The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

Well I just hope when Aoxa becomes a famous photographer she remembers us 'little people'.

Lisa

 

[Bulldogma]

Some pictures from today. Henry enjoying the water. Makes me want to build a pond so he can swim with the geese and ducks

I <3 Henry!!!

Hi folks, I need some advise. I have 5 Easter Eggers that are 10 weeks old and I'm wanting to integrate them with the 11 older girls (15 months) I have. My questions are : how do I keep each group from eating each others designated food (unmedicated chick starter and Layena)? And, I know they'll have to work their pecking order out but, short of kiling them, what's too rough for the older girls to be to the younger ones? What's the easiest way to introduce them to each other? The babies have been in a grow out pen seperated from the girl's main run by a fence for 6 weeks.

Here are a few ideas: Click Here!

First BSF...
This pic is terrible... and I really wish I'd had a video... but I hope you can visualize what is going on here because I thought it was hysterical.
And being the natural thread I figured this was the best place to post the first feeding of live Black Soldier Fly larvae to the chicks.



These are a couple of my 13 day olds... I gave them some BSF for the first time today - all they have had to this point is home ground and mixed FF.
There are 21 chicks in this brooder... three were curious out of the gate while the others hung back when I placed a few BSF in with them for the first time.
They just keep cocking their heads and watching them move and wiggle and really weren't sure what to think.
But the things in the red bowls were MOVING! OMG! Three curious three were mesmerized.
Several minutes passed as they watched the BSF wiggle around and then one brave chick (dang I wish I had marked who these brave three were), picked one up and RAN all the way to a corner and put his head in the corner with it's fuzzy butt sticking up in attempt to hide and not share his prize. It was like a dog with a bone. The other two followed suite - each to a different corner. But what was even more funny was the remaining 18 chicks. The brooder became all abuzz as the remaining chicks attempted to turn it into a frenzy. They knew these three had prizes and just kept harassing them and trying to take them instead of going to get one of their own. It was hysterical to watch... even as each of the three adventurers came back for more while all the others chased them around the brooder. You could just hear the brave three saying "Stay away! It's all MINE!"
While all the others, not quite so bright, were saying, "Hey, you should share... where did you find that?!"

Chicks are so FUN! I needed a good chuckle today and they provided today's entertainment.

Love this! Chicks really are a blast!

 

[aoxa]

First BSF...
This pic is terrible... and I really wish I'd had a video... but I hope you can visualize what is going on here because I thought it was hysterical.
And being the natural thread I figured this was the best place to post the first feeding of live Black Soldier Fly larvae to the chicks.



These are a couple of my 13 day olds... I gave them some BSF for the first time today - all they have had to this point is home ground and mixed FF.
There are 21 chicks in this brooder... three were curious out of the gate while the others hung back when I placed a few BSF in with them for the first time.
They just keep cocking their heads and watching them move and wiggle and really weren't sure what to think.
But the things in the red bowls were MOVING! OMG! Three curious three were mesmerized.
Several minutes passed as they watched the BSF wiggle around and then one brave chick (dang I wish I had marked who these brave three were), picked one up and RAN all the way to a corner and put his head in the corner with it's fuzzy butt sticking up in attempt to hide and not share his prize. It was like a dog with a bone. The other two followed suite - each to a different corner. But what was even more funny was the remaining 18 chicks. The brooder became all abuzz as the remaining chicks attempted to turn it into a frenzy. They knew these three had prizes and just kept harassing them and trying to take them instead of going to get one of their own. It was hysterical to watch... even as each of the three adventurers came back for more while all the others chased them around the brooder. You could just hear the brave three saying "Stay away! It's all MINE!"
While all the others, not quite so bright, were saying, "Hey, you should share... where did you find that?!"

Chicks are so FUN! I needed a good chuckle today and they provided today's entertainment.

I did something very similar with just regular red wigglers today with my 12 chicks who are a week old. All it took was one to try it, and than everyone was playing keep away like mad! So cute!

 

[aoxa]

Also had to tell you guys here:

I officially had my EARLIEST CROW! A whopping TEN DAYS OLD.

That is so not normal. It is hilarious, and I'm proud of him. I called him as a boy at day one! I just knew..



Now to catch it on video. At first I thought a chick was dying.. I ran to the brooder.. Pickles stood there as tall as can be and stretched his neck up and crowed.

