The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[kian]

I just have to show the picture I was sent by a lady that got 5 Bantam eggs from us-4 hatched, their 4 weeks old now This picture is too cute "Biker Chicks"

too cute!

 

[Mumsy]

.Aoxa would never want this thread to stop because of her tragedy and would feel additional burden she does not need. Please do not try to make others feel bad for living there life. Diversions sometimes help. So please people..do not be afraid to post..ask questions..and live..share your joys..your pictures..it will help..not hurt. I am taking pictures of my new chicks tomorrow. I hope Mumsy posts pictures of her new chicks tomorrow too.

It has hurt me to the point of crying whenever I come on this thread today, but I agree. Getting on with life and plans will help the mourning process. Not just for aoxa, but for me too. I will take pictures of the buffy fluffy Johnnybumpkin kids and post them tomorrow.


Didn't want to leave the house today, so sad but drove straight to the ma & pa local farm store anyway and asked about turkeys. What kinds , when are they coming, and how much. I'm on the list for six straight run Blue Slate turkey poults. I don't even know what kind those are yet. My original plan was for Bronze sold at the big co-op but that feed store told me they weren't getting those after all. They will only sell those big breasted commercial white kind and they hadn't even ordered yet.

March is going to be busy around here.

 

[kian]

It has hurt me to the point of crying whenever I come on this thread today, but I agree. Getting on with life and plans will help the mourning process. Not just for aoxa, but for me too. I will take pictures of the buffy fluffy Johnnybumpkin kids and post them tomorrow.


Didn't want to leave the house today, so sad but drove straight to the ma & pa local farm store anyway and asked about turkeys. What kinds , when are they coming, and how much. I'm on the list for six straight run Blue Slate turkey poults. I don't even know what kind those are yet. My original plan was for Bronze sold at the big co-op but that feed store told me they weren't getting those after all. They will only sell those big breasted commercial white kind and they hadn't even ordered yet.

March is going to be busy around here.

Mumsy have you raised turkeys before? I've thought about it, but we really are a Thanksgiving only turkey family so it would be a little pointless. Still, I'm always interested in hearing about others' experiences.

And I've been crying for Justine and Susan off and on all day too

 

[JeffOeuf]

I've thought about turkeys, but guess I won't have to get any, they're coming to us! We have a flock of 26 wild poults that have decided our yard is their favorite foraging site.







Justine, I'm so sorry to hear about your devastating loss. I can only imagine how I would feel in your place. I've been out of town working for a few days, and decided to come by this evening to catch up a little, and didn't expect to read such sad news. Good luck with your new barn plans, and I'm confident your brooder batch will be the beginnings of a beautiful new flock.

 

[Ashdoes]

  Didn't want to leave the house today, so sad  but drove straight to the ma & pa local farm store anyway  and asked about turkeys. What kinds , when are they coming, and how much.  I'm on the list for six straight run Blue Slate turkey poults. I don't even know what kind those are yet. My original plan was for Bronze sold at the big co-op  but that feed store told me they weren't getting those after all. They will only sell those big breasted commercial white kind and they hadn't even ordered yet. 

March is going to be busy around here.

The blue slate are beautiful. I told my husband last year that if we get turkeys, those are the ones I want.

 

[delisha]

I just have to show the picture I was sent by a lady that got 5 Bantam eggs from us-4 hatched, their 4 weeks old now This picture is too cute "Biker Chicks"

so adorable

 

[delisha]

I need to get out of the house tomorrow..when you are hatching you are glued to the incubator. I am glad the new one is arriving. I ordered new eggs too. Not sure when they are arriving. I am just doing Silkies in the new incubator and no LF. I will be doing just meaties in the old incubator for the Easter hatch a long. I need to get my hinny to bed..good night..looking forward to seeing Johnnychicks

 

[Mumsy]

Mumsy have you raised turkeys before? I've thought about it, but we really are a Thanksgiving only turkey family so it would be a little pointless. Still, I'm always interested in hearing about others' experiences.

And I've been crying for Justine and Susan off and on all day too

Nope. The great turkey caper will be a first for me and my kin. Two of my adult kids are going in on this with me and their dad. Helping with feed cost and butchering.
We've finished a hoop coop grow out pen with netting over the top. Finished another run separate from the normal chick house too. I seeded them both with grass seed just yesterday. Been reading just about everything I can on BYC and in other forums about natural turkey raising. It will be challenging but....I'm giving it a go.

My heart is so heavy.

 

[PeepsCA]

Just now catching up... wow, I so did not expect to be bursting into tears when I logged on to get my NCKT fix this evening

Justine, my heart completely goes out to you (and Susan) for your devastating loss. You are one he** of a strong girl to be keeping it together after going thru something as horribly painfully as this. As a few others have already mentioned, Thank You so much for sharing your traumatic news with us... I know it's definitely a huge eye opener on the possible dangers of power cords, power strips, brooder lamps etc for me and I'll be doing a double check on my incubator, hatcher and brooder set-ups (and changing a few things) first thing in the AM. Hopefully everybody else takes a second to check their set-ups over too.

Stay strong and stay focused, you can and will rebuild that dream

And...
If you don't mind, tomorrow 2 of my young Silkie Partridge cockerels will be getting names; Phyllis and Edna (they may hate it, but I hope that makes you smile).

 

[Mumsy]

The blue slate are beautiful. I told my husband last year that if we get turkeys, those are the ones I want.

The lady at the feed store was rattling off those heritage turkey names so quick. When she said Blue Slate, I quickly said, "Yes! Those!" No idea why. Got home and googled some images and they sure are pretty! The lady said they are real good fliers so my netted run is going to be prudent. Straight run only so out of six, I'm hoping for a male and female to keep around for a few years.