The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[jendodd79]

I've never watched a hen lay before - this is a pullet that laid 6 eggs for us in Jan, went in to moult and then for the first time today took an hour to fuss and make 3 nests this afternoon. When I checked on her she looked like this- it looks like she is in labour, is that normal? I looked at her vent and it looks normal

 

[aoxa]

There are such fools out there! I take it you are watching or listening to the news...are you safe?

I'm safe right now.. It's still quite a distance, but I can smell it, and I am listening to the scanner for our area..

I have asked Jamie if there is anything I can do, but there is a road block on Sanitorium road, which is FULL of farms So terrible!!

 

[Kassaundra]

Yes, quarentine with a sacrificial bird makes a lot more sense then just quarentine, I had not heard or understood the part about the sacrificial bird. I knew a few diseases were transferable by egg, but not many.

Aoxa the fires close enough to smell the smoke has got to be unnerving for you, so sorry. I hope all the people and animals are safe, they (grass or woodland fires) usually are human made either by stupidity or purpose.

 

[aoxa]

I am on stand by to help evacuate animals. He has a plan in order thank goodness! Trailers and I offered up our two car garage. Whatever it takes. I am there.

 

[BlueMouse]

so scary about the fire. I hope your friend and all his animals stay safe.

 

[cywiar merch]

Thanks aoxa, delisha and Leah's Mom, I know that's what I'll do - research and study, then form plan. Just demoralized for the moment. I may still build my coop for 10 and just get my one bird! Thank you so much for the support and words of encouragement. It helps!

Brian G

Chickens are flock animals so really, you should have a mnimum of 2.

 

[Bulldogma]

I never understood the commercials that some companies have out that say their chickens are vegetarian fed and free ranged. Are those chickens not eating bugs, small rodents and reptiles, etc.? Every chance they get I'm sure. Agree with all of you, let them be chickens and get that protein they need to be healthy.

Bulldogma, thanks, I'll check walmart for the net, just in case.

Lynn - if you'd like a little clarification on why all the chicken feed is marketed as being free of meat, check out This Link. It may prove enlightening.

Hi natural friends i have nine bantams, two barell rock pullets, four brown pullets and tom the white and black dinner turkey which we'll probly never cull. we live in rural nys. have many questions. just saying hi :-D for now...

Hello, and welcome!!

Hey all - I've been here and reading from the start and offered a few comments - have rec'd no replies - no worries, may be a fault of my nteowrk connection or the site.
I have been doing my resaerch and was crazy excited about my new venture - and then found they've changed our municipal ordinances to: no roosters ever (okay with that), 1 bird housed not less than 20' from any structure designed or used for human habitation. No more than 20 birds not lessw than 50' from habitation. also goes on to state not less than 100' from properties of 3 or more family res.
I'm a realtor and see this as punitive or at the very least unreasonable as this rules out more 95% of properties in my city, Signal Hill / Long Beach, CA. I haven't yet called to speak with the Mgr of Animal Control who oversees the implementation of these reg.s. Not sure how I hope it could go - wishing for a miracle of getting a variance - kep dreaming. My only option now is to organise and hope for relaxing the numbers back to 25'.
I'm really broken-hearted! Sorry to sound so whiny. I know this is of no concern for those on a farm, must think any city peeps like me are dumb for trying. I'm still in the fight. Any advise from anybody who has experience with this situation is welcome.

Color me BUMMED,

Brian G

Wish I had something to offer, but all that zoning stuff is mind boggling to me. Have you checked out This part of the BYC forum? I'll bet there is someone out there that can be of help.

There is a massive forest fire here.. I am freaking out. Not anywhere near our place, but close to Jamie's house and all his animals. I can smell it here... 50 km away.

It's bringing back flashbacks.

HUGS, sweetie! I get that way when ever there is a flood. Deep breaths, and good for you for being on standby for other people's critters!

