The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[midnightroo]

I use garden soil (organic) with wood ash. Some add peat moss, and I will most likely, but haven't bothered with that yet. 

Ours like to dust bath in the dirt we get from the dump. It is supposed to be compost, but it is too dry and doesn't hold water. I am hoping after this year I don't have to buy it anymore, too worried about what might be sprayed on the material that are in it. Before that, they just found a couple of nice spots where there was no grass and had their fun. My littles just made a spot in the grass and got their dust bath on.

 

[delisha]

ACK! I wonder if I could figure out a feed formula that doesn't include corn for chickens. Heck, I wonder if I can figure out feed for myself that doesn't include corn or any gmo stuff....

found this on a thread this morning about someones experience with meaties that aren't growing right - at a month they still aren't feathered - and the hatchery basically said it was because the parents of the eggs were fed gmo. I coud only watch a little before becoming so discouraged and depressed.


Jeff Smith interviews Stephanie Steneff - amazing revelations!:

Monsanto's Roundup Herbicide—Featuring the Darth Vader Chemical

http://action.responsibletechnology.org/p/salsa/web/common/public/content?content_item_KEY=11129

Great videos...thank you!

http://triptrapmountainhomestead.we...a-pygmy-goat-out-of-the-chicken-coop-101.html
Found an article on keeping goats out of the chicken coop via pop doors. Thoughts?

Del, you've had goats before right? Redridge - do you?

I never had problems keeping the goats out of the chicken area. They were behind hot wire with the sheep, pigs and horses. The chickens were always in with them though.

Quote:
I have a fire pit..Sometimes they just use that. I also have a big container of wood ash, sand, and dirt. They have many dirt bath spots all over the property for dusting.

 

[salt and pepper]

Well, after realizing that I will be getting around 8 dozen eggs a week after the birds start laying, I'm trying to figure out what I'll do with all of them! lol Me and my family usually only eat 2-3 dozen a week, so that around 5 dozen I have to deal with. How do you get rid of your access eggs???

 

[armorfirelady]

I've found that even when I throw out the mixed grains, the corn is mostly what's left. My job now (I quit working outside of my home) consists of watching my grand daughters so today I'm going up and throwing the Twisted Sisters off their nest. I'm so disappointed in myself for not checking sooner.
It's raining here today also but I planted some garden yesterday and our ground is still quite dry. We are fortunate enough to be able to stick a pump in the creek and pump it up to the garden. Any idea's on how to plant more in less space? We visited the Botanical Gardens when we went to Maine and I saw viney plants growing up in a tent fashion and low, shade loving veg's under. Anyone try this? We planted pumpkins that I had started inside but put a wire around them as I forgot about the chickens. Lol
The last of my incubatee's should start popping out today. I still have 15 turkey eggs. So tired of incubating but excited for next year.
armorfirelady, how are the chicks doing?

I've used wire for climbing plants like cukes at an angle and then you can put other veggies like lettuce, spinach under it. I have tried that before.

Tiny tots are all well. Not so sure of the rain but they venture out once in awhile lol Edie was still roosting at 830 so I took her off and thru her in the run. She is back to being a diva. She makes an er, er noise and the babies move quick. Wish I understood chicken to see what she is saying to them. Then the next minute she is taking FF stuck on the Marans beak so gently. She is def a hoot. I gave them some scrambled eggs, turkey, garlic, basil & a little cayenne pepper, they are not to sure about it but they are trying it. Of course that's till Edie decides she needs to be in the exact spot they are lol I do love the baby noises they make tho.

It's raining here to. Think after our appt I will put clear plastic up on odes of run so I can see in but keep the rain out. Babies are not sure about the rain. The big girls of course like it esp since they got a turkey carcass

 

[4Hgirl]

Our month old chicks are getting pretty nasty from their FF. Wiping them off is no longer working, it's all dried from being away all weekend. Can we put them in a warm bath?

 

[aoxa]

Great videos...thank you!
I never had problems keeping the goats out of the chicken area. They were behind hot wire with the sheep, pigs and horses. The chickens were always in with them though.

Everyone is going to be behind hot wire. I just don't have them sectioned off away. The fence will follow the tree line all the way around.


Cutting off close to the tree to the right. (it still has about 1/2 an acre not in this picture that will be included in the fenced in pasture area) We need a backyard space for us as well. A poop free zone.. The hot wire probably won't keep the chickens away, so we'll have to figure something else in addition to it. Maybe some simple green safety fence that we have used along the side of the property to keep the majority of the birds away from the neighbours.


You can see it in this picture. It is very invisible. I use it because it is so much easier to work with than chicken wire, and is cheaper as well.

 

[4Hgirl]

Well, after realizing that I will be getting around 8 dozen eggs a week after the birds start laying, I'm trying to figure out what I'll do with all of them! lol Me and my family usually only eat 2-3 dozen a week, so that around 5 dozen I have to deal with. How do you get rid of your access eggs???

I bring them to work and sell them for $3/doz.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
I sell mine for $3/ doz as well. I do give a 50 cent discount if they bring their own cartons.

 

[armorfirelady]

So I have figured out the tiny tots play monkey see monkey do....... They were all in the run/coop. I take Edie out into the garden & low and behold the tiny tots follow.........they have decided that the hostas taste pretty good

They are not to sure about the eggs and herbs tho. But I keep seeing them go back and taste them. I never realized how much babies eat. Well maybe not how much but how often. Lol

Those BCMs and the BR can really move. They are like little road runners.......and to funny when they get their wings flapping outside. It's like an airport runway

I forgot who asked but I use wood ash for dust baths.....you can see it in the above pic. I see foot prints in it but the tots haven't used it yet that I have seen.

And I sell my eggs for $3 dozen to friends and co workers. But I only get a dozen and a half a week from 4 hens so not nearly as many as you do

 

[jlynnet]

I too sell my eggs to co-workers. Many of the city folk pay about $5 a dz at their farmers markets. My $2 a dz is cheap! Some days I take as many as 6 dz to work!