The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: but maybe something more decorative like a simple child's pinwheel would work to fend them off....

I'm sure I could find some of those hanging around or at least at the $ store.
The motion activated sprinklers sound like fun too. I will look into the prices. The hose did work well yesterday but I can't stay outside all the time.

 

[aoxa]

Thanks Leah's mom.

Our premier one fencing arrived not half an hour ago by fed ex, ordered on Tuesday, didn't pay for extra shipping and it is already up and around the chicken coops.

Justine, I make a salve with poke root, it is supposed to help with healing also. Very easy to do, I was going to suggest to infuse some with the coconut oil, but it is solid at room temperature isn't it. Hmm, maybe you could infuse the poke with some olive oil and then you could melt the coconut oil and mix the olive oil infusion with the coconut oil. I add beeswax to give it a firmer texture, not sure if you would need to do that with the coconut oil.

The coconut oil is thick at room temp. As soon as you touch it it melts, which makes it easier to apply.

Susan even made an organic toothpaste out of coconut oil, peperment oil and baking soda. She said you know we're hippy when..

I want to make an organic coconut oil deodorant.

I can't say enough about the stuff. I'm sure you can infuse it with whatever you want

 

[Leahs Mom]

I tried some of that natural deodorant but it had some cornstarch and no shea butter. It was the best deodorant I've ever used. My friend made it for me and she put in a little tea tree oil (very little) and some lavender oil.

I just haven't gotten around to making it again but I sure did like it!

 

[4Hgirl]

I found this pic of the dog I was speaking of. They were all looking into the screen porch.

 

[aoxa]

I found this pic of the dog I was speaking of. They were all looking into the screen porch.

This is your dog right?Such a cute picture!

I tried some of that natural deodorant but it had some cornstarch and no shea butter. It was the best deodorant I've ever used. My friend made it for me and she put in a little tea tree oil (very little) and some lavender oil.

I just haven't gotten around to making it again but I sure did like it!

I'd rather not use corn starch if I don't have to.

I think coconut oil would work well alone. I am going to try it.

 

[4Hgirl]

Yes that is my dog. She is a golden retriever cross Chesapeake bay retriever. She was a rescue that was a nightmare for the first year (or two) but sure paid off in the end!

 

[midnightroo]

I found this pic of the dog I was speaking of. They were all looking into the screen porch.

She is beautiful! Though my dream dog is a BMD, have loved them ever since I saw them a few years ago and Henry just makes me want one more. DH says I can have one, but right now I don't think it is best. So I enjoy seeing the photos of Henry and everyone else's dogs.

 

[countrygirl74]

Wow that's a great idea. Unless you have ducks. That would really encourage them

LOL - that's for sure!

I know this is the Natural thread, but I am thinking Cornish X's are so unnatural. At 6 weeks mine are as big as my smallest hens(GSL and EE) but still peep like 6 week old chicks. Soooo wrong. But they taste yummy

I am so with you on this one - I think the same thing about my cornish x - it is really weird raising these things.

I may have just won the chicken lottery

......I posted an ad on Craigs list under *wanted* for wood shavings & wood chips. Had 2 people reply back that they have them. One guy has 3 truck loads I can have for free

he says they are small chips so I am hopeful it will work great for bedding for the hens...............if not it will go under the pines as mulch.

I was thinking I would let it sit outside for awhile before bagging it for storage. I think someone (LM or BDM) else did the same thing?
And I am correct in thinking any wood chips are fine for using as DL except cedar?

I am sooo jealous! I can't find anyone with wood chips anywhere here! I want to start getting it for gardening. Guess Arizona doesn't have enough trees...




On another note... I decided to try and re-home 3 of the roosters and see which two went first. Well, it appears that my red silkie (the brat) was actually wanted and my beautiful EE too. So, for now, we are keeping the nice blue silkie and the little blue cohin cockerel that everyone said to definitely keep!

