The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lalaland]

Thoughts and advice, please.

Here are the dynamics:
6 hens 1.5 yo
2 Pullets will be 1 yo end of December
3 (I think Pullets) 13 wks old
1 Roo will be 1 yo end of December

Mom has ditched the 13 week olds. They're fending for themselves.

The 2 pullets that are coming up on a year old are seeming to be at the bottom of pecking order among the adult group but one is more protected by the Roo. The other has trouble getting feed and runs if any of them even looks her way. If I'm throwing down individual pieces of meat she WILL get her share. She's quick that way. Just doesn't seem to be able to stand and eat feed at peace.

I have 2 feed stations inside the coop and I throw feed outside in the run on the ground as well. She still runs and doesn't seem to get her share of the feed.

The older girls take all the good stuff out of the feed and leave the peas. It seems that she always misses the other stuff. I wish I had that second coop ready. If I did, I'd divide this group into 2 anyhow. But I don't.

I have a protected area that the 13 week olds can go into that the others won't fit so they are faring okay that way.


Any ideas on how I can be sure the one pullet in particular - and her sister - get their share of the regular feed?

I like the idea of getting them in early and keeping them in a bit after the others leave, but it could be pretty tough to do. I wonder if you could separate them with your pieces of iron fence for a while each day to let them eat? I would worry about separating them completely and then later trying to reintegrate them into the flock. You could also add more feeding stations.

I have a somewhat similiar situation with two of the 10 youngsters (6 mo) chased away from the feed stations. And after reading earlier about the necropsy where there was a lack of nutrition, that really worried me!
I did add a third feed area - I feed totally outside the coop, and I increased the feed available. If I am throwing treats, they get special attention. These two have a hard time - get a beakful, get chased away, get a beakful, repeat.

I agree that separating them will make them have to reintegrate...and I take it the littles have already integrated so you can't add your to the littles.

So I would add another feed station and increase the feed so it is more than just peas when the rest have finished.

 

[aoxa]

I haven't posted a whole lot of new pictures on this thread in a while, as I do most of that from my Facebook Farm Page now, but had to share this girl. I think she is really something

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I haven't posted a whole lot of new pictures on this thread in a while, as I do most of that from my Facebook Farm Page now, but had to share this girl. I think she is really something

She is beautiful! I would name her Licorice.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Appreciate all the thoughts.

Lala...they would eat the other items out of 50 lbs worth of feed if I put it out there and leave only the peas...in just one sitting!

 

[armorfirelady]

Thoughts and advice, please.

Here are the dynamics:
6 hens 1.5 yo
2 Pullets will be 1 yo end of December
3 (I think Pullets) 13 wks old
1 Roo will be 1 yo end of December

Mom has ditched the 13 week olds.  They're fending for themselves.

The 2 pullets that are coming up on a year old are seeming to be at the bottom of pecking order among the adult group but one is more protected by the Roo.  The other has trouble getting feed and runs if any of them even looks her way.  If I'm throwing down individual pieces of meat she WILL get her share.  She's quick that way.  Just doesn't seem to be able to stand and eat feed at peace.

I have 2 feed stations inside the coop and I throw feed outside in the run on the ground as well.  She still runs and doesn't seem to get her share of the feed.

The older girls take all the good stuff out of the feed and leave the peas.  It seems that she always misses the other stuff.  I wish I had that second coop ready.  If I did, I'd divide this group into 2 anyhow.  But I don't.

I have a protected area that the 13 week olds can go into that the others won't fit so they are faring okay that way.


Any ideas on how I can be sure the one pullet in particular - and her sister - get their share of the regular feed?

Lucy is having the same problem here. Big girls intimidate her with a look and she is and running. I feed in 2 bowls and when I can keep the big girls away from here when she is eating. Eggs are the hardest for to get since the big girls love them and will eat them all. For their FF the big girls eat their full and walk away like 5 minutes later so Lucy can get her fill until big girls come back.

I check her crop at night and it's never as big as the others except Edie who is tiny anyways, But there is food in her crop and she doesn't seem in distress so as long as she gets some I think she's ok.

On a funny note Lucy sticks close to Stella the BR. Stella is all about food and eats with the big girls so Lucy doesn't benefit from that but sometimes Stella will share meat with her if she's not running a prune the yard with a piece in her mouth lol

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: ArmorfireLady One consolation - I'm still doing the sprout bags and I think she does get a good amount of those. And whatever meat I throw. Right now sprouts are barley and oats. I think she gets a good amount of sunflower seeds too.

Biggest problem is that they are locked in "jail" so they don't go over to the range side. That was when the lowers were able to eat.

I haven't released them due to the 13 week olds. Too little to be hawk-resistant yet. And I don't have a good way to pen them separately.

 

[armorfirelady]

LM Could you put the food in the safe spot that the 13 week olds go to to ensure they eat? Maybe plop here in there to eat and take her out when she is done?

 

[Leahs Mom]

That's a thought. She is very skittish and it may distress her more than help.

Interesting thing I found out. These 2 (Miss Sweden is the primary one I'm talking about and then there is Miss Black) Can both squeeze through the bars into the little kiddos area. I've had to shoo them out of there a couple of times. Of course, when they go in, all the little ones run out! (Sounds like the cat in the hat or something...)

I have to think this through. Maybe I can elongate the little kiddo area and put 2 pans in there and let the bigger pullets in too. Or maybe a little different area like you're saying.

ETA: The safe spot for the littles already has it's own feed pan.

 

[TeaChick]

He's beautiful

For those of you who collect leaves for your coops... Is there any risk to the birds with regards to mould or mildew?

I have the opportunity to get another 40 garbage bags from two sources but I'm a bit concerned. We live in a very wet environment.

As far as I know, moisture is the problem. If I was sure I could keep it out of the leaves, I would take them, myself.
I have my kids rake up leaves when they're dry and throw them into the hen house and coop b/c I use the deep litter method of bedding. I sprinkle some DE before I put down the new layer to avoid mold/mildew.

 

[Leahs Mom]