The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote: Oh hurray delisha!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

OK folks, a friend is trying to make some decisions about where she is going to go with her poultry flock this coming year. We would like some input from more experienced breeders. Keep in mind we are looking at quality, standard bred birds, not hatchery stock.

Right now one decision is Plymouth Rock vs Orpington
My take on them is that they are about the same size bird, they should be about the same meat wise. I believe that they lay roughly the same. I *think* but am not sure that the orps may tend to be a bit broodier than the rocks. Any other pros or cons?


If you have a different breed that might fill the bill a bit better, please make some suggestions!

Her wish list;
Big eggs, good layers
good meat birds (ie cockerels grow quick to broiler/roaster size) old hens have some meat left on their bones
tolerate cold down to about 10 degrees
tolerate the heat well (she gets over 110 degree days in the summer)

I'm way behind on my reading for this list so forgive me if this is a too late response or redundant...
for the parameters given I would recommend considering Buckeyes.
Cocks come to table nicely by 18 to 20 weeks. Hens are sturdier too and decent layers. Tolerate cold and heat well (Ohio heritage breed) and are excellent foragers.
Lady of McCamley

 

[armorfirelady]

I just wanted to let everyone know the lab called and they did not find anything..nothing..no worms..no damage....no disease they can see at this point...no sign of anything but a healthy well fed bird..

They want me to send them another bird..I think I am going to skip that suggestion..

again..thank you all for your support..suggestions and you saved my birds..
That's AWESOME news

Did you hear anything back from the feed company?

 

[delisha]

Quote: That's AWESOME news

Did you hear anything back from the feed company?
They paid for the testing..since my birds have not been effected by the feed and I can't prove it was the feed I think they are done. Not sure. It all depends on how the lab writes the report. I asked for replacement of my dead birds and sent them a copy of costs and a few copys of receipts on what I have paid for birds. It is too early to tell.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: That's AWESOME news

Did you hear anything back from the feed company?
They paid for the testing..since my birds have not been effected by the feed and I can't prove it was the feed I think they are done. Not sure. It all depends on how the lab writes the report. I asked for replacement of my dead birds and sent them a copy of costs and a few copys of receipts on what I have paid for birds. It is too early to tell.
Fingers crossed you get reimbursement

 

[Scott H]

Quote:
That is very good news! Strong work delisha!

 

[Scott H]

I got home today to 3 inches of fresh powder and the girls were running around in it like grouse! Warmed them up some FF and leftover chicken and they came running down the hill.....

New water setup hasn't frozen yet even though there was snow piled up on the lip of it. Still would like to get something that sits down in the dog waterer instead of on it....the search will continue.

Why a company doesn't design and build a decent heated poultry waterer is beyond me.....

It's not like there's not a market for one....

 

[ki4got]

I've thought of that too. I don't think it would work well as a floater, however because it would "look solid" and they would likely try to stand on it and their whole feet would go under water.

I've thought of options that are not floating but then you have the same problem that it's hard to reach the water as the level goes down.

that's why I suggested a cage of sorts around it... like a column of 2" x 4" fence wire... they can get their heads in but not feet.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Thats a great idea !!

 

[ki4got]

ok you may have seen this ad by Mercedes not long ago?

well, here's Jaguar's response to it...