The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

Delisha- Your Orps are beautiful. I wish you luck in your project. I would even take a cull just to add the color to my flock I would never accomplish anything I would be to busy just staring at them

Lala I don't know what breed they are but they are handsome

 

[lalaland]

thanks armorlady. you can see why I can't imagine there is enough there to eat. (trying to get myself used to the idea).

delisha, I forgot to add that yours is absolutely stunning!

 

[lalaland]

I'm going insane

My husband brought a load of hay from our horse barn around to the chicken yard but he picked it up off the ground

I put it in some nesting boxes & under a hen that just hatched chicks. I felt something & looked at my hands, their covered in tiny,tiny critters MITES of some kind Now I keep finding them crawling on my face I think their in my bathroom on clothes I took off & my hairbrush had some when I knocked it on the sink edge to see if any were on it

We picked up all the hay & put DE down everywhere. What else can I do? I keep finding them crawling on me I am going crazy

Jockeyeba, that is absolutely horrible. I'm afraid DE will not be strong enough here. Do you have any sulfur powder or can you get some? I would be really worried about the chicks at this age....I am not sure if horses have mites that might not be chickcen mites?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I'm going insane

My husband brought a load of hay from our horse barn around to the chicken yard but he picked it up off the ground

I put it in some nesting boxes & under a hen that just hatched chicks. I felt something & looked at my hands, their covered in tiny,tiny critters MITES of some kind Now I keep finding them crawling on my face I think their in my bathroom on clothes I took off & my hairbrush had some when I knocked it on the sink edge to see if any were on it

We picked up all the hay & put DE down everywhere. What else can I do? I keep finding them crawling on me I am going crazy

http://www.ehow.com/how_8540863_kill-straw-mites.html

Sounds like straw mites.

I cannot use alfalfa hay in the coop because I start itching like crazy.

 

[lalaland]

Definitely Icelandic!

wow. you wouldn't believe the number of pics of icelandics I have looked at, but the one you posted is a dead ringer.
huh. too bad I don't have any icelandic pullets!
I'll try another unidentified rooster now.

 

[lalaland]

ok, this boy is the roo that started crowing at 4 weeks, and at 12 weeks is already mating the older hens. He does the rooster dance, and is constantly trying to call hens over with tidbits, only....they aren't tidbits, they are bits of gravel, or pine cone, or whatever he can pick up and make his little call with.

Has a funky comb.

Just a little bigger than the roos Aoxa says are icelandic.
wonder what he is? except for his comb and his red neck feathers....could be a brother to the other roos.

 

[Sally8]

Imported English Orpingtons that are grown out a bit to assess quality usually go for $500.00 + for a trio. Right now adult Mottled English Orpintons are going for $1000.00 a bird

Not for 1 minute do I think that these beautiful chickens probably aren't worth it but I just can't pay it. I quilt and love going to quilters auctions and will not pay thousands for the beautiful hand craftsmanship,I know what goes into them. These hobbies/jobs/opinions are what makes each of us special. (But those chickens sure are gorgeous!)

.

Oohh....Pretty. I don't have 1 that color.

I'm going insane

My husband brought a load of hay from our horse barn around to the chicken yard but he picked it up off the ground

I put it in some nesting boxes & under a hen that just hatched chicks. I felt something & looked at my hands, their covered in tiny,tiny critters MITES of some kind Now I keep finding them crawling on my face I think their in my bathroom on clothes I took off & my hairbrush had some when I knocked it on the sink edge to see if any were on it

We picked up all the hay & put DE down everywhere. What else can I do? I keep finding them crawling on me I am going crazy

I'm so sorry. We ended up with mites also from straw I had under our lean to next to the garage. birds had roosted over. It took a while, but we got rid of them.

I'm off to post my turkeys.

 

[lalaland]

QUestion about combs!

I thought combs were indicative of the breed - but am I wrong? can the same breed have different combs?

 

[lalaland]

ok, here is my last unidentified rooster. For a long time I was hoping he was a sulmtaler roo, but apparently they are all dark. I have posted his pic here before, but he is older now and looks a little different. A very skittish, stay in the background, sweet guy. Check out his crest in the first pic.

and see how shiny his creamy white feathers are? another crooked comb



notice the white legs above

 

[Leahs Mom]

Somebody posted a link to a temporary fence made from 2x4 lumber with a cross brace at the bottom and a wooden turn latch at the top to just hold the fencing material against the wood. It is being sold by a company, I believe. I cannot find it again, to save my life, so I'm asking in every thread I subscribe to. If you posted it or saw it, please direct me to it, again. Thanks so much!

Sounds like something I'd like to look at. If you find it, could you post a link?

For a sifter:
If your not a builder, I use a thrift store picture frame with hardware cloth stapled to it

THAT IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA!!!! And easy for me to do without having to make a major project of it.

If I paid that much for birds they'd be living in the master bedroom and the cats/dog and I would be sleeping in the coop.

With a butler and maid

Okay...sorry Del. I couldn't resist.