The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Lala...how frustrating on B.

I remember Delisha say that some hens never lay eggs. Has anyone ever had that happen with any of yours? Just not laying any eggs at all ever?

 

[armorfirelady]

Lucy's eggs are lighter since her molt & winter break (if she is actually laying). Sophie my BCM lays so sporadic since her break and her eggs are darker.

I don't know if her poor laying since she started back up is the breed or just her?

Lala sorry to hear about your rooster but I don't think his lack of comb will chanpnge the taste of chicken soup

 

[Scott H]

Lala...how frustrating on B. 

I remember Delisha say that some hens never lay eggs.  Has anyone ever had that happen with any of yours?  Just not laying any eggs at all ever?

Yes, my SLW has not layed an egg yet...she is 14 months old. Slacker.....

 

[ki4got]

edited to rephrase and summarize... I got a bit, uh... random. LOL

I need plant suggestions to fit a 20x20 patch, wired in to keep the chickens from destroying it, that are prerennial and can tolerate both dry and wet conditions as they may occur. the soil is primarily clay based, with some shavings and chicken poo mixed in. LOL



ok need a bit of help here... I have my new pens I'm building... I've got 4 sections done and occupied, but still some slight modifications, like a ramp if I put any non-flying breeds in there (bantam cochins, silkies) and I'm going to put (sooner than later) a roost for them outside of the house section...

here's a pic prior to putting the doors on the 2 right hand houses...


what I am going to do is run a roost, parallel to the ground from the bottom of the house (see where the ramp on the left goes up to?), parallel to the side wall and attached to the upright the doors are hinged on... (confused yet?)

what I want to do is make a shelf of the end (nearest the door) to keep the water on, up out of the dirt/shavings and wire in a cage of sorts down to the ground from there, to make a planter box...

I may not be describing it well,but I can see it in my head. LOL

what I'm getting around to, is, I need to know what kinds of plants will be hardy, perennial and chickens will like nibbling on the parts they can reach. maybe a couple plants that grow well together? the space would be roughly 20" square and about 24" high that's caged off.
with the water over the top of it, when I fill water pans the plants get watered too. (large shallow metal pans like you see in the 2 left hand coops - they don't flip over easily and are easy for short birds to drink from.

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
show her the crockpot and cookbook...

 

[Scott H]

Besides my wife killing me it would cut our flock by a third....

 

[hellbender]

Yes, my SLW has not layed an egg yet...she is 14 months old. Slacker.....

About the only chickens I would tolerate that from would be a cock or a capon and they had darned better be showing me that they are at least trying! 7 or 8 months with no eggs is when I start getting really hungry for chicken stew!

 

[CoopChick719]

I don't have a neighborhood or trash day

4 houses on probably 500 acres make up my neighbors. Someone 5 miles away is still considered a neighbor

. Not a neighborhood. A GREAT life, but not a neighborhood

I lived in a tiny village once. No thanks, not for me.

lol. I only have 30 acres. But surrounded by old farm land and lots and lots of woods and a stream.

Ducks, I have...let me count in my head.... ........ only 21 right now. The girls should add to the count this year for me

Stony, Would love that but it's not in the cards right now. We have a hunting camp up North and have asked the man who owns the land (25 acres) beside us if he ever wants to sell, we'd like first refusal. He has said his family doesn't want it but it probably won't sell until he & his wife are gone.

 

[Scott H]

Besides my wife killing me it would cut our flock by a third....

Yep... but this is the "Backyard" Chicken site and that's where we are....we have 3 backyard chickens so they are pets. Eggs are a bonus.

 

[Sally8]

Lucy's eggs are lighter since her molt & winter break (if she is actually laying). Sophie my BCM lays so sporadic since her break and her eggs are darker.

I don't know if her poor laying since she started back up is the breed or just her?

Lala sorry to hear about your rooster but I don't think his lack of comb will chanpnge the taste of chicken soup

I'd like to know also how often BCM lay eggs. Mine lay maybe 3-5 eggs a week while the little Silkie mixes lay nearly every day.