The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Melabella]

Just ran across this and had to share the giggle!

HOW FUNNY.... the wife laughing was hysterical..

thanks BDM!

 

[Melabella]

Hi all,

Frequent lurker on this thread and its predecessors. Does cold weather affect egg production? I live in New Hampshire, so by cold I mean sustained lows below zero and day time high temps in single digits to mid teens. I had 4 pullets laying before Christmas, then it got cold. One still lays like a champ and with the brief warm spell last week, one or two of the others produced, but by and large, nothing.

Who ever used the words -2 and "only" in the same sentence earlier - I salute you. I was born in NYC. When I started saying things like that I knew I'd gone native. I'm still amazed at how warm 10 degrees can feel under the right circumstances.

rowerjen.... we can always use another member here to join our big famiglia! Just cuious how long before they stopped laying had they been laying? What breeds are the ones who stopped laying?

Make sure you come back often,, and we also love pictures!

MB

 

[delisha]

Sunny,

Nice article, well written and filled with interesting items! I enjoyed reading it. Thank you.

 

[delisha]

MB,
You are so sweet. Glad you are around

Jen..good to see you posting. Sorry to hear your hens have stopped laying. It is cold here..I was the poster who made the statement about the heat wave and -2. It is warming up. We should be at 30 next week.

With it being so cold, some simply might not lay. They are using energy to keep warm and not making eggs. Nature does some pretty miraculous things. Your birds are probably acting pretty normal in this cold snap.I have one older hen who is not laying as usual and I am not worried. I did pick her up and examine her and made sure she is in good weight with a full crop before lock up yesterday..it just makes me feel better knowing for sure.

 

[ocap]

I was told 14 days.

does not seem long enough to me since frontline treatment for dogs lasts a month, i also think that frontline is systemic (in the dogs blood). Check with a vet.

 

[mlowen]

Just found this...was on Pinterest. Articles on different breeds of fowl...ducks, geese and chickens. I just skimmed it, but looked really interesting. The link I started with was the Sebastapol geese article. I know someone on here was wanting some.

http://breedsavers.blogspot.com

 

[mlowen]

I also went to the Northeast Poultry Congress in Springfield, MA on Saturday. It was just overwhelming to be in a vast room with thousands of chickens! Such beautiful birds. And some of the cutest little bantams! I cannot WAIT until I can get my coop/run built and start looking for a few hens to move in!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

As for me - I spent the morning checking out a horse trailer that may become my newest coop - has enough room to divide into 3 pretty large pens, 2 chick/broody areas and doors and windows all over it. It's old as the hills, but I think it will work - - and for cheaper than buying a much smaller coop.

Then - spent the afternoon working on the 8'x10' hoop coop which is almost done... and not a minute too soon as I'm expecting 5 Dark Cornish (4 hens and a roo) on Saturday. And now... now I'm trying to thaw out. Yeah - I know it was only in the 30's today in VA... but that's COLD as far as I'm concerned!!

That's exciting! Can we get some photos?

30 will feel like a heat wave...I'll be out with my coat off!

 

[delisha]

Quote: x2..photos please

 

[SandBsmom]

I have read about it and I am confident that is not what I have going on. If you have any other ideas, I sure would appreciate it. I do think it might be muscular or neurological in nature. I hope it is not hereditary. No star gazing, no loss of muscular control. It does not increase with excitment. I took those pictures today and he did fine.
Lack of nutrients is not what is going on either.I put chick vitamins and ACV in the waterer. He eats well and plays ruff. Flys. etc
I am not ruling anything out. As long as he eats, drinks and grows he can stay for now.

Bummer! At least the wry neck was an easy fix. I'll keep my fingers crossed for your little guy!

PS - Lucy gobbled up her oily scrambled eggs and promptly made a quite nice looking poop. Yay!!!!! Thanks again for all your help.