The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Sally8]

A broody might be safer to......you can't put as many eggs under a broody like you can an incubator

If I get a broody next year I'd be happy to hatch out chicks for you, I just can't keep them obviously lol Maybe having a legal limit is a good thing for me

If you are not a fan of the Silkie for your flock, I love the mixes. They are just as broody, and seem to handle life as a chicken more comfortably. Tina and her sister Gertie both roost, and Tina is the one that took on a hawk trying to take one of her chicks. She had the hawk screeching. I was impressed.

Tina has Barred Plymouth Rock in her blood. Gertie has Naked Neck with Ameraucana background. I like the personality of Tina better. She ranges the furthest, and is very high up in the pecking order.

I only have mixes and you just never know what you'll end up with. I did have 1 Silkie, I had bought a doz eggs and had them shipped here from Maine. They managed to scramble all but 1. So he hatched, was beautiful and I ran over him with the car one day when he was hiding under it to escape the rain. The Silkie mixes let the kids hold them while riding around in their battery powered cars. My son tells me that children having dogs and cats for pets is so last year.

Last night we found where something had dug under the fence. We fixed that spot but we have at least 500 feet of fencing. Hopefully, my coop is a better fortress.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Under the roost...what in the world makes them want to pile there?

Aoxa... for some reason my rooster does NOT protect Miss Gray. She has always run from him and every time he comes her way she's "outta there".

Strangely enough, the ONE sfh that hatched with my current broody is Miss Gray's. You'd think that would win her some points with the man.
Miss Gray's kiddo (but mamma is a hatchery red)...Maybe the "man" thinks it belongs to the mamma...her kid...he seems to favor the reds and the Little BA.

The man is probably Prejudiced against her color . What color is your roo ? Most of your chickens ?
Some Roos / chickens are .
We have a Australorp Roo ...raised with other BA...He picks on our white chicken .
When we 1st got him she was the only white one ...( all others were Red ) & she also is at the bottom of the pecking order .
He started attacking her ..he did it more when she wouldnt let him mate ..
Duh ! why would she want to !!
He mates with her now & he attacks her less ...Mostly he drives her away when everyone is eating .
He know enough not to do it in front of me ..or I will kick him ...
he will sometimes do it when my back is turned though .
One peck to remind her ...
She will back away & wait to eat ..
We have 2 more whites ..sometimes he accidentally pecks them .

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: They are great. I have to say that I am much less likely to ever keep a mean rooster now. At first I thought all roosters were that way and I would have to get used to it to get fertile eggs. Not now, I know better.

 

[bbdal]

...

They are great.  I have to say that I am much less likely to ever keep a mean rooster now.  At first I thought all roosters were that way and I would have to get used to it to get fertile eggs.  Not now, I know better.
[/quote

Do you have a suggestion of where to find hrir?

 

[AletaG]

Quote: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/407294/the-heritage-rhode-island-red-site/5740#post_12115417

You are in Alabama? Lucky! Got to the above thread, find Mr. Robert Blosl, he's the current HRIR club of America president and an amazing resource. He might even sell you his own birds. If you want a diff line that what he's breeding, he will happily help you find another person breeding them. Sometimes he types too fast and you have to ask for clarification, but PM him or post there and see
-Aleta G.

 

[RedRidge]

A
Quote:
Are you looking for RC or SC? I may hatch some RC in the spring... or sell some hatching eggs...

 

[Leahs Mom]

The man is probably Prejudiced against her color . What color is your roo ? Most of your chickens ?
Some Roos / chickens are .
We have a Australorp Roo ...raised with other BA...He picks on our white chicken .
When we 1st got him she was the only white one ...( all others were Red ) & she also is at the bottom of the pecking order .
He started attacking her ..he did it more when she wouldnt let him mate ..
Duh ! why would she want to !!
He mates with her now & he attacks her less ...Mostly he drives her away when everyone is eating .
He know enough not to do it in front of me ..or I will kick him ...
he will sometimes do it when my back is turned though .
One peck to remind her ...
She will back away & wait to eat ..
We have 2 more whites ..sometimes he accidentally pecks them .

I actually think that is the case. She is the only light colored girl in the flock. Everyone else is darker colors so she stands out like a sore thumb. Her kiddo will be the second.

And the rooster does much like you're saying. Gives her a peck to keep her away from the food and won't stand up for her when she tries to join them on the roost.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote:
Maybe get her some feather dye? Maybe she would like being a redhead or brunette better?

sorry couldnt resist

 

[Leahs Mom]

Some more mom and baby photos. The kiddos are 5 weeks old.






This is a BA/SFH cross...with a crest no less. This one in the next photo was the first to hatch.






This BA/SFH cross is a little smaller and "daintier" than the other. Crested also. Almost identical.






This is the full SFH.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I need to do leg bands. I know we've talked about this before but I wanted to ask a question or 2.

I have some of the very small zip ties in colors. I could use those but one think I'm concerned about is that they free range through wooded area and was worried that they might catch those on something that would pull them too tight.

Any comments? Should I use something different?