The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

I'm excited because mollys herbal wormer and immune builder came today in the mail.
the wormer is wormwood, garlic, fennel, black walnut, and stevia. I think the stevia part is to make it taste good for the goats, alpacas and horses - she makes this product for goats, etc. but uses it on her chickens.

she says you should use a weekly worm tonic after dosing with the wormer. the tonic is supposed to build up the immune system, and is a blend of garlic, cucurbita pepo (think that is pumpkin seed) mugwort, fennel, hyssop, thyme and stevia.

lots of these are listed in your herbal list, Leah's mom!

Please keep us update on your experience with this!

 

[texasmomma]

We are building a new coop for the chickens. I have 4 in a chicken tractor and 7 in a grow out pen. My dh made the opening for the chickens to go in and out of the coop from the run yesterday. We're having to be pretty creative since we're using a building we already had on our property. Anyway, I'm very excited because we ordered an automatic chicken door from Jeremy Smith. I'm looking forward to seeing how it works.

 

[Leahs Mom]

We are building a new coop for the chickens. I have 4 in a chicken tractor and 7 in a grow out pen. My dh made the opening for the chickens to go in and out of the coop from the run yesterday. We're having to be pretty creative since we're using a building we already had on our property. Anyway, I'm very excited because we ordered an automatic chicken door from Jeremy Smith. I'm looking forward to seeing how it works.

We better get some photos!

And my chicken door is from Jeremy too! I'm about ready to get a second one.

I looked around trying to decide if I wanted a different type and I think I've settled on another from them. My next project is to put it on battery with an inverter and a little solar panel to charge. Haven't done that yet but it will sure come in handy when the door is open and the electric goes out. We've had that happen a coupe times and had to block the door manually so it's good to have something cut to size for emergency outages so you can just put it up with blocks temporarily.

I think I'm going to put them both on the battery. Just haven't gotten around to it.

Oh...and the best timer I found is the digital kind that you can get a Menards. They have the ability to set multiple on/off settings. I had 2 others I tried before just getting that one and I've been really happy with it.

 

[texasmomma]

We better get some photos!

And my chicken door is from Jeremy too! I'm about ready to get a second one.


I think I'm going to put them both on the battery. Just haven't gotten around to it.

Oh...and the best timer I found is the digital kind that you can get a Menards. They have the ability to set multiple on/off settings. I had 2 others I tried before just getting that one and I've been really happy with it.

I'm working on it. Right now, we are still housing bicycles in the building/coop. It's got chicken wire on the inside and hardware wire on the outside of two of the walls. The other two walls are sheet metal.

I thought that you had gotten a door from Jeremy. We already have electricity in the building, so having a door that runs on electricity is good for us. I also wanted a door that could run back up on battery, so it's good to know that we can get that figured out as well.

Is your timer one that works to turn lamps on and off in the house? Or is it different? I am thinking of something like this: http://www.menards.com/main/electri...outdoor-timer-heavy-duty/p-1898120-c-6471.htm

Though I am not sure how it will work if the electricity goes off, either. Hmm.

 

[gevshiba]

So excited! 3rd one pipped was the first out. A big, strong chick. He punched his way out! 3 more pipped so far.

 

[Leahs Mom]

An outdoor timer would probably be a better option since it's probably safer in the coop. I've just been using a regular household digital timer like this one:

http://www.menards.com/main/electri...let-digital-indoor-timer/p-2160727-c-6471.htm

The only time the electric is an issue is if the door is OPEN and needs to shut. If it's shut, when the elec goes out you can just pull it up and prop a stick or something in it to keep it open.

 

[RoKdHen]

Hi all I'm in. I know culling is something I'll have to get comfortable with, I'm willing so please be understanding too.

 

[Leahs Mom]

So excited! 3rd one pipped was the first out. A big, strong chick. He punched his way out! 3 more pipped so far.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Welcome...just jump right in

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Or right out in the case of that chick! Beautiful sequence shots!