The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aaggjg]

OK JUST WATCHED THE VIDEO OMG OMG OMG YUCK!!! How do I know???? did I say YUCK &OMG!!! My poor little Nugget... Delish how did you know about this??? and EEEEWWWWWW

 

[Chrysolinsbirds]

On a happier note my last egg due today just hatched for a total of 2bantams 3leghorn Crosses two that peeped but didn't make it and one dud.. Quick question does this chick look like a buff Brahma bantam or a d'uccle?

Here's the second

 

[MumsyII]

I've been getting my HRIR flock critiqued on the Red thread. My first hunch was correct. Male #2 has been my *wow* bird for a while now but his comb comes up in the back a bit. Getting feed back from the folks in the know has been very encouraging. My new pick for 2014 breeding is now he who is large.

My Grandson named #1 on the right Mr. Serious. #2 on the left is going to get a chance to procreate his glorious image with my three best pullets. Unless something else changes with these guys.


So this is what I learned. Cockerel on the right has a great comb and brick shape and good lenght of back and tail carriage. Cockerel on the left has all that but a slight rise in his comb. This is a minor fault. He does however have great substance. He is a good specimen. He also is alpha in the flock and takes no guff from any other male or female. He doesn't yet have a clue what to do with a hen but I'm pretty sure he'll learn quick when given the chance. All four boys are in the barn to keep safe and to keep growing. I'll re-evaluate in a couple months.

My seven HRIR pullets are looking wonderful. Some are better than others. Three will go with the top pick cockerel in Jan. 2014.


Group shot. My seven HRIR pullets with a couple layers and the bantam red hens.


This girl has the typical broad back that is highly desirable.


Side by side of a little bantam red next to her full size LF counter part.


Those three little bitty butts are laying machines. An egg a day.

 

[mlowen]

Mumsy! Those HRIR are just breath-taking! And now I want some and some "mini-me's," too. They look so cool next to each other.

 

[ki4got]

On a happier note my last egg due today just hatched for a total of 2bantams 3leghorn Crosses two that peeped but didn't make it and one dud.. Quick question does this chick look like a buff Brahma bantam or a d'uccle?
Here's the second

buff would be, well, buff. LOL that looks more like the d'uccle's I've had (mille fleur)

 

[MumsyII]

Mumsy! Those HRIR are just breath-taking! And now I want some and some "mini-me's," too. They look so cool next to each other.

Thank you mlowen.

It's hard to believe it was only seven months ago they came out of the egg looking like this....

Just hatched HRIR chick from Ron Fogle eggs shipped from Arkansas. I've done my best with them over the last seven months. Now it's down to the best male with the best three females. I can't hardly wait to put my stamp on this strain for the future. They are a magnificent breed.

 

[delisha]

OK JUST WATCHED THE VIDEO OMG OMG OMG YUCK!!! How do I know???? did I say YUCK &OMG!!! My poor little Nugget... Delish how did you know about this??? and EEEEWWWWWW

I had been raising chickens on and off for 35 years. I came on here and heard of stuff I never heard of before. I read every day about chickens. I have an extended library on chicken diseases and illnesses. Knowledge is a tool and learning about chickens and how they work and why things happen is in my opinion all part of animal husbandry. I have stitched up more animals than many people. I have set bones, done surgery, and learned something new everyday. I know very little about chickens. I still have problems and I still strongly believe in culling. If I did know more I would probably do a little too much experimenting on my birds and not get the hard work done. I can look at a chicken and know something is wrong and its frustrating that i don't always know what it is. That I still have to guess. Right now I have two blue Orpingtons I am *experimenting* with. I will eventually cull them, but for now I am just trying different things. They have a neurological disorder. It is from the same breeding and I hatched out a few eggs to see if it is a repeat in these new chicks or if these two blue chicks got into something. They are always together and I think they might have done something. I hope so anyway. I hate to have to cull my new blue hen. She is stunning, but, I will cull if this shows up again. I have them on super high meat protein this week. I am giving them 2 oz of meat a day. They are gaining weight, but they still have a problem walking. Very weak legs. They trip over stuff really easy. All the chicks they are with are fine and show nothing. Normally I would have culled them and learned nothing. I am trying different things to see if this is heriditary or environmental.
The eye worms is just something I came across in my reading. It is not a common thing and the chickens eye looked familiar. I think flies leave the presents behind. So it is something to be aware of. We all have flies.


