The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Thank you, Sally8, for your personal experience with deep litter. Best of luck removing those mites!

New concern: I'm reviewing my memories and now I'm wondering if the cement really was painted. If so, I'm worried that may be an issue w/ paint chips down the road.

Would any of you OTers even care about that if it were your barn? Would you try to sand blast the barn floor or even add an extra layer of dirt/mulch & come 'clean out day' just not use the bottom-most layer for the garden?

I'm probably over-thinking this but I always like to be safer than sorry.

You need to do what makes you comfortable..me..I would not worry unless it was lead based paint.

chick update and question:

they've been home in the brooder less than 24 hours.

whitewashing: duh, they peck at it, it chips off, can't be good for them to ingest! Had to tape paper towels over the walls. Hopefully they'll be done pecking in a few days.

question: these are 1, 2 and 3 day old chicks. someone has watery pinky/mauve poops with absolutely no solids. I don't remember seeing this kind of poop in chicks. Can't id the culprit, so I don't know if they are also passing some solid on other poops. Should I be thinking cocci? all are looking good, I think although with 19 of them it is a little hard to sort out and make sure I am seeing each one for a good period of time.

I have never heard of new chicks having cocci..

Quote: at lock down..all air cells should have had a shrink of 33%. The rest of the egg should be dark.

day 10 duck

air cell shrinkage

day 25 duck egg

Quote: They all looked infertile to me..duck eggs have large veins you can see on day 10. Much easier than chicken eggs. They are more active at day 10 too.

 

[Quailsong]

You need to do what makes you comfortable..me..I would not worry unless it was lead based paint.

I think it's now illegal in Canada to sell lead-based paint. At least, in the big stores. The barn & the floor (if it IS painted) is very new, under 10 years for sure.

So okay, I'll breathe a sigh of relief. Funny all that time of eating paint chips as a kid and here I'm worried about the quail I don't even have yet. Err I mean, game ON!

 

[aoxa]

You both need to come visit us and the horses! They are so amazing words cannot describe.

For sure!

How are they adjusting?

 

[camilleathome]

For sure!

How are they adjusting?

Their doing great. Bear is acting like hes lived here all his life. Spirit is well.. A mare XD She is super sweet and calm most of the time but every so often you see the whites of her eyes as her head goes up and she gets nervous of something she never really spooks but she can get agitated. We wanted to ride her in the indoor ring but she was a bit nervous. we let her see the boats and smell things and she did calm down but just not enough to trust her as she hasnt been ridden all winter. Funny enough we brought bear in and he was doing so well we even put a saddle on him and let the girth touch him(He is the horse that once fainted after a girth was tightenned and now rears if you do it too tight) and he didnt react. So we are going to do that more often just slowly show him the saddle and blanket. put it on let him feel the cinch on his stomach and if he doesent react tie it loose take it off. next day same and the other. then tighten a bit etc untill he fully accepts it. He did so well we tried riding him bareback. My friend did since shes tiny and he did AMAZING with her. Shes going to load a video for me soon of it. I actually got on him for a minute just to say I did and he did really well as well but he did move around a bit but he wasnt nervous just thinking. Im just heavy and never rose bareback so It was hard to get my seat. I dont plan on riding him untill ive lost another 50 pounds adleast. But once I get someone over to give him some more practice he will be amazing for Al. Im jealous since I have such a great bond with Bear and I would give anything to be able to ride him.

 

[Ashdoes]

While digging for this...

We found this.....

What is it?!

 

[armorfirelady]

I'm like an expecting Mom again......tomorrow I will have the new babies . Their coop & enclosed run is all set & I think I have a plan for a run for them in the grass. Plastic fencing on the end where the compost pile ends to block off the 15ft long area btw the compost bin & electric netting. The older girls rarely go near that part of netting & I think the area in the veggie garden (my walkway) is going to be small for 4 pullets.

Babys FF is perking away & I got some fresh parsley & cilantro today to mix into it (the girls got some to) & got a steal on beef liver so I put it in the processor (a little to long its a consistency of jelly) and froze some and have a bag set aside for them tomorrow

I keep trying to think if I forgot anything lol. Still need to come up with a pen for when I introduce them to the girls but that's not for at least a month

 

[armorfirelady]

Ashdoes I have the same pond form lol. No cute ducks like yours tho.

It looks like a beetle of some sorts. How big was it?

 

[Ashdoes]

It's like a cocoon, but it moved when hubby touched it. It is big, 2 1/2 inches I think....which is big! Lol.

We picked up the pond today, and I hope to get plants in next week. I've got chocolate vines I'm putting in that corner, and we're planting a Silver Linden near by. I'm so happy to be getting stuff put into the yard. We got 12 fruit bushes planted today, and each is well protected by hardware cloth, because the bunnies are bad here.

 

[lalaland]

armorlady, I hope you are prepared not to get much done once your babies get there! I spent more time just watching - its been 4 years since I've had chicks and I've forgotten how sweet they are and how funny. Plant a few things in the garden, take a break chick watching. repeat.

I put the sod plug complete with dandelion blooming in the chick cupboard, and it kept them way entertained. I pulled it out after an hour as they were getting into eating dirt - alot of dirt - and I figured that was enough for one day. more dirt tomorrow

grocery shopping tomorrow and getting some liver for the babies. I'll share it with the older girls, they are over due for a treat. Sadly, one of the 4 year old hens has turned into an internal layer and is doing the penguin thing, so it won't be long til she is culled. Right now, she is talking, eating, moving around slowly - enjoying life, but as soon as she evidences more discomfort it will be time.

Delisha, thanks for the comment about not finding cocci in such young chicks. I didn't see any repeat of the pink water poops, so maybe it was some kind of neonatal thing. About half of the babies still have their egg tooth.

I hope on Monday to have time to take pics, with the brooder light they turn out awful, so it will have to wait til there is time to bring them into the house.

 

[camilleathome]

While digging for this...

We found this.....

What is it?!

That is a Chrysalis. A Moth "cocoon"