The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Bulldogma]

I had 2 Silkie x Cochin chicks hatch over night and they are already Jedis!

And look! See how they stay together as they traverse the dangerous planet eggshell.

(OK - that's actually a reflection of my small, red LED flashlight that I use for candling and checking in on my 'bator at night. Just a case of perfect placement and I didn't know it until I downloaded the pictures.)

When we got up this morning, one of the Dark Cornish pipped, so I called my 9-year-old over to see. As she stood there, the thing went from pip to zip to springing out of its shell in a period of about 3 minutes!



To keep my breeds separate so I can tell who is who, I put the DC in a pink and white dishwasher caddy and my Swedish Flower Hen egg is in a blue caddy. They snap shut to prevent escape.

Not a very good shot, but all the chick pics were taken at very close quarters in the closet under the stairs through the little windows on the 'bator.

Oh - and after last month's botched attempt at hatching, I should mention that tomorrow noon will be day 21 for these eggs. Those Silkie x Cochins were super early, and the DC was almost a day and a half early. All are fully developed with no extra yolk to speak of.

Still waiting on one SFH egg, 2 DC and 2 "Silcochin" eggs.

I'm most anxious about the SFH egg.

 

[Sally8]

Fred, these were advertised on Craig's List as RIR. Would this be considered as a true RIR? I'm not looking for any but wondered from reading all your info on them.

 

[aoxa]

Fred, these were advertised on Craig's List as RIR. Would this be considered as a true RIR? I'm not looking for any but wondered from reading all your info on them.

Those look like RIR to me. The colour is amazing!

 

[midnightroo]

Congrats bulldogma on the new chicks!

Sally8. Wow! Those are very striking looking! Nothing like our friends who say they have rir.

A quick question. I feed my chickens laying feed from the store, they get food scraps and boss on occasion. I am not getting any eggs yet, but my dad did some research and says that they need corn? They look healthy, not skinny, I let them free range when the weather is nice and time allows. Is me not giving them corn the reason they aren't laying? They are easily 8 mths or more, but they are ee.

 

[delisha]

They are nice looking birds for sure..IF they are those particular birds..many times people use someones else's photos. They sure are nice..wonder what the line is..can you call them and ask? I wish I lived closer....

 

[delisha]

Congrats bulldogma on the new chicks!

Sally8. Wow! Those are very striking looking! Nothing like our friends who say they have rir.

A quick question. I feed my chickens laying feed from the store, they get food scraps and boss on occasion. I am not getting any eggs yet, but my dad did some research and says that they need corn? They look healthy, not skinny, I let them free range when the weather is nice and time allows. Is me not giving them corn the reason they aren't laying? They are easily 8 mths or more, but they are ee.

No bird needs corn..you are doing great!! Your EE's will be laying soon.

 

[midnightroo]

No bird needs corn..you are doing great!! Your EE's will be laying soon.

Ok, great! That's what I thought. Thank you!

 

[Sally8]

No bird needs corn..you are doing great!! Your EE's will be laying soon.

I thought in the winter we were to increase corn for warmth?

 

[aoxa]

Ok, great! That's what I thought. Thank you!

Don't ask your chickens this. They will tell you corn is essential to their life.

 

[aoxa]

I thought in the winter we were to increase corn for warmth?

The thought is that corn quickly burns up in their system, increasing warmth, but there is a lot of speculation on this.

I don't think it does much at all. I try to avoid feeding it as a rule - and usually then I only feed in summer - and it's corn on the cob as a treat.