The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[RedRidge]

 
See below..

Yes..a very dead bird

I let my confidence in my birds over come common sense. I did an autopsy on him and I was very surprised at what I found in some area's.

I did take pictures..It was a remarkable discovery. I did kill him. However I think if he did not have a particular issue i discovered he would have died. At least that is what I am telling myself. k
Kendra..poor Cuties now has to take chicks instead of a breeding male..
She is out of a breeding season. I wonder if I should take her hen..at least she would have some chicks..what do you think?

I think that I'd explain what happened to her and ask her what she'd prefer a hen w/ chicks, chicks or wait for a male.

What actually was wrong with the roo?

Oh and congrats on getting the new puppy. Joe will be ******!!!!!!! Just make him some chocolate cake and plan to keep the dog in at night but out during the day. It would be a good compromise for the both of you.

No offense but that's the best way to quickly Ron an lgd. You want that pup bonded to the livestock, not to humans. That's not to say it won't love people but you want that bond with the livestock and this age is critical

 

[chikenscratch]

Response to all: I know that is the best way, and so does Delisha, but her husband on the other hand........ he is a softy! I'd be surprised if he doesn't try to sneak the pup in. Deli will have to be very diligent!! LOL

 

[Jewelwing]

Quote:

WHILE I'M AT IT: As mentioned before, I feel pretty fortunate and have just about all a man should need or want....except

Grand Children. I do have part of the required equation...Any match makers out there???

By the way you and my mom should start a "give us grandbabies" club.

I'll join too! My kids are younger, but of the three, I bet only one will give us grandkids. And he recently told me he wants to wait until he's "older" (like mid-to-late thirties) before he has kids. It's not fair!!

 

[Jewelwing]

Yes somehow the wind always ends up blowing in my face while I'm sifting ashes. Usually do it in the pen. Look like a coal miner by the time I'm done.

Why do you guys sift your ashes? I'm just putting mine straight from the wood-burning stove out in the wreath storage container (thanks, LM!!). Most of it is fine dust. There are a few big chunks, but I wouldn't think that would bother the birds.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:

Yes somehow the wind always ends up blowing in my face while I'm sifting ashes. Usually do it in the pen. Look like a coal miner by the time I'm done.

Why do you guys sift your ashes? I'm just putting mine straight from the wood-burning stove out in the wreath storage container (thanks, LM!!). Most of it is fine dust. There are a few big chunks, but I wouldn't think that would bother the birds.

The only reason I need to sift them is that the folks I get them from leave lots of chunks of stuff in there and all I want is the ashes. (Step-son and daughter in law are burning the wood so we get whatever ash comes out of the burners when they save it for us.)

And...I have to thank @armorfirelady for giving me the wreath idea! So she's the original wreath queen.

 

[hellbender]

Quote:


I'll join too! My kids are younger, but of the three, I bet only one will give us grandkids. And he recently told me he wants to wait until he's "older" (like mid-to-late thirties) before he has kids. It's not fair!!

I told Jason that if he didn't co-operate a bit more, I'd borrow My neighbor's Bull Electrojac and do things the new-fangled way.

He was not intimidated nor impressed.

 

[lazy gardener]

RE: Sifting ashes. The only reason I can think of to do it is if you're concerned about things like staples, metal fragments, or possibly fiberglass strands from packing tape that might get burned with a cardboard box. If you're diligent about keeping all foreign matter out of your fire, it should be ok. Of course, if you want to save those bits of charcoal for a water purification system, or for your garden, that's an other matter! I'm guessing that the chickens would find those little bits of charcoal to be pretty tasty.

 

[Shan30]

The only reason I need to sift them is that the folks I get them from leave lots of chunks of stuff in there and all I want is the ashes.  (Step-son and daughter in law are burning the wood so we get whatever ash comes out of the burners when they save it for us.)

And...I have to thank @armorfirelady
for giving me the wreath idea!  So she's the original wreath queen.

Have you ever tried leaving in some of the big charcoal chunks? I've watched mine take bites of the big chunks on many occasions. I figure there must be something about charcoal that's good for their digestive systems.

When I was a kid we raised pigs and every year my dad would haul a burnt log out of the burn pile and put it in their run. Every pig we ever raised ate charcoal off those logs. I'll have to ask the reasoning behind this sometime. Unfortunately I can't remember and we aren't exactly talking right now. Wonder if grandma knows...

 

[Shan30]

The only reason I questioned NOT culling was because of Susan. She is so soft hearted and felt attached instantly. She cried when we culled him.. But it was the right thing to do, and I don't regret it. 

Sorry you had to do this, I can't imagine that it's a pleasant task. As I may need to do this one day, would you mind telling me how you cull chicks? Usually if Erick is not home and something is suffering I use a firearm. I suppose that would work for a chick but it seems inappropriate somehow. You can PM me if you prefer!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Just wrote a post and it was lost to an internet glitch

Anyhow...what I said was that I do give some of the chunks in and they do have a nutritive value. I see the kiddos eat some now and then.

I have to sift, though, and then throw the good charcoal pieces back in. At least one time I got some nails in my batch. They will sometimes burn items that they have to take apart and occasionally miss a nail or 2...wood that has been donated to them but not treated lumber. They don't use it often, but I'd rather be safe than sorry so I like to try to sift through to see what might be hiding in there.



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And...while we're talking about ash, it might be worth re-posting this about the treated lumber:

Beware of ash from treated lumber....DON'T BURN TREATED LUMBER ON YOUR PROPERTY!

Quote: READ THE WHOLE STUDY HERE: http://www.noccawood.ca/docs/cca_wood_ash.html



Edited for a spelling.