The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[misbhaven]

they are new to being broody.. and all three are back at it today i was hoping after the one spent all day out free ranging with my bantams she was over it..she didn't want back in at all but no today back to sitting..oh well they have 4 more eggs to try with...of course it has to be the best layers so used to get 4 eggs a day from those 5 hens now i get about 4 eggs a week..thinking of putting 2 of them in a big chicken wire cage I had for meaties just a 4x8 cage with a tarp for a roof basically a big dog crate no nest boxes to sit in...

 

[armorfirelady]

they are new to being broody.. and all three are back at it today i was hoping after the one spent all day out free ranging with my bantams she was over it..she didn't want back in at all but no today back to sitting..oh well they have 4 more eggs to try with...of course it has to be the best layers so used to get 4 eggs a day from those 5 hens now i get about 4 eggs a week..thinking of putting 2 of them in a big chicken wire cage I had for meaties just a 4x8 cage with a tarp for a roof basically a big dog crate no nest boxes to sit in...

I had cracked eggs with my new broodies. I took old towels and folded them and put them on the bottom of the nesting box and covered it with shavings. It prevented cracked eggs from the broodies and the other hens who were trying to lay in the same nest. I left it to the chicks hatched and the moms took them out during the day then just took them out, shook them out & threw them in the washer. ( they were old towel not ones people use ) I had no more cracked eggs

 

[MargaretYakoda]

I had cracked eggs with my new broodies. I took old towels and folded them and put them on the bottom of the nesting box and covered it with shavings. It prevented cracked eggs from the broodies and the other hens who were trying to lay in the same nest. I left it to the chicks hatched and the moms took them out during the day then just took them out, shook them out & threw them in the washer. ( they were old towel not ones people use ) I had no more cracked eggs

We do something similar with old car floor mats. Not the carpet ones, but the 100% plastic or rubber or whatever-it-is ones. Similar to the ones here for the back seat of the car: http://www.weathertech.com/all-vehicle-mats-avm/ Just put some wood shavings on top and they're perfect. Haven't had a cracked egg on those mats since. Wish I had a few more of them! LOL!

 

[Wasson6Pack]

I'm trying to catch up on this thread, it is packed with so much great info for someone like me who is trying to start from scratch in starting a natural farm.

I just found out that my Turkeys have blackhead and I'm now down to 3 from 12. I'm working on getting it under control and want to prevent it naturally in the future if possible. I've heard about some cayenne in the feed helps as a prevention, are there other steps I can take?

 

[armorfirelady]

Today's pics of the babies. They are not so little anymore. 5 weeks old if I remember correctly. Little grey isn't so grey anymore & the fact I can see her pink comb so far away makes me think she is a he. But fingers still crossed she's a she I'm curious to see what she feathers out as since she is losing her grey fluff

 

[lalaland]

@misbehavin

Very sad...has this particular broody girl ever brooded before?

@lalaland

I sure wish my new kids had a mom... I love that they can get in there with the elders....and a thousand other things they get to do when they have a mamma.

yeah, thats the funny thing, the 3 chicks weren't raised by a mom - I had the six that were hatched, and picked up three cream legbar day old pullets from a fellow bycer. only one turned out to be a rooster, but anyway, those three are scooting around and no one bothers them!

Wasson6pack, I don't know a darned thing about blackhead! wish you luck.

 

[misbhaven]

I went down to check my incubator and found a yellow Maran chick so that Wheaten Roo..made at least one baby hmm i think i have two more from that time frame in here and 4 under those hens..hoping for a few more the were expensive birds..and an update on that it had to have just been and injury from that fox attack..now just crossing my fingers this chick makes it it had a pretty big bulbous belly!!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I have a broody duck. I gave her some fertile chicken eggs. Is that acceptable? I don't have a drake so the only fertile eggs I have are chicken eggs. Any suggestions for things to look out for with a broody duck? Any idea how many chicken eggs I should give her? Right now she has 4 chicken eggs but she gathered up duck eggs this morning that I had to take away.

 

[armorfirelady]

I have a broody duck.  I gave her some fertile chicken eggs.  Is that acceptable?  I don't have a drake so the only fertile eggs I have are chicken eggs.  Any suggestions for things to look out for with a broody duck?  Any idea how many chicken eggs I should give her?  Right now she has 4 chicken eggs but she gathered up duck eggs this morning that I had to take away. 

I think it was Stoney who had a duck raising chicks and had no problems. I would think it would be fine. She might not like it when they don't swim tho

 

[Leahs Mom]

I have a broody duck. I gave her some fertile chicken eggs. Is that acceptable? I don't have a drake so the only fertile eggs I have are chicken eggs. Any suggestions for things to look out for with a broody duck? Any idea how many chicken eggs I should give her? Right now she has 4 chicken eggs but she gathered up duck eggs this morning that I had to take away.

@aoxa May have some experience with this.