The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[mlongworth]

I like the nasturtium. I thought about kale but didnt know if its leaves would be to big for my wire. Will try the comfrey in a corner i think and do some oregano have that anyways. There run is under a couple mulberry trees I am trying to keep the plants kinda small so i think kiwi and grapes are out. There is a raspberry in the spot I have marked off probably just gonna leave it for them too. Thanks.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Everyone please come and join us for the 4th Annual EASTER Hatch-a-long!


How about hatching with friends and finding new friends?

Did I mention CONTESTS with Fantastic PRIZES to boot?

All you have to do post in the 4th Annual EASTER Hatch-a-long and post that you want to join us and follow along as the contests start rolling! Soooo MUCH FUN!! see below for egg set dates!




This Annual Hatch-A-Long has become so popular, that we've decided to make it an "Official" BYC event.

Set Chicken eggs on Saturday, March 9th at Noon (whatever time zone you are in)

Other poultry breed setting dates listed below...

We want to hatch on March 30th, (the day BEFORE Easter Sunday)
button quail: 16 days to hatch; set March 14th
coturnix quail: 18 days to hatch; set March 12th
seramas: 19 days to hatch; set March 11th
other bantam and LF: 21 days to hatch; set March 9th
bobwhite quail: 23 days to hatch; set March 7th
call duck: 26 days to hatch; set March 4th
mallard (derived) duck,goose, turkey, guinea: 28 days to hatch; set March 2nd
goose: 28 to 32 days to hatch; set Feb 26th - March 2nd
muscovy duck: 35 days to hatch; set Feb 23rd
emu: approx. 53 days to hatch - set Feb 5th (for you "serious" hatchers)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/741090/the-4th-annual-byc-easter-hatch-a-long


WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
GO CATCH SOME EGGS & Join us!


Looking to SWAP eggs for the Hatch? See here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/743738/easter-hatch-online-hatching-egg-swap/0_50

 

[Mumsy]

How do you only have one chicken decoration?! I have a crazy amount!

X 2! I've been collecting chicken salt & Pepper shakers for thirty years. I finally put most of them in storage. My friends and family are always gifting me chiken-y themed mugs,towels, and oven mitts.

The shabby-chic ruined structure things used as outdoor garden structures are called 'follies'. There are more than a couple in my garden. Just finishing up one in the new chick yard. Too early to plant it yet. I'll post pictures of the chicks this summer in their new outdoor digs when the plantings are up.

 

[Toast n Jelly]

I am a bit at odds with myself this morning.

Got home last night and found 4 dead birds. Did my count and found 8 missing. Thought it was my puppy pit as he had been left outside.

Found out this morning that a stray, that I have petted and fed, is killing my birds! Lost another 5 this morning. Been meaning to thin the flock, but not this way.

Grabbed the shotgun, but he ran away. Closed in the barn ends with cattle panel but who knows what will happen between now and 4pm when Carla and the kids get home.

I myself let my dogs run and have been highly criticized here about it.

I plan to capture the dog and kennel it until the owners are found, but man I was angry and had the gun ready loaded safety off!

I may get home tonight and may be buying some Buckeyes or RIR's....

You know what they say...no good deed goes unpunished

So sorry for your abrupt losses.

 

[Toast n Jelly]

I've been coming across a lot of cute valentines day pictures on facebook.

Awwww..so cute!

 

[mlowen]

I have been pondering something for some time now. I live in a small neighborhood, on a small lot, in cold, snowy southern Maine. I will not have a rooster and will not breed, so would it be a bad thing for me to want to buy heritage birds from a breeder, rather than just feed store birds? I'd really rather have a real NH, Barred Rock, BCM, Cream Legbarr (or one of each) but since they are rare, should I not get Heritage birds and let the people able to breed them have them? I would be delighted with NON show quality...as long as they are healthy (no wry tails

) Thoughts/advice?

 

[delisha]

I have been pondering something for some time now. I live in a small neighborhood, on a small lot, in cold, snowy southern Maine. I will not have a rooster and will not breed, so would it be a bad thing for me to want to buy heritage birds from a breeder, rather than just feed store birds? I'd really rather have a real NH, Barred Rock, BCM, Cream Legbarr (or one of each) but since they are rare, should I not get Heritage birds and let the people able to breed them have them? I would be delighted with NON show quality...as long as they are healthy (no wry tails

) Thoughts/advice?

I think its a wonderful idea! Even if you do not breed, everyone who comes to enjoy your birds will see the real thing.

 

[delisha]

loanwizard

Sorry for your loss.

 

[delisha]

Mumsy..

Did your incubator arrive? I have new eggs arriving Saturday, and they should be ready to go into the hatcher just before the Easter Hatch out...

 

[Mumsy]

Mumsy..

Did your incubator arrive? I have new eggs arriving Saturday, and they should be ready to go into the hatcher just before the Easter Hatch out...

Nope. I checked the tracker # this morning. It was shipped from SC, went to NC and is now in Ohio. I expect it Monday or Tuesday at this rate.
It will be ready to go the following Monday when I hopefully set up Catdance eggs in it. My HRIR eggs arrive early March. Good thing I will have two incubators. Not sure I'm going into the Easter Hatch out. I've got enough stress ahead of me with these two sets of special eggs.