The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Melabella]

sending stoney broody strength vibes
and looking forward to his article.​

 

[Melabella]

Now if I can just get Duke to do this for me....

 

[Leahs Mom]

Now if I can just get Duke to do this for me....

Do you have any eggs fertilized by this guy? I want some to hatch...maybe they'd even do the dishes!

 

[jockeyeba]

I love this photograph! My all time favorite racehorse!

me 2!  It's rarely seen, I'm glad I stumbled upon it!  Its from March sometime, 73, as he started his spring campaign to the Derby!

Such a beautiful animal Wish I could have ridden one that fantastic when I was still riding

 

[atmaclean]

I love this photograph! My all time favorite racehorse!

Secretariat was an awesome horse. When he passed away, they found that his heart was much larger than most horses - at least 5 lbs heavier than normal. So he really was a special horse with a big heart - literally!

Congratulations to the friend who is getting her first horse!!! It will be a life changing experience for you. I got my first horse when I was 15 years old - had been riding lesson horses since I was 3yrs old. They have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

On the domestic bunnies being turned loose outside - BE REALLY CAREFUL! I would no recommend it at all because they are easy prey for hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes, opossums, etc. Not to mention the intestinal worms they will pick up. Having done rabbit rescue& adoption for several years, I have had too many stray bunnies turned in with terrible injuries, worms and diseases. Our bunny pets always lived in the house with us in a 2-tiered bunny condo. During the day, we would open their door so they could play in the house and there were very good about always using their litter box once we trained them to it. Rabbits are great pets and can learn their names, learn tricks and really be entertaining. They will also play with your other pets. That is excellent that you got your bunnies "fixed". Most people don't and that is very unfortunate. Just like dogs and cats, they make much better pets when they are altered. If you have a male and female it is a lot cheaper to get the male neutered. Also a lot less risky procedure on the males. Anyway, just wanted to toss in my .02

Aoxa, thanks for the video of your babies eating the FF. Loved it. I'm still waiting for bubbles to show up in my chick starter so I can get mine on the FF. They are vigorous eaters so I'm hoping the switch won't be too difficult. My chicks range from a week to 10 days old. '

I found some UP/ACV at WALMART!!! It even says "with the Mother" on the bottle. I think it is made by Heinz. Has anyone used it yet? I've been adding it to my chickens' waterers and the babies' water. That is what I used in my FF so I hope it is legitimate. I plan to go to the Whole Foods Store to see if I can find the other brand you mentioned - I think it starts with a B - Braggs or Briggs...?

Enjoy reading this thread! May not be able to keep up with it all once grad school starts next month I'm trying to get all my hatching done before that dreadful day as once it starts, it is non stop until the end of the semester and I'm like a hermit writing, reading and studying.

I wish I had gotten pics of my chickens and guineas going out yesterday on the snow. They had never seen it before and the guineas were absolutely horrified!! They absolutely would NOT touch it. They flew up into the trees and stared at it. After a while, they were down around the perimeter under the trees where there was no snow. It was hilarious. The roosters wouldn't walk on it either and stayed in the areas where the ground was clear. When the hens came out, they had the same reaction. I guess they will get used to it but we rarely get much snow in this part of NC.

I've got Mille Fleur d'uccle eggs in the incubator right now and will add pure blue araucana eggs this coming week when they arrive. They will be my latest and last hatches. I've got Isbars that are supposed to hatch Monday. I candled them all yesterday and saw movement in all of them so I'm hopeful. They are my first batch done in my new Brinsea mini-advance

On the broody hens.....I've had 2 get broody - my cream legbar hen and my brabanter. I had to put my cream legbar in a pen that didn't have any laying box to get her to quit. It took about 2 weeks for her to get over it. I put her "husband" in with her and when she started laying again, I tried to incubate the eggs (for the past month!) and none of them are fertile! I have no idea what is going on. They are about 10 months old so I thought this would work. I decided to let her husband (my cream legbar roo, Desi), go out with all the hens and he breeds them but she is still giving me unfertile eggs. I keep trying and candle them at 5 days but they all are duds. Guess I will just keep trying and hoping he will eventually fertilize them.

Angela in NC
www.naturallyequine.org

 

[jockeyeba]

Now if I can just get Duke to do this for me....​

 

[Arkansas81]

Now if I can just get Duke to do this for me....

you just crack me up!!!!!!!!!!!!! i almost peed my pants

 

[Leahs Mom]

I rejuvenated the indoor dust box with a bit of new peat moss and a small amount of ash this morning. Just went out there and found mom teaching the kids how to dust! All the chickens LOVE the peat moss!

 

[armorfirelady]

...

I found some UP/ACV at WALMART!!!  It even says "with the Mother" on the bottle.  I think it is made by Heinz.  Has anyone used it yet?  I've been adding it to my chickens' waterers and the babies' water.  That is what I used in my FF so I hope it is legitimate.  I plan to go to the Whole Foods Store to see if I can find the other brand you mentioned - I think it starts with a B - Braggs or Briggs...?
Angela in NC
www.naturallyequine.org

I use the Heinz ACV with mother and it works perfect. The name brand others use is Braggs

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

I found some UP/ACV at WALMART!!! It even says "with the Mother" on the bottle. I think it is made by Heinz. Has anyone used it yet? I've been adding it to my chickens' waterers and the babies' water. That is what I used in my FF so I hope it is legitimate. I plan to go to the Whole Foods Store to see if I can find the other brand you mentioned - I think it starts with a B - Braggs or Briggs...?

I don't think brand matters as long as it is UP/ACV with the mother in it. I get a brand from Fred Meyers/Krogers and it works great.