The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Pozees]

Thank you very much, loanwizard and Leahs Mom.

I originally thought cement would be fine as well but read somewhere about how it leaches up moisture & would be terrible for DL method. I was confused then as it seemed like one of the best floors to have under DL (due to it being predator-proof). It even has a few cracks in it already so drainage shouldn't be much an issue.

Thanks for the description Leah's Mom. I'll see about tossing in a bit of dirt to start as well. Although I think I'll add in some dried garlic to ward off mites or whatever. I don't know the soil at all yet - so prevention's better than clean-up!

It will absorb moisture but not all the chickens produce, and if you are concerned about it you could always cover it with a sheet of vinyl flooring, or paint it with garage floor paint. I have a wood floor painted with 2 coats of porch and floor paint, so far it is fine. Only been in the building since April 1 so that can most definitely change, but so far, so good.

 

[Quailsong]

It will absorb moisture but not all the chickens produce, and if you are concerned about it you could always cover it with a sheet of vinyl flooring, or paint it with garage floor paint. I have a wood floor painted with 2 coats of porch and floor paint, so far it is fine. Only been in the building since April 1 so that can most definitely change, but so far, so good.

Actually it will be quail this time around. No chickens anywhere on the farm. Although I doubt their poop will be any different than chickens, maybe just quantity.

I'm unsure if the cement floor was painted. It was new enough to have a bit of a sheen on it. I will check for any paint chips & such though. Thanks for mentioning that. Best of luck with your floor as well.

 

[delisha]

Everyone have a wonderful holiday

 

[Bulldogma]

Some pictures of the progress from the week!



We are expecting so much rain :/ It's been raining all week, but they've kept at it. Today it was down pouring, so they couldn't work outside. They did the interior stuff today instead.

WOW!! It's looking amazing! Can't wait to see the finished product. How exciting!

 

[armorfirelady]

Everyone have a wonderful holiday

You as well Del

 

[BlueMouse]

Seems like that barn is just springing up like a mushroom! So glad to see it all coming together for you.

 

[lalaland]

Good luck with that

well, I didn't do too badly, only came home with 19. I'm so tired I'm not really sure what I got:
I think the extras I got were a lav orp, a french copper maran, and a few auracaunas I can't spell that.

she had three kiddie pools full of chicks in the dining room - ducks in the yard

the chicks all looked pretty healthy, there were some up to 2 weeks old - everything was pretty clean. she really seemed to know her stuff. she said she is good about 75% of the time feather sexing from the wing feathers, so she sorted out a couple of probably roos and switched to hopeful pullets.

didn't get home til after 10, got everyone settled and then spent an hour staring at the babies. so tiny, some are barely golf ball size. most hatched yesterday, there are a few 5 day olds.

Seems like that barn is just springing up like a mushroom! So glad to see it all coming together for you.

Justine, love that sliding door idea. its a beautiful barn.

 

[Sally8]

Got this today from Metzer Farms - Might want to make your voice heard to the USPS or we will all be paying a LOT for shipping on any future birds!! Any emails must be sent to USPS today!

I was checking hatcheries today online and they all have something similar. The Postal Service is hurting due to all the other means of transporting information. I bought a few chicks a few weeks ago and had to pay $7.00 for a small order. I drove to the hatcheries' pick up point. It made me think of when we had a Kentucky Fried Chicken locally, only they didn't use tongs to whip the chicks in the bucket!! I could understand if I were ordering and having it shipped.

BDM- that's to bad. But you know most of us know about that thing........but I like your reminders when there are new things

I have been writing useful information down as I was worried it would be gone. I appreciate it also. Thanks for your hard work with everything else going on in your life.

The hoop coop is a little more secure with the hardware cloth I scored cheap at my neighbors estate sale. (they had another chunk I didnt buy. I am hoping they put it out for trash day)

Looks like cottage cheese with a little pineapple! I so want a hoop coop. Not for their coop but for protection in the winter (snow)

Also, pardon my insistence, I didn't see a reply to my earlier question about DL & cement flooring. If any of you OT's have some tips for shavings, strategies, etc I'm totally all ears. Just wondering what works for you, if you've done cement w/ DL. That's all.^^

I don't see where the base being wood or cement makes any difference in Deep Litter. I just know I am lazy and the more hay, leaves, sawdust I put on at different intervals, the less work I have to do. If it starts to smell, add more brown.

Seems to me cement would just be easy to spray off when you're done.

That said, I am not a DL pro, but if I am seriously in error, someone will happen along and tell me how bad my answer was and give you the technically correct one.

Either way, you WIN!

My opinion, my first coop had a wooden floor and I used pine flakes. It just sort of sat there and smelled. I would stir a little or the girls would. Last summer we built a 2nd coop. It's 2 different levels. The lower level has a dirt floor with a couple of pallets down. (We used them to walk on and then just left them.) It also has pine flakes and dried leaves from last fall (8 - 10 in) Those flakes have broken down to dust. I'm amazed. I would leave it all except I'm hoping to white wash both coops next week end. Since I have had problems with mites, I won't use any of it. I wouldn't think it would matter what the flooring was but it seemed to in mine. After whitewashing, we'll try again and I'll let you know next year.

We have had so much rain. I don't think anything smells as bad as wet poults! Oh my gosh, they are dumb birds. Plants are covered, temps are supposed to get near freezing and weather channel said we could get a few snow flurries. Hopefully, Monday I'll start planting the garden.

I hope you all have a great week end. My DH and I have been married 10 years and every year on this day along with Veterans Day, I tell him how much I appreciate all the sacrifices he made. He's now 60% disabled because he did serve. Thank you all.

 

[delisha]

your pallets could be loaded with mites..
cute roo pic

 

[countrygirl74]

aoxa - x2 on the dirt with deep litter and also on the "if they treated the packages better, then it would be worth the extra postage!!" Love the barn!!!


Okay, so I am totally new to candling and wondering when these babies will ever come - just so you know, I did not save eggs at the right temperature and then put them under her all at once. I collected the duck eggs in the morning for 4 days and gave her 1 the first day and 2 each consecutive day. I didn't know any better - first time my silkie had gone broody and my sister wanted ducks so I wanted to give my silkie something to hatch...
Anyway, do you think these eggs look good or bad?
Here are the dates/ages (in no particular order of the photos because I did not mark them and have no idea which ones are which) of the eggs based on the days I gave them to her....counting the day I gave them as the first day.
Egg 1 - day 30
Egg 2&3 - day 29
Egg 4&5 - day 28
Egg 6&7 - day 27

These photos were all shot from above so the eggs are laying in my hands similar to the way they were in the nest.

Nothing has happened with any of them... can they get turned too much? I am asking because she was using the box that my EE girl likes to use and so every day when my EE goes in there, she shares the nest and messes up all the eggs. When she finally gets out, my silkie takes her egg and adds it to her duck eggs and I have to go get it out from under her - so lots of disturbing.

If nothing hatches, any advice on how to get a good hatch next time? Will my silkie be able to sit for another month? I am assuming she will not stop being broody until she actually has babies...














What's the deal with the spot???


This one is weird - light on both ends???