The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Shan30]

We do have some luck in the fact that we do not have coyotes, fox, bobcat, possum, badger or skunk. Oh and no snakes large enough to even eat an egg. Just wolves and cougars and bears, oh my!

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote:
I have seen people do that on TV shows as well to keep bears out of their cabins when they are gone. They did them around windows & doors laid on the ground. Obviously that would not work with chickens walking around but perhaps in places they would put their noses or stouts

I don't think that hardware cloth would stop a bear....just sayin....

I dont think there would be much to stop a bear besides a bullet

 

[flagirl]

counting my blessings, it has been exactly 1 year since mama bear and cub got 5 of our hens. went and got a big rescue dog the next day. she loves the outdoors and considers the entire yard, plus the sky hers. we have brown bears and mama was probably around 350 #. we are not allowed to shoot them. The dog also has kept the bobcat away also. back up to 12 hens and holding!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Leahsmom, (it was you who asked about the drops? I'm too lazy to go back and look)
I've just been giving her liquid polyvisol and vit. E capsules. With sunflower seeds and wheat germ for the thiamine. And I got the nutridrench and put it in her water for a week.

Yes. Thanks!

Is she still improving?

 

[Shan30]

I have seen people do that on TV shows as well to keep bears out of their cabins when they are gone.  They did them around windows & doors laid on the ground.  Obviously that would not work with chickens walking around but perhaps in places they would put their noses or stouts
I dont think there would be much to stop a bear besides a bullet

No from what I've read and heard once they learn to kill and eat livestock it's incredibly rare for them to stop. Bears will travel hundreds of miles to get back to the farm they were relocated from.

counting my blessings, it has been exactly 1 year since mama bear and cub got 5 of our hens.  went and got a big rescue dog the next day.  she loves the outdoors and considers the entire yard, plus the sky hers.  we have brown bears and mama was probably around 350 #.  we are not allowed to shoot them.  The dog also has kept the bobcat away also.  back up to 12 hens and holding!!

Unfortunately our one dog that is outdoor full time has taken to mauling chickens. He hasn't killed one yet but has slobbered one and plucked another. He is now not to run the property without supervision. I hate that he can't run free anymore. I'll keep working with him though.

The other has become more of an indoor dog as we learned that ridgebacks can't handle cold at all. Either way the barking doesn't seem to bother the bears anymore and I don't let either of them out when a bear is around. I'd rather lose every chicken than one of my dogs.

 

[flagirl]

We have to keep our chickens in now. After the bear, we would let the new dog out all day, then in afternoon let the hens out and dog in. Within a week, an osprey or owl got our largest hen! they have a big run(only have 12) and the dog would bother them. she was 4 when we got her. I am sure she would love chicken. the bears here seem to stay away from big dogs.

 

[Shan30]

around here we can have bear problems with beehives. The only thing that stops them is a good stout electric fence. Not that they can't get through it, but it's far too much trouble. 

And I had a scare with a fox dragging chickens out. I can hardly imagine a BEAR.


Leahsmom, (it was you who asked about the drops? I'm too lazy to go back and look) 
I've just been giving her liquid polyvisol and vit. E capsules. With sunflower seeds and wheat germ for the thiamine. And I got the nutridrench and put it in her water for a week. 

Sorry about the fox! Glad to hear your wry neck girl is doing better. Hope she makes a full recovery!

 

[Leahs Mom]

I just put this on my state thread but I want to hear from y'all.

Let's talk about removing spur casings from roosters.

-Is it totally necessary to remove spur casings?
-Is this something that has been practiced for years or is it something relatively new in terms of small farm flocks?

-At what age do you do it?
-What happens if you don't do it?
-Do you separate them from the flock after removing spur casings? If so, for how long?
-Are you able to do it by yourself or do you need someone to help?
-Do you have any photos you can post?
-Any advice for first-time spur removers?

 

[Phoenixxx]

I just put this on my state thread but I want to hear from y'all.

Let's talk about removing spur casings from roosters. -Is it totally necessary to remove spur casings? -Is this something that has been practiced for years or is it something relatively new in terms of small farm flocks? -At what age do you do it? -What happens if you don't do it? -Do you separate them from the flock after removing spur casings? If so, for how long? -Are you able to do it by yourself or do you need someone to help? -Do you have any photos you can post? -Any advice for first-time spur removers?

I have never heard of this! Is there something wrong with roos having spurs? I know my first roo had rather impressive spurs that my husband said ought to be trimmed because they were so long and razor sharp, but none of the ladies had damage from them and he didn't use them against me so I just left them alone.

 

[islandgirl82]

I just put this on my state thread but I want to hear from y'all.

Let's talk about removing spur casings from roosters.

-Is it totally necessary to remove spur casings?
-Is this something that has been practiced for years or is it something relatively new in terms of small farm flocks?

-At what age do you do it?
-What happens if you don't do it?
-Do you separate them from the flock after removing spur casings? If so, for how long?
-Are you able to do it by yourself or do you need someone to help?
-Do you have any photos you can post?
-Any advice for first-time spur removers?

This is not something I've had to do as of yet but have done a fair amount of research on due to having a cockerel who may need it. From what I understand, the casing will continue to grow throughout the rooster's lifespan and can eventually lead to a rooster having trouble even walking normally. I also understand that by not at least dulling them via filing/sanding, they can also do a lot of damage to hens during mating, not to mention the damage they could do to anyone else for that matter if they really wanted to.

I've seen people cut them down with a dremel tool and I've seen people take pliers and twist them until they pop and slide off. Underneath is still fleshy and some recommended keeping the rooster away from the hens for a few days afterwards to give it time to heal because the hens would pick at it. It also bleeds but by using the dremel, it cauterizes as it cuts so there's very little to no blood but you run the risk of burning yourself or your bird. Those who used the dremel also had someone there to hold the rooster while they cut and those using the pliers were able to do it alone by using the football hold on the rooster.

There are loads of youtube videos too on how to do it. If/when the time comes for me to do it, I'm still unsure about which method I would use or if it's even the "right" thing to do. I can say that every source I found all said NOT to use nail clippers that you'd use on a dog/cat because it can cause the casing to splinter.

I've had two roosters before now and they didn't even have spurs; one was a year and a half when I rehomed him and the other was about 2 years old when I lost him to a fox.