uote:

I've been getting my HRIR flock critiqued on the Red thread. My first hunch was correct. Male #2 has been my *wow* bird for a while now but his comb comes up in the back a bit. Getting feed back from the folks in the know has been very encouraging. My new pick for 2014 breeding is now he who is large.

My Grandson named #1 on the right Mr. Serious. #2 on the left is going to get a chance to procreate his glorious image with my three best pullets. Unless something else changes with these guys.


So this is what I learned. Cockerel on the right has a great comb and brick shape and good lenght of back and tail carriage. Cockerel on the left has all that but a slight rise in his comb. This is a minor fault. He does however have great substance. He is a good specimen. He also is alpha in the flock and takes no guff from any other male or female. He doesn't yet have a clue what to do with a hen but I'm pretty sure he'll learn quick when given the chance. All four boys are in the barn to keep safe and to keep growing. I'll re-evaluate in a couple months.

My seven HRIR pullets are looking wonderful. Some are better than others. Three will go with the top pick cockerel in Jan. 2014.


Group shot. My seven HRIR pullets with a couple layers and the bantam red hens.


This girl has the typical broad back that is highly desirable.


Side by side of a little bantam red next to her full size LF counter part.


Those three little bitty butts are laying machines. An egg a day.

Beautiful..

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

I've been getting my HRIR flock critiqued on the Red thread. My first hunch was correct. Male #2 has been my *wow* bird for a while now but his comb comes up in the back a bit. Getting feed back from the folks in the know has been very encouraging. My new pick for 2014 breeding is now he who is large.

My Grandson named #1 on the right Mr. Serious. #2 on the left is going to get a chance to procreate his glorious image with my three best pullets. Unless something else changes with these guys.


So this is what I learned. Cockerel on the right has a great comb and brick shape and good lenght of back and tail carriage. Cockerel on the left has all that but a slight rise in his comb. This is a minor fault. He does however have great substance. He is a good specimen. He also is alpha in the flock and takes no guff from any other male or female. He doesn't yet have a clue what to do with a hen but I'm pretty sure he'll learn quick when given the chance. All four boys are in the barn to keep safe and to keep growing. I'll re-evaluate in a couple months.

My seven HRIR pullets are looking wonderful. Some are better than others. Three will go with the top pick cockerel in Jan. 2014.


Group shot. My seven HRIR pullets with a couple layers and the bantam red hens.


This girl has the typical broad back that is highly desirable.


Side by side of a little bantam red next to her full size LF counter part.


Those three little bitty butts are laying machines. An egg a day.

Beautiful flock, Mumsy!

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm not overly fond of RIR. The ones I've had the pleasure to know have all been hatchery birds, not overly pretty, tendency towards being aggressive.... HOWEVER, your HRIR are absolutely, drop dead gorgeous. So little time and space, and money, and resources... so many beautiful breeds of chickens, and so much to learn!

My girls are starting to molt. My prettiest EE, looks like she got run over by a lawn mower! Only got 1/5 eggs today. I expect it'll be a very long winter with a lack of eggs until the days get longer. I could give them a light, but for now, I think I'll not go down that road, as the eggs tend to freeze during the winter any way. Perhaps I'll start light for them in Feb.

 

[aoxa]

LM those are all girls.

Delisha, I have heard of eye worm before and watched that video before. I'm not as grossed out as others. I find it fascinating. Very uncommon type of worm. It does look familiar to the pullet in question, and worth a try before dosing her with anti worm meds.