The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Ladies,

It is that time of year again

 

[armorfirelady]

LM- apparently my girls don't mind GMO. I think their just little piranhas

Delisha great pic

Just had a scare. I had just taken a few left over French fries to the girls and walked to the end of the run to toss them out. Came back in the house to finish making cookies. My mom and I were standing watching the girls play keep away with the food when all of a sudden I saw white and a hawk coming in low with talons out trying to land on a hen. Those girls ran for their lives. Stupid hawk landed in the electric netting. Guessing he can't see the netting since it blends in with the grass. I ran out yelling at him (my poor neighbor got out of her car to start heading my way she didn't know what I was swearing at ) and he took off to a neighbors tree. Hope he liked his shocking experience. He was then escorted away by a half dozen crows who live in the pine trees. I am hopeful the shock was enough to keep him away for awhile. The girls are all in the coop quiet as church mice, I doubt they will be out again. No one was injured since he landed in the netting. To bad he didn't get stuck cuz the dogs took off after him when they followed me out the door & they would of killed him. I knew I had hawks around and I'm yes sure it's not his first attempt to get a hen. Up to a week ago they spent a lot of time in the coop. Their choice. I'm certain that's what took off a couple mornings ago as well. Going to have me some hawk stew.........dogs are out for the evening. I've never seen him near yard when they are out.

 

[aoxa]

LM- apparently my girls don't mind GMO. I think their just little piranhas

Delisha great pic

Just had a scare. I had just taken a few left over French fries to the girls and walked to the end of the run to toss them out. Came back in the house to finish making cookies. My mom and I were standing watching the girls play keep away with the food when all of a sudden I saw white and a hawk coming in low with talons out trying to land on a hen. Those girls ran for their lives. Stupid hawk landed in the electric netting. Guessing he can't see the netting since it blends in with the grass. I ran out yelling at him (my poor neighbor got out of her car to start heading my way she didn't know what I was swearing at ) and he took off to a neighbors tree. Hope he liked his shocking experience. He was then escorted away by a half dozen crows who live in the pine trees. I am hopeful the shock was enough to keep him away for awhile. The girls are all in the coop quiet as church mice, I doubt they will be out again. No one was injured since he landed in the netting. To bad he didn't get stuck cuz the dogs took off after him when they followed me out the door & they would of killed him. I knew I had hawks around and I'm yes sure it's not his first attempt to get a hen. Up to a week ago they spent a lot of time in the coop. Their choice. I'm certain that's what took off a couple mornings ago as well. Going to have me some hawk stew.........dogs are out for the evening. I've never seen him near yard when they are out.

If your dog kills a hawk, can you get fined? I've always wondered this, since they are protected.

I have some choice words for hawks that I won't say because they will just appear as tiny stars on here

 

[armorfirelady]

I have those same choice words but they didn't come out as stars when I yelled at him lol. My poor neighbor probably thinks I am nuts

I would have to say no to the fine. I'm certainly not going to call he DEC to tell them my dog killed a hawk. Its illegal to shoot squirrels here to but I don't tell anyone when my dog kills one.

 

[ki4got]

Ladies,

It is that time of year again

 

[AletaG]

I'm too new at this chicken thing, but we do plan on using our older birds, and any extra roosters we hatch, to feed our family. I've been researching the how to's on Youtube and this one in particular was pretty good. The woman in the video is gentle and respectful to the bird, and explains everything very nicely.
We're seriously considering following this style when we butcher our birds.

Just processed our first bird last week. Be really, really sure your dispatch knife is S-H-A-R-P. We used a brand new filet knife, as the cull we had to kill about a month ago was a tragic scene, a razor blade does NOT suffice. Made me feel sick.

I have an old Nesco that I'm using (got it free as a "hand-me-down".) In the US you can get extra trays and assessories at the regular stores like Walmart, Meijer, etc. which is nice if you want something quick.
When they come out w/the ss interior excalibur I would like to own one of those but they ARE PRICY!

My mom has an old Excalibur, and man does that thing work. BUT, I have grand schemes afoot for my incubator once I'm done hatching in the Spring... I'm moving all the pieces into a small refrigerator, and why would it not, with some small mods, make a peachy HUGE dehydrator... heat, air movement, hey! And it will keep me from hatching year 'round. I hope.

Ladies,
It is that time of year again

Why in the fall, though? I know we're supposed to change batteries on smoke detectors, but mammography + fall, why??

I have those same choice words but they didn't come out as stars when I yelled at him lol. My poor neighbor probably thinks I am nuts

I would have to say no to the fine. I'm certainly not going to call he DEC to tell them my dog killed a hawk. Its illegal to shoot squirrels here to but I don't tell anyone when my dog kills one.

What's the law like in NY? Might check w your local sheriff. Here, if you make good efforts (and you have) to dissuade a predator, you may trap, shoot, poison, whatever, to rid yourself of a danger to your livestock (or pets, or family, as the case may be. We've got cougar out thisaway).

 

[Leahs Mom]

LM- apparently my girls don't mind GMO. I think their just little piranhas

To bad he didn't get stuck cuz the dogs took off after him when they followed me out the door & they would of killed him.

Maybe your pumpkins are conventional seed w/no added hormones!


That's what I'm always hoping - that one gets stuck long enough to be attacked and killed.

I have those same choice words but they didn't come out as stars

Quote:
I'd love to see what you come up with on that! Sounds like a great idea if you can get the air circulation going well and have a way to thermostat the temperature!

 

[Quailsong]

What is their exact age?

My quail were born on August 17th-22nd. So they'd be about 7.5 weeks old.

Japanese Coturnix usually mature at 4-6 weeks but I assume mine are a bit slow due to poorer genetics - the farm I bought them from weren't breeding for quality; so lots of inbreeding issues. If you had a healthy set of quail, they'd mature at the 4-6 week mark. Mine have also started crowing this week as well.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

red ridge, any updates on the breeding pens? I can see myself and Dh working on something similar next fall. This fall its a coop that is taking up our time.

 

[mlowen]

...

My quail were born on August 17th-22nd. So they'd be about 7.5 weeks old.

Japanese Coturnix usually mature at 4-6 weeks but I assume mine are a bit slow due to poorer genetics - the farm I bought them from weren't breeding for quality; so lots of inbreeding issues. If you had a healthy set of quail, they'd mature at the 4-6 week mark. Mine have also started crowing this week as well.
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Ooooh! I really want to see pictures! Babies making "babies." At least potential babies. How big are they? The eggs were so cute.