The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[vpatt]

Thanks for all ideas on raising chicks without a broody! I am not positive I want to do it....but do think i should know how. BUT if I have all the things I need and I ever have orphaned chicks I should be able to care for them. I think I am more reluctant to try this with the yucky weather. Unfortunately, the stores wont have day old chicks in warm weather.

I especially like the idea of the grass plug in the brooder. We don't exactly have a lawn since we are in the woods. But I bet a bit of moss and leaves would be good too. And I do have a bit of grass....I just don't remember if we planted it or not. Lots of good ideas. It seems to me I have most of what I need except for a lamp.....and even tho I don't want to do this in the winter I know I will be likely to get chicks if I see them. Sigh....lol

Thnx everyone!

 

[vpatt]

On the subject of brooding chics....
After finally breaking one of the tabs on my Brinsea heat plate, I decided to try the premier heat plate. Adjusting the legs on the premier is so much easier and I was able to buy 2 for almost the price of 1 brinsea. Highly recommend looking in to the premier plate. Plus you can get the covers for them. I didn't yet but plan to. It works well. Now I'm extremely ready for warmer weather.some of these chics are way too big to be living in the house. I have 5 teens and a dozen littles here, yikes!

Can someone explain to me about heat plates, please? Are they for brooders......instead of lamps? Or some other use. Can they be used in a tote or do you need to buy a specific brooder....or am I way off on what they are? Thnx

 

[ronott1]

Can someone explain to me about heat plates, please? Are they for brooders......instead of lamps? Or some other use. Can they be used in a tote or do you need to buy a specific brooder....or am I way off on what they are? Thnx

Brinsea and premier1 both sell a brooder plate that is a replacement for a heat lamp. You can use in in any brooder that it will fit in.

I like the Premier1 plate better and it is a lot less expensive.

http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=135875&cat_id=173

They are more like a broody hen for raising chicks.

 

[vpatt]

Brinsea and premier1 both sell a brooder plate that is a replacement for a heat lamp. You can use in in any brooder that it will fit in.

I like the Premier1 plate better and it is a lot less expensive.

http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=135875&cat_id=173

They are more like a broody hen for raising chicks.

Thanks ronott, that sounds so much better to me than a light.....but it is pricier. I think using a light is not appealing to me...I'm not sure why exactly. So I will need to decide about the cost. I wonder how you could cover it if you did not buy the cover. I will need to check the feed store to see if they carry it.
thnx.

I have a chicken question, also. My little RSL seems to be laying earlier and earlier each day instead of later. The problem with that is that she seems to not be getting to the nest before she lays her egg. There is a nest in the coop but she has never used it. She likes a nest that is across the yard. So she has to wait on me to open the coop. At first I thought it was snow related somehow. She was laying at the door of her nest box and on the ground just outside the box....once the egg was in the snow and I couldn't see it and stepped on it. This morning she had laid in the coop floor even tho I had gone out earlier than usual. Well, I guess that was more a statement than a question, lol. She is my very best layer and I feel like I am torturing her by not letting her out early enough. It was 6:30 this morning....so it is not like I'm waiting until late. I don't know how to get her to lay in the nest inside the coop. That would solve the problem. I really want a couple more RSL's....but I don't want to have to get up at 3 or 4 in the morning...lol.

 

[ronott1]

Thanks ronott, that sounds so much better to me than a light.....but it is pricier. I think using a light is not appealing to me...I'm not sure why exactly. So I will need to decide about the cost. I wonder how you could cover it if you did not buy the cover. I will need to check the feed store to see if they carry it.
thnx.

I have a chicken question, also. My little RSL seems to be laying earlier and earlier each day instead of later. The problem with that is that she seems to not be getting to the nest before she lays her egg. There is a nest in the coop but she has never used it. She likes a nest that is across the yard. So she has to wait on me to open the coop. At first I thought it was snow related somehow. She was laying at the door of her nest box and on the ground just outside the box....once the egg was in the snow and I couldn't see it and stepped on it. This morning she had laid in the coop floor even tho I had gone out earlier than usual. Well, I guess that was more a statement than a question, lol. She is my very best layer and I feel like I am torturing her by not letting her out early enough. It was 6:30 this morning....so it is not like I'm waiting until late. I don't know how to get her to lay in the nest inside the coop. That would solve the problem. I really want a couple more RSL's....but I don't want to have to get up at 3 or 4 in the morning...lol.

If you are not brooding too many chicks, it is pricey. If you are running a light for chicks most of the year, the brooder plate will pay for itself because of the lower energy usage.

You RSL is on a less than 24 hour cycle. She will get to where she will be skip a day and then will start late in the day. She will get the egg in the nest box eventually. Make sure another hen is not kicking the egg out of the nest box.

 

[vpatt]

If you are not brooding too many chicks, it is pricey. If you are running a light for chicks most of the year, the brooder plate will pay for itself because of the lower energy usage.

You RSL is on a less than 24 hour cycle. She will get to where she will be skip a day and then will start late in the day. She will get the egg in the nest box eventually. Make sure another hen is not kicking the egg out of the nest box.

Thanks....for a while there she was laying those ginormous double yolkers....not that I don't like large eggs...but they would have blood on them and i thought that might not be good for her. Now she is going backwards with her timing...lol. thanks for explaining...I had only read about hens laying later each day...which I have seen in my other girls. Lol, I even wonder if our outside light might keep the chickens awake at night.....I guess I am just a worrier.

 

[farmerfogg]

I brooded mine in a large size dog crate in my house. Water bottle with chicken nipple for the waterer, chick feed tray for feed, heat lamp that is secured very well to prevent fall or fire, chick feed and some chick grit. We have raised our chicks from Southern States, two years in a row. They are very hardy, healthy and fun to raise.

 

[armorfirelady]

Just checking in.mive had enough of the below zero temps & snow. Both heated bowls were frozen and it turned out the gfi tripped so after digging it out and unplugging the Christmas lights I'm hopeful it won't trip again. Tomorrow I need to shovel snow off the coop and the roofs. It's so heavy and has caused structurial damage to my garage and leaking in the house. Spring can't come soon enough !!!!!

Oh and I'm fostering a mom & 3 newborn pups. Momma isn't site what to make of the chickens. But the hens sound the alarm when she gets near the gate. How they know it's not one of other dogs I have no idea. They don't sound the alarm for them

 

[lalaland]

mom and babies are lucky to have you!

 

[vpatt]

Thanks....for a while there she was laying those ginormous double yolkers....not that I don't like large eggs...but they would have blood on them and i thought that might not be good for her. Now she is going backwards with her timing...lol. thanks for explaining...I had only read about hens laying later each day...which I have seen in my other girls. Lol, I even wonder if our outside light might keep the chickens awake at night.....I guess I am just a worrier.

Sassy laid her egg in the nest this morning. It just occurred to me that sometimes someone sleeps in the nest and since Sassy is on the low end of the peçking order....maybe she couldn't get in the nest.