The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

They like the nests put in hay bales we stacked around the inside to give added warmth. made little cave in the bottom that we can put a barrier in front of for when the chicks hatch, as we have 2 hens that aren't interested in brooding but love to raise babies, thinking might be a good idea to put both of them in there when the chicks hatch, any opinions on 1 or 2 hens?

The flock really likes their FF now it's getting colder added in 1 tsp of cayenne pepper to a 5 gal bucket along with the garlic we are keeping in it.

@slordaz

Could you do some photos of your hay bale nests and the little brooding cave?


Are you saying that your hens will raise chicks when they haven't brooded? I have heard of some folks having hens adopt babies, but usually the older hens will kill chicks if they just show up. Have you had them raise chicks that just showed up before?

 

[slordaz]

I will try and get photos tomorrow

yes these 2 chicks have now raised 2 different sets of fuzzballs we brought in, first time they were only 8 weeks old, raised 3 RIR;s the other raised 8 cornish x's which we still have one in the flocklol. We thought couldn't hurt as all it took was her hearing the chicks , she chicknapped one outta the box and wouldn't shut up until we gave her the other 2. She watched over them for almost a month then let em go

 

[gjamesi]

I will try and get photos tomorrow

yes these 2 chicks have now raised 2 different sets of fuzzballs we brought in, first time they were only 8 weeks old,  raised 3 RIR;s the other raised 8 cornish x's which we still have one in the flocklol. We thought couldn't hurt as all it took was her hearing the chicks , she chicknapped one outta the box and wouldn't shut up until we gave her the other 2. She watched over them for almost a month then let em go

Jealous.
What are they,rir?

 

[slordaz]

Jealous.
What are they,rir?

They are both Barred Rocks, my avatar was a picture of the first one that did this. The chicks with her are the 3 RIR and are just maturing now, unfortunately 2 will be leaving as they all turned out to be roosters.

Not sure if this has anything to do with it or not but we raised them from 3 days old in a brooder with a duck same age and they all thought the duckling was momma as it was bigger. still cannot seperate the drake from the flock though which is kinda aggrivating

 

[gjamesi]

They are both Barred Rocks, my avatar was a picture of the first one that did this. The chicks with her are the 3 RIR and are just maturing now, unfortunately 2 will be leaving as they all turned out to be roosters.

Not sure if this has anything to do with it or not but we raised them from 3 days old in a brooder with a duck same age and they all thought the duckling was momma as it was bigger. still cannot seperate the drake from the flock though which is kinda aggrivating

 

[slordaz]

warning not best picture taker but got happy hens lol. We got this idea from the hens themselves as they were wanting to lay out in the big hay bales we brought in for a wind break. They have been lots happier since we buried the nesting box they like to use one bale under and 2 on top so was at same level they were wanting to be at. winter is getting ready to start here and getting cold.

also adding in pic of the little cave that we made for late hatch chicks and a hen, to make sure they had their own space but would keep warm





this when in use we have another pallet to put at the front so they can see each other but are seperated

 

[lazy gardener]

Nicely done.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@slordaz
Nice! and good insulation for eggs during the winter I'm betting!


I wonder if my red girl (the hedgehog broody from last year) who is almost completely naked AGAIN would go into something like your cave to keep warmer. I'm afraid she won't grow out before it gets too cold again. So far the temps haven't been extreme but it must be cold even in the low 40s at night to be mostly naked when you're trying to sleep.

 

[slordaz]

Leah, mine go into the nesting box better unless of course there is chicks in the cave. They like to go in and push the middle bedding in front of the hole they are in lol

if all else fails make her a sweater fast. lol sorry couldn't resist, gotta have humor when they don't wanna follow norms

I know it has been here, even the dual purpose hens are wanting the oatmeal with cayenne pepper the leghorns favor on chilly mornings. We are expecting snow tomorrow. some days the leghorns aren't laying now and that's fine, but since we did the change adding the hay bales and they stay a little warmer it stopped fluctuating quite so much. We will see how winter treats everyone as they aren't getting artificial light or anything.

They think it's funny to mess with me when tired, and as it's been a while internal egg laying is a worry then I remember the dual purpose are better cold layers than poor scrawny legghorn hens their first year

 

[Leahs Mom]

So am I seeing those nests right...

Is it just hay bale with a wood front and nothing but the hay bale inside? You pulled out enough to make a place for them to go inside but there are no walls inside except the hay?