The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Quote: Tossing the shavings in the run when you empty the coop it is a good idea. It will get the ground bugs and worms going. I put my dishes/feed/water on rocks/pavers
and wood platforms. I do not feed in the coop I have been bringing water in the coop at night just in case we get to much snow for me to get out in the morning. Durning the day it is also outside. Providing grit and oyster shells is good just in case they need more. Most dry mixes have grit in it. A few shavings are not going to hurt them less grit needed. I toss BOSS in the DL. DL in in the coop. One of the benifits of DL is heat.

 

[delisha]

Quote: I have heard of others feeding garlic to chicks.. I do not. I do feed them peas, raw meat, spinach, Oregano and Calf Manna on top of the FF. What works for me might not work for you.

 

[Bulldogma]

Aoxa & Stony - so sorry about your bad chicken day! That just totally sucks.

Delisha - congratulations on your job interview and being invited back for a 2nd interview! That's great... I think? It is great, right??

MB - yes, that was me in that picture. It was a loooooong time ago, but I'm so happy to be riding again!

And some pictures from today...

Hover Hen!!



And MORE hover hen... next to fuzzy running hen:


My chickens are so happy to see me that they levitate!

 

[lalaland]

darn stony and aoxa, I am so sorry for the very hard day. Aoxa, hope your rooster and chick are better tomorrow.

Stony, you are so right about the trees/bushes not being a real deterrent - I've had owls walk under to get at the hens without any problem, even with lots of weedy trees growing up under the pines.

Delish, keeping my fingers crossed for you,

and BD, love the levitating hens.

Now, hang on everyone, we are coming to full moon and something seems to be going on - lots of crazy stuff at work already, and tonight on the roosts, lots of unusual bickering and shoving and hens falling off the roosts.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Sorry I'm so far behind and not yet caught up. I tried this but no lemon or ginger around. Hoping the rest of the stuff will help.

Was setting up for a trade show this morning and feeling worse as the morning went on. By the time I was done I just sat in the booth and literally stared for about 15 min. Didn't want to move but had an hour drive to get home. Just about fell asleep on the drive.

Came home, went to bed and slept solid for almost 3 hours. Too bad I have to be up early and back at the trade show in the morning.

Don't know when I'll get caught up w/reading here!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Even though I'm behind I want to pose a question for discussion.

About Moulting
My oldest girls will be a year on March 25, so still technically pullets. I have read that pullets don't moult during their first year.

-It appears to me that every bird has moulted except for the 2 RIRs - and most of them just started at the beginning of January. Is that odd?
-Why in the heck would a bird moult in winter or even late fall? Seems counterintuitive...like they should drop feathers when its warm and keep them when its cold?

-One of the BRs has a strange "crop circle" on the back center of her neck. It looks like a circle of feathers about the size of a 50 cent piece was just gone and now it's full of new quills that haven't opened yet. I can only see it if she fully extends her neck. She's also scruffy other places, with loose feathers, but not like the "crop circle". Anyone seen anything like that?

 

[Melabella]

Now, hang on everyone, we are coming to full moon and something seems to be going on - lots of crazy stuff at work already, and tonight on the roosts, lots of unusual bickering and shoving and hens falling off the roosts.

Great....just what we all need... more craziness....

I had three of my four children on the fullest moon you can imagine. No clouds, full bright shining moons. One was so bright and shining,,I named the baby Luciano, which means light in Italian.

 

[lalaland]

luciano, now there is a name I adore!

 

[SandBsmom]

Even though I'm behind I want to pose a question for discussion.

About Moulting
My oldest girls will be a year on March 25, so still technically pullets. I have read that pullets don't moult during their first year.

-It appears to me that every bird has moulted except for the 2 RIRs - and most of them just started at the beginning of January. Is that odd?
-Why in the heck would a bird moult in winter or even late fall? Seems counterintuitive...like they should drop feathers when its warm and keep them when its cold?

-One of the BRs has a strange "crop circle" on the back center of her neck. It looks like a circle of feathers about the size of a 50 cent piece was just gone and now it's full of new quills that haven't opened yet. I can only see it if she fully extends her neck. She's also scruffy other places, with loose feathers, but not like the "crop circle". Anyone seen anything like that?

My big girls will be a year on the 25th too! I have 5 that will be 1 in march and 3 that will be one in May. I don't think anyone has moulted. I thought maybe my silkie hen might be because I was seeing a lot more of her feathers under her spot on the roost but she was never bald or patchy. Seems I would know if they were moulting but honestly I'm not sure what to look for.

 

[SandBsmom]

Great....just what we all need... more craziness....

I had three of my four children on the fullest moon you can imagine. No clouds, full bright shining moons. One was so bright and shining,,I named the baby Luciano, which means light in Italian.

A friend of mine has a son named Lucian and his dad has the most amazing sunrise tattoo on his shoulder with Lucian's name in the sun rays. It is a beautiful name.