The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Kassaundra]

LOL for those who didn't see, one corner of my hatcher always seems to shrink wrap chicks. I had a large batch of Swedish flower hens from Leigh I am hatching (haven't checked them yet this morning) and this one had been zipped a while but not pushed out, so I took it out of the incubator and popped the cap off and out jumps this solid black blob! expecting a SFH, I was quite literally stunned for a second and almost dropped it. my next thought was wow. ugly chickling.

Fm, black and NN,

bestill my heart!!!!!! Adorableness.




Oooops, a silkie, sorry I thought she looked like she had a NN.

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
thanks... Leigh says the mommas are lavender or white, daddy black, so either her lavender is really a blue, or the white is hiding blue (we already know she hides mottled).

I don't know why, but this morning after collecting eggs, I made up new words to the song "I've Been Working On the Railroad." This is not the sort of thing I normally do, so I'm pretty happy with myself! (I know many people here don't feed their chickens corn, but it rhymes so well!!) I have a chicken named Dina, so the song seemed appropriate:

I’ve Been Watching All the Chickens
Sung to the tune of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”

I’ve been watching all the chickens
All the live-long day!
I’ve been watching all the chickens,
Just hoping one will lay!

Can’t you hear the alarm ringing, rooster crowing
Rise up so early in the morn!
Can’t you hear the chickens squawking, calling
“Come give us our corn!”

Chickens won’t you lay, chickens won’t you lay, chickens won’t you lay an e-e-egg!
Chickens won’t you lay, chickens won’t you lay, chickens won’t you lay an egg!

Someone’s in the nest box with Dina, someone’s in the nest box I know-ow-ow-ow!
Someone’s in the nest box with Dina! Hopin’ she’ll just get up and go!

Buuuck buck buckuck buckAWK!
Buck buck buckuck buck buck buck buck buck!
Buuuck buck buckuck buckAWK!
Hopin’ she’ll just get up and go!​

edited in line with a suggestion...

Quote: what's Fm?

 

[Leahs Mom]

It's just life, though, and we were all safe, so I enjoyed the early morning work.

Plus today was an eight egg day (out of eight chickens)!

Wow...and the whole time you're telling the story I'm thinking, "I wish I had a creek!" I have always wanted to live on water ...either a small creek or whatever. Nothing fancy-pants.

Glad YOU got some enjoyment out of it even though it was a crazy morning. And 100% on the eggs!

So yesterday, I got 4 eggs from 4 chickens! Woo Hoo! Now if I only had a way to take pictures. My phone doesn't focus anymore and I'm not eligible for an upgrade, so I'm stuck. I could get out the camera, but I tend to lose cords. So of course, I have no way to download pics to the computer.

But hawks? I have seen them around, but I don't think they have ever had a nest nearby.

Have you seen these? Very inexpensive and you can keep it at the computer so you don't lose it.

http://www.staples.com/Gear-Head-CR6900-USB-20-SD-MS-All-in-1-Card-Reader/product_IM1DE5724

Just plug it in and put your card in the slot on it.

I’ve Been Watching All the Chickens
Sung to the tune of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”

I’ve been watching all the chickens
All the live-long day!
I’ve been watching all the chickens,
Just hoping one will lay!

Can’t you hear the alarm ringing,
Rise up so early in the morn!
Can’t you hear the chickens squawking,
“Come give us our corn!”

Chickens won’t you lay, chickens won’t you lay, chickens won’t you lay an e-e-egg!
Chickens won’t you lay, chickens won’t you lay, chickens won’t you lay an egg!

Someone’s in the nest box with Dina, someone’s in the nest box I know-ow-ow-ow!
Someone’s in the nest box with Dina! Hopin’ she’ll just get up and go!

Buuuck buck buckuck buckAWK!
Buck buck buckuck buck buck buck buck buck!
Buuuck buck buckuck buckAWK!
Hopin’ she’ll just get up and go!​

Love it! (I sing things all the time too. Was always singing about what we were doing when my kids were little. Just made up the music. Even sang about changing diapers!)

what's Fm?

I'm thinking its the band that I tune in on the radio from time to time.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:

So yesterday, I got 4 eggs from 4 chickens! Woo Hoo! Now if I only had a way to take pictures. My phone doesn't focus anymore and I'm not eligible for an upgrade, so I'm stuck. I could get out the camera, but I tend to lose cords. So of course, I have no way to download pics to the computer.

But hawks? I have seen them around, but I don't think they have ever had a nest nearby.

Whoops...forgot to say 100% on your eggs too!!!!! Another

Hawks. Only think I can think of I can't say.

 

[mlowen]

Hawks. Only think I can think of I can't say.

Don't forget the fabulous fishing line ploy! People string fishing line (or clothes line, if that's what they have more of) across the area chickens are "free ranging" in. Some people put a pole in the middle and run line out to a fence or building. Others make kind of a net across the top of their fence/chicken run. You can cover a lot of area. The theory is the shimmering of the lines makes the hawks very leery of trying to fly through.
No, I don't have one...but I am thinking seriously about trying something like it this summer in one of my "portable paddocks."

 

[mlowen]

Oh, and I am a big maker-up of songs! When my grandson was born I was walking around with him, singing something about nekkid babies and my son-in-law said to my daughter: "Your mother is a musical people, isn't she?"

 

[Leahs Mom]

Don't forget the fabulous fishing line ploy! People string fishing line (or clothes line, if that's what they have more of) across the area chickens are "free ranging" in. Some people put a pole in the middle and run line out to a fence or building. Others make kind of a net across the top of their fence/chicken run. You can cover a lot of area. The theory is the shimmering of the lines makes the hawks very leery of trying to fly through.
No, I don't have one...but I am thinking seriously about trying something like it this summer in one of my "portable paddocks."

I am planning on doing some more of that this year since I lost a bird last fall. There are various towers around the property that my dad used for his antennas (HAM radio) that I could put attachments from. Of course, they also make good perches for hawks

@SallyinIndiana got some heavier bird netting that she's using. Maybe she'll show it and give us the link over here for it. Not sure if she's just putting it on her run or out in a ranging area.

 

[Scott H]

Whenever I see the fishing line suggestion to deter hawks I think of this video and hope you're not up against a Goshawk....the bane of squirrels and birds in the woods.

 

[Kassaundra]

thanks... Leigh says the mommas are lavender or white, daddy black, so either her lavender is really a blue, or the white is hiding blue (we already know she hides mottled).

edited in line with a suggestion...

what's Fm?

dark skin gene fibromelonic gene, it causes hyperpigemtation

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
I'm skipping a few pages, the link in the email took me straight to this post. If I missed something important, feel free to link be back.

The net I got is for deterring larger birds like hawks not tiny birds like robins. I got mine from ebay. I don't remember the exact seller. The search that works best is a buy it now, poultry netting. then look for the black netting in the pictures. if you know how much you need for one of the sides round up to the nearest 25 and include that number in your search.
I'm in the market for another net so here is a link to one I am looking at. Feel free to buy as there are lots available. The auctions sometimes go for less but there is the down time and having to start a new auction if you are outbid.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Anti-Bi...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item20d270a7d8

If you do get an ebay net, you should know they are rolled up in a diagonal fashion from one corner to the other. This is very different than unrolling something like wrapping paper.