The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

My FIL took this picture the other day. What the heck do you think is going on here? He had no clue. It sure was pretty though.

 

[Melabella]

My FIL took this picture the other day. What the heck do you think is going on here? He had no clue. It sure was pretty though.

Frozen crop circles? Ice fishing attempts? That is strange

 

[aoxa]

Frozen crop circles?

LOL

does look similar!

I thought fishing holes, but it doesn't make sense. Who would make that many holes so close to shore for fishing?

It's beautiful though.

 

[delisha]

Quote: So a 1 day old egg is OK just as long as it's room temp?

perfect

 

[off-grid hen]

Can't... Stand... Anymore chick photos... Gaah!

I can't order spring chicks because I have enough chickens. I would love a couple splash ameraucanas, a few white rocks, and a few HRIR. But I am maxed out, and can't. It is killing me too look at all these chick pics! *sigh*.

 

[delisha]

Precious!
Thanks for sharing!

I'm wondering about cats in the coop. I am getting sick of having rats and mice tunneling under my fences and coop and tramping around my shop. I have bait boxes, traps and plain ol' poison tossed under the coop where nothing else can find it but I STILL have tunnels! ARGH! I've gotten so freaked out hearing stories about weasels and possums getting into the run but the darn rats keep making grand entrances for them! I am considering getting a couple of older kittens to live out in the coop and shop. I don't have the huge barn set up that many of you have, just a nice little 6x8 shed with an attached 15x35 run. I am thinking I could put a cat door in our shop which is next to the coop and garden so they could have a safe warmish place to go. I am a little worried about how cats would do with the chickens though. I'm not worried about my big girls. I've got a RIR that would take a cat out if she felt like it but I have 2 silkies and a little d'uccle that I worry about. Plus I'd like to let my silkie hatch some babies in the spring. What kind of experiences have you all had with cats and your chickens. Any advice about teaching the cats what they should hunt? As always I so appreciate all of your experience.

cats work great for rodent control, some cat do kill chicks too.
Stony has a remarkable cat that kills all kinds of things.

you might consider getting yourself a jack Russel or borrowing a friends every day for a few weeks

or a big 5 gallon bucket half filled with water or windshield washer fluid, you put a coat hanger across the top after you straighten it, slip a few empty spools of thread covered in peanut butter in the middle of the coat hanger. Try using some tape on each end so the spools don't spin to the edge of the bucket. Cover the whole thing in a wire feeder so the chickens can't get in. Some put a paint stick along side the bucket for the lil critter to crawl up.

 

[aoxa]

Can't... Stand... Anymore chick photos... Gaah!
I can't order spring chicks because I have enough chickens. I would love a couple splash ameraucanas, a few white rocks, and a few HRIR. But I am maxed out, and can't. It is killing me too look at all these chick pics! *sigh*.

Why not?

I see you have 23 birds by your signature. Obviously above city maximums. Is it just a personal limit?

I'm such an enabler.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

My FIL took this picture the other day. What the heck do you think is going on here? He had no clue. It sure was pretty though.

Showed the pic to DH and he's seen reference to this phenomenon before. It's totally natural. Link below gives explanation, scroll down for pic and text at bottom of article.

http://totalupdate.blogspot.com/2012/08/4-amazing-natural-phenomena.html

 

[delisha]

such a nice enabler..
she does look a bit full
however I don't think one or two more will make much difference
the kids obviously love them

 

[delisha]

You got gas Aoxia