything I haven't used by the time the chicks are out of the brooder goes into the regular coop floor.

When my dh built my coop he tried to use what we had around the house....its about the diameter of a quarter give or take....they seem to like it...nobody has ever fallen off. I thought I would try the shavings because of otheres say you can stir them up and use them for deep litter and that it had good benefits for your chickens. I just wonder if you can achieve the same thing with hay instead of the shavings...the first year we had chickens i just kept adding hay to the coop and didnt clean it out for a year. The second year i do the same but I have cleaned it more often...As far as the neem oil i could coat the inside of the coop with it couldnt I to keep mites/lice away. I wonder how often I would need to do that...

 

[mikkles]

I have 2 outside cats..great hunters too...one hangs with the chickens ALL day and the other just seems to avoid them...the one that likes to hang with them even eats the treats I bring out with them...according to all...he's just "one of the flock" lol

 

[MadamContrary]

Hello all I am new to keeping chickens and we are going the organic route. I am trying to read through but this thread is soooooo long! Right now we are just trying to establish a laying flock but,I want to raise meat birds soon. I hesitate to raise the cornish cross because of all the stuff I have been reading but they seem economical. Any suggestions for a first timer?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Hello all I am new to keeping chickens and we are going the organic route. I am trying to read through but this thread is soooooo long! Right now we are just trying to establish a laying flock but,I want to raise meat birds soon. I hesitate to raise the cornish cross because of all the stuff I have been reading but they seem economical. Any suggestions for a first timer?

Might want to take a look at this post and video! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...eeping-thread-ots-welcome/11650#post_10918415

Welcome

 

[camilleathome]

My new ducklings from justine!! and an update on the chicks

 

[Sally8]

Rosie the Royal Palm hen has done the same thing making me think "What the heck?" Never knew they could do that! I have a pic somewhere.

 

[MadamContrary]

Might want to take a look at this post and video!  https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...eeping-thread-ots-welcome/11650#post_10918415

Welcome

Thanks!

 

[delisha]

Just bumping these questions to the end from Post 13049, guess they were missed: Thanks again to everyone for helping us new chicken owners. This thread is so busy!!


Question1:
I have a quick question for you. I remember one of the OT's mentioned on one of the other threads that she would put up some type of string between the trees high up so it would deter flying predators. Does anyone remember who said that and what she used?

Also, I have another question on another chicken subject:
Question 2: When do I start giving my chicks calcium, egg shells and/or oyster shell. I've heard 16 weeks? Is that right. I do not plan to feed layer food since I will be adding new chicks soon and want them to share food eventually once I integrate them. I may switch to layer once the younger chicks are old enough for the extra calcium.

Thank you everyone! -Lynn

You can give it to them at anytime. Even little chicks will peck at it.

I do not remember who, but someone did mention string across the top of fence will deter some birds from flying into a pen.
I know Vicki who breeds Orpingtons uses filament to keep hawks and owls out of her pens.

Quote: Good bugs!!

Quote: You might be able to put the two younger kids with the little older kids, and than eventually put them all together. As soon as they understand they have places to hide from older birds they will be fine. They just need room to run away.

Quote: I use leaves, straw, wood chips, hay. I stir it every few days and add fresh once a week. It has a loamy/dirt smell. You can also use citrus peelings, eucaliptus oil, to help with mites and lice. this video will help

Hello all I am new to keeping chickens and we are going the organic route. I am trying to read through but this thread is soooooo long! Right now we are just trying to establish a laying flock but,I want to raise meat birds soon. I hesitate to raise the cornish cross because of all the stuff I have been reading but they seem economical. Any suggestions for a first timer?

Might want to take a look at this post and video! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...eeping-thread-ots-welcome/11650#post_10918415

Welcome
welcome to the group...one suggestion for meaties...make sure you have room for them and they will do well. They love to forage.

 

[delisha]

As far as butchering with out blood..there are ways to do that for a quick death. My grandmother used the body weight of the bird. She grabbed the head and twisted her wrist, literally swinging the birds body weight. It snapped the neck of the bird.