The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[TurtlePowerTrav]

This is a good point.  And makes me want to ask you one more question - Do you delay letting your chickens out to range until later in the day...say 11:00 am?  I remember reading on another thread that they recommended letting them out a bit later in the morning to help with the early morning hour preds.

nope. Between 7 and 7:30 am every day. Summer time sometimes earlier. Letting them out at 11 would mean having to put them in 3 to 4 hours before sunset to get the same results. Doesn't make any sense to me 

Pretty much as soon as there is blue starting to show at sunrise, my chickens get let out. They coop themselves at night. I lock them in once all blue is gone from the sky.

 

[aoxa]

i know having my Australian Shepherd deters the coyotes. They come up to the fence, but won't jump it.
i let mine out when I put my dog back outside around 7am(he has arthritis, so sleeps inside during winter months).
when I scoop poop I throw it just over the fence around the backyard.

That's what we do as well. Too much work to distribute it all around.

It's like I have a baby monitor between my two dogs, Clem (LGD) and Koda (Corgi). Clem barks if something is amiss at night. Koda hears her (super power hearing - was very irritating until we had chickens), and alerts me when I'm asleep. I've caught a stray dog that way.

 

[stonykill]

dogs help but aren't a perfect solution. I had a black lab until last November. Had him 14 years. Longer than I had chickens. Until he was around 10 he was a killing machine....mainly woodchucks

. I killed many coons during the time I had him. Many possum as well. And many during daylight hours. Hungry is hungry. And chickens taste good.

 

[aoxa]

dogs help but aren't a perfect solution. I had a black lab until last November. Had him 14 years. Longer than I had chickens. Until he was around 10 he was a killing machine....mainly woodchucks

. I killed many coons during the time I had him. Many possum as well. And many during daylight hours. Hungry is hungry. And chickens taste good.

Have you had a real LGD though?

They have it in their blood to guard, and protect. Even as a young pup Clementine showed guarding instincts.

 

[stonykill]

I really am curious about this scene causer. I'm so nosey.

me too. Leaves me wondering ...... pondering................

 

[Leahs Mom]

BREAKING NEWS! (no pun intended but if the shoe fits...

)

See the little half shell over on the left? That's what I saw when I just went out and peaked in! 28 degrees here right now.

​

Definitely a swede...too light shell to be a BCM

 

[stonykill]

Have you had a real LGD though?

They have it in their blood to guard, and protect. Even as a young pup Clementine showed guarding instincts.

no and no plans for another dog right now. losing my friend of 14 years is something I'm not ready to go though again yet................

 

[stonykill]

great news Leah! Heck it's warm out there!!!!!!!

 

[aoxa]

BREAKING NEWS! (no pun intended but if the shoe fits...

)

See the little half shell over on the left? That's what I saw when I just went out and peaked in! 28 degrees here right now.

​

Definitely a swede...too light shell to be a BCM

Good for her!!

no and no plans for another dog right now. losing my friend of 14 years is something I'm not ready to go though again yet................

It's definitely tough losing a dog. They are so much like family.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Yesterday, after our first real snowfall of the year, all the ladies were just standing in the door looking out but wouldn't go. I had even swept back the snow to reveal the wood chips and threw down some spelt trying to entice them out. No go.

Then...I went inside to rake a bit with my narrow rake and "helped" one of the BR's out the door with the rake. Then helped out Big Red. One of the Araucanas I tried to help hung on for dear life, did an acrobatic move and turned around while clinging to the ramp and got back in without touching the ground

Anyway...finally got 'em all out then they continued to go out all day long on their own. (Just needed a little...(literal) nudge)

This morning it's snowing again and I was going to take out some sunflower sprouts and - surprise - they are all out even while it's actively snowing.

Threw down some sunflower sprouts and they're on it!