The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[CourtsCacklers]

There is a wall with a people door (and a pop door in it) between "coop" and "run." It's only 6 feet high, so there is some light through there...but only when it's really daylight. I have been shutting the big door at night (and sometimes all day) and leaving the chicken door open, to keep the breezes down. It's pretty dark in the coop, once the sun starts going down. There are some tall trees across the street in the neighbors yards and behind that screen the sun before it's actually down. (This is Maine...trees, trees, and more trees!)
Great thought, though. I would love to get a camera in there & see just what they are doing in the night. It also may be happening during their "nap" times. They like to roost & doze in the afternoons, too.

mine too....

 

[CourtsCacklers]

No help here, but you have pretty chickens.

I want stripey chickens too.

they are very very pretty <3 <3

 

[mlowen]

WTHeck...why listen to a groundhog.....

.......... when you can listen to these kiddos?


THESE KIDDOS ARE SAYING THAT SPRING IS COMING!!!!


Here are the 22 week olds today. (2 BA/SFH mix; 1 SFH)


At least 2 of these girls started laying this week.



In this carton...for size comparison...
Left rear is a 2 yo Hatchery RIR egg; Front right is a 2 yo Hatchery BR egg. All the others are the pullet eggs.




I think they're right and I sure hope so! I've been ready for Spring since about Halloween.

 

[CourtsCacklers]

Yeah, I don't like the idea of heating them either. I don't even have electricity to the coop, and wasn't planning on using any heat during the winters. But then we got that incredible cold a month ago, where the low suddenly dropped 20 degrees lower than it had been this winter yet. That didn't give the chickens any time to acclimate, so I bought a heat lamp and ran an extension cord down to the coop.

Then yesterday, I saw them walking in puddles and their feathers were soaked. Knowing they wouldn't dry off before it got to low 20's overnight, and knowing they get frostbite on wattles & comb when they're wet, I thought it would be a good idea to give them some heat. It was freezing rain at the time, and it ended up precipitating past 2am, so the air was really humid too, making drying off feathers difficult. I don't want to lose any more chickens - it was hard enough to lose Ethel last week! So I didn't want to stress them like that.

I think I made the right decision for last night, and all the girls are dry and happy this morning. I propped the people door open so they could get some more air circulation, since they're staying in the coop because of the scary snow that came after the freezing rain last night.

mine were out in the covered part of the run but wouldn't venture further.... yeah....they said a dusting.... we got like 5-6"....

 

[CourtsCacklers]

I wondered today if Blue Kote would do anything...I think I'll spray the favorite areas on the three with it tonight & see if that lowers the desirability any.

worth a try.... i think that stuff I bought might have discouraged it a little.. the tips of her feathers were pretty picked over all ready so I can't really tell... but I don't think it is any worse and I haven't noticed excessive behavior while watching them.....

 

[CourtsCacklers]

WTHeck...why listen to a groundhog.....

.......... when you can listen to these kiddos?


THESE KIDDOS ARE SAYING THAT SPRING IS COMING!!!!


Here are the 22 week olds today. (2 BA/SFH mix; 1 SFH)


At least 2 of these girls started laying this week.



In this carton...for size comparison...
Left rear is a 2 yo Hatchery RIR egg; Front right is a 2 yo Hatchery BR egg. All the others are the pullet eggs.




Front left: BR egg then 2 pullet eggs for size. In carton are 2 pullet eggs.

What absolutely beautiful girls

 

[CourtsCacklers]

@ Leahsmom-- here is the link to the video about 9v batteries starting fires.... crazy....

 

[TeaChick]

@ Sally:
Yeah, you're right; it would be too complicated.
Although, if we did a chart......

 

[TeaChick]

WTHeck...why listen to a groundhog.....

.......... when you can listen to these kiddos?


THESE KIDDOS ARE SAYING THAT SPRING IS COMING!!!!


Here are the 22 week olds today. (2 BA/SFH mix; 1 SFH)


At least 2 of these girls started laying this week.



In this carton...for size comparison...
Left rear is a 2 yo Hatchery RIR egg; Front right is a 2 yo Hatchery BR egg. All the others are the pullet eggs.




Front left: BR egg then 2 pullet eggs for size. In carton are 2 pullet eggs.

Oh, good!!!! I like what they're saying, so I'm listening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spring is coming! Spring is coming!!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

@ Leahsmom-- here is the link to the video about 9v batteries starting fires.... crazy....

Thank you. That bears repeating.