The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

What Mumsy did was the logical natural thing to do, it was educational and interesting. She practiced good animal husbandry skills.

X's 2!
x a million!!!!!

Mumsy- So sorry for your loss but I for one am thankful that you took the time to describe to us what occured, taking pictures every step of the way & for doing the necropsy. I learn every time you & others share this invaluable information with us. Thank you again for helping me learn

 

[BlueMouse]

Mumsy, I hope this is the last necropsy you have to do in a really very long time. I've only had to do one, and it wasn't easy. You're so thorough, I really admire your excellent husbandry, and dedication to understanding what has happened so that you can if possible prevent it, whether by different management or controlled breeding. Every time you post things like this you have a enourmous beneficial impact on people like me, who have not seen the insides of manyy chickens, normal or sick.

day 18 on my incubation! candleing every day to check for internal pip. Four of my cream legbar eggs look good, two are extremely questionable, one is iffy. Four would be a pretty good hatch for shipped eggs, my first time, and power outtages. We've had some troubles with the humidity (it was low at first) but other than that DH's computer controlled incubator has worked like a charm.

One of my friends today told me I had 42 poultries. I told her she must be crazy, I only have a "few chickens" looked at me like I was nuts and said "No, I just did the math, you have 42 assorted poultries." How did THAT happen..... I did have to point out that most of those don't "count" because they're not staying. the only ones that should count are the 8 layers and the 6 guineas we're keeping. (the other 9 will be tasty. So will the cornish X and the broad breasted bronze turkeys.

. I'm so excted about havng meat that I can feel good about my family eating)

 

[CoopChick719]

Need some advice...My co-sitting Sizzles eggs did not hatch last Friday Day 21 and today is Day 27. I didn't candle because they were tucked way under the nesting boxes. We, my sister & I, were not sure if they were fertile even though she does have a rooster. My question is how will my hens take it if I take the eggs? Will they be looking for chicks? It breaks my heart to have them sit for 21+ days and have none hatch. Should I get them some chicks?! DH will flip if I mention more chicks.

 

[Mrs.SB]

. I'm so excted about havng meat that I can feel good about my family eating)

I don't eat meat myself but my DH does and DD eats a little. I would LOVE to raise our own meat for them so I could feel good about them eating it also but I don't think I have the stomach to kill and clean them

I admire those that raise their own meat birds tho!! Maybe one day I will try

 

[armorfirelady]

Just checked on the chicks...one BCM was roosted up high with Edie (about 3 feet off ground)

The other 2 tots were nestled in a corner so up they went on the perch below with a little help. Fingers crossed they stay put.

One down 2 to go......

I have a question for the OT's.......will pullets chest bump? One BCM & the BR were chest bumping several times today. I missed it since I was busy working on the hoop coop but my Mom saw them do it. The BCM doing it has a comb that is larger than the other BCM. Enough so it allows me to tell them apart (usually I use their sheen color- ones green ones purple) I think Aoxa said she had pullets doing it to?

I figured in a week or so I would post updated pics of the 3. They are only 5 & 6 weeks now. When Sally posted the pics everyone thought they were pullets. I sure hope they really are. No roosters allowed here.

I gave all the tots a dust bath in wood ash just as a preventive. They still dont dust bathe per se. Edie does in the DL but no one was in the wood ash. They are all still clean of any bugs but I wanted it as a preventive measure before Red goes in with them Sunday. The big girls fight over the dust bath.

And I know I have posted a lot of pics but I had 2 more cute ones.

Edie is so tall when she stands at attention. Reminds me of a runner duck. She is 8 weeks old.

The BCM with the barely there comb (6 weeks) & the BR (5 weeks) They love the turnip greens & kale I toss to them a couple times a day. They love the hostas to as you can tell from the one chewed to the ground. Edie is behind them working on the other one.

Oh and Leahs Mom I got my poultry cups in containers. I didn't try the PVC I really didn't think it would work

Its just a small version of a water jug a coworker was going to toss. Fits great in the tiny tots run. I made one with a bucket for the big girls but one leaked so I had to put waterproof silicone around it & it has to dry over night.

And I think I finally made the hoop coop waterproofed. Silicone around all the zip tie holes and the top of the side vents. The gorilla duct tape over it.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: The container I have is stamped with a 2 year shelf life. I think it would last longer than that, however.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Its just a small version of a water jug a coworker was going to toss. Fits great in the tiny tots run. I made one with a bucket for the big girls but one leaked so I had to put waterproof silicone around it & it has to dry over night.

And I think I finally made the hoop coop waterproofed. Silicone around all the zip tie holes and the top of the side vents. The gorilla duct tape over it.

Yay! You have to really get those holes the correct size or you'll have that leak problem. I finally figured out that the bit size is 23/64. I think you could go as high as 3/8 if drilled very straight.

Have your little ones figured them out yet? I usually push the triggers and fill them with water until they figure out there is eater there and then figure out how to push them to make more come down.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Mumsy - my thanks for sharing and the photos too. I'm learning much from all your photos and information. Just sorry it has to be this way.

 

[Mrs.SB]

The container I have is stamped with a 2 year shelf life.  I think it would last longer than that, however.

Thank you! And you guys use it for oil just like you would use olive oil?

 

[Leahs Mom]

I put out the summer wading/cool-ff water pans again for the season... GLASS (!)

After we watched that video with the guy and the bricks, I thought I'd try them, but ended up with pot saucers instead of bricks as they fit better in the pan. I just turned them up-side down. They are under the water so it's not quite the same as what he was doing, but they do stand on them!

Last year I just put out the pans for them to stand in without the adobe.

Here's one of my hatchery girls enjoying the foot spa.