The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[slordaz]

Yeah we found the tracks not the animal , his saving grace, is only reason he hasn't been sent to freezer camp. We just decided wasn't wandering around in the almost chest deep snow, it hasn't come back or died from blood loss.

The 2 roosters and the drake work well together to keep the hens safe BR is the aggressive defender, red stays and calms the hen and Drake helps which ever needs it the most lol.

 

[Leahs Mom]

 

[mossyroo]

I just recently enclosed the bottom of my coop but for a different reason. One of my hens decided that right BEHIND one of the nest boxes, underneath the coop, would be a good place to stash her eggs. They were a real pain to dig out every day,

 

[slordaz]

I just recently enclosed the bottom of my coop but for a different reason. One of my hens decided that right BEHIND one of the nest boxes, underneath the coop, would be a good place to stash her eggs. They were a real pain to dig out every day,

maybe she wants to brood and thats why she his them so you wouldn't take them

 

[circlehouse]

Newbie here! I haven't read all the pages of this thread so I appologize if this has been answered... I'm getting my chicks next month, I'm planning on the deep litter method in the coop and the run. What is the best way to start it? I was planning on pine shavings but I read on here that might not be the best way... Any advice/insights? I will be brooding my chicks in the coop with he mama heating pad method.

 

[jmdes]

Another Newbie here, this looks like a great thread. I'll be going back and reading some of these pages for sure.

I've had chickens for 1 year (7 hens, 2 BlackLaced Wyandottes, 2 Orpingtons, 3 EasterEggers).
I have 21 eggs in the incubator now, and today is Day #20. I'm an anxious momma....hovering and peering into the windows waiting to see some pips.

Jan

 

[circlehouse]

That's the same ratio of breeds Im about to get! Do they get along well?

 

[Molpet]

Newbie here! I haven't read all the pages of this thread so I appologize if this has been answered... I'm getting my chicks next month, I'm planning on the deep litter method in the coop and the run. What is the best way to start it? I was planning on pine shavings but I read on here that might not be the best way... Any advice/insights? I will be brooding my chicks in the coop with he mama heating pad method.

in the coop I used dry leaves I had collected and straw.. the straw didn't work too well, unless it is chopped. when I ran out of leaves I used shavings and shredded newspaper/white junk mail. The paper tends to pack into clumps so I use about 1/4 paper to 3/4 shavings.. I will be collecting a lot more leaves this year they work the best.
In the run I have my compost pile, so that gets spread around... added some shavings in muddy spots

 

[JanetMarie]

Another Newbie here, this looks like a great thread. I'll be going back and reading some of these pages for sure.

I've had chickens for 1 year (7 hens, 2 BlackLaced Wyandottes, 2 Orpingtons, 3 EasterEggers).
I have 21 eggs in the incubator now, and today is Day #20. I'm an anxious momma....hovering and peering into the windows waiting to see some pips.

Jan

I like your Easter Egger avitar. I'm hopefully getting some Ameraucanas in the future with brown/wild colors. They probably will not be an APA accepted color.

 

[lazy gardener]

Newbie here! I haven't read all the pages of this thread so I appologize if this has been answered... I'm getting my chicks next month, I'm planning on the deep litter method in the coop and the run. What is the best way to start it? I was planning on pine shavings but I read on here that might not be the best way... Any advice/insights? I will be brooding my chicks in the coop with he mama heating pad method.

If you have a stash of fall leaves, those work great. Otherwise, you might use chopped straw, and add grass clippings. You could start with shavings, and convert to more natural options as they come available.