The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lazy gardener]

Okay so the pecking order is something that fascinates me.
I agree with you re: pecking order. My alpha pullet is turning into a real tyrant with all but her best friend. I think it's b/c they've not been able to free range. The girls are worse than 6th graders. And I know that if I removed the RIR bully, an other one would rise up to take over the head b**** position.

So - What, if anything, do YOU ALL do/change for more confined times or winter?

I also have had hawk issues, one so brazen to land directly behind my coop to try to take one of my girls, so they've been either confined to their 2 level hoop coop or the hoop green house unless I'm hanging out in their run with them. So far for winter entertainment, they've had BOSS sprouts tossed in the soil of the green house or in the DL of the hoop coop. I've given them a bag of fall leaves to shuffle through, and have plenty more of those available. They have a 2' x 3' plastic container full of compost, sandy soil and ash for their spa treatments. I've dug a huge mess of dandelion roots, and some tufts of grass to store for fresh greens later on this winter. Their protein has been increased with addition of meat scraps from the kitchen. I plan to continue offering them sprouts as frequently as I can throughout the winter. As there are only 5 girls, I don't need a huge fodder system, and am toying with sewing some "bags" out of window screen material. They should be easy to clean, and I can stack them in the corner on my countertop. Someone on BYC used a soda bottle filled with scratch, with a couple of holes. As the girls kick it around, the scratch falls out. May try that.

 

[delisha]

A few things to relieve boredom.

 

[Highcotton]

Hahahahahaha........I do this to at feeding time. But my Mom surely tops me in her conversations with the hens and the need for them to be nice to each other. Ever hear a 66 yo female yell at hens for pecking one another? I swear she wags her pointy finger at them as she yells at them lol the hens turn their head sideways as she yells and then continue their dinner. Lol

My 8 year old granddaughter is funny talking to the chickens. She is the real owner of the chickens. She scolds them about scrapping with each other and tells them to snap out of it. She doesn't understand the mating so when she sees the rooster on the hen and the hen is squawking she tells him "Stop it leave her alone!".

 

[ki4got]

re: boredom relief, Leigh posted a great article about making suet cakes for chickens... these work well and can be frozen for later use, if you make a bunch at once.

(her pic, not mine)

 

[Jewelwing]

Coconut oil is also good for the brain. Some studies have shown that about a tablespoon or so can actually reverse some of the damage done in early alzheimers.

It's also very good as a personal lubricant. 'Nuff said about that.

Is it just the oil, or is coconut milk good too? (for Alzheimers

)

We eat a lot of dishes with coconut milk in them. I love it! And it's a bit lower in fat than cream. Probably not enough to make any difference, but I was just happy it didn't have a ton more.

 

[Highcotton]

aa - good to hear she's feeling better!!! Pos - Leigh (bulldogma), Delisha, me, SallyinIndiana - and probably others - all have birds in jail

We've all had excessive hawks this fall and some of us have lost birds. I HATE having them confined, but because I have 10 week olds I feel like I'm giving the hawks a free meal if I let them out. Leigh said she had to get several broody's with their kiddos into a confined area and they're not happy. [COLOR=FF0000]Maybe this would be a good time to discuss what, if anything, we do to help break boredom during confinement or winter. Being in close quarters seems to magnify the pecking order issues and they have to figure out how to live together in smaller quarters than when they're out totally free running around.[/COLOR] [COLOR=FF0000]So - What, if anything, do YOU ALL do/change for more confined times or winter? [/COLOR]

Fall is the migratory season for hawks so maybe they will go away after the migratory season. We have Red Tails here the year round. I hear the frequently near the coop but I haven't actually seen one. The chickens seem to recognize the hawk's call. They have a large Eastern Red Cedar just outside of the coop for cover. They seem to like to rest and take their dust baths underneath it. We have seen the Red Tailed Hawks with squirrels here. I just hope they will leave the chickens alone.

 

[Jewelwing]

I love it! My chickens just started meeting me out from when I come home from work this week. I come outside with the goodies and call and they
follow me to the coop to get fed. I feel like the Pied Piper.

Thanks! Yeah, I feel like the Pied Piper too. It's very fun! Then I feel guilty if I'm just outside working and they start following me around but I don't have anything to give them. They follow for a while and then give up. But it doesn't seem to make them less optimistic the next time!

 

[mlowen]

Thanks!  Yeah, I feel like the Pied Piper too.  It's very fun!  Then I feel guilty if I'm just outside working and they start following me around but I don't have anything to give them.  They follow for a while and then give up.  But it doesn't seem to make them less optimistic the next time!

Yep, my chickens,too...ever hopeful!

 

[MargaretYakoda]

Is it just the oil, or is coconut milk good too? (for Alzheimers

)

We eat a lot of dishes with coconut milk in them. I love it! And it's a bit lower in fat than cream. Probably not enough to make any difference, but I was just happy it didn't have a ton more.

Well, turns out I spoke too soon about the studies showing coconut oil is good for brain health. Maybe there've been some studies? But I couldn't find any with a quick google.
That said, there is a lot of buzz about coconut oil, with the suggested dose being 3 to 5 tablespoons per day. And that's admittedly a LOT of coconut oil!
However, it's food, so unless someone has major heart issues, there's no big risk in trying it.
http://www.agingcare.com/Articles/coconut-oil-and-alzheimers-157103.htm

 

[Leahs Mom]

Margaret -
There was a researcher that was studying the benefits of coconut oil and al

, whose husband was stricken with Alzheimer's disease, coconut oil may be KEY for not only preventing but even reversing this disease. Certain cells in the brains of those with Alzheimer's become increasingly unable to use their primary energy source, glucose. Without fuel, these brain cells die, contributing to the mental degeneration. But there's an alternative source of energy, known as ketones.

Your body produces ketones naturally when you deprive it of carbohydrates, and you can boost ketone production by consuming medium-chain triglycerides, such as coconut oil.

This article has a video interview with her. Again, seems to be in the theory stage based on some probable good evidence I imagine we'll be hearing more conclusive evidence after it's tested out longer in their trials. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...-butter-coconut-oil-alzheimers-detection.aspx