The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

@Leahs Mom You will like this. I have not seeen my hawk around in months. But my LGC (I had to steal your idea

since it suits them) have been around a lot. I finally figured out why..................they have a nest in my front pine tree

I hope this means they will stay around for the rest of the year & encourage their offspring to use the trees for nesting. I have a lot of pine trees......plenty of room for more.

I sure wish I could a vacancy sign up so more would come & nest

 

[joyfulkeeper]

@Leahs Mom
   You will like this.  I have not seeen my hawk around in months. But my LGC (I had to steal your idea  since it suits them)  have been around a lot. I finally figured out why..................they have a nest in my front pine tree :yiipchick e   I hope this means they will stay around for the rest of the year & encourage their offspring to use the trees for nesting. I have a lot of pine trees......plenty of room for more.

 I sure wish I could a vacancy sign up so more would come & nest 

What is nesting and keeping the hawk away?

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
LGC guessing livestock guardian crows. LOL crows and hawks don't get along, the crows will mob a hawk well away, especially if there's a nest.

grats ont he crows AFL. I like hearing mine, but they're up the hill some.

 

[Leahs Mom]

YEP LGC.... Livestock Guardian Crows

AFL - Got the seeds today I haven't opened the package yet but they're here

 

[armorfirelady]

YEP LGC.... Livestock Guardian Crows

AFL - Got the seeds today I haven't opened the package yet but they're here

I was very happy to see them nesting.

Glad to hear you got the seeds ok. I think tomorrow I am going to try getting some seeds going in egg cartons and keep them on the deck.

My cats think inside growing seedlings make great nap spots

 

[Leahs Mom]

I'm thinking I'm going to start them in pots or something too. That way I get a single trunk instead of a bunch of them coming up. (Rose of Sharon)

 

[armorfirelady]

I'm thinking I'm going to start them in pots or something too. That way I get a single trunk instead of a bunch of them coming up. (Rose of Sharon)

 

[Meinertzhagens]

fenwickchick~ Thank you, this makes me feel a lot better!


edited because I forgot to quote!

 

[delisha]

If you are new to chickens:

You just got new chicks and you want to be friends..Kewl

Please do not forget about the chicks needs
They need to be comfortable in the new place..please give them some time..stress is hard on a chicken and they stress with new things.
If you move a laying chicken to a new coop some of them will not lay for months..they hate change.

Chicks are offered and encouraged by mother hens to try most anything from day one...meats like raw liver are great treats..same with boiled eggs and some worms.
Using call words during feed times will make them relax and look forward to your visit..*here chick chick*.

Have fun with your new baby's..and enjoy..

 

[lalaland]

Well, I used a flashlight to check the broody for mites. I didn't see a darned thing, she has white fluffly feathers so it should have been easy to see something. Checked her neck, where she has been scratching like crazy, her back and her vent. DIdn't see anything on the nest or on the nest box either.

I tried to candle an egg, but the one I pulled out from under her was a dark brown egg and I couldn't see anything. She was getting upset with me so I left it at that and didn't try fishng out another egg.

Earlier when it was light out I pulled her out to do a mite/lice check , she did voluntarily take a dust bath, and I did use a little ash to rub into her neck and i dusted some of her feathers. Didn't see anything then either.


I found out something kind of funny. I was laying out a mesh fence to keep the chickens out of the garden, and it was laying on the ground while I got fence posts. It worked perfectly well as a chicken barrier, none of them wanted to cross it. I've used it for three days that way and only had one walk across it. So I found a plastic mesh fence in the shed and put that in the veggie garden around the asparagus bed and same thing, they wouldn't cross over it. I'm sure they will get used to it and start not being cautious, but its working now!