The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[CherMoz]

Imagine my surprise,right now when I just went to collect eggs. I know which hen laid it and she is not a new layer per se. She started a couple months ago, I don't think I've ever seen one this small,.

I've had some like that, too! When I crack them open, they are all egg white.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@armorfirelady
I had one like that after mine had been laying for awhile. So I think it must not be too out of the ordinary!

 

[slordaz]

Hello everyone my name is Sherry and I live in Idaho just getting back into raising chickens.

I would really like to raise them naturally but started the flock with new chicks and no adult chickens we have 5 barred rocks and one Americana as the other one died unexpectedly, they are dual purpose meat/eggs.

I do a lot for myself with essential oils and teas due to I don't get along well with chemicals and preservatives so am going to try and go natural with the flock too.

They started on non medicated starter feed as too cold for them to be outside as young as they are, plenty of bugs around though when they do go outside as it's flood irrigated farm land. is grass,grains and bugs going to give them enough nutrition though during the growing season? and what would you recommend for wintertime feeding though as snow is to deep here.

 

[lazy gardener]

I would recommend that you give them regular feed, and let them supplement from their free range. You could only feed them in the evening before they go to roost to encourage them to get the most out of the ranging they do.

 

[Leahs Mom]

When they are babies, you should give them feed at all times, being sure that it is high enough protein. I do make my own feed for my birds, but I'm very careful with protein levels and also watching the proper level of calcium - which is much lower for the chicks. My home made feed also uses a mineral mix.

It will be awhile before they are big enough to truly free-range as they will be "hawk-fodder" and other predators can more easily get the little ones.

Even when they are older, I would allow feed for them. They will range and prefer what they can get on their own, and only use the feed as a backup when they are older. But I always leave it available. In the wintertime, you will have to provide feed as well.


If you want to go natural, it is not "natural" for chickens to eat legume seeds. It's very hard to find any feed that doesn't incorporate legumes, but there are some feeds that are soy-free at least. Soy is toxic to them (and you) unless is it cooked; and it is only "less toxic" when cooked as it contains anti-nutrients that aren't removed in the cooking process totally. A field pea can be used without cooking, but it also has anti-nutrient properties...just not at as high a level as the soy does. So I'd say one thing you could do is try to find a feed that doesn't have soy and that uses organic ingredients (or items that are not grown with herbicides if you can work that out.)

 

[slordaz]

I would be interested in making my own feed where can I find information on doing that?

We will have a garden out soon and no legumes or beans, can that also be Incorporated, as gonna cover it to keep animals out of it.
Fruits:
apple and cherry trees along with raspberry,blueberry watermelon,cantaloupe

Veggies:
broccoli,bell peppers,tomato, sugar snap peas.onions,cucumbers.

Herbs: are catnip, mountain mint, spearmint, mustard, cilantro,dill, thyme, cumin

trying to make sure nothing that is gonna be toxic if they get into it, we are growing with just the mountain mint as it attracts predatory bugs to keep the bad bugs out, not even fertilizer

 

[lalaland]

Imagine my surprise,right now when I just went to collect eggs. I know which hen laid it and she is not a new layer per se. She started a couple months ago, I don't think I've ever seen one this small,.

I've only had a few of those in all my years - they are so funny. Oldtimers call them "wind eggs". not sure why. I didn't ask

 

[lalaland]

In the spring, my yard is very swamp-like. Our house was built on the side of a hill, so filler dirt was used to create a flat area for the house and yard. The filler dirt just happens to be very thick clay. In the spring, our front yard holds enough water that it comes to just above the soles of your shoes - just deep enough to get the inside of your shoes wet. Every year, we have thousands of tad poles. Do you think it will hurt the chickens at all to be in that? Will they eat tadpoles?

Hey Jessimash, welcome to the thread, and my apologies if I've missed you before.

The chickens will probably eat the tadpoles, mine eat frogs. I've never had a chicken resist walking thru wet mud puddles, or standing water pooled in the yard or meadow. I would say as long as they have dry spots to be in, they will be fine!

 

[Jessimash]

Hey Jessimash, welcome to the thread, and my apologies if I've missed you before.

The chickens will probably eat the tadpoles, mine eat frogs. I've never had a chicken resist walking thru wet mud puddles, or standing water pooled in the yard or meadow. I would say as long as they have dry spots to be in, they will be fine!

Thank you so much! There is plenty of space for them to run around. I'm picking up my first ever chickens Friday. I don't expect them to wander into the front yard for a while, but just wanted to make sure it wouldn't be a problem if they did.

 

[armorfirelady]

@armorfirelady
I had one like that after mine had been laying for awhile. So I think it must not be too out of the ordinary!

Quote: Its a first for me but my thought is as long as it isn't a fart egg its all good.