The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[ShrekDawg]

I personally never see the rats, if you see them than you are already infested. We only see tunnel holes and the dirt piles as well as food consumption increases rapidly.

We don't have rats (that I know of) but we do have mice and sometimes my mom would put the bags of dog food in the garage and there would be a hole in the bag!!! We would also find dog kibble in our ski boots. Although recently we had a bag of food out there and they didn't touch it so must have vacated

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We don't have rats (that I know of) but we do have mice and sometimes my mom would put the bags of dog food in the garage and there would be a hole in the bag!!! We would also find dog kibble in our ski boots. Although recently we had a bag of food out there and they didn't touch it so must have vacated

And stashes of corn in shelves and drawers in the shed, and in my pots in the shed, mice do like to pile things and make nests. I once had one living in a bag of potting soil in my basement, boy I got a good scare when I reached in to scoop some out. I also learned long ago to dump your boots out before trying to put them on. Thankfully rodents are only house pest during fall and early winter around here.

 

[ShrekDawg]

And stashes of corn in shelves and drawers in the shed, and in my pots in the shed, mice do like to pile things and make nests. I once had one living in a bag of potting soil in my basement, boy I got a good scare when I reached in to scoop some out. I also learned long ago to dump your boots out before trying to put them on. Thankfully rodents are only house pest during fall and early winter around here.

We don't really have many other shelves/drawers or things for them to hide in but I bet if we looked they have things stashed other places too! We have our ski boots on a big tall thing with lots of shelves against the wall so the perfect spot. And we used to feed our old dog in the garage. Always gotta empty shoes LOL

 

[Turkeytruff]

crazy hen started out with 30 eggs under her for her first time, scary part is the others all wanting to do it now, even the roosters are hiding lol, only one brave enough to stay with her is the drake

Haha that's hilarious!

@Turkeytruff


Did you see evidence of the rats in your building - or even see the rats themselves?  So far I haven't seen anything in the barn but it is not secure like the chicken shed is.  Nothing goes in the shed. 

Anyhow, I'm trying to prevent before I have a problem and just wondered if I would see them if they were already there.

yes in the winter at dusk when locking everyone up they would come through the rafters bold as brass. When my son came home for the holidays he would shoot them. Also, rat droppings in the morning in the feed tray and no food left.

And stashes of corn in shelves and drawers in the shed, and in my pots in the shed, mice do like to pile things and make nests. I once had one living in a bag of potting soil in my basement, boy I got a good scare when I reached in to scoop some out. I also learned long ago to dump your boots out before trying to put them on. Thankfully rodents are only house pest during fall and early winter around here.

yep that would wake you up. My friend who lives in kenya Africa found a poisonous snake in her boot one morning. Good job she checked!and also scorpions apparently find shoes there irresistable. When I lived in Beirut we had cockroaches come out at night. Evenings entertainment was throwing your clogs at 5 inch long cockroaches. We kept a scorecard by the end of that year. Happy days eh? Ah well back to poultry...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Those are all reasons I will continue to put up with our brutal Wisconsin winters. Yikes.

 

[AJJJ]

I just saw an add on TV for Wheat free, corn free & soy free. The name of the company is: Beyondpetfood.com. Let us know how that comes out to be as far as shipping cost is concerned.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Looked it up and the ingredients look pretty good but it is by Purina and personally I do not like Purina. There are also lots of other foods on the market that already do all that, often more, and are, imo, better foods. It's not a new thing. But I am glad that Purina is at least trying and is offering a food free from those things.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh and also I buy a lot of my food from Chewy.com and they carry that as well as the other brands I was talking about and even that Purina one.

 

[AJJJ]

Oh and also I buy a lot of my food from Chewy.com and they carry that as well as the other brands I was talking about and even that Purina one.

When , at what age do you start a chicken on regular chicken food. Right now my 1 month old chicks are on chick starter food.

 

[Molpet]

When , at what age do you start a chicken on regular chicken food. Right now my 1 month old chicks are on chick starter food.

hens when they start laying ... some put them on grower after the starter bag is gone and before they start laying.. have oyster shell available when they are close to laying
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/11/feeding-chickens-at-different-ages.html