The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[slayv4petz]

I do not add extra light during the winter months, I believe in letting them have the rest nature intends. I still get eggs all winter just less.

As for heat they don't need it. Cold won't kill hens but drafts will. They need ample ventilation all winter also. My hens are in a hoop coop covered with a billboard. They puff up at night and snuggle together to keep warm. A few hay bales around the perimeter keep out cold drafts. The window on the door is open year round and I have 2 roof vents as well. I live in the snow belt where temps in the teens are normal all winter with windchills below 0. I've never lost a bird to the cold or have they ever gotten frost bite. If you provide heat for your birds and you lose power the birds won't do well since they are used to a heat source.

Thank you for your insight.
You can keep your cold weather, but I'll put my request in now for sharing your snow but only for Christmas
I'm of the mindset that I don't give a hoot what anyone says about our way of doing things, but I certainly understand where sunflower is coming from, sometimes though it is fun to poke the bear

 

[ronott1]

I have been using extra light in my coop, but now I'm re-thinking it. If I decide to turn off the light, should I take it out gradually, or just go cold turkey (so to speak)?

Adding light is fine. The further north you live the less light there will be. Chickens naturally come from a place with nearly year round light. We have moved them to a place that is not natural to them so it can be argued that providing light up north is natural. You can let them rest for a couple of months in the Fall to winter and then start the lights in December as a compromise. Older hens will usually take a break of up to 6 weeks when they molt each fall too.

If you live up past Canada, you would only have eggs for half the year with most breeds. Even where I live, no eggs from leghorns from mid October to February without light.

 

[hennible]

I supplement light, I keep it at about 14 hours a day in the winter, like ronott1 said they get a break when they moult.

 

[slayv4petz]

Since we got the chickens, I've never used light, honestly I had never thought to, the only light source comes from the lamp attached to the back of the house, and that's only for me, so I can see into the back yard. Plus since we have birds, if I want a good night's sleep, it's lights out for everyone
I will admit that at first I was a little nervous leaving everyone outside last night, got pretty cold last night, not below freezing, but because these guys are our 1st group of chickens, I don't want anything to happen to them, I have had all 9 in overnight, but I resisting doing that again

 

[ronott1]

Since we got the chickens, I've never used light, honestly I had never thought to, the only light source comes from the lamp attached to the back of the house, and that's only for me, so I can see into the back yard. Plus since we have birds, if I want a good night's sleep, it's lights out for everyone

I will admit that at first I was a little nervous leaving everyone outside last night, got pretty cold last night, not below freezing, but because these guys are our 1st group of chickens, I don't want anything to happen to them, I have had all 9 in overnight, but I resisting doing that again

If the pullets started laying in late August to now, they usually keep laying for the first winter. This does not always work for leghorn based breeds though.

 

[slayv4petz]

I only have 1 hen laying, the rest are to young, my husband found them through internet, was only getting 3 wound up with 8 plus a duck, I actually sought out my crazy jg rooster had one as a child, and had always wanted to get another one

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
I don't use light either. Now you do have a point that it may have been "natural" in the environment from which they CAME. Their original environment was warmer year-round too, reducing the need to use a good amount of their energy to keep themselves warm and sheltered, and healthy. Therefore, they could use more of their resources toward laying eggs and also had an environment that was better suited to raising young year-round.

Enter our particular environments. I want healthy, thriving birds here in the environment that they are in NOW. It is colder here and the natural light reflects the colder times of the year. Not a great time for them to be raising young...and really, that's the purpose of their producing eggs in the first place.

It makes great sense to me that the "rest" coincides with the time of year that they need most of their nutrition to keep warm and alive, keeping them healthy throughout the most stressful time weather-wise, so that they can re-build and be ready for a fruitful late winter, spring and early fall...

 

[jime]

I need some help with this bird.
First I need to know if isa boy or girl I don't know much about silkies, I think is a girl.
I got this little thing on the weekend she has been in quarantine so far (my friend got it form an older lady) I want it silkies so I got it.She has not show of any respiratory illnesses neither lies on feather (vent under wings etc), but she has the worst feet ever I don't know if is scaly mites or something else, I just want to believe that is dirt and dry weather and stuff in there but… there is when i need your opinions.
Today after the bit of snow I got her and start with cleaning I soak her feet in warm water and after start to pill the gross things with a scalpel, I did cut her nail they did need a big trimming. I have stop to give her a rest and put some coconut oil as a moisturizer and to help with the minor cuts she got in the process.
One thing i notice is on her litre toes not the one up, once i pull the gunk almost look that the toe skin is dying she still able to move that toe but use just a tiny bit of connection between the nail and rest of the toe.

Any ways I will need some ideas of treatment if there is something else i need to do.
I am thinking on doing another cleaning on Wednesday (every other day from then until cure) but maybe just with warm water and a baby brush, and then put the coconut oil.


Comb picture (I think is girl)


Before the spa treatment.


During the spa treatment notice the white thing almost not shape to the foot.




After the treatment.


The stuff that came off


Thanks

 

[hoosiercheetah]

I need some help with this bird.
Thanks

You know you need to cut her nails, right?

 

[jime]

Yes I did cut them a bit (pic 5) the ones form the extra toe where actually inside the white stuff.
I know I need to cut them more but I did to want to make her bleed more.