The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Scott H]

O.K. folks, as long as we're posting funny vids.... posted this on another thread but if you didn't see it and like Ellen, here ya go ..............
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/833791/ellens-halloween-video

watch it til the end.....

 

[delisha]

I snapped a picture of my AM eggs..

They are a little lighter this time of year after a molt..they should get deeper as light increases and hormones increase.



They are blue..but they have a tinge of green in them..My Marans eggs lack color this time of year also.

 

[ki4got]

Well playing musical chickens has begun!

I moved 8 SFH chicks (hatched between sept 16 and oct 13), 2 bantam blrw youngsters, one blrw/cochin cross and all my bantam cochins (3 red pullets, 1 buff cockerel, blue mottled trio, 1 blue pullet and 3 silver laced pullets) except the mille fleurs into my largest hoop pen / big house. I've lost 3 bantam cochins this week while free ranging, so no more cochin freedom.

the oldest babies inside will be going out soon, but it's supposed to rain or be frozen for the next week, and with only 6, i'm worried they won't stay warm enough even when huddled. they may stay inside long enough for the next group to get a bit more feathers. one got some shavings in her eye and is battling an eye infection too, but I have no ophthalmic ointments to use. suggestions?

I've also now got my blrw pair penned too. pretty sure she's laying, so I'll start collecting for hatching in another week or so.

now if I could just get my newer silver grey dorking roo (and his 4 girls) to start going to bed in the horse trailer, since they got evicted from the big house yesterday... but so far I've had to catch them and put them up.

so I think I'm going to put the mottled cochins in the pen the babies were in, fix the doghouse pen (last used when some dogs busted into it and ate 2 of my roosters) and get it ready for them when they're ready to go out... besides I think the doghouse is better at staying dry in wet weather.

then once my other 2 pens are done, the red/buff cochin group will go in one and a silver grey dorking quad in the other.

my mille cochins and sfh are penned once again too, and i'm getting an egg or 2 from the sfh, so i'm wondering if it was the free ranging or the switch to FF that triggered the laying... now to cross fingers that whoever's laying KEEPS laying, since they've been on strike since August!

so that's where my bunch is at for the moment... the next 2 pens I put together will be for the ee's and the second group of sg dorkings.

forgot to mention my red dorkings have been together for a week now, so far I've gotten 2 eggs! so they're on the road too.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Quote: Yeah. Winter sure does complicate things...

 

[Pozees]

Well playing musical chickens has begun!

I moved 8 SFH chicks (hatched between sept 16 and oct 13), 2 bantam blrw youngsters, one blrw/cochin cross and all my bantam cochins (3 red pullets, 1 buff cockerel, blue mottled trio, 1 blue pullet and 3 silver laced pullets) except the mille fleurs into my largest hoop pen / big house. I've lost 3 bantam cochins this week while free ranging, so no more cochin freedom.

the oldest babies inside will be going out soon, but it's supposed to rain or be frozen for the next week, and with only 6, i'm worried they won't stay warm enough even when huddled. they may stay inside long enough for the next group to get a bit more feathers. one got some shavings in her eye and is battling an eye infection too, but I have no ophthalmic ointments to use. suggestions?

I've also now got my blrw pair penned too. pretty sure she's laying, so I'll start collecting for hatching in another week or so.

now if I could just get my newer silver grey dorking roo (and his 4 girls) to start going to bed in the horse trailer, since they got evicted from the big house yesterday... but so far I've had to catch them and put them up.

so I think I'm going to put the mottled cochins in the pen the babies were in, fix the doghouse pen (last used when some dogs busted into it and ate 2 of my roosters) and get it ready for them when they're ready to go out... besides I think the doghouse is better at staying dry in wet weather.

then once my other 2 pens are done, the red/buff cochin group will go in one and a silver grey dorking quad in the other.

my mille cochins and sfh are penned once again too, and i'm getting an egg or 2 from the sfh, so i'm wondering if it was the free ranging or the switch to FF that triggered the laying... now to cross fingers that whoever's laying KEEPS laying, since they've been on strike since August!

so that's where my bunch is at for the moment... the next 2 pens I put together will be for the ee's and the second group of sg dorkings.

forgot to mention my red dorkings have been together for a week now, so far I've gotten 2 eggs! so they're on the road too.

You have been busy! Besides color, do you notice a lot of differences between SG and Red Dorkings?

 

[aoxa]

I have had ducks several times with chickens..i would never house them in a small area together. I had them in a 1/4 acre with some chickens and it was still not enough for me to feel comfortable. They are horrible with chickens in the winter. They make the water so dirty all the time and chickens never have an oppertunity to have clean fresh water. They are fine together in the summer as long as you have established roosters. They will keep the drakes off the hens.
Eggs are wonderful to bake with..you can't beat them for what they do to bake goods. Lighter and fluffy cakes and cookies. I miss the eggs but not the ducks. I love duck meat by my DH does not.

tease!!

I only have the one drake with my chickens - and the geese. Yes they are so extremely messy in the winter. Other than that, I don't have any issues with them getting along. They are all very good.

My chickens like duck flavoured water LOL

 

[TeaChick]

you can watch nearly every muppet skit online at youtube. hubby pulls things up randomly LOL

Mine pulls things up randomly too.
Muppets aren't an interest of his. lol

 

[TeaChick]

Thanks all for the realistic duck info. Though I think they would be fun, the reality presented is a nice wake up call. Thanks so much. Perhaps, I'll re-think that one! What I need is a big farm, and a farm hand to go with it!

Me too. Cows and goats, bees, loads of chickens (and chicken math), a few pigs, big veggie garden, orchard, berry patches, herb garden. *dreaming.....

 

[TeaChick]

I snapped a picture of my AM eggs..

They are a little lighter this time of year after a molt..they should get deeper as light increases and hormones increase.



They are blue..but they have a tinge of green in them..My Marans eggs lack color this time of year also.

Beautiful Bounty!!!

 

[lalaland]

Booster Update on Comb







He's eating fine, still feisty. He is the only reason I still have water in the coop during the day, because he likes to stay in, away from Buster the head roo. I'm thinking if they got into it, Boosters comb is especially vulnerable right now and I would like to avoid it being bloodied. Little so and so still thinks about taking me on every time I enter the coop. I can't wait for summer when they have more room. Hens are going outside voluntarily now if I keep the snow swept off the ramp.

It is snowing now.