The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

SallyinIN - thanks for the map. May have to check that out!

Lala - Lots of good thoughts from the others. Sounds like they're doing okay today.

Aleta - what age is this girl? Could possibly be a need for some extra b vitamins. Might try some liver if you haven't already. I don't necessarily agree with all the things said on this page, but it does list a lot of issues having to do with legs and feet in poultry. May help in identifying what you're dealing with if it IS leg weakness. https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

ETA: It starts with splayed leg but keep skimming down. Lots of things covered on that page. Nutrition too.

 

[AletaG]

Aleta - what age is this girl? Could possibly be a need for some extra b vitamins. Might try some liver if you haven't already. I don't necessarily agree with all the things said on this page, but it does list a lot of issues having to do with legs and feet in poultry. May help in identifying what you're dealing with if it IS leg weakness. https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry
ETA: It starts with splayed leg but keep skimming down. Lots of things covered on that page. Nutrition too.

Thanks Leah, window open, will investigate. Gave her 2 egg yolks this morning in case it's a B thing. She's just old enough that eggs should be coming soon... but if she's suffering from an injury/deficiency... or both... Someone else suggested D, so that's going in her FF this afternoon.

 

[MargaretYakoda]

thanks again everybody. let them out early this am and everyone looked fine. My older EE immediately hid in the brambles, a combo of shame about her moult and a rooster avoidance tactic. She was still there a few hours later, so I put her in a pen by herself with feed, water, and some fresh chopped beef liver. when she finished the liver I let her out again.

this years moult is taking the older girls harder than usual - I"m going to up the protein via liver and boss for a week or two.

I am mulling over the great suggestions on how to make sure I know whether or not the danged door got opened!

Here's an extreme suggestion: You could lock your car keys in the coop every night. That way, you'd never be able to go anywhere without first opening the coop!
Its simple, cheap, and would work absolutely every time with no room for failure.

 

[camilleathome]

Wow that is a lot per bird dry. I go through a little over half of that per bird a week. I go through 3 bags of dry a week. That's 150 pounds for roughly 220 birds. A lot are young, but I'm considering the fact that meat kings eat a crazy amount compared to a chick, so it averages out to .68 lbs of feed per bird per week. No I'm not including scratch.

I still think Al is overfeeding. were going through 50 lb bag in a week and we have like 30 birds max close to 40 but I cant even see having that many. And we soak our feed...

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: the chickens add up fast don't they. Funnest math around lately.

 

[chicalot]

Oops. Sleep posting. Can't delete this so just editing it...

 

[camilleathome]

Hey guys question regarding livestock guardians. What would be the best against fox? Im still debating on what Id like to get. Im planning on getting geese and I already have turkeys(Though their still a bit small yet). Would Alpacas ward off fox? Or would I absolutely have to get livestock guardian dogs?

 

[CAjerseychick]

if you have the room and dont mind a dog, a dog might be better than a llama, and certainly if you have other predators as well....Kinda depends on your setup.... One OP has a Pyreenes- Border collie that sleeps in her coop at night and that does the trick for many things...
A good farm dog is invaluable but they have needs too...

 

[RedRidge]

Hey guys question regarding livestock guardians. What would be the best against fox? Im still debating on what Id like to get. Im planning on getting geese and I already have turkeys(Though their still a bit small yet). Would Alpacas ward off fox? Or would I absolutely have to get livestock guardian dogs?

I have had all kinds of guardians, including donkeys too. We now have only our dogs... Italian maremma.
We have found them more "owner friendly" than alpacas, and more versatile for all types of livestock (we have sheep and cattle also).

 

[BlueMouse]

just a quick comment on fermenting containers for large amounts.... if you don't need a 55 gal barrel, I have a 20 gal pickle crock that I ferment whole grains in. works great! I want to get hubby to make me a wooden lid for it, right now I just have it open with the grains covered with a pretty good layer of water.