The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Thought someone might enjoy watching this.

Pay the farmer or pay the hospital...

priceless..

thank you

 

[ocap]

Well...I don't have any hogs. Or cattle (yet). Wonder if I could just broadcast in spring without injecting?

trying to remember,,,, seems to me that some types of grass do well broadcast others need to have a little help. clover and other legumes need to be inoculated to be better at putting nitrogen into the soil. I have planted only once in my life and used a "grain drill" to help scratch the top soil. some counties soil conservation agents have equipment to rent or lists of farmers that will plant for you

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Hi everyone! Just joining the thread and marking my place.

I keep my chickens as naturally as possible and also feed fermented grains in addition to lots of fresh greens whenever possible. We use the rubber feed pans so they can't tip them and they won't freeze. So far so good. I love how they look on the ff and their shells are thick and hard. It also seems to keep the odor down on their manure. Sometimes I'll add ground up calendula flowers and/or fresh ground flax seeds to the ff and they love it. Looking to share ideas and experiences with others who have similar philosophies. Great thread!

 

[Bulldogma]

I'm taking Delisha's suggestion and broadcasting some herbs/greens seeds with the grass seeds this spring.

I read somewhere on BYC, and I cannot remember the OP who mentioned it, but they learned from an old chicken farmer that if you hold a chick on it's back and they pull their legs up, they're pullets, if they stretch them out straight, they're cockerals. She said she's been spot on with it ever since. So..... I tried it out on THESE BABIES I JUST GOT FOR MY BIRTHDAY:
Ichi (one, in Japanese. The first three don't have real names yet)
Ni (two in Japanese)
San (three in Japanese)
Petal (she gets a name because she's different)

Three Silver Laced Wyandottes and an Easter Egger, all day-olds. I got them from our local ranch, he said they were all pullets and I did that little trick and they all pulled their legs in. So... well the odds are 50/50 anyway

Happy Birthday! Those are some very cute chicks! Love the names, too.

Hey all...

This is for those of you interested in seeing the photos of the order from Ideal that I am finding out I have a LOT of roos in, when I expected LOTS of hens! Let me know what you think. Thanks!
Also, I posted some questions about which ones I should cull and how old they should be... appreciate any feedback.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/31227/arizona-chickens/33990

Post #33997

The two Silkies (red and blue) are def roos! With the hens you can't see the comb like that. It should just be all fluff. I've never had BAs so I don't know about those.

 

[Bulldogma]

Hi everyone! Just joining the thread and marking my place.

I keep my chickens as naturally as possible and also feed fermented grains in addition to lots of fresh greens whenever possible. We use the rubber feed pans so they can't tip them and they won't freeze. So far so good. I love how they look on the ff and their shells are thick and hard. It also seems to keep the odor down on their manure. Sometimes I'll add ground up calendula flowers and/or fresh ground flax seeds to the ff and they love it. Looking to share ideas and experiences with others who have similar philosophies. Great thread!

Welcome to the thread!! We're happy to have you here!

 

[delisha]

Quote: welcome welcome!! You will make a great addition!!

 

[Dahlisgrams]

welcome welcome!! You will make a great addition!!

Thanks for the warm welcome delisha and bulldogma! It's great to be here!

How is Racine? I went to elementary and junior high schools in Racine.. loved it!

 

[Elliemae 77]

welcome welcome!! You will make a great addition!!

X2

 

[lalaland]

Guess I never knew that grass clippings could cause sour crop. When I had chickens in a run they would follow the mower and I aimed the discharge at them so they could get some.... BTW, I hate runs......

Now, when they are paying attention, some still follow the mower, and when I finish an area they are there! Could be clippings although I suspect it is displaced bugs that they like to introduce to the Crop Hotel!

hmm. I've never had sour crop (thank goodness I've escaped at least one thing!) but always understood it was really really long grass. Now, I can't tell you why anymore after all these years I have that in my mind. Anyway, I've had years a of chickens eating grass, both long and short, and right after the lawn mower, too - and I don't mow until it is a good 4-6 inches being cut off by the mower or more - with no problem for the hens.

But then, who knows? I never had bumblefoot problems til I moved where I am now, and here there always seems to be someone with bumblefoot. I don't even bother with cutting it open etc anymore, which is contrary to the idea that you have to perform surgery or the hen will die. I"m sure a serious sytemic infection would kill them, just like it would kill us if we had one, but merely having an infection doesn't always = death.

hard to generalize that grass causes sour crop, or that bumblefoot left untreated causes death. sure, sometimes. unknown to me how often that is the outcome, though.

 

[Pullet Surprise]

Quote: X3!