The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[TexasLisa]

Delisha I noticed you are using an Eco-glow for the chicks. I am thinking about getting one for the turkey poults (7) that are due to hatch in a couple of weeks.
What do you think of it? Also in one of your pictures you are using a heat lamp. Are you putting the Eco-glow and the heat lamp in the same pen or different pens? In case you can't tell, I am new at hatching. I have 11 sussex eggs under an Australorp and 7 turkey eggs in the incubator.

Thanks,

Lisa

Lisa

 

[aoxa]

Delisha I noticed you are using an Eco-glow for the chicks. I am thinking about getting one for the turkey poults (7) that are due to hatch in a couple of weeks.
What do you think of it? Also in one of your pictures you are using a heat lamp. Are you putting the Eco-glow and the heat lamp in the same pen or different pens? In case you can't tell, I am new at hatching. I have 11 sussex eggs under an Australorp and 7 turkey eggs in the incubator.

Thanks,

Lisa

Lisa

So worth the money...

8 weeks of use and it pays for itself in energy savings.

Don't even get me started on the peace of mind it brings!!

 

[lalaland]

Hey folks-

Last week, I bought 3 healthy young laying hens to introduce to my flock, that were previously being used for breeding. Obviously, their butts are picked clean. The feathers are appearing to have some growth, but one of my spanish hens in particular can't seem to stop pecking. The pecking order stuff was sorted out in a day or two, but now when one of the new girls is taking a nap or hanging around, and my spanish hen happens to wander by, she'll take a few bites out of their butts! Then, she kind of follows them in an attempt to get a few more bites.

They have access to 18% protein organic feed, tons of fresh vegetables, food scraps, and I throw them some mealworms sometimes. They even have a screened raised bed of grass to eat. If it's a protein issue- why are my other 6 chickens uninterested? My run is 20x25 feet with 9 chickens- so it's not a space issue.

I know of a few conventional products that are advertised to stop pecking. I was wondering if anyone had any home remedies, holistic alternatives, etc? Anything that might help the feathers regrow while deterring my hungry spanish hen?

I think the feather picking, based on my experience, can be a learned thing. I did try a product called rooster booster anti pick lotion and it was effective but tooo fragranced for me. I have a few hens who routinely nosh on feathers as they walk by others.

 

[armorfirelady]

7:30 this morning. This "nocturnal predator" was hungry and out chicken hunting. Was.

Got a text from a friend last wondering if I wanted one hen. Apparently her neighbors hen house was attacked and left only one hen. She said the predator dug under the hen house. They think it was a weasel......but I didnt know they dug? I always thought they went thru an opening & could get thru one as small as an inch?

Apparently the neighbors are going to rebuild their coop and make it more secure. Others in area were attacked as well. I thought weasels lived near where there was water like creeks or streams? There are none out there that I know of.

Makes me thankful I made mine secure as I built it instead of waiting till the hens were killed.

 

[delisha]

Quote: Hi Lisa..once the Eco Glo arrived I use it when the weather lets me use it. I love my Eco Glo and it is worth every penny!! It does not work when temps are under 60. I have to use a lamp than. I tie my lamps and make sure if they ever fall they have no power. Anything can happen no matter how well you plan and are secure. I find that my cord needs to be from above at ceiling height for my piece of mind.

Quote: A few ideas:


Your spanish hen might be lacking in protein. Some breeds need more than others.
Some breeds are not ment to be caged. To you that pen might be big enough, but to her it is still a cage and not big enough.

Suggestions and possible solutions:

Toss in raw liver a few times a week and see if that helps, add pumpkin seeds

Let her out to free range by her self when you are home

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Quote: Had to cut the pic out cause I'm eating a tomato

Just wanted to say good for you for building a secure coop and not waiting for an oops moment!

 

[stonykill]

Got a text from a friend last wondering if I wanted one hen. Apparently her neighbors hen house was attacked and left only one hen. She said the predator dug under the hen house. They think it was a weasel......but I didnt know they dug? I always thought they went thru an opening & could get thru one as small as an inch?

Apparently the neighbors are going to rebuild their coop and make it more secure. Others in area were attacked as well. I thought weasels lived near where there was water like creeks or streams? There are none out there that I know of.

Makes me thankful I made mine secure as I built it instead of waiting till the hens were killed.

doesn't sound like a weasel to me. They are so small there is no need to dig. I'm guessing raccoon.

My stream, the Stonykill is at least 200 yards from my coops. That is a LONG way for a tiny weasel to go to eat. But who knows. I have them, but suspect they don't always live near water.

The more I think about it the more I think your friend had coons. Several coons.

this is a weasel.






note one of them is on a small grden edging shovel. Also note the neck wound on that one. William the cat killed that one.

 

[stonykill]

Had to cut the pic out cause I'm eating a tomato

Just wanted to say good for you for building a secure coop and not waiting for an oops moment!

I killed it then ate breakfast

 

[Ashdoes]

Ok, I have a problem for the seasoned chickeners. I have two males left, a Cochin Roo that never messes with me and is great around all the kids that live and come to my house (ages 3-9) and then there's Sprite, our silkie boy. He used to be so sweet, but all of a sudden anytime myself or one of my daughters walks past Cloud, our one silkie girl, he attacks us. He has not done this to hubby, who has only been home for 3 weeks. This morning he did it twice, and as usual I picked him up and carried him around, the little $!?&@ BIT me! I swear I almost snapped his neck right there. All the kids that visit our house know how to treat the chickens, they're not mean they don't chase them and they know how to pick up Cloud...I can't have a tiny evil chicken scratching up their legs. I have one nephew who for some reason has been scared to death of the chickens since they were five weeks old, I can't imagine how traumatized he'd be if Sprite attacked him. I can't decide if its good or bad that he only does it when we're walking between him and Cloud, like he's protecting her? But I'm also thinking I don't want babies from that little terror, since most people say not to breed a mean Roo. What do I do? I'm open to suggestions.

Edit to add...he's under a year old.

Oh, and I'm working on the duck pics....going to take pics of the chicken stall too, since we removed the cabinet coop.

Stupid iPad is always auto correcting wrong! Makes me crazy...

 

[TexasLisa]

Aoxa and Delisha: Thank you for answering so quick. I guess I know what I am going to order.

Lisa