The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

Red ridge I will never tire of cute puppy pics. They are adorable.

Delisha- I've never culled hens (I've plucked and processed them but never the killing part & they weren't mine) but I know I can do it but it would still bother me. Is it bad that I am glad to see that it never gets easier even for those of you who have done it before? Mine aren't pets but still I've raised them since they were young and its hard not to feel bad when they need to be culled.

Ok I think it was on here that LM Posted about southern facing windows to help heat the coops during the winter. Well I put a window in the hoop coop. I had the plexiglass here and tried to make as few cuts to the canvas as I could. Doesn't look to bad.......and it certainly lets in more light. I just put it over the cattle panels. No reason to cut them for a window

Here it is as your in the coop

And from the outside looking in. Pit doesn't look to shabby. It's attached with zip ties and the gorilla duct tape hold the canvas to the window so no drafts get in. ESP since the roost is on the right. This duct tape has held up fantastically in rain and hot sun. Still sticking where I stuck it even on the outside of the coop.
(The structure under the window is what I refer to as their patio. Protects the door from anyone perching on it, keeps the rain from blowing in & gives them an area to dust bath in-not by my choice they just don't go to old one) it will be moved to other side of coop with the pop door for winter and prevent snow from getting on or in door and keep ice off as well

 

[Leahs Mom]

Nice!

 

[aoxa]

Are ya'll tired of guardian puppy pics yet?
This little guy wants to know if he can graduate from being with the hens to roosters... I think not...
I assured him that Buzz would be the "you know what" out of him... which is why Buzz spends his days in his "daytime crate"

He is awaiting this year's slaughter day...

I have my pups out in the yard after work every day (barring sunshine, because mine aren't equipped to deal with bad weather like yours!) and they are quite intrigued by the chickens! They are not much older than yours. I will have to break out my camera. I've been slacking lately in that department!

 

[lalaland]

yes, Aoxa, you have definitely been slacking on photos. but....newlywed, .....got to cut you some slack.

 

[Leahs Mom]

AFL - I have a queston. Why would you move your pop door from the South to the North side of the coop for winter? Wouldn't it be more sheltered from prevailing winds if you left it on the South side?

 

[delisha]

AFL - I have a queston. Why would you move your pop door from the South to the North side of the coop for winter? Wouldn't it be more sheltered from prevailing winds if you left it on the South side?

X2..

and I love your hoop coop and the new window

 

[CoopChick719]

Need your advice! I have 2 girls in sick bay in the garage--1 Red Star (7 months) & 1 Faverolle (18 weeks). I ferment my feed with UN/ACV, water, garlic, oregano and alfalfa nuggets. Once a week they get leftover veggies from our local health food store as well as any leftovers from our kitchen.

Sunday night, the Fav was acting droopy, puffed up, sleeping while standing. Her eyes are dull and she had green poop not diarrhea--well formed. She was not eating or drinking much. I'm thinking it's cocci. We've had a lot of wet then hot weather lately which has made the run rather muddy. Unfortunately due to a predator threat, the flock has had to spend a lot more time in the pen. I started her on Corid Sunday night. I've been giving her scrambled egg w/garlic & oregano and a little plain yogurt plus dry feed. Tonight she ate like a pig. We let her outside for some fresh air & sunshine--80's today in Maine! She ran around, ate some grass, squawked a little, still sleeping standing up but acted much perkier than the last 2 days. Any thoughts or advice?

The Red Star was acting lethargic Monday a.m. She stayed on the roost when I opened the coop. When she did go into the pen to eat, she was getting picked on by 1 hen then 2 others joined in the fun. I broke it up and brought her into the garage as well. She is keeping 1 of her eyes closed--the lid looks white.She does open it occaisionally. I can't see anything in it. She does not like me touching it so I'm not sure if it's sore or she just doesn't like me poking at her. The other eye looks good. She also is not standing straight up to walk more like a duck waddle then sits. She has no discharge from eyes or nares, breathing is normal. After doing some research, I'm thinking it could be sinus? I have given her 2 Oxine vaporizer treatments in an enclosed dog crate--last night & tonight about an hour each. Tonight she laid an egg during her vaporizer treatment first 1 since Monday. She is also getting scrambled egg w/garlic & oregano and a little plain yogurt plus dry feed. ACV & Garlic in her water. She pooped while she was outside not much but she hasn't eaten much so...have a **GRAPHIC POOP** picture---does this look like a worm? It was not moving. Again any thoughts/advice are welcome! Thank you!!

 

[lazy gardener]

Without actually being able to see it, it's hard to tell from a photo. If you can discern that it's definitely not vegetative, it's probably a round worm, and a very large one at that. It wouldn't hurt to worm your chickens, but I don't know if it would be wise to wait to worm them until these girls are feeling better. On the other hand, perhaps worms are why these 2 girls are not feeling well. You might go to the predators and pests thread, or look for posted info in "search discussions". Beautiful morning in Maine, isn't it!!!

 

[armorfirelady]

AFL - I have a queston. Why would you move your pop door from the South to the North side of the coop for winter? Wouldn't it be more sheltered from prevailing winds if you left it on the South side?

Quote: Because the north end goes directly into the fenced in veggie garden where the girls winter over. I cant use the electric netting in the winter with the snow. The winds shouldn't be a problem. For some odd reason the winds here seem to come from the south east direction most of the time. Last year I had no snow drifts in the veggie garden and that was before the compost pile was moved to the side of the enlarged garden. (that's what the lattice work in the pic is. My giant compost pile runs the length of my garden made from pallets & the lattice makes it looks pretty)
The garage and house are on the north side and protect it from the winds. If needs be I can put a tarp on either side of the metal fencing that's at the north end and leads to the garden.

This pic shows the fence on the east side of the coop. That yellow flag is in front of the north end of the coop. I can easily put a tarp over the metal fencing you see straight ahead. The gate on the right goes into the hens current foraging area, to the left of the lattice work is the fenced in veggie garden.
If needed I can throw a tarp over the metal fence. There is the same fencing on the other corner of the north side of the coop that I can put a tarp on as well. This fence connects to the garage. Last year I didn't have snow drifts in the veggie garden. My house basically sits in front of the coop about 50 ft away. I can look out my kitchen window into the coop. It really stops the north winds. Tho if I had to guess I would say the most wind we get comes from south east most of the time. Or so it seems. Last year the east end of the old coop I only put plastic on the top half. Rarely did snow blow into the coop. The plastic was for drafts since the old girls roosted on the roost right in front of that east end.


Here is the old coop. The part on the left with the pvc pipe is part where only top was covered with plastic. The bottom is open tho in this pic blocked mostly by snow. This coop is attached to garage the house is to the right the hoop coop to left

I need to get a pic when I am standing on the deck. Then it will make more sense. Im working OT so hopefully I rememeber at 8 tonight lol

 

[CoopChick719]

Thanks LG! Beautiful morning in Maine! Gorgeous day yesterday too bad I had to be stuck at work!