The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Has anyone purchased directly from Greenfire Farms? What I'm looking for is a review of health and husbandry practices if I ever decided to purchase older birds and introduce them into the flock. Probably will never happen, but I'd like to know just in case I lose my sanity and decide to spend that much.

I can't help ya there. The breeder I am getting my CCL chicks from ordered fertile eggs from Greenfire. She spent a small fortune and I get to as well($40 for 2 one day old pullets, and that is discounted as she is a friend)

 

[rambunctious]

Growing quickly! 3 weeks on Monday!

 

[rambunctious]

Double.

 

[rrrmamma]

Flagirl
It really is tough to lose one of our furry kids. The wolf boy that we just had put down yesterday was my DHs favorite. I have another 15 year old wolf/malmute girl that seems to be doing fine, but she was Bear's constant companion so I don't know how she will react to his passing. So sorry for your loss. The winter here in Ohio has been tough on the animals this year.

 

[Mumsy]

I think it is because we are so used to the LG. We just knew all the tricks and it became second hand with out thinking. I shutter to think of brand new people using it. All the little tiny things I just did because I knew it worked. Like adding rocks, or adding a plug, or placing the plug over the hole but not plugging it, and never touching the controls ever. I figure this one will eventually be the same. It is just learning it. I am pretty much letting it do its thing and not messing with it. My eggs are loosing weight.the perfect amount of weight.to me that is critical and all I need to worry about at this point. I know if an egg does not loose weight in the first 10 days, it is probably not going to thrive even if it goes into lock down. I do not know why, or the how, I just know it happens.

Yes. In the article I wrote for that other thing about tips for using a LG, my images show all the extra 'stuff' I needed. It worked. I could get 100% hatches but with the new Genesis, there is nothing in there but the eggs and my temp/hygrometer. With the LG I can never ignore it for six hours at a stretch. With the Genesis I keep checking it and smile because nothing changes. It is just percolating away. I love it. I will be setting up the LG again in another week. I expect the Heritage RIR eggs then and don't I don't want to do staggered with the Catdance eggs. There is going to be some incubator/egg shuffling going on here.

 

[aoxa]

Yes. In the article I wrote for that other thing about tips for using a LG, my images show all the extra 'stuff' I needed. It worked. I could get 100% hatches but with the new Genesis, there is nothing in there but the eggs and my temp/hygrometer. With the LG I can never ignore it for six hours at a stretch. With the Genesis I keep checking it and smile because nothing changes. It is just percolating away. I love it. I will be setting up the LG again in another week. I expect the Heritage RIR eggs then and don't I don't want to do staggered with the Catdance eggs. There is going to be some incubator/egg shuffling going on here.

I'm glad you guys are finding your Genesis maintenance free. I loved it. If you think it sucks humidity out fast, you should try the Sportsman Cabinet! 22 hours the whole dishpan sized water capacity tray is empty.

Our summers are extremely humid. Really uncomfortably humid. It runs so well in the summer.

 

[aoxa]

Here is the revised barn exterior appearance. With the large chicken barn part, there wasn't enough equal support to do the last way. Pretty isn't it? It may have to be reverted (like the big part on the left and the slope on the right) but it should be similar (but larger) to this picture.



Dutch door ideas.

 

[Bulldogma]

Quote: I am getting 2 SFH's and 2 CCL on Monday. I so excited.

Wow! Congrats to everyone trying Swedish Flower Hens! You'll love them for their personalities and their beauty! Be sure not to use medicated chick feed with these guys - they are especially sensitive to it. Also, they need PoliViSol (without iron) baby vitamins for the first couple weeks. This breed also does best with a lot of meat-based protein in their diet. Aside from that, the are spectacular free range birds and very feed thrifty! They average about 150 M-XL eggs a year... eggs start smaller and then get larger as pullets mature.

Please ask me if you have any questions at all on this breed as I have been doing research (even in Swedish) and gathering all the info I can find on them. You can also find a condensed version of my collected info HERE.

(And yes - I sell fertile hatching eggs and I'll sell chicks later this season... but I don't want to ship them... too many losses IMO - though I might ship older pairs some time soon

Has anyone purchased directly from Greenfire Farms? What I'm looking for is a review of health and husbandry practices if I ever decided to purchase older birds and introduce them into the flock. Probably will never happen, but I'd like to know just in case I lose my sanity and decide to spend that much.

I've heard nothing but good things from folks I know who have purchased directly from them.

Yes. In the article I wrote for that other thing about tips for using a LG, my images show all the extra 'stuff' I needed. It worked. I could get 100% hatches but with the new Genesis, there is nothing in there but the eggs and my temp/hygrometer. With the LG I can never ignore it for six hours at a stretch. With the Genesis I keep checking it and smile because nothing changes. It is just percolating away. I love it. I will be setting up the LG again in another week. I expect the Heritage RIR eggs then and don't I don't want to do staggered with the Catdance eggs. There is going to be some incubator/egg shuffling going on here.

And thanks to your article, I've been doing so much better with my LG! I can't thank you enough. Yeah - someday I want to upgrade... but I guess I may have to wait until someone here upgrades to a cabinet incubator and sells me their used Genesis or something - LOL!

Here is the revised barn exterior appearance. With the large chicken barn part, there wasn't enough equal support to do the last way. Pretty isn't it? It may have to be reverted (like the big part on the left and the slope on the right) but it should be similar (but larger) to this picture.



Dutch door ideas.

 

[delisha]

Has anyone purchased directly from Greenfire Farms? What I'm looking for is a review of health and husbandry practices if I ever decided to purchase older birds and introduce them into the flock. Probably will never happen, but I'd like to know just in case I lose my sanity and decide to spend that much.

I have not personally..but know many who do and I would not hesitate to purchase from them. They have an outstanding reputation. I will eventually purchase chicks from them. I am going to try like heck to get off spring from there stock from outside sources first this year. What are you looking for?

Here is the revised barn exterior appearance. With the large chicken barn part, there wasn't enough equal support to do the last way. Pretty isn't it? It may have to be reverted (like the big part on the left and the slope on the right) but it should be similar (but larger) to this picture.



Dutch door ideas.

Love this Aoxa..I can already see it in my minds eye..with baby chicks running around.

 

[aoxa]

Wow! Congrats to everyone trying Swedish Flower Hens! You'll love them for their personalities and their beauty! Be sure not to use medicated chick feed with these guys - they are especially sensitive to it. Also, they need PoliViSol (without iron) baby vitamins for the first couple weeks. This breed also does best with a lot of meat-based protein in their diet. Aside from that, the are spectacular free range birds and very feed thrifty! They average about 150 M-XL eggs a year... eggs start smaller and then get larger as pullets mature.

Please ask me if you have any questions at all on this breed as I have been doing research (even in Swedish) and gathering all the info I can find on them. You can also find a condensed version of my collected info HERE.

(And yes - I sell fertile hatching eggs and I'll sell chicks later this season... but I don't want to ship them... too many losses IMO - though I might ship older pairs some time soon


I've heard nothing but good things from folks I know who have purchased directly from them.


And thanks to your article, I've been doing so much better with my LG! I can't thank you enough. Yeah - someday I want to upgrade... but I guess I may have to wait until someone here upgrades to a cabinet incubator and sells me their used Genesis or something - LOL!

I forgot to mention that I love your trailer! Looks sleek!