The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Bill Matthews]

Take the Rooster that is old enough to breed and put him with five or six proven layers in a separate area away from the others. Wait about ten days and set the eggs. Best Wishes

 

[Bill Matthews]

To Chooks4life...Well said and needed to be said....Thanks

 

[uglychickens]

The modern definition of meek is nothing to do with the original meaning of the word, which had more to do with patience and not doing harm in return for harm received.

Some of the most powerful people I know are some of the meekest, and the most violent people I know are all the weakest, mentally and often physically; despite their violence and abusive behaviour they often do not stand up for themselves, nor do they come up with their own ideas of what is right or a better way to do things, which leads them to continue their brutal behaviour because 'so many others are doing the same'.

Meek, as per the original definition, does not actually imply weakness and unwillingness to think or do for themselves. The true meaning of the word's been used so often for victim mentalities that it's become a badge of voluntary/learned helplessness rather than nonviolent philosophy.

The modern definition of meek is a recent construct and is pathetic. It has more to do with passive aggressive sorts than the actual victims in my opinion. Some people are quite happy to remain victims because that way they never have to take responsibility for their own actions. The biggest 'meek' victims I know are also the biggest abusers. It's all got a lot to do with overweening self importance. Modern meekness is often a cover for abuse.

I gave you an ovation! I would stand but the computer is lacking in some things

 

[Bulldogma]

Take the Rooster that is old enough to breed and put him with five or six proven layers in a separate area away from the others. Wait about ten days and set the eggs. Best Wishes

Hmmm... good advice indeed! Now to find a way to put it into action. They all free range, but perhaps I can find a way of setting up a simple run to separate them (the girls will hate it as they love to explore). LOL!

 

[brandislee]

The modern definition of meek is nothing to do with the original meaning of the word, which had more to do with patience and not doing harm in return for harm received.

Some of the most powerful people I know are some of the meekest, and the most violent people I know are all the weakest, mentally and often physically; despite their violence and abusive behaviour they often do not stand up for themselves, nor do they come up with their own ideas of what is right or a better way to do things, which leads them to continue their brutal behaviour because 'so many others are doing the same'.

Meek, as per the original definition, does not actually imply weakness and unwillingness to think or do for themselves. The true meaning of the word's been used so often for victim mentalities that it's become a badge of voluntary/learned helplessness rather than nonviolent philosophy.

The modern definition of meek is a recent construct and is pathetic. It has more to do with passive aggressive sorts than the actual victims in my opinion. Some people are quite happy to remain victims because that way they never have to take responsibility for their own actions. The biggest 'meek' victims I know are also the biggest abusers. It's all got a lot to do with overweening self importance. Modern meekness is often a cover for abuse.

Well said

Well they are kind of sexable by quick feathering.. The girls tend to feather out faster than the boys - not always, but 80% of the time I find they do.

You want to watch for any red patches. Consistent patterning is girls, quilt pattern boys. I sexed my very first EEs at 2 weeks. Just by gut. At 4 weeks I had them all named: Stanley, Eedie, Eedie #2, Fern, and Willow. They stayed true to their names! 4 girls, one boy. I now have 15 from the same source that range from 1.5 - 3 weeks old. There is a 3 week old chick that is all white and I am sure is a boy based on feathering. Only has half the wing feathers in and that's it!

Check out this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/463817/easter-egger-sexing-tips-and-tricks-pictures-included for more about it.

I read several pages of that thread, and I'm still kind of confused. Someone said black and white EE's are almost always cocks, but 6 of the last 12 EE's I've gotten (from elsewhere) have been black and white pullets. But I get the bit about the orange/brown/red feathering on a bird that isn't orange/brown/red. But all my chicks are feathering exactly the same speed, except the little buckeye chick. If they're all cocks, I'm gonna scream. That's really unlikely, though... right? There's one that is SO FAR feathering out to be a really pretty lavender/heathery color. Which is weird because dad is all white and most of the hens are black and white, (a few have a little brown). I really hope that one's a hen, but I've had a feeling from hatch day it's going to be a cock. It has a big head

 

[camilleathome]

We started work on our barn so we can move all the chickens over there once work is done. Im still thinking over what I will be doing. We knocked down two stalls that were badly made anyway and going to hopefully have a growout area,meat king area with a run and some breeding pens with runs and hopefully a brooder area. Though I might do that in the insulated tack room if I can find the space. Im going to go and measure tomorrow to make "building plans". We have another long stall that goes right to the end of the barn Al would like to keep as a stall for goats while I was thinking of tearing it down for extra space and using the whole half of the barn for chicken stuff since we have six box stalls we could use for farm animals three of which are kept open for if my two horses decide to run in if its raining, too hot etc(I dont stall my horses their left out with that blocked off part of the barn being their run in).

Any tips and experience/things you wish you did differently advice would be welcome!

 

[Pozees]

Justine, I know you've discussed it before, but can you go over briefly what the vaccine for ILT consists of for both chicks and adults? I had never heard of it in CO, but recently a breeder somewhere in the state had to cull her entire flock after it tested positive for ILT, and now I'm nervous. If it is in the state, it's a matter of time before it works its way to my part of the state, one way or another. Thanks.

Judi

 

[BlueMouse]

So, my stupid resident fox got another chicken. Haven't managed to catch/shoot him yet, and evidently walking the dog around the edge of the yard isn't scaring him any. <sigh> Putting up the game cam to see if we can find a regular time/route he travels, and I have a friend that's going to bring me a large live capture trap. Don't dare put up spring traps because the little old lady next door has a dog that runs loose, and where we've seen the fox is close to her property. Just want to catch him before I lose anymore of my hens... The meaties and the guineas are safe as can be in their tractors. He seems to be coming right up to the edge of the yard and taking them in broad daylight.

 

[gevshiba]

I have 3 Speckled Sussex chicks, 13-14 weeks old, 4 12 week old Buff Orpingtons and 15 12 week old BBB turkeys. My Sussex chicks have all been plucked bald above their tails. I thought it was the chickens picking on each other, but I saw a turkey pluck a feather yesterday. Not one of the BO's have missing feathers. A friend suggested maybe the Sussex's color is attracting the turkeys. Anyone have experience or opinions on this? The BO's are supposed to be all roos, but I'm not sure about one. I'm still confused on the Sussex. I thought one was a pullet, but now I think they all might be. I'm not sure if this makes any difference on the feather plucking. I'm starting to let them free range a bit when I can be there to keep an eye on them. They have a large, mostly open air coop and a small run. I've started giving them heads of cabbage and lettuce, as well as other things to help with boredom. I hope to get a larger run ready, but I have to go back to PA for my dad's memorial service and I don't want the guy who's watching the birds to have to worry about an open topped run. I try to spray Blue Kote on the Chicks, but they aren't too cooperative. They are trying to grow new feathers now. Unfortunately, they aren't on my property, so I really can't separate them. Most of the turkeys will be going in the freezer in a few months, but I hate that the chicks are getting picked on. Any ideas on other things to keep them from picking on each other? BTW, this started because the coop wasn't ready and they had to stay in the grow out pen too long. The turkeys pick on each other a bit too, although that seems to be getting better.

 

[Quailsong]

Edit: Catching up & NM looks like chooks4life beat me to it.