I took my silkie over to his new home yesterday and they hadn't finished the coop. There was no roof and they actually thought he would stay in there - I told them I would bring him back home and they could call me when it was finished. These people know absolutely nothing about chickens. They had a bowl full of scratch instead of feed, no roosts, no nesting boxes. I wouldn't even let them have him except they are actually really nice people and want to learn. They are however, very experienced with other farm animals - they raise horses and goats and litters of puppies. They love animals and thought "Snuffy" was absolutely adorable. They were so appreciative of all I showed them and I'm even leaving them some paperwork when I go back to help them remember all the info. They have 6 chicks that they will be putting with the silkie roo when they are a little bigger. I am going to keep him here until their chicks are ready to be with him because I don't want him to be in that silly pen all by himself. I didn't realize how hard it was going to be to let this little stinker go, especially to people who don't really know what they're doing. It's hard... but if I can help them get things together, he will be so happy with 6 girls to himself. At my house, he is low man on the totem pole.

The other call for my big EE is somebody who has raised chickens in Nebraska their whole life and are starting their fairly new flock in Arizona now. I will go over to check that out today. I love my EE very much (Chubby Cheeks a.k.a. Fabio) to let him go to a less than ideal home. This guy has 9 girls and is looking for a rooster for protection. We'll see... if I don't like it, he's not going.

I wish I had a bunch of land because it is breaking my heart to get rid of either of them...

Anyone else have this hard of a time re-homing and did you eventually not be so sad?

Also, remember that horrible neighbor? I told you guys that I agreed to get my privacy panels put up on his border of the property and he seemed fine with that and said he was sure that would help a lot with the noise, etc. He also said he would be happy to try that for a while? Well, we put it up on Sunday and on Tuesday night, in the rain, as I'm trying to show my new babies where to go, he literally climbs his trailer and stands looking over my privacy fence with papers he said he printed off the internet showing that I can't have my chickens or ducks. What nerve!! Well, this time, he didn't realize my husband was out and my husband had had enough. He went over there and told him to never talk to his wife again and to stop telling us to do with our ***** property. He jumped down and left. I decided to be pro-active and visit all my neighbors. Every one of them was very nice and only 1 of them said that yes, the constant crowing of the 3 roos in the afternoon gets a little annoying sometimes, but he was very nice about it. One of the neighbors said she loves the sounds of all the animals and she's so glad I have them. Then, I went back to my zoning office and had 3 guys and 1 lady listen to my story and double-check all the ordinances, etc. I am good to go!!! Whatever he found doesn't apply to my particular property, which I knew but wanted to make absolutely certain that I wasn't missing anything. Now, if he calls down there, they will know who I am and how to handle it.
Last night, he was throwing a fit (this is a grown man, married with children) - pretending to fix one of his cars and revving it as loud as he could over and over for almost 2 hours. We just ignored him and laughed. I will not give in to this idiot or stoop to his level.
As for the roosters, we are downsizing, not because of him, but because to be honest, the crowing that they manage to do between the 3 of them is driving us crazy sometimes.

And that many roosters is just being too hard on the girls. I don't want more than 2 and it appears that I will soon have 4. The neighbor doesn't know that I am re-homing so I am enjoying these few days of them crowing their little hearts out this week before they go.

 

[aoxa]

LOL - that's for sure!

I am so with you on this one - I think the same thing about my cornish x - it is really weird raising these things.

I am sooo jealous! I can't find anyone with wood chips anywhere here! I want to start getting it for gardening. Guess Arizona doesn't have enough trees...




On another note... I decided to try and re-home 3 of the roosters and see which two went first. Well, it appears that my red silkie (the brat) was actually wanted and my beautiful EE too. So, for now, we are keeping the nice blue silkie and the little blue cohin cockerel that everyone said to definitely keep!

I took my silkie over to his new home yesterday and they hadn't finished the coop. There was no roof and they actually thought he would stay in there - I told them I would bring him back home and they could call me when it was finished. These people know absolutely nothing about chickens. They had a bowl full of scratch instead of feed, no roosts, no nesting boxes. I wouldn't even let them have him except they are actually really nice people and want to learn. They are however, very experienced with other farm animals - they raise horses and goats and litters of puppies. They love animals and thought "Snuffy" was absolutely adorable. They were so appreciative of all I showed them and I'm even leaving them some paperwork when I go back to help them remember all the info. They have 6 chicks that they will be putting with the silkie roo when they are a little bigger. I am going to keep him here until their chicks are ready to be with him because I don't want him to be in that silly pen all by himself. I didn't realize how hard it was going to be to let this little stinker go, especially to people who don't really know what they're doing. It's hard... but if I can help them get things together, he will be so happy with 6 girls to himself. At my house, he is low man on the totem pole.

