The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

@Couchmo You better post some photos!

Personally...

I prefer shavings inside. And Chips/leaves outside.


Then the indoor shavings go outdoors after awhile right into the run when I need to get some out from inside. I use them indoors because I don't have a dirt floor and the chips just don't break down if they're not on dirt. Shavings inside work marvelously in that situation to keep order down and I don't have to clean them out as often as if I used chips.


Did you take a look at the link I posted in in the post with the photos? That tells how I get my wood chips - FREE!


That hen shed is updated since those photos with a second door - like you are doing except mine is off the back. The inside is divided into 2 chicken areas and each now has their own door so I can brood chicks on one side and they can get outdoors in the run on from their own door/division. (Of I can put an unruly bird on that side if needed.) I can also open the whole thing when the division isn't needed.



This shows the interior...if you look inside you can see a door that can divide off the left side.



Here you can see where the new door is cut but no dividing fence. Tarp added to create shade for that side.


Here is how I divide the sides - with temporary solution so I can combine the 2 sides. (Door wasn't cut yet and no tarp). Complete with unruly bird.



Temporary - I just clip it up.





Here are the babies using it.



Also have a little area we can walk in and an indoor nest box that we can access from the "people" part of the shed. (My daughter in the photo.)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Very Nice. I always love seeing how others are keeping their chickens, must be the nosey in me, as well as being able to steal great ideas from folks.

 

[Couchmo]

@Couchmo You better post some photos! Personally... I prefer shavings inside. And Chips/leaves outside. Then the indoor shavings go outdoors after awhile right into the run when I need to get some out from inside. I use them indoors because I don't have a dirt floor and the chips just don't break down if they're not on dirt. Shavings inside work marvelously in that situation to keep order down and I don't have to clean them out as often as if I used chips. Did you take a look at the link I posted in in the post with the photos? [COLOR=FF0000]That tells how I get my wood chips - FREE![/COLOR] That hen shed is updated since those photos with a second door - like you are doing except mine is off the back. The inside is divided into 2 chicken areas and each now has their own door so I can brood chicks on one side and they can get outdoors in the run on from their own door/division. (Of I can put an unruly bird on that side if needed.) I can also open the whole thing when the division isn't needed. This shows the interior...if you look inside you can see a door that can divide off the left side. Here you can see where the new door is cut but no dividing fence. Tarp added to create shade for that side. Here is how I divide the sides - with temporary solution so I can combine the 2 sides. (Door wasn't cut yet and no tarp). Complete with unruly bird. Temporary - I just clip it up. Here are the babies using it. Also have a little area we can walk in and an indoor nest box that we can access from the "people" part of the shed. (My daughter in the photo.)

Your coops/runs look & sound awesome. It's raining and thundering here today but it's supposed to be nicer tomorrow. I'll try to get some pics then. I did check your link and will be checking the area tree services. Of course I live in a really remote area so may have to borrow someone's truck and go pick up shavings but I can handle that

. As I said, my chickens are my "babies" so I'll do most anything to ensure they get good, healthy food and habitat as well as safety from area critters/predators. Thanks so much for all your help and guidance. I am essentially a noob when it comes to chickens. I got my first one last November after moving to my new home in September. I got 9 more early January then my first batch of peeps Feb 11. They are now just over 6 was old and already spoiled rotten lol

. I just love them & BYC. THANKS AGAIN! ;-)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Wow your set up is so neat and tiddy, mine not always so. I keep my large breeds a bit different than most it seems. Mine are in a 40x40 pole building which is divided into a hay storage area, a goat area, a donkey area, and a chicken area. The chickens can move around all areas except the hay storage. They occasionally sneak in there and enjoy ransacking and climbing around.

The gray shed on the left.



Here's another view of my rusty shed. The large door is open in warmer weather, the smaller door is always open. You can also see a lot of my birds range, they come and go as they please.




Chickens and goats mingling.


Goat area inside the shed.




A few inside pens, excuse the mess.


Bantam run where i do deep litter.


My turkey shed.


And run.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Hi there! I obviously am one of those who thinks there are lots of benefits to fermented feed, but I'm also sure your chickens will be just fine without it. I just like the idea of eating the most organic and healthiest way possible while stuck in the middle of a rural area that farms using tons of pesticides and herbicides that have probably all washed into my drinking water, and my chickens are one thing I can control when there's so much out there that I can't. So I ferment their feed.

It really isn't as hard as it might seem. I just keep a huge glass jug (that I bought at Walmart) in the garage, and every evening I scoop out some food, bring it out to the chickens, and then add some more dry food into the mix in the jug. Then repeat the next night. Every once in a while I add more water. If you wanted to try it, you could do it for a week or two and see if you like it or not. If not, just quit.  Although if you really want to experiment, you might want to wait until your birds have started laying (I'm assuming they haven't started yet?), and then see if you can tell a difference in the eggs.

But you're right - you can't just fill up a feeder with food and forget about it for days. But also like you said, I'm going out to check on them daily anyway, to collect eggs and make sure they have clean water. So for me, it's totally worth it to ferment their food. But I don't make my own feed mix, like some on here do - that sounds like way too much work for me!

