The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

Good morning all. I have a quick question for those who have used Nustock in the past. Have you ever used it in the winter when temps are below freezing? I am wondering if the Nustock will freeze on the hen ?

When I went out this morning to feed the hens I noticed some a little blood splatter spots on edge of food bowl I use to take veggies out in. Took a look at the hens & found one with dried black blood on her comb. So I cleaned it up as well as I could and covered her comb with Nustock.

The temps here are in the 20s and I was wondering if the Nustock would freeze on or not in these temps. Hoping the other don't try to taste what's on her comb either. :/

I know there are issues at feeding time. She does get pecked by bossy so I have been trying to feed in 2 different area so she can eat in peace but yesterday I had to close them in the run a couple hours early since we were going out so I a, sure that's when it happened. She was ok when I put the veggies in last night and the blood was dried on this morning so it had to happen before they roasted for the night.

Thanks for the help.....and congrats to you all with the new chicks. I love all the pics as well

 

[Mumsy]

What a treat to wake up this morning and sit with a hot cup of Joe and enjoy all the new images of chicks, pups, and all. Thank you every one that posted those and made the start to my day a smiley one.

Yesterday hubby came home with wooden posts for the new turkey pen. He drove them in and we discussed a gate. Since it's all just a hoop coop and temporary set up we don't want to put too many $ into it. Found out my local feed store only carries one breed of turkey poults. Heritage Bronze.
Last night a very large male raccoon was on the back patio eating bird seed on the ground. My heart stopped for a second and then I relaxed knowing all my birds are locked in tight in their respective houses.
I'm going to have to be very creative with electric fencing to secure the hoop coop and pen. Glad my hubby is an electrician. It's going to be a hot one!

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Hey Leahs mom. I am wondering if you can share more about your broody set up. I will be hatching (hopefully) my first broody babies in the spring. (Interestingly enough we are planning on Swedish Flowers and Olandsk so it was fun to see you babies.) I am not sure how I want to set up my hen and nest. I was thinking of building a small seperate coop and run next to my main one but it looks like yours is in your main coop. Can you share more about it? And anyone else who has a set up that works please chime in. I need as much info as I can get!

I have a 4'x10'x4' tractor I use for isolation, recovery, and broody. I put my broody in the tractor at night so she would accept the nest then kept her locked in it until she hatched and then 1 week for the chicks to get good at eating and drinking before letting her back into the flock with them. Worked pretty good.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Good morning all. I have a quick question for those who have used Nustock in the past. Have you ever used it in the winter when temps are below freezing? I am wondering if the Nustock will freeze on the hen ?
When I went out this morning to feed the hens I noticed some a little blood splatter spots on edge of food bowl I use to take veggies out in. Took a look at the hens & found one with dried black blood on her comb. So I cleaned it up as well as I could and covered her comb with Nustock.

The temps here are in the 20s and I was wondering if the Nustock would freeze on or not in these temps. Hoping the other don't try to taste what's on her comb either.

I know there are issues at feeding time. She does get pecked by bossy so I have been trying to feed in 2 different area so she can eat in peace but yesterday I had to close them in the run a couple hours early since we were going out so I a, sure that's when it happened. She was ok when I put the veggies in last night and the blood was dried on this morning so it had to happen before they roasted for the night.
Thanks for the help.....and congrats to you all with the new chicks. I love all the pics as well

I'm thinking maybe with the pine tar in it it won't freeze, I'm using it on one of my hens feet and haven't seen it froze. and they may taste it but they won't like it and it will keep them from nipping at her comb they are drawn to the color red and if it has blood on it they would like it even more. The Nu stock i have been using is what i made but I'm still thinking with the oils in both they won't freeze.

 

[delisha]

Good morning all. I have a quick question for those who have used Nustock in the past. Have you ever used it in the winter when temps are below freezing? I am wondering if the Nustock will freeze on the hen ?

When I went out this morning to feed the hens I noticed some a little blood splatter spots on edge of food bowl I use to take veggies out in. Took a look at the hens & found one with dried black blood on her comb. So I cleaned it up as well as I could and covered her comb with Nustock.

The temps here are in the 20s and I was wondering if the Nustock would freeze on or not in these temps. Hoping the other don't try to taste what's on her comb either.

I know there are issues at feeding time. She does get pecked by bossy so I have been trying to feed in 2 different area so she can eat in peace but yesterday I had to close them in the run a couple hours early since we were going out so I a, sure that's when it happened. She was ok when I put the veggies in last night and the blood was dried on this morning so it had to happen before they roasted for the night.

Thanks for the help.....and congrats to you all with the new chicks. I love all the pics as well

I have not had problems with it freezing, however I have not used it in extreme temps either. It has so much oil in it I would not think it would be a problem, but I am not a chemist. You will have to be our tester. Please let us know how it goes!!

 

[armorfirelady]

Thanks guys. We will see how it goes since the temps are not suppose to get any warmer for awhile. I like the smell of the Nustock but I don't think it will taste good either lol. Fingers crossed it doesn't freeze but I seem to think it won't either. I'm glad it has a thick consistency since she kept trying to shake it off And even happier I bought the Nustock a couple months ago even tho I didn't need it

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thanks for the box photos.

NOW A QUESTION FOR Y'ALL THAT HAVE HAD BROODIES BEFORE....

I had the nest box made from the cut out rubbermade tote you can see in the photos above. As soon as she was done hatching, she no longer goes in there and has ended up hunkered down in a corner on the floor.

Now...my thought was that since the box has sides and a top if I put it on, it would be warmer in there rather than just out on the floor in the open.

Do your broodies leave the box after they hatch never to return to it?

 

[aoxa]

Do your broodies leave the box after they hatch never to return to it?

For the most part yes. They do go to the same area after to keep warm. They don't seem to like the boxes they set in after the chicks are mobile in my experience.

 

[Mumsy]

I have not had problems with it freezing, however I have not used it in extreme temps either. It has so much oil in it I would not think it would be a problem, but I am not a chemist. You will have to be our tester. Please let us know how it goes!!

I don't get temps much under 28 degrees and also have not used it in the winter except on a chicks bum under a heat light. I was worried about week old chicks eating it. They all did and boy did they try to spit it out fast!

The chick with it on it's bum tried hard to get it off and must have injested a lot. None of the chicks that got Nu Stock in their mouth had any problems from it. The chick that I smeared it's bum and got the most did well and now has new fluff growing out normally. If week old Silkie chicks can taste it and have no problem I think mature birds would be ok. From my experience, they only taste it once.

 

[armorfirelady]

Just went out to give them some veggies and the Nustock still on her comb. One of the other hens has a dab on her comb but I am guessing its from bumping the other hens comb while eating.

I like winter but these temps in the 20s can leave for some temps in the 30s. Their fruit freezes up again in a couple hours and the girls don't like frozen grapes & watermelon lol. Hopefully me putting it in the outside run in the sun helps. I hate putting it in their DL in their run..... Seems to me will rot there & be yucky.