The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Thanks for all your encouragement and advice. Found these two videos - think I'll go this route and thought it might help someone else...

Thanks for reposting these links..we really like these.

 

[loanwizard]

Do you have kids? My dad was always the one who caught chickens in his family for slaughter. Everyone had a job.

I find it easy to catch them in the barn. I don't have anywhere to put them overnight just yet. I will once my breeding pens are finished. I'll use them to house roosters that I don't want ranging with the flock (ie: my silkie boys - as the standard roosters kick their behinds).

I have 4 at home. When we catch Freedom Rangers everyone helps. I CAN catch them during the day and probably without too much difficulty if I throw down a little bit of food. But why? It is ALWAYS easier to snag them off the roost after dark. I have moved my flock, yes entire flock a couple of times..... so this I know.... at least for my birds.

 

[loanwizard]

I have a 30' by 32' fenced area and will need to improve the system that my wife and I used to catch the birds. it took us four hours to catch 95 rocks. I will probably build a temporary plywood funnel that leads to a 2' by 8' area (with the "far" 2' end wire) so they will bunch up and make daytime catching easier.

We have our Rangers in a 40x40 Premier netting and it has never taken us over 1/2 hour to catch between 100-150 birds. We corner them in the fence corners or run them into one of the shelters. Just have to be quick of hand. The kids are always trying to outdo me but they haven't beaten the old man yet... When it is a competition it goes faster. Us guys chase and grab, Carla loads em into the trailer or crates.

 

[Melabella]

I have the 6' fiberglass support rods that Premier sells. Have one for each corner, works great.
Jack

I am so wanting that coop..... Beautiful JackE!

 

[loanwizard]

Ok just a few more questions (for now

).....lowes & home depot sells plastic step in fences with the metal post that goes into the ground. Can I use these with the electric net? Or what about the green metal posts that most people use around gardens to hold metal fencing? Does the charge electrify the posts as well?

Here is pics of what I am referring to:

Yes to the plastic step in, absolutely not to the metal. The metal will ground it out. There are also the round fiberglass step ins which I believe, at least here, are the cheapest.
Remember, you shouldn't need many for Premiers netting as they are preinstalled. I highly recommend the double spike.

 

[PeepsCA]

Peeps..I have Cornish cross birds.,..they usually weight a good 10 lbs. If you hang them upside down they puke or retch, and panic or constantly drain. If they have an empty crop that does not happen.

Yah, my scrawny little Guineas are just puny 3-3.5 pounders, they don't even come close to comparing with your 10 pound beasts, lol. There's hardly ever been more than a 1/2 cup of food in the Guineas' crops... but if I end up raising some meaties (or process any Turkeys this Fall) I'll be sure to fast them overnight just to avoid this tho. Like I said, great bits of wisdom shared... sometimes simple common sense things that come so naturally to some slip right by the rest of us!

 

[loanwizard]

One more point about the electric fencing or maybe two or three...

I have used Tpost for corners and tied them to the rod posts of the netting with feedbag twine or hay twine. The posts are not electrified.

Mostly I let them sag a little.

I also plan to get a propane weed burner for weed control.... before I put up the fence It's natural and lasts longer I think.

 

[jockeyeba]

Could someone put a good picture up of "scaly leg mites" please

OK since I've been ignored I'm putting it out again

 

[Bulldogma]

Quote:
You can see a picture HERE - scroll down to the 3rd 4th and 5th pictures. That is a good representation of what scaly leg mites look like.

 

[stonykill]

OK since I've been ignored

I'm putting it out again

I was't ignoring you. I simply didn't have a pic