The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Bulldogma]

OffGridMAMA - GREAT job on the coop! I know your girls will love it!

PidgeonGuy - awesome input about the use of oregano and garlic on your roo! Glad he's looking so much better, and love the story about your wife!

 

[stonykill]

seriously. 4 pages of emoticon stuff? That is 5 minutes I'll never get back...

. If you need me pm me.

 

[aoxa]

seriously. 4 pages of emoticon stuff? That is 5 minutes I'll never get back...

. If you need me pm me.

There's a couple of gems hidden in those 5 pages.

Post 4984
Post 5021

Make sure to check those two out if you've missed them.

 

[aoxa]

So my broody silkie hatched two little chicks.. on the coldest day of the year. Go broody! Her babies are toasty warm, but I doubt she'll get out today.. I put food in with her . It's been 24 hours since they've hatched.

Do baby chicks need to drink water more than regular full grown chickens? I ask this because even my heated bowls freeze in these temps, and I've never had to worry about that with broodies before. My full grown birds were parched after work yesterday. All waters frozen solid.

Come on spring!! You can make it!! *sending spring vibes to you all too*

 

[Bulldogma]

LOL - now, now, Stony - we don't do drama here.

I think MB has enough votes at this point, and folks are welcome to "welcome" new people with whatever Stony-annoying emoticon they like.

Group HUG!!


...moving right along...

 

[Bulldogma]

So my broody silkie hatched two little chicks.. on the coldest day of the year. Go broody! Her babies are toasty warm, but I doubt she'll get out today.. I put food in with her . It's been 24 hours since they've hatched.

Go broody Silkie!! I just put 5 eggs in lockdown. The 6th likely quit 2-3 days ago from the looks of it. Now I just keep my fingers crossed and wait...

If this trial-run goes well, I'm looking forward to hatching some of my own SFH eggs really soon! (If one of my Silkies doesn't go broody first.)

 

[aoxa]

Go broody Silkie!! I just put 5 eggs in lockdown. The 6th likely quit 2-3 days ago from the looks of it. Now I just keep my fingers crossed and wait...

If this trial-run goes well, I'm looking forward to hatching some of my own SFH eggs really soon! (If one of my Silkies doesn't go broody first.)

What are you going to brood them in? And of course pictures are expected

 

[Bulldogma]

What are you going to brood them in? And of course pictures are expected

We have a couple large rubbermaid containers we use (in the house for now) with a heat element. Worked great for us last summer. We'll be keeping them in the laundry room for now. When I do my horse trailer conversion coop, there will be an area in there for chicks - YAYY! (But in these cold temps, they'd be in the house anyway if they weren't under a broody hen!)

 

[aoxa]

We have a couple large rubbermaid containers we use (in the house for now) with a heat element. Worked great for us last summer. We'll be keeping them in the laundry room for now. When I do my horse trailer conversion coop, there will be an area in there for chicks - YAYY! (But in these cold temps, they'd be in the house anyway if they weren't under a broody hen!)

Have an old playpen from any of your kids? They work AMAZING for brooders. A stick over the top of it will hold your heat lamp. They won't jump out until week 4-6.. depending on the individual chicks.

No one ever thinks of it.. so I always mention it.

 

[atmaclean]

ok, I know we are all cold but remember the heat of the summer? I just saw these on etsy, she is selling them for chickens to stand on when it is really hot. They hold one of those ice packs.! who would have thought?

I wonder if you could do this with heated ones for their feet in the very cold winter???

Angela