The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[jockeyeba]

Love the raised bed setup

thanks!

my 1st Wellie eggs! She started laying at 6 1/2 months last Thursday. They seem small, will they be bigger after she's been laying a few weeks?

oooh, nice so jealous, I still have a long wait!

Thanks

 

[brandislee]

Here's the new guy... so far as I can tell, he actually fits the standard for a white Ameraucana rooster. Not that that matters to me. I got him from a friend of mine who just happened to have a spare rooster. I know her other rooster is an EE because he's colored like a calico cat, but she likes him better, so I got this one. But I'm not trying to breed ameraucanas, just EE's, so like I said, not a huge deal to me. He's really pretty, but small to me- I've only ever had Buff Orp and Buckeye/Dark Cornish (and a few mutts, but also large) roosters, so this guy seems small.

 

[aoxa]

Ugh... I just moved my turkey poults and broiler chicks (3 weeks old tomorrow) outside, and now it's supposed to snow 3-6 inches. They will probably be fine, but I may die from the stress...

How are you guys having such terrible weather? It's a dream here!! Sunny since last Friday, and warm!!

Here's the new guy... so far as I can tell, he actually fits the standard for a white Ameraucana rooster. Not that that matters to me. I got him from a friend of mine who just happened to have a spare rooster. I know her other rooster is an EE because he's colored like a calico cat, but she likes him better, so I got this one. But I'm not trying to breed ameraucanas, just EE's, so like I said, not a huge deal to me. He's really pretty, but small to me- I've only ever had Buff Orp and Buckeye/Dark Cornish (and a few mutts, but also large) roosters, so this guy seems small.

I feel like the Ameraucana police.. Please don't take offence!! No he does not fit the standard. He has yellow in his legs, making them appear green.

I had the embarrassment of having a hen DQ because she had green legs and not slate.. Also his yellow beak is a giveaway that he has yellow skin, which also means he has had another breed mixed into his background.



Here is my girl that was DQ. The judge even said she had awesome type but it was a shame her skin was the wrong colour. She was a pretty one.

 

[lalaland]

Hi naturalists. We eat organic and non GMO as much as possible. My feed store sells organic chicken feed but it costs more than double regular all grain feed. And there is so much waste with it compared to the crumble it ends up costing 3x more! I want to go organic but how do I afford it? I've thought of giving a small number of our birds the organic feed and eating their eggs only. My daughter sells her eggs we don't eat and people just aren't willing to pay more for organic. Should I just not worry about it?

HI 4hgirl,

You won't have waste if you wet the feed down - add enough water, milk (even "old" milk), buttermilk, etc to make it sloppy oatmeal consistency. Leah's mom is right, FF will also help.

It can be expensive, you can check with your feed store - if they grind their own feed they can tell you what is in it and it could be "transitional" which would be better than conventional. Now that the corporate interests succeeded a couple of years back in altering the legal requirements for organic , the term "organic" isn't as meaningful anymore.

 

[lalaland]

Brandislee,

Yes! What the heck? it is snowing here too, 3-6 inches predicted. might be the spring that never happened.
And Justine, good that you can brag about your weather - given the cold that you get, it must make for a good change

I foolishly turned the heat off for the year, given that is May Day (Happy May Day all), so have a fire going in the wood stove. For you fainthearted folks, I want you to know I do have crocuses blooming.

 

[brandislee]

How are you guys having such terrible weather? It's a dream here!! Sunny since last Friday, and warm!!
I feel like the Ameraucana police.. Please don't take offence!! No he does not fit the standard. He has yellow in his legs, making them appear green.

I had the embarrassment of having a hen DQ because she had green legs and not slate.. Also his yellow beak is a giveaway that he has yellow skin, which also means he has had another breed mixed into his background.



Here is my girl that was DQ. The judge even said she had awesome type but it was a shame her skin was the wrong colour. She was a pretty one.

No offense taken! I don't show, so I always miss SOMETHING when I compare the standard, and just as I was hitting submit I was like "doh, leg color!!!" Oh well, he's really pretty, and I'm only looking to breed good small flock EE's. Not a single one of my hens even comes close to anything resembling the standard- most have ear tufts (which I love, btw), all are multi colored... very typical hatchery EE's. And I love them, they are far and above my favorite chickens!

 

[aoxa]

No offense taken! I don't show, so I always miss SOMETHING when I compare the standard, and just as I was hitting submit I was like "doh, leg color!!!" Oh well, he's really pretty, and I'm only looking to breed good small flock EE's. Not a single one of my hens even comes close to anything resembling the standard- most have ear tufts (which I love, btw), all are multi colored... very typical hatchery EE's. And I love them, they are far and above my favorite chickens!

Yes he is pretty! I have a thing for white EEs.

I hope I can get more one day!! Especially since Ameraucanas are so darn hard to come by.

I may just get some from Goodfellow in Ontario. He does some really nice whites, but they are pricey.

 

[delisha]

Hi guys

mind if I join in?

I try to eat and use natural products myself and would like to do the same for our chickens. We had 5 but a dog killed 2 and we are having to put one down

I have 2 left right now but I just ordered 10 new babies!!! I'm so excited, they should arrive July 15. My dh and neighbor also just made my run about 3x bigger than it was! Super excited about that too!

I'm thinking about getting rid of our 2 adult girls and just starting over with the babies. I would love to keep the babies in the coop but I can't do that if I keep the girls we have now... Any advice?

I would also love to have the link with instructions on how to make that waterer with the cups on the bucket! (My dh won't be happy to have something else to make though LOL)

Is there a general post with how to get started with the natural way? I going to try fermented feed and ACV in their water and herbs in the nesting boxes. Any other ideas? I also would love to feed them organic feed but no where here sells it and the shipping is high to have it shipped! Anyone know any place that has free shipping?

I've learned a lot from everyone here! Thanks for all the knowledge!!

Natural way just means try your best to keep to nature. FF and ACV is a great way to start. Give me your city and I will try to hook you up. You can PM the information.

Many people do the all in and all out when bringing in chickens. Is there any spacific reason why you say you can't put the new birds in with your birds
??

Quote: What do you consider pricey?

 

[Bulldogma]

Hi guys

mind if I join in?

Is there a general post with how to get started with the natural way? I going to try fermented feed and ACV in their water and herbs in the nesting boxes. Any other ideas? I also would love to feed them organic feed but no where here sells it and the shipping is high to have it shipped! Anyone know any place that has free shipping?

Welcome to the thread!!

Check out This Link for lots of different articles - stuff we have covered in this thread... but organized for your convenience - LOL!

 

[pcappy2]

They were probably talking about a frost-free hydrant which is placed under your area's frost level--here in the Ohio valley it about 2 feet deep. It's basically a pump that opens from your water line. Most farms have them for animals, and they are easily installed by anyone with a little plumbing experience. We've used them for 22 years, and sometimes, rarely, the handles will freeze in place, so you can break them if you force them (don't ask me how I know this.)

We put ours in a couple of years ago. One of the first big projects after buying the farmsite. No more running garden house or hauling water. Life saver, def worth the cost of install