 

[armorfirelady]

Del- Ive was thinking of quarantine today as I cleaned out the old coop/run in anticipation of the new pullets. As soon as they are feathered and off heat I am hoping to go & pick them up. I cleaned most of the DL out of the old coop and my plan is to put fresh shavings over the DL that is left. That way the new girls will have exposure to my flocks *stuff* They will have a small enclosed area in the veggie garden to be outside in addition to the new covered run. I plan on leaving them in their for a month then take my smallest current hen & put her in with the pullets for 2 weeks. My only concern is the area will allow them to walk up t the new coop where the hens are. They can see each other thru the cattle panels but not get in. I figured after 2 weeks I would open the pop door on that end to allow them to co mingle for a week then put them in with the big girls. Should I block the front of the new coop so they cant get so close? Thanks for your thoughts & suggestions !!
Here is the front of the area where they can see the current hens




Today it was in the 70s around 11 and when I was working in the new coop I noticed the hens were panting & had their wings held out. They had plenty of water & refilled everything. They have a giant tent I made for them to lounge under when the sun is out & its where they spend most of their day under it. The only thing different today was I didnt feed them in the morning. I want to feed them at dinner time instead. I also put their dusting box out with a brick and cold water out under their tent in case they wanted to cool off. To bad I didnt notice it had a hole in it

these girls were fine last year in our hot August heat. Just seemed weird that they were hot so early when it was only 72. And while I was hot in the sun working they have the benefit of the tent & the shade of the trees.

They have been spending their days under here when they arent out in foraging. You can see the shade behind it and the leaves arent even fully opened yet. They rarely are in the coop during the day.

But I did notice that when they didnt get fed this morning they were out foraging more often after complaining to me.......and when I fed them tonight I gave them less and they hadnt finished it when I went in after dinner either.

Oh and one last thing......I noticed one of the girls earlobes were white when she was in the nesting box. She was also panting from the heat I believe. It was actually cooler in the coop to me then in the direct sun.

Since there was a line waiting for THAT box (apparently the other 2 nesting boxes were not good enough today so they all stood in there yelling at whoever was occupying the nest till all 4 finally got their chance

) My mother suggested getting one of those dispensers that you get a number from like at the deli lol

I couldnt see who it was & she was not having anything with me trying to see her band so I knew who had the white earlobes. But the funny thing is after going out in the yard after everyone laid they all had red ears again. I did get my *white* egg today tho. Ive seen white ears before but its not an all the time thing. Their combs and wattles are nice and red. No change in their feed. Any thoughts? Thank You !!!

 

[mlowen]

Hey all - I've been here and reading from the start and offered a few comments - have rec'd no replies - no worries, may be a fault of my nteowrk connection or the site.
I have been doing my resaerch and was crazy excited about my new venture - and then found they've changed our municipal ordinances to: no roosters ever (okay with that), 1 bird housed not less than 20' from any structure designed or used for human habitation.  No more than 20 birds not lessw than 50' from habitation.  also goes on to state not less than 100' from properties of 3 or more family res.
  I'm a realtor and see this as punitive or at the very least unreasonable as this rules out more 95% of properties in my city, Signal Hill / Long Beach, CA.  I haven't yet called to speak with the Mgr of Animal Control who oversees the implementation of these reg.s.  Not sure how I hope it could go - wishing for a miracle of getting a variance - kep dreaming.  My only option now is to organise and hope for relaxing the numbers back to 25'. 
I'm really broken-hearted!  Sorry to sound so whiny.  I know this is of no concern for those on a farm,  must think any city peeps like me are dumb for trying.  I'm still in the fight.  Any advise from anybody who has experience with this situation is welcome.

Color me BUMMED,

Brian G

You will know much more about your town government and how things get changed or not, but I live in a small town and over the past year I attended and "testified" in favor of chickens in residentially zoned areas--and we won! We can have up to 12 hens and the set backs are the same, no extra space away from houses. I got a lot of great information on the laws and ordinances thread here on BYC. Good luck and welcome to this awesome thread.

 

[mlowen]

Funny, I was thinking about quarantine, today, too. How far apart should they be? I am trying to figure out how to get 4-8 pullets/hens of up to four different breeds from the same place within driving distance, so I won't have "anybody" who needs to be quarantined. But odds are low that anyone at all near me has the breeds I think I want AND some day I may want to/need to add to my flock. I can't have a rooster, so I really don't want to hatch or get chicks. How can I do this right on a postage sized lot? (My coop/run will be very big and they can range some on weekends with supervision.) I just don't have much extra space to separate them.