The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

Lucy's comb looks like strawberry, cushion or possibly rose.

Ahhh well I am glad I was not the only one who couldnt figure out what kind of comb she has. My other BCM has a very tiny comb with only one row. And my EE has a pea comb thats also very small one row. Guess Lucy got a combination and got a funky comb

Quote: I am a Pepsi addict so I wold have a lot of that and a bottle of wine chilling for later

And a bon fire going as well.

But I would think a large plastic garbage can to throw the extra parts in and a smaller bucket for the hearts and livers to freeze for later use

 

[aoxa]

Lucy's comb looks like strawberry, cushion or possibly rose.

Or a combination of all of the above

 

[RedRidge]

Processing 10 birds tomorrow...

I'm trying to make a mental list of all the supplies.. Can anyone let me know if I am missing something:

Killing Cone
Killing knife
Scalding pot
Temperature think to check pot temperature
Wheelbarrow for plucking
Processing knives
chicken shears
bags for packaging


I feel like I am missing something... :/

Bucket to catch blood from killing cones?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Just had a strange thing.

I was out gathering eggs and putting clean water in the pyrex pans that I keep water in outside for the birds to drink or stand around in. Went to pan #2 and found that someone had dropped an egg right in the water pan. I didn't see a shell but it's possible that someone ate it off. Dumped the pan on the ground water and all and everyone helped themselves to the egg.

What do you make of that? Seems like a strange place, indeed, to lay an egg.

PS: Never heard anything from PigeonGuy. Now I'm really concerned. He always answers my messages really quickly. I sent messages 4 times.

 

[MumsyII]

I broke down and turned the poults out into the yard with the flock. I lured them with a can of dog food. They ignored the flock but a couple of the HRIR cockerels got into a bluff sparing match with a couple of the female poults. They displayed and jumped up in the air and scared the cockerels away. I herded them into the potager garden and they are making 'happy' noises and browsing away. I need to run back out and keep an eye on them.

 

[delisha]

Just had a strange thing.

I was out gathering eggs and putting clean water in the pyrex pans that I keep water in outside for the birds to drink or stand around in. Went to pan #2 and found that someone had dropped an egg right in the water pan. I didn't see a shell but it's possible that someone ate it off. Dumped the pan on the ground water and all and everyone helped themselves to the egg.

What do you make of that? Seems like a strange place, indeed, to lay an egg.

PS: Never heard anything from PigeonGuy. Now I'm really concerned. He always answers my messages really quickly. I sent messages 4 times.

He might be with out internet.


I have had pullets drop just yolks. My Heavies do it more than any other breed I have had.

 

[delisha]

I broke down and turned the poults out into the yard with the flock. I lured them with a can of dog food. They ignored the flock but a couple of the HRIR cockerels got into a bluff sparing match with a couple of the female poults. They displayed and jumped up in the air and scared the cockerels away. I herded them into the potager garden and they are making 'happy' noises and browsing away. I need to run back out and keep an eye on them.

They look and sound so happy and excited.

 

[Shan30]

I draw blood out of the wing from 30%-100% of my adult birds for testing. If you look at the wing on the inside you can see really nice veins. They are very easy to get blood from. I took a class threw the NPIP program. I also swab mouths. I test right here for several things with a drop of blood, and I can send off tests or have them come here. I belong to the NPIP program and can request at no cost the State vet come for testing and drawing blood if she thinks it is necessary..The best is three birds sent in for testing. They take them live or in a plastic bag. ($77.00 for total work up).

We don't have NPIP certification in Canada unfortunately.

So did you have to purchase the needles, syringes, sharp box, etc? And when you send blood in, do you need to stabilize it with anything?

Just thinking maybe I could do this myself...

 

[aoxa]

They look and sound so happy and excited.

That sound means they are content. It's often the sound they make when feeding and just talking to one another. It's called purring.

 

[FridayYet]

Surprise!

One of these...


gave me this...

First. Egg. Ever.

At work I was just telling my friend I was going to make nesting boxes this weekend since my Legbars are about 20 weeks old. When I went to check on them today, I spied this little egg in the corner behind the waterer. So excited - just had to share since no one around me has chickens (or would even want chickens!)