The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[jockeyeba]

Thank you to everyone who chimed in on my roo question.  So I will just chalk it up to normal teenage Roo enthusiasm. 

It's still ducking freezing out.. I look forward to tomorrows predicted 22 degrees.

MB

I guess it's what your used to but I would turn into an ice cube living in that kind of temperature

 

[mlowen]

RE wild birds and mites...If you set up a wood ash dust bin for them, wouldn't they use it and wouldn't it work as well for them as for chickens?? At least it would reduce the odds, don't cha think?

 

[jockeyeba]

jockeyeba - I LOVE the photos - - especially the one of you out in front in the race! Too cool! Mumsy and Aoxa - great show information. Aoxa - I especially love the picture of the Silkie having a bath! I'm taking notes on everything y'all are sharing about showing! And here are the wild birds that have made the farm their winter home here in VA: They haven't started hanging out near the chickens... yet...

Thanks Bulldogma & I have Cardinals that I feed, Love to watch them & the Chickadees

 

[jockeyeba]

I have a toddler pen for chicks over 3 days, one for 4 week olds and juvie pen for birds that are incubator babys. I do not mix age groups in incubator chicks. Right now I have 12 weeek olds in wih the layers and the chicks are getting pounded a bit at feeding time. Tonight I will roost the chicks wih the cockerel and tomorrow it shoud stop. The brooded chicks I leave that in the decision of the moms. If these chicks hatch that are under the broody, I will take them out of he layer pen and put them in the broody pen. After a week I open the door.

Thanks for the info everyone

 

[Bulldogma]

It's snowing cats and dogs here now. I threw a bunch of alfalfa hay into both runs and some scratch. Now I know that 27F is HOT weather for some of you, but I've been a walking icicle for the past week! I had to finish up the hoop coop yesterday... crawling about on my hands and knees putting the predator deterrent apron around the bottom. That and the cold and now my durn sciatic is acting up! Sciatic pain... it's like a migraine in your hip/back/butt!

I "forgot" to post pics of the hoop coop, but I guess since I brought it up, I have to post them - consider it today's comic relief. LOL!


The front - fairly straight (I did most of the work on the front except for the crossbar on the door which my DH did).

I let my DH and DS do the back... which now looks like this --> //// (But hey - it's solid, so why am I complaining, right?)

 

[aoxa]

BDM,

Beautiful hoop coop!

Sad news... Carlton passed away in my fiance's arms. She picked him up and he just died. The blood loss was too much I guess. I thought he would have pulled out of it for sure. I'm bummed. Going to miss him a lot.

 

[Melabella]

BDM,

Beautiful hoop coop!

Sad news... Carlton passed away in my fiance's arms. She picked him up and he just died. The blood loss was too much I guess. I thought he would have pulled out of it for sure. I'm bummed. Going to miss him a lot.

Shoot, I was hoping no news was good news this morning.... those darn turkeys.... no hugs for them.. sorry aoxa...

 

[Bulldogma]

aoxa - so sorry for the loss of your Cochin roo!

 

[aoxa]

Shoot, I was hoping no news was good news this morning.... those darn turkeys.... no hugs for them.. sorry aoxa...

That's not the first time he was bullied. He was in the turkey pen because the other birds were picking on him.. Maybe he just wasn't right and they were telling me something? I don't know...

At least he's not suffering anymore. He didn't seem to be too poorly last night. He was eating and drinking and resting. Not much else I could have done I guess.

Thanks for the well wishes.

 

[aoxa]

aoxa - so sorry for the loss of your Cochin roo!

Thanks BDM.