The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Before I read the blog I have to comment on your coop, It is so pretty. Tell Hubby he did a fantastic job.

Everything in there - except for the hardware cloth - is stuff we had laying around. The wood used to build the door and wall frames were pretty gnarly - some of them pretty warped. He put weights on some of it to straighten it out before using most of it.

I wanted to paint it so that it wouldn't be bare wood...I thought it would make it much easier to clean and yuckies don't absorb into it like they do w/ open wood. Just my preference since I'm lazy about having to clean stuff! Now, mind you, that was when I was thinking I'd be cleaning a lot more than I do or ever will!

The paint also covers up how bad that wood looked! And..besides that...I wanted it to look nice too

Even the little latches and the hinges were things my husband had gleaned and saved away...all except for the latch on the main door going into the "broody side"...we bought that one!

 

[galefrances]

Here's the link to the waterer post: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...keeping-thread-ots-welcome/1000#post_10109510


This is the one I liked best:

Cup type A. (So far I like this one best. It is the less expensive at $1.70 ea.) This one PASSED THE FIRST FREEZE TEST.
I purchased these at http://www.cornerstone-farm.com/equipment/poultry-float-valve-226

Just thought I'd let you know that the nipple cup passed the freeze test for me too. I have mine on the dog bowl heater that you had given instructions for on the other thread. So far it's working great. Thanks again.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Just thought I'd let you know that the nipple cup passed the freeze test for me too. I have mine on the dog bowl heater that you had given instructions for on the other thread. So far it's working great. Thanks again.

Thanks for letting us know!!! Were you able to turn the cups upside down to let the water out of them in the evenings to keep it from freezing in the bottom of the cups?

 

[galefrances]

Quote: x2 It's beautiful.

 

[galefrances]

Originally Posted by Leahs Mom


My daughter just wrote this blog post...somehow about me! She works for the Elkhart Truth (Newspaper) in Elkhart, IN and has just started writing a food blog. The blog is brand new so not a lot of followers yet. If you take a look, please leave a comment! I'm sure she'd appreciate the traffic and feedback...it's always nice knowing that someone is reading!

http://blogs.etruth.com/singinginthekitchen/2012/12/21/my-mom-builds-a-food-mecca/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=my-mom-builds-a-food-mecca

All the way down at the bottom are some pictures of sprouts and the chickens!



I just read the article. I'm sure you are so proud of her. She did a wonderful job, great pics, really good information. Thanks for sharing.

 

[galefrances]

Quote: Yes, that's what I've been doing and last night we finally had some really low temps. Thanks for the suggestion. Now I'm stress free knowing my chickens have clean, fresh water.

 

[armorfirelady]

I just wanted to say thanks to those on the other threads who gave me some suggestions on how to get my newly laying hens to use the nesting boxes. Ive been off sick for over a week now with bronchitis & the flu but finally had a little energy to go out yesterday & make a small change to the nesting box and was happy to see Bossy Hen gave it her approval this morning.


I had new doors installed last week and this was a scrap piece left. Its 6 inches high & apparently thats all she needed to feel safe & secure in the nesting box. Curious to see if my other hen lays in there as well now. But she only lays every other day so I will have to wait till tomorrow to see.




And we finally got some snow last night. The hens were happy to come out for some homemade suet but wouldnt venture any further even for table scraps. Oh well maybe they will venture to the covered outdoor run if the high winds ever die down. They prefer to be in the coop now talking with Bossy as she lays her egg. Its like a chicken klotch of old biddies in their gabbibg away

 

[texasmomma]

Hey Texasmomma, where in Texas are you? I'm in East Texas.

North Texas.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I just wanted to say thanks to those on the other threads who gave me some suggestions on how to get my newly laying hens to use the nesting boxes. Ive been off sick for over a week now with bronchitis & the flu but finally had a little energy to go out yesterday & make a small change to the nesting box and was happy to see Bossy Hen gave it her approval this morning.


I had new doors installed last week and this was a scrap piece left. Its 6 inches high & apparently thats all she needed to feel safe & secure in the nesting box. Curious to see if my other hen lays in there as well now. But she only lays every other day so I will have to wait till tomorrow to see.

Yay! did you do anything else to get her to go in besides the wood piece?

 

[texasmomma]

http://blogs.etruth.com/singinginth...m=rss&utm_campaign=my-mom-builds-a-food-mecca

Love the blog!

I have been fermenting in a pickl-it, which is basically a Fido jar with a "bubbler" on top. I get much, much better results.

I also plan to start sprouting. I have a few things to sprout here. I am going to dehydrate the sprouts so I don't have to do it as often. I think it will work out ok. I'm also thinking about dehydrating the fermented feed, so that I can feed the probiotics when we have to leave for a few days. Not sure how that will all work out yet.