The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

@armorfirelady
I'm like you...the first year I had the netting it barely snowed so I left it up almost all winter! (Had hoped to do that last year too but.....

Got the pole barn floor powerwashed yesterday and still haven't set up those kennels in there. I'm not looking forward to moving them and want them to use the shed as long as possible anyway. Maybe set up kennels next weekend and try to work out the bugs.

After all...it is just October! Seems like we should be able to use those nets until at least mid December. And you can use them when it's just a light snow anyhow...

If we don't get snow here till December that would be a very rare occurrence. We usually have at least a dusting by the end of October. I live in a lake effect snow area so snow is a given in the fall. It sure would be nice tho to keep the netting up till December tho

someone just gave us a thigh (i think) of venison. I have cut off all the meat for us, and pile of stuff for the dog. is it ok to throw the bone in the coop?

Absolutely !!! My hens love any raw meat I give them. After they clean off the bone I toss it into the compost pile to break down.

 

[lalaland]

@lalaland
Have you heard anything else on your birds?

not yet! I'll email the vet again if I don't hear tomorrow. I kind of know the hen had mareks because of the eye color change. I am anxious to see if the rooster who was nonsypmtomatic had any signs of it, and I'm anxious about the fecal results too.

I'm on day 6 of having turkey droppings and feathers in the run and no one has died yet. Seaquist is hanging in there, she was the one I thought looked off - different somehow- and seemed to have mucousy strands in her beak one day.

 

[Leahs Mom]

If we don't get snow here till December that would be a very rare occurrence. We usually have at least a dusting by the end of October. I live in a lake effect snow area so snow is a given in the fall. It sure would be nice tho to keep the netting up till December tho

Unfortunately I'm in a lake effect area too (Lake MI). The next county to the east isn't affected at all, it seems Not sure why it was so mild 2 winters ago.

 

[RedRidge]

We don't have to winterize until after Christmas here. I usually do my barn winterizing between Christmas and new years. Winter lasts about 60 days here and is very unusual to not get above freezing most afternoons. The good news is, everything thaws. The bad news is, everything thaws (plenty of mud).

 

[Leahs Mom]

We don't have to winterize until after Christmas here. I usually do my barn winterizing between Christmas and new years. Winter lasts about 60 days here and is very unusual to not get above freezing most afternoons. The good news is, everything thaws. The bad news is, everything thaws (plenty of mud).

Was your weather like that last year?

 

[RedRidge]

We don't have to winterize until after Christmas here. I usually do my barn winterizing between Christmas and new years. Winter lasts about 60 days here and is very unusual to not get above freezing most afternoons. The good news is, everything thaws. The bad news is, everything thaws (plenty of mud).

Was your weather like that last year?

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
If it was, I might plan to move there once I don't have family ties to central Indiana.

 

[armorfirelady]

We don't have to winterize until after Christmas here. I usually do my barn winterizing between Christmas and new years. Winter lasts about 60 days here and is very unusual to not get above freezing most afternoons. The good news is, everything thaws. The bad news is, everything thaws (plenty of mud).

60 days of winter.......wow that would be pretty cool. I do like the different seasons but as I get older they are making my arthritis worse. Tho I think Iw ould rather shovel snow instead of mud.

Are you sheep/lambs brown all spring with the mud?

 

[RedRidge]

We don't have to winterize until after Christmas here. I usually do my barn winterizing between Christmas and new years. Winter lasts about 60 days here and is very unusual to not get above freezing most afternoons. The good news is, everything thaws. The bad news is, everything thaws (plenty of mud).

60 days of winter.......wow that would be pretty cool. I do like the different seasons but as I get older they are making my arthritis worse.   Tho I think Iw ould rather shovel snow instead of mud. 

Are you sheep/lambs brown all spring with the mud? 

No its really not too bad. We either have snow or brown grass.

 

[armorfirelady]

Ah well brown grass I can handle I forgot the dogs are white also