Did I break a record? What's my prize?

For those of you who've been doing this a long time, what is your very earliest crower?

 

[Leahs Mom]

First BSF...
This pic is terrible... and I really wish I'd had a video... but I hope you can visualize what is going on here because I thought it was hysterical.
And being the natural thread I figured this was the best place to post the first feeding of live Black Soldier Fly larvae to the chicks.

These are a couple of my 13 day olds... I gave them some BSF for the first time today - all they have had to this point is home ground and mixed FF.
There are 21 chicks in this brooder... three were curious out of the gate while the others hung back when I placed a few BSF in with them for the first time.
They just keep cocking their heads and watching them move and wiggle and really weren't sure what to think.
But the things in the red bowls were MOVING! OMG! Three curious three were mesmerized.
Several minutes passed as they watched the BSF wiggle around and then one brave chick (dang I wish I had marked who these brave three were), picked one up and RAN all the way to a corner and put his head in the corner with it's fuzzy butt sticking up in attempt to hide and not share his prize. It was like a dog with a bone. The other two followed suite - each to a different corner. But what was even more funny was the remaining 18 chicks. The brooder became all abuzz as the remaining chicks attempted to turn it into a frenzy. They knew these three had prizes and just kept harassing them and trying to take them instead of going to get one of their own. It was hysterical to watch... even as each of the three adventurers came back for more while all the others chased them around the brooder. You could just hear the brave three saying "Stay away! It's all MINE!"
While all the others, not quite so bright, were saying, "Hey, you should share... where did you find that?!"

Chicks are so FUN! I needed a good chuckle today and they provided today's entertainment.

You DID need some fun

 

[Leahs Mom]

Also had to tell you guys here:

I officially had my EARLIEST CROW! A whopping TEN DAYS OLD.

That is so not normal. It is hilarious, and I'm proud of him. I called him as a boy at day one! I just knew..



Now to catch it on video. At first I thought a chick was dying.. I ran to the brooder.. Pickles stood there as tall as can be and stretched his neck up and crowed.

Did I break a record? What's my prize?

For those of you who've been doing this a long time, what is your very earliest crower?

Your prize.... A ROO!

 

[aoxa]

Your prize.... A ROO!

Surprise I win!

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Also had to tell you guys here:

I officially had my EARLIEST CROW! A whopping TEN DAYS OLD.

That is so not normal. It is hilarious, and I'm proud of him. I called him as a boy at day one! I just knew..



Now to catch it on video. At first I thought a chick was dying.. I ran to the brooder.. Pickles stood there as tall as can be and stretched his neck up and crowed.

Did I break a record? What's my prize?

For those of you who've been doing this a long time, what is your very earliest crower?

3 weeks old and his brother a few days later.

 

[midnightroo]

First BSF...
This pic is terrible... and I really wish I'd had a video... but I hope you can visualize what is going on here because I thought it was hysterical.
And being the natural thread I figured this was the best place to post the first feeding of live Black Soldier Fly larvae to the chicks.

These are a couple of my 13 day olds... I gave them some BSF for the first time today - all they have had to this point is home ground and mixed FF. 


Chicks are so FUN!  I needed a good chuckle today and they provided today's entertainment.

Very funny. I can see them running around, those others not having a clue where the treats came from.

Thanks Aoxa, I have seen the photos of the chicks before, but not the side by side of the male and female adults.

I have been meaning to ask a question. I know many of you do not keep you water in your coop to keep down dampness. But what do you do at night? I am asking because I a lot of what I read said that it was very important for chickens at have access to water at all times. Mine usually have access to water by 8:30 til they put themselves to bed at night.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Well someone tell me HOW THIS HAPPENED!!!
Put the girls to bed last night about 7-8pm ish. I cleaned out the nest boxes and refreshed them. There was nothing in the nests then.

Went out after Church services this afternoon and THERE WERE FOUR EGGS!!! Yes 4!!! Considering cleaning boxes last night.... so know I didn't miss one then. HOW DID I GET FOUR EGGS FROM THREE CHICKENS????

I had wondered when I only got one egg yesterday..... but while I mowed back area I did kennel them.... so no coop access then. They head to road out front when I go back with mower....

Could they have been ready to lay and held it until after roost time? Or possible to lay more than one egg if it was 'held over'?