The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[ChickensRDinos]

That is my one reservation about moving to the East Coast - I am a mild girl. Not too hot, not too cold. I would love a woodstove though!

Me too! I am considering a move to Colorado but this desert girl has never actually seen snow before. I'm a little scared.

 

[aoxa]

This really made me chuckle! A flock full of Sally birds. Hah! Yeah..I know what you mean about getting the Grand Kids names right. All three of mine are boys. I have three daughters. They are ALL blond. The girls nearly look a like in height and weight. They never let me forget it that I have called each of them wrong name first try and I have called each of them by the dogs name "Rosie" at least once. I tell them that's what happens when you have four kids. Your mind goes first. Hah!

As long as you call your spouse by the proper name, that's all that matters.

 

[Sally8]

As long as you call your spouse by the proper name, that's all that matters. 

haha, not so very funny. This is our 2nd marriage. I've never called him by my first but he calls me Carol all the time, then denies it. They were married 30 yrs. I don't get too excited about these things!

Tonight I set my eggs. All my own. Some will be all EE's, some all Marans, some a mix. In a month, I'm going to separate them to ensure I get all BCM. I have a newish roo and I'm always in search of that very dark brown egg as the different shades of blue. I just learned on here about another chicken that can lay a blue egg. How exciting. Never heard anyone around here having those though. hmmmm.....

 

[delisha]

Quote:
x2 !!!!

 

[delisha]

Also.. I'm ashamed to say I've switched back to dry in this cold wave. At least for the birds that don't have heated bowls. I don't have the energy and time to scrape out the frozen bits, and it freezes in no time at all. My birds are really angry at me. They don't like it at all. No fights over the feeding station.

Hopefully this -20F weather does not last. It's really hard on us humans doing the chores.

I'm not talking solely about the feed in their feeders, my buckets are freezing. Even in my heated closet

Don't feel guilty or apologies.
During Christmas week I fed dry.
My DH insisted that we do not have a bucket of FF in the kitchen during all the visiting. He dislikes my bird mess, but, tolerates it beautifully. He even offered to keep the wood stove in the hospital coop going for the FF, but, I figured the birds would be fine for a while. It was so nice on me I was tempted to stop it all together for the winter, then the hens started to have looser stools so I went back. I know it would have been temporary until they adjusted, I just thought I have the time, it is the least I can do for them. If I lived in those temperatures Aoxia, I do not think I would be doing FF wet. To dang cold.

 

[delisha]

I am done hatching!!

I am delighted I have 6 RIR.. 7 barnyards. It is a nice hatch out.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

I am done hatching!!

I am delighted I have 6 RIR.. 7 barnyards. It is a nice hatch out.

Congrats

 

[aoxa]

Don't feel guilty or apologies.
During Christmas week I fed dry.
My DH insisted that we do not have a bucket of FF in the kitchen during all the visiting. He dislikes my bird mess, but, tolerates it beautifully. He even offered to keep the wood stove in the hospital coop going for the FF, but, I figured the birds would be fine for a while. It was so nice on me I was tempted to stop it all together for the winter, then the hens started to have looser stools so I went back. I know it would have been temporary until they adjusted, I just thought I have the time, it is the least I can do for them. If I lived in those temperatures Aoxia, I do not think I would be doing FF wet. To dang cold.

Such a bummer. I can't afford all the heated dishes, but I do have two for separate pens, and the chicks have a heat light over their's and it doesn't freeze.

I'm wondering if mash would be less likely to freeze...?

 

[Bulldogma]

Quote:

Oh yes. That falling asleep in weird positions had me terrified when I first saw it. LOL


Here's an example... COme on now! Stop freaking me out! lol

Sometimes things like this make me laugh so hard tears run down my leg...

We're just working on getting our DLM established! It's tough to get it started and growing the right way.

Good for you!! It'll be breaking down nicely before you know it!

Also.. I'm ashamed to say I've switched back to dry in this cold wave. At least for the birds that don't have heated bowls. I don't have the energy and time to scrape out the frozen bits, and it freezes in no time at all. My birds are really angry at me. They don't like it at all. No fights over the feeding station.

Hopefully this -20F weather does not last. It's really hard on us humans doing the chores.

I'm not talking solely about the feed in their feeders, my buckets are freezing. Even in my heated closet

Sheesh - who could blame you for switching to dry in those temps?? Are you kidding... I wouldn't even be leaving the house if it were that cold - LOL! I don't know how y'all do it up there.

They probably did give me layer feed. Sigh, I'll have to check. I was running around like a crazy person yesterday and didn't do as much research as I should have at the store - never assume someone else knows what is going on! She just mentioned that the higher protein would be good in cold weather. I'm going to find myself a bucket today and get some more ACV (ran out last night) and see if I can get some FF going. I hope it goes better then my bread starter!

You can always mix it down with oats and other grains - this way their overall intake will be the same but they won't be ingesting as much calcium. That's what I've been doing recently after getting layer feed and still having some younger birds. Just my thoughts.

They never let me forget it that I have called each of them wrong name first try and I have called each of them by the dogs name "Rosie" at least once. I tell them that's what happens when you have four kids. Your mind goes first. Hah!

Sheesh - my kids are so used to me calling them by the wrong names and then correcting myself. I've even called my daughters by my dog's name. That's what I get for having kids "a bit later in life."

I am done hatching!!

I am delighted I have 6 RIR.. 7 barnyards. It is a nice hatch out.

YYYaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!

 

[aoxa]

Quote:

Sometimes things like this make me laugh so hard tears run down my leg...




Sheesh - who could blame you for switching to dry in those temps?? Are you kidding... I wouldn't even be leaving the house if it were that cold - LOL! I don't know how y'all do it up there.

By tears do you mean pee..?

Yeah.. I'm more upset about not getting as good of chances with the boy/girl ratio. My last hatches were really high on the pullet side.
My waters are freezing too. My cookie tin waterers suck. Time to scrap that and figure something else out.