The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lazy gardener]

I was not aware that starlings would kill a chicken. Thanks so much for the heads up. Will do some target practice if I see such tendencies in my neighborhood.

 

[Leahs Mom]

She was the youngest, she just had started laying,this is what I did and so far have been BIRD FREE... its not pretty but at this point I dont care as long as it works...

I need an interpreter. I see the pop cans and the tarp and it looks like some netting.

But what are the dark things hanging... reminds me of when the giant spider in Lord of the Rings wrapped the folks up and saved them for future eating

 

[hellbender]

January 26
Temperatures in the 20's

Look how nicely this is healing!







TODAY - FEBRUARY 9, 2014.


RIGHT SIDE APPEARS TO BE COMPLETELY HEALED.






LEFT SIDE STILL HAS SMALL SPOT.

I'd say he got off relatively unscathed! Great!

 

[SavageDestiny]

Also, I'm pretty sure my chickens don't have salmonella, because *cough* my dog eats their poop all the time, and doesn't show any ill effects. Dogs get salmonella just like people, so she's my volunteer "canary in a coal mine."

Actually, dogs have a very high resistance to salmonella. Their digestive systems are designed to handle bacteria found on raw meat. Usually only old dogs or dogs with lowered immune systems suffer from salmonella poisoning.

 

[hellbender]

I was not aware that starlings would kill a chicken. Thanks so much for the heads up. Will do some target practice if I see such tendencies in my neighborhood.

Nor I! I do think they are extremely intelligent despite their demonic screeching. I've spent many happy hours as a kid (as did my son), plinking at them with .22 shorts and when they were en mass, letting go with semi-auto Mossburg 12G.

I think they have learned to avoid this mountain valley...

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Me neither.

I do remember, as a child, my grandparents calling them "Dirsty Birds" and being extremely upset when they were around the yard. They were immigrants from Scotland and I believe they told me that the starlings were birds that were native to England and that some "not so smart" person had brought some to the US where they seemed to proliferate.

When I asked them why they didn't like them I remember 2 reasons.

They're "DIRSTY BIRDS" in that Scott brougue. Said they made a dirsty mess everywhere.
Also said they chased away the more desirable birds form the area.

 

[hellbender]

Me neither.

I do remember, as a child, my grandparents calling them "Dirsty Birds" and being extremely upset when they were around the yard. They were immigrants from Scotland and I believe they told me that the starlings were birds that were native to England and that some "not so smart" person had brought some to the US where they seemed to proliferate.

When I asked them why they didn't like them I remember 2 reasons.

They're "DIRSTY BIRDS" in that Scott brough. Said they made a dirsty mess everywhere.
Also said they chased away the more desirable birds form the area.

Well we have that in common...sorta'. My Grand Pa was Scots-Irish ( a distinction many Scotsmen will never forget).

While I'm at it, My Grand Ma was 100% Iroquois from the Seneca Tribe.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Whoa. From what I understand in that era that would have been a somewhat controversial combination

Or am I mistaken about that? (Sometimes I mix these things up.

 

[armorfirelady]

LM He looks great!! Looks like he might lose a point or two.
I have to say I love his stink eye pics lol

 

[Leahs Mom]

LM He looks great!! Looks like he might lose a point or two.
I have to say I love his stink eye pics lol

Now the next thing to watch is those points as you pointed out (no pun intended

)

I'll be interested to see what they look like come spring.