The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[LindaB220]

Naked Necks/Turkens are hard to beat in in hot humid weather (as well as very cold climes).

Linda, I talked to Jason today...he said please don't despair...you are being pushed to the front burner!!!

I see the lure of NN. They just look different. I know that people either love 'em or hate 'em. It's hard not to love Rudy.

No hurry, just if he can get to it. If not, next time. No worries.

 

[Turk Raphael]

I see the lure of NN. They just look different. I know that people either love 'em or hate 'em. It's hard not to love Rudy.

No hurry, just if he can get to it. If not, next time. No worries.

To call Rudy a NN is just a bit of an understatement.

 

[armorfirelady]

Love seeing them enjoying the leaves! If I could get motivated I'd go rake some of the ones in this yard for the winter....

That's why I like when people around me put the bagged leaves to the curb. That means I don't have to bag them And mine can go in the garden & the compost to use for the veggie garden

 

[Leahs Mom]

We're getting kennels set up in the pole barn today. This is going to be one of those "experiments". My mind is already racing trying to figure out the best way to get them outside when the weather allows. They will be set so there is a gate down toward the sliding door so I can just open the slider a short way and then open the gate.

The bad thing about this is that there is then no "overhead protected" area like they have at the hen shed. And there will not be any enclosure at all. Hen shed currently has a 20x20 kennel space attached to it that can be closed but there is still overhead hawk protection on it. Most the time that gate is open, but it does provide a place to change things from time to time if there are a lot of hawks around. And it has a great, healthy deep litter in it that they love to dig in. In the winter it is their outdoor area. I was shoveling it out so they'd go out...not doing that again, thus the barn.

On the barn, it would just be inside or outside; no in between. Rodents will be in there - which aren't in the hen shed. And there won't be automatic doors so they'll be indoors unless I open the big door.

Advantage is that they will have 12x16 of space inside and they can't force the younger ones to stay outside in extreme weather. Lots of room to run around and a couple possible ways to divide the inside of it so that I can separate if needed (like for the new rooster boys that need to be introduced to the flock in a "see no touch" area first...or if there is a bird causing trouble they can go to jail until I decide what to do with them. I can even divide off a breeding pen in there towards February.)

I CAN cut a pop door in the future if I decided to. But then I'd be back to elders keeping youngers outside....

So...this is an experimental winter.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Forgot to say that the current plan is to wait as LONG as I can before moving everyone. As long as there is no snow and it's still half-way green, they get to keep their current accommodations.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

@Leahs Mom we are experimenting this winter too as you know. My Dh asked a big question today as we were filling the floor up with more wood chips. He wanted to know how I was planning to remove the bedding. It got me thinking more on how I should plan to get the chickens used to the great outdoors again next spring. But the bedding will be a bit messy to remove too.

 

[armorfirelady]

The bad thing about this is that there is then no "overhead protected" area like they have at the hen shed. And there will not be any enclosure at all. Hen shed currently has a 20x20 kennel space attached t
So...this is an experimental winter.

Could you put some hawk hidey areas out for them? I know you have the dog crate...........perhaps you have a few old totes you could cut holes out of the front (like a nesting box I think you might of made?) They wouldn't need a lid if you just turned them upside down & set on the grass.

I have hawks around but luckily the crows are back so they have been keeping them on the move. But other than their one long A frame cover the girls area is wide open. They have learned to listen to the crows & they always seem to have an eye to the sky per se.

 

[lalaland]

Finally got this years sun porch done. It is just old plywood set on top of hay bales for walls, with scavanged windows screwed to the wood. But it provides a little additional outdoor space for them when the snow is deep. Last year I didn't use any windows, and it was dark - they still used it. I throw hay on the floor.

First, the coop is an old construction site trailer. THe chicken door is a hatch out the end. This first pic is from that end, and you can see the chicken door - that black square. The 2x 4's at the top of the picture are the "roof" of this part of th erun and are covered with wire fencing and are hawk protection in the fall/winter. You can see the snow fence on the left to confine them to winter quarters. Winter run is maybe 48' long and 15' wide.

The sun porch is three sided and open to the underside of the coop.




Here is the south side. Sorry for the annoying black shadows of the 2x4's.


Here's the inside of the sun porch taken from the open end which, looking at the end.




The open end of the sunporch leads under the coop. For winter, I put haybales on the north side to provide a windbreak, and to keep snow out of it. THis year I put an old storm window so there would be more light. You can see the window - looking straight at it. This is looking under the coop:



The chickens were pretty confused by the windows. I am pleased with the amount of light. I imagine I will have to shovel snow away from the windows. I wonder how much those plastic things are that people use over the basement windows?

 

[armorfirelady]

The open end of the sunporch leads under the coop. For winter, I put haybales on the north side to provide a windbreak, and to keep snow out of it. THis year I put an old storm window so there would be more light. You can see the window - looking straight at it. This is looking under the coop:



The chickens were pretty confused by the windows. I am pleased with the amount of light. I imagine I will have to shovel snow away from the windows. I wonder how much those plastic things are that people use over the basement windows?

Looks great Lala. I am sure they will get used to the windows and will enjoy them in the winter when they can sun bathe in front of them. I have picked up a few windows myself. They were to replace ones in the garage But I might just make up a little area for them using them

 

[Leahs Mom]

Love the use of the windows. Now you have to keep us updated as to how they use it during the cold/snowy months.