The other call for my big EE is somebody who has raised chickens in Nebraska their whole life and are starting their fairly new flock in Arizona now. I will go over to check that out today. I love my EE very much (Chubby Cheeks a.k.a. Fabio) to let him go to a less than ideal home. This guy has 9 girls and is looking for a rooster for protection. We'll see... if I don't like it, he's not going.

I wish I had a bunch of land because it is breaking my heart to get rid of either of them...

Anyone else have this hard of a time re-homing and did you eventually not be so sad?

Also, remember that horrible neighbor? I told you guys that I agreed to get my privacy panels put up on his border of the property and he seemed fine with that and said he was sure that would help a lot with the noise, etc. He also said he would be happy to try that for a while? Well, we put it up on Sunday and on Tuesday night, in the rain, as I'm trying to show my new babies where to go, he literally climbs his trailer and stands looking over my privacy fence with papers he said he printed off the internet showing that I can't have my chickens or ducks. What nerve!! Well, this time, he didn't realize my husband was out and my husband had had enough. He went over there and told him to never talk to his wife again and to stop telling us to do with our ***** property. He jumped down and left. I decided to be pro-active and visit all my neighbors. Every one of them was very nice and only 1 of them said that yes, the constant crowing of the 3 roos in the afternoon gets a little annoying sometimes, but he was very nice about it. One of the neighbors said she loves the sounds of all the animals and she's so glad I have them. Then, I went back to my zoning office and had 3 guys and 1 lady listen to my story and double-check all the ordinances, etc. I am good to go!!! Whatever he found doesn't apply to my particular property, which I knew but wanted to make absolutely certain that I wasn't missing anything. Now, if he calls down there, they will know who I am and how to handle it.
Last night, he was throwing a fit (this is a grown man, married with children) - pretending to fix one of his cars and revving it as loud as he could over and over for almost 2 hours. We just ignored him and laughed. I will not give in to this idiot or stoop to his level.
As for the roosters, we are downsizing, not because of him, but because to be honest, the crowing that they manage to do between the 3 of them is driving us crazy sometimes.

And that many roosters is just being too hard on the girls. I don't want more than 2 and it appears that I will soon have 4. The neighbor doesn't know that I am re-homing so I am enjoying these few days of them crowing their little hearts out this week before they go.

I never had a problem letting my boys go. All they need is girls and they are happy as clams.

I did have a hard time letting go of some calls to a man that I felt iffy about.. Anyway..

Almost everyone I have rehomed boys to free ranges. So there is that.

That neighbour is a jerk.. that's the nicest word I can think of for him.

 

[Mrs.SB]

[quote name="delisha" url="/t/729605/the-natural-chicken-keeping-
I read what you posted. The maggots are eating her dead skin and part of the infection. I really had not known about the maggots and I seen no sign of them in any of your pictures..I saw no injury at all. I am confused I guess. I thought you originally said she was limping. I guess I missed a whole big part of this story. One thing for sure. I would go to the neighbors house and give them a very very large bill. If they do not replace your chickens you need to  take them to small claims court. It does not replace what you lost, but, it might encourage them to keep the dogs at home.
[/quote]

I think the maggots are gone, I will have some help checking today to make sure. I didn't realize she was hurt as bad as she was. She was just sitting so we gave her the bath and that's when we realized she had maggots. She got better and is walking around that's when I noticed her limping. Now I realize she was sitting because her leg or hip was hurt. What I'm thinking is he dog must have shook her or something.

The neighbors are Hispanic and don't speak English so it makes it hard to talk to them... We've asked one of our other neighbors who know them to tell them to keep them off our property and they haven't. They will get shot next time we find them on our land. This makes 8 chickens they've killed and hurt 2. This girl wouldn't have made it with you guys helping me doctor her.