The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Pozees]

I want pictures of your catdance chicks...

One of these days I'll remember to take the camera with me when I visit them The chick from the Lavender egg was from the pen covered by the black split to lavender roo, and the chick is very dark so I'm thinking black. I don't know if that means it should be a pullet or not, I'm unsure whether the black would be sex-linked. It is still the biggest chick, and the Porcelain still the smallest, but they are all just wonderful eye candy I'm already tempted to buy more eggs, but keep telling myself to wait and see what I have first, and I have plenty enough other projects going on now that it can wait a while.

@Countrygirl74, I have a hatchery Blue Cochin and she is a love, the most entertaining hen in my layer flock - watching her run could probably cure illness, you cannot help but laugh at her. DH, who spent months telling me how crazy I was to get chickens again (he was not around during my first endeavor, has never had chickens, and had many preconceived notions about them) likes her so much I broke down and ordered a dozen hatching eggs from someone on ebay, which I may regret if I don't get a hatch, but thought it was worth a shot. You will not regret adding her if yours is anything like mine.

Mumsy, I am on the same path as you, it sounds like. It will be fun to compare notes

 

[Sally8]

I live in WI..we are in a deep freeze..next week and the week after it is going to be in the 40's. I am delighted for the change in weather..I have chicks coming!...I will be in the same boat as you are. My duck runs will be a muddy mess and my DL will be thawing fast.

How to fix it..

I will take at least 1/2 of my DL and put it into my runs. That will take care of the mud in the runs. I might need more. My ducks will be using those runs to nest in. I have one duck who will be nesting in my chicken coop the silly duck.

I will add a bale of pine chips to my DL and stir all the way to the bottom when it thaws completely. Right now I am adding a little chips. and sprinkling it on top to prepare for that thaw.. My DL is to deep for me to stir it all the way to the bottom. I have over a foot of it. next year it will not be as bad. I will use less straw and more chips.

Do you have any pic's of your run? All I can imagine is a mess. (As in mine, not yours, lol) I'd like to build my run up. Where I placed the leaves from fall is a soupy mess. They do like playing in it though. Thanks sue

 

[Leahs Mom]

How old did you say Margaret is? She's a real fighter!

Looks like the kids are enjoying their new house!

 

[aoxa]

How old did you say Margaret is? She's a real fighter!

Looks like the kids are enjoying their new house!

She's a year old now. Or almost a year old. Born last spring. Yep a real fighter that one!!

 

[delisha]

Quote: No..she got a really nice deal..they were only $45.00. I offered him $200.00 for all of his birds..He also had about 10 millies from Green Fire too.
His birds were not thin at all..just no water..lack of water will kill a bird before lack of food. He had 5 gallon dry feeders i am sure he filled up and he had one gallon waters..the waters ran out before the food did.

Holy Carp! My Fogle line HRIR eggs will be shipped Monday and I will get a tracking #.

If they arrive by Wednesday they can be entered in the E hatch a long? Right?

Judy the Broody is still on her three eggs. Wednesday is the day before the test Johnny eggs would go into lock down. I did a quick-y candle of two and they are right where they should be in development. If the Fogle eggs are to go into the LG Wednesday night, I can take the Johnny eggs out of the LG, put them under Judy. I need to do a quick sanitize wipe of the LG between sets and then it's GO time with the Fogle eggs. *sheesh!* This isn't stressful but it is a bit nutty! Hah! As long as I get some gorgeous HRIR in the process, it's all GOOD.

You need to go on the Easter hatch a long and say..I am in!! that will get you all set up..than after set day..you post a picture of your eggs.

Quote: I am not sure if you will get the whole picture..but i will try

at the bottom of that door is a poop door..the ducks use it to go out to the runs during nesting season

This is the back side of the run, the run goes all the way around the building. The two parts that contain nest boxes are completely enclosed and pred proof.

The ducks wanting out.

one of the nest boxes in the other enclosed pen


This is another nest when I also had different ducks. It had a movable enclosure for pred proof. I tore it apart when the neighbors dog decided to kill them a few years back. I left the A frame standing and they use it for shade. i sometimes put chicks in it with a tempory fence during nice weather.

My runs are pretty big. That coop is a small converted house. I probably have at least 50 feet of fence run. This week after we loose some snow I will take some better pictures. I just use these runs for breeding. My ducks free range once they hatch out the ducklings. The moms usually bring the ducklings back into the enclosures at night for safety.

How old did you say Margaret is? She's a real fighter!

Looks like the kids are enjoying their new house!

It sure looks so nice..i bet they are having so much fun with that room!!

 

[Mumsy]

You need to go on the Easter hatch a long and say..I am in!! that will get you all set up..than after set day..you post a picture of your eggs.

I did that already and they have me on the list. I just didn't know what to do next and when to show the picture of the eggs in the bator. It's the timing of stuff that trips me up.

 

[Sally8]

Delisha - Is your run is out in the open where snow and rain can get to it? My run is 42 ft square. (I leave the gate open to the dog enclosure so they have more room for foraging.) On one side I've been focused to dumping leaves, etc, but it gets wet. I/d like to put the hoop part of the hoop coop up just for protection. Just the fencing and covering. I want to leave both ends open. Thank you for posting the pic's

 

[tadpole98]

Quote: Wow she is so pretty!

 

[delisha]

Delisha - Is your run is out in the open where snow and rain can get to it? My run is 42 ft square. (I leave the gate open to the dog enclosure so they have more room for foraging.) On one side I've been focused to dumping leaves, etc, but it gets wet. I/d like to put the hoop part of the hoop coop up just for protection. Just the fencing and covering. I want to leave both ends open. Thank you for posting the pic's

The west side is roof covered. That is why the snow is piled on top of the roof. The top is covered in hard wire, wood, and shingles. The south side is hard wire, partially roofed and covered on top. I have them covered on top to protect the nest boxes. I don't want rain and snow on those boxes. They are wood and will not last in the elements forever. I also do not want it pouring on the ducklings either. The mom can take them to other parts that are not covered to get wet if she wants them exposed. One of the nest box on the south side is a Coppola and it is made for the elements. That is not under the partial roofing. However it is still inside of the fully contained flight pen. So to answer your question..Most of my run is exposed to the elements and in the open. The enclosed parts for security and nesting is partially roof covered from rain and snow.

 

[delisha]

OK I went and took more pictures..i hope this helps to clarify


Open run..attached to back flight enclosed pen

back flight pen

Back flight pen with run to south enclosure (that little box with snow on it in top center)

All thought this pen has a cover on top ....snow and rain does get in it..it is still open. I have a piece of wood braced against the fence to keep direct snow and rain from getting into the the nest box.

These are sun panels and let in late sun..they are on the west side of the coop

south flight pen with coopalo

It is partially roofed with shingles and completely enclosed with hard wire. The poop door is on this side.

Hard to see in this picture but the entrance to the back enclosure is at the center bottom, on the other side of the door.