The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[fosterson]

Okay.

I have a really STUPID question.

I've gotten two different flocks of 'rescue' birds over the last few months. NONE of them roost on a roost. They make little nests in the bedding and sleep there.

Is this really an issue? Other than the obvious dangers of a predator getting into the coop, is there a problem with them sleeping in the floor? I've got 25 linear feet worth of roosts and not a dang one of them will sleep on them. Even if I put them up there myself at night. They're in the bedding the next morning.

 

[PheasantsFirst]

I shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Pozees]

I shouldn't be a problem.

Agreed, not a problem. As long as they are staying warm by snuggling and/or nesting in the bedding, all is good.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:

Still a no go......maybe if I starve them.

toss some leftover corn into their food dish right on top of the ff. or milk soaked bread. My chickens have not turned down those kinds of foods and once the ff gets into their system they should like it. unless it is getting too cold for them. Mine won't eat frozen food of any sorts even a bag of frozen corn in the summer will sit on the dirt for 15 minutes until the corn is thawed.

there must be a way you could sell those coons, once killed. after all you need to make a profit on them somehow.

I've put corn, BOSS and tonite I put leftover chicken thigh meat in it. They deftly pick out all the goodies and walk away.

On another thread, this guy takes the WHOLE coon and puts it in the pressure cooker and feeds it back to his chickens....I don't even know what to say about that.

I would worry about the stuff the coon might be carrying.

 

[lalaland]

Could be an old English pheasant fowl, I'm just thinking out loud

wow, they do look alike, except the old english seem to have light colored legs and Buster has yellow.....trying to figure out what chicken is what breed has certainly broadened my horizons, I can't tell you how many different breeds I have never ever heard of in all these years that I am now learning about. geesh!
this is a pic of an old english pheasant fowl cockeral from a google image search.

 

[Allysha1990]

I've put corn, BOSS and tonite I put leftover chicken thigh meat in it. They deftly pick out all the goodies and walk away.

On another thread, this guy takes the WHOLE coon and puts it in the pressure cooker and feeds it back to his chickens....I don't even know what to say about that.

.... I can't imagine how gross a pressure cooked raccoon must smell

 

[chickengeorgeto]

....there must be a way you could sell those coons, once killed. after all you need to make a profit on them somehow.

Learn how to skin, stretch, and flesh the coon pelts then hold off on reducing them to possession until the pelts are prime and sell the pelts during fur trapping season. Indiana coon pelts are not the best but they are far from the worst raccoon fur on the planet.

About 30 years ago coon pelts were going for $20 to $30 per skin, higher in some areas of the upper Midwest. So a few coon skins back then could buy you a ton of chicken feed, literally.

 

[aoxa]

Okay.

I have a really STUPID question.

I've gotten two different flocks of 'rescue' birds over the last few months. NONE of them roost on a roost. They make little nests in the bedding and sleep there.

Is this really an issue? Other than the obvious dangers of a predator getting into the coop, is there a problem with them sleeping in the floor? I've got 25 linear feet worth of roosts and not a dang one of them will sleep on them. Even if I put them up there myself at night. They're in the bedding the next morning.

Not a problem at all. 90% of my silkies do this. They huddle as a group like chicks and sleep that way. Keeps them warm!

 

[aoxa]

I would worry about the stuff the coon might be carrying.

Wouldn't cooking it at high temps like pressure cooking kill any of what it's carrying?

 

[Scott H]

Yep... but still pretty gross, IMHO.