The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

I did it!  I make an all glass waterer!:weee

More info  and photos coming soon...and thanks to MLOWEN for the inspiration!  :clap  

Awesome can't wait to see the pictures :)


So the last couple months or so I cut way back on the hens feed. 1/2 cup off FF at night. They still got the veggies that were split or such during the day if I was working in the garden. The first 2 weeks the girls were out foraging ALL day except for the noon nap. The last 3 weeks or so they seem to be in the coop more than out. My friend sees them out early foraging but if I am home I don't get out till 8 and their in the coop again. Once in awhile I catch them out during the day but not for long. They are out the most after dinner time.

I couldn't for the life of me figure out why the change. They have more clover, bugs and grass then they can eat. They would come out in the yard if I went into it but as soon as I left they were back in the coop. I've finally decided its got to be the hawks. I don't see them as much as I did awhile ago but I still hear them. Today Edie and green came to watch me move topsoil and a hawk started crying. You couldn't see it but the girls stood still then ran for the coop. Even blue jays send them scrambling. I'm guessing they treat all birds as hawks and are staying in the coop.
I out out a bowl of beef liver today in the middle of the yard. They came running and ate it but as soon as I left they were back in the coop. When I moved it next to the coop it was gone in 5 minutes. I don't Even see them in their several hawk hideouts or their big lean to anymore and that used to be their fav place,to nap. I'm guessing a hawk must of got to close when I wasn't home?

On a good note they all get along well in the hoop coop so must be enough elbow room for the 8 of them :)
 
AFL - On several occasions I've had the same. All in the pen area instead of out. Lots of hawks around. Last saturday, (about 8:30 am) one was sitting and watching the 4 week olds when I went out so I chased it away (although it hung around overhead for way too long for me).

Mom and the kiddos were in the pen area but the gate was open. This has cover over top.

The olders were under the trees on the other side of the yard "laying low". I had heard the rooster doing the "similar to egg song" thing loudly so I went out. He was at the edge of the trees and he and the hawk were in a stare-down until I went out and it finally lifted off from where it was sitting - which was WAY TOO LOW for my liking.

After it was gone, I went back to the house just long enough to get some sunflower seeds to entice the olders back to the pen. By the time I came back out it was already circling again.

Enticed everyone back to the pen and shut them in for half the day.
 
I have a friend looking for a local place to get goats milk. She lives in Pinellas county Florida near Seminole the city. Is there a website she can use to find small local farmers or does anyone know a goat person down in FL?

I know this is a chicken thread, but so many on here have other livestock including goats I thought I would ask. Thank you.
 
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AFL - On several occasions I've had the same.  All in the pen area instead of out.  Lots of hawks around.  Last saturday, (about 8:30 am) one was sitting and watching the 4 week olds when I went out so I chased it away (although it hung around overhead for way too long for me). 

Mom and the kiddos were in the pen area but the gate was open.  This has cover over top.

The olders were under the trees on the other side of the yard "laying low".  I had heard the rooster doing the "similar to egg song" thing loudly so I went out.  He was at the edge of the trees and he and the hawk were in a stare-down until I went out and it finally lifted off from where it was sitting - which was WAY  TOO LOW for my liking.

After it was gone, I went back to the house just long enough to get some sunflower seeds to entice the olders back to the pen.  By the time I came back out it was already circling again. 

Enticed everyone back to the pen and shut them in for half the day.

I've seen them roost in my trees last spring. I'm guessing one must of got to close for comfort that they are all staying close to the coop. But I don't shut them in just let them decide if they want to go out or not. I have a "porch" over their pop door and they hang out there also. (It's the thing I used to feed the tots in) I plan on moving their netting around to the back door so will be interesting if it changes whether they stay in or not. They won't have any more natural coverage just what they have now. Really makes me wish I had panted more bushes throughout the year so they had more natural cover. I will just have to add it to the list for next year :)
 
I have a friend looking for a local place to get goats milk. She lives in Pinellas county Florida near Seminole the city. Is there a website she can use to find small local farmers or does anyone know a goat person down in FL?

I know this is a chicken thread, but so many on here have other livestock including goats I thought I would ask. Thank you.

Look for someone on kijiji or craig's list selling kids. Maybe she can ask them?

Did I mention yet that we have bought two milking does? Oh boy do I love the milk. They aren't heavy producers, as they were bred young and were not milked prior to having their babies weaned (naturally may I add) we get about 1 litre a day out of both of them. Not each. So half a litre each... That's plenty for now. We made a soft goat cheese this weekend too!

 
I have a friend looking for a local place to get goats milk. She lives in Pinellas county Florida near Seminole the city. Is there a website she can use to find small local farmers or does anyone know a goat person down in FL?

I know this is a chicken thread, but so many on here have other livestock including goats I thought I would ask. Thank you.

Have her call the local 4H group..they will have a few places for her to call about milk
Quote: very pretty cheese..
 
I have a friend looking for a local place to get goats milk.  She lives in Pinellas county Florida near Seminole the city.  Is there a website she can use to find small local farmers or does anyone know a goat person down in FL?


I know this is a chicken thread, but so many on here have other livestock including goats I thought I would ask.  Thank you.

 
I have tried to get goat's milk here in my area, but two of my friends say that it is illegal for them to sell it here in Ohio unless it is pasteurized. Of course it doesn't work out for making cheese then. They can't sell their cheese either.
 
AFL - the only reason I locked them in the pen was because of the 4 week olds. Otherwise I wouldn't have locked anyone in. The elders are capable on their own the but the little guys are too little and otherwise they'd have to be locked into a very small area of the coop w/mom.

Goats Milk - 4h is a really good start - good advide Del!. In our state they can sell it outright if they it is labeled "for pet consumption". What someone does with it after they leave the property isn't in the hands of the people that bought it. A whole lot of folks just sell it by word of mouth, however, from friend to friend.


Yay!!!! Goat Cheese, Aoxa!!!
yippiechickie.gif


And now you have whey for the chickens!!!!
 
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