And I totally don't mean to say you're a bad chicken owner if you don't ferment your chicken feed. Absolutely not! I was just trying to suggest a way to minimize coccidia in new chicks, and then I wanted to say why I don't think fermented feed is only a good idea for confined birds.

In the end, we all do what works best for us, and everyone's situation is different. What I think is awesome about this forum is that we can all learn from each other, and sometimes we incorporate other people's ideas into our own flock care, and sometimes we say to ourselves "well, that's not for me!" I have learned so much from this site and this thread in particular - I wouldn't be the same chicken owner without it.


PS. As a complete aside, I notice you're in Massachusetts. My son is a sophomore at Emerson College in Boston, and he loves living in MA!  But then, who wouldn't love the home of "Make Way for Ducklings"?

Hey sorry I haven't answered, I glanced at your response and I knew that you weren't trying to force anything on anyone or imply that and in fact, knew it from the beginning and more meant in general, but then it was so long it half scared me and I haven't felt up to answering lol apologies. .

Anyway, that definitely makes sense and I can understand why you would want to do it that way then.

And the way you describe it certainly sounds easy enough! But now I am confused because I had thought there was one way to ferment and now glancing at the article and posts here (haven't read all those either), it seems there's more than one way and the way I've seen talked about the most isn't even the best/right way? That confuses me even more.. although I wonder if it's just as easy? You are right though that I could try it. I might. 2 of mine started last week and have been consistent and a couple others have been off and on. I may wait until the others begin and the original 2 hsve been laying longer. They were all 22 weeks as of Monday. And hey wait. I just realized that tomorrow (March 31st) I will be 22 so for one week we're kind of the same age LOL


Thank you! I figured that was what you meant and that you didn't mean to imply it and in fact, you seem like one of the nicer ones, so I didn't mean to be so rude or mean if I was, it's just that I've seen it around so much and maybe it is less what anybody says and more my own feelings? Like perhaps I see all the benefits and feel I'm being a bad owner even if no one says it maybe? I like to try to do the best for the animals which can a problem on here because I see one idea and like and decide to try and then something else, something "better" comes along and I'm constantly wanting to change things or think I'm not doing the best by them I guess. Sorry, rambling/ranting here now.

Anyways, that is very true!!! I love this site, so many great people, but I also hate it for the above reasons (not literally hate it, I could never hate this site!!)

And wow that's awesome about your son!! I bet he does love it! Boston is a great city and that is a great school. We live about 40 minutes away. My brothers both go to school in the city though, one's in grad school and one's also a sophomore! I would technically be graduating this year but I didn't like my major and left and have only taken a few classes at a local one, I need to take more or go back. Thinking maybe something with animals or music or something.

Sorry, started rambling again

OH! And also, has he beem on the swan boats? I used to love those as a kid

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh and I love everyone's set ups. We are building a new coop and run soon. Just bought the wood today.

 

[ShrekDawg]

@Jewelwing

 

[Leahs Mom]

Wow your set up is so neat and tidy, mine not always so.

I'm laughing over here...because those interior photos were taken just after the shed was partitioned inside so everything was clean!

LOVE your photos!

Do you close the door at night? If not, how do you keep predators such as raccoons out?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm laughing over here...because those interior photos were taken just after the shed was partitioned inside so everything was clean!

LOVE your photos!

Do you close the door at night? If not, how do you keep predators such as raccoons out?

I took most of my photos when my birds were molting last fall, they all look ratty. The large door stays open all night, the donkeys are my protection, though they are getting old. We had trouble one year with a single coyote who was ambushing them. The raccoons go to the other shed and eat the cat food. Last year when we finally caught the remaining brother he was quite fat.

 

[Leahs Mom]

And here is the rest of my story...

My chickens have been in the pole barn for about 1.5 years. I moved them over there in late fall one year because it gives them more room in the winter in a 16x12 area when they don't want to go out. I had planned on moving them back in the spring but never got around to it.

This spring the plan is to use the shed to raise several batches of meat birds and it will also be a rooster residence when the girls need a break...at least in the short-run.

In the pole barn, it is FULL OF STUFF! (I wish I could use the whole barn like @oldhenlikesdogs but too much stuff stored in there.)

So we had to figure out a way to keep them confined to a specific area. I get some kennel panels from Craigslist whenever I see them and we built the indoor pen. So far we just slide the sliding door open for them during the day, then at night close up. We're going to be making some modifications on things in there (I hope this spring if the time doesn't get away from us).


While we were setting things up:

Up in the front left there is a 6x6 with a gate inside just in case I need to separate an "unruly bird"... I'll use that for brooding chicks this spring. The gate stays open for them to come and go unless it's being used for separation/brooding.




This nest area (built to give them a lower roof overhead during cold times). is next to the 6x6 separation area.



You can see it better here - roost area on right and separation area on left.






Sliding door in the background with gate open to outdoors.





Hung my temporary plastic netting in the doorway to keep hawks and birds from flying in there.