The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Mumsy]

Mumsy..I have 7 silkies out..two more eggs doing nada..

Oh my! Seven bits of fluffy goodness! So jealous! Did you set a mixed batch of colors?

 

[TheH Klan of 10]

Great thanks!!

 

[redbudchix]

Are the pellets the kind you have to spray down first? I am struggling with what to use in my brooder. I've raised exotics and I always tried to replicate Mother Nature whenever I could. Pine shavings don't seem to fit that. I was even toying with sod/soil in one area, and earthworm casings in another.

 

[TheH Klan of 10]

That was another question I had .... I had heard something about misting the pellets??
Or do u just put it n the brooder box just as they r out of the bag?

 

[hotrodflash]

Are the pellets the kind you have to spray down first? I am struggling with what to use in my brooder. I've raised exotics and I always tried to replicate Mother Nature whenever I could. Pine shavings don't seem to fit that. I was even toying with sod/soil in one area, and earthworm casings in another.

No, they are for livestock bedding and can also be used in pellet stoves. They are pine and turn to sawdust when dampened. I add extra pellets on top of the "dirty" ones. I only have to clean the brooder about every 10 days rather than every 5-6 with the shavings. Cost a little more than shavings but less mess is worth it to me.

 

[rowerjen]

Re: Deep Litter in the winter. I've been adding leaves once a month to the deep litter in my coop and stirring it up, and there was no ammonia smell, but today it got up to 50 degrees so I decided to do a little clean out. Definitely smelled ammonia. I have an enclosed covered run that is also filled with leaves. I moved some of the deep litter from the coop into the run, added peat moss and gave it a good stir, put fresh shavings in the coop and all seems to be well. I thought about the poop boards when I was building my coop but just can't beat DL for convenience.

The snow has finally melted enough to expose some bare ground in the woods around the house. The chickens have been out there all day digging around for goodies. Goodness knows what they find but they are searching energetically.

Y'all are killing me with these baby pictures. Today I found a breeder of Icelandic Chickens who lives about 45 minutes away. I asked to get on her waiting list. Now sketching out pans to expand the coop and contemplating ways that I could use my woodshed as a temporary holding area.

 

[redbudchix]

It's funny how I'm obsessing about everything. It's like I'm a firs time parent again, I guess in a way, I am. I'm just wanting to do the very best for the babies, but trying to remember they are also chickens. I don't want to do any harm.

 

[aoxa]

Are the pellets the kind you have to spray down first? I am struggling with what to use in my brooder. I've raised exotics and I always tried to replicate Mother Nature whenever I could. Pine shavings don't seem to fit that. I was even toying with sod/soil in one area, and earthworm casings in another.

The only thing I like with chicks is pine shavings (Kiln dried). Pellets turn into saw dust, and too much dust is bad for their respiratory systems.

Cedar is not recommended. Some use sand, and I have been toying with that idea as well. It's the only bedding I haven't tried.

I like a combination bedding. Mostly shavings, dirt, and leaves make a great base. I also like a bit of hay in there, but not much at all.

It's all preferences.. What I like someone else will not. I could not stand wood pellets. The chickens hated them. I used them a week before I chalked it up to a waste of money. They didn't work like I thought they would.

 

[lalaland]

Are the pellets the kind you have to spray down first? I am struggling with what to use in my brooder. I've raised exotics and I always tried to replicate Mother Nature whenever I could. Pine shavings don't seem to fit that. I was even toying with sod/soil in one area, and earthworm casings in another.

I like shavings just in the brooder - because it is a small area and needs to be easily cleaned - and switch to hay as soon as I can. Love hay. love the smell. others hate using it! There really isn't a one best way to do it - some of it depends on your location - what is easily available to you , how you plan on disposing of it, and what the expense might be and whether expense matters to you.

I would say though, at least for the first few days, I like to be sure I can see the droppings to monitor the chicks. Not sure how that would work on dirt.

It's funny how I'm obsessing about everything. It's like I'm a firs time parent again, I guess in a way, I am. I'm just wanting to do the very best for the babies, but trying to remember they are also chickens. I don't want to do any harm.

chickens are funny. you can do absolutely everything wrong, and they survive - and you can do everything right and sometimes they die. so my advice is to do what you are doing (reading and learning), and go with your gut. Lots of different ways, and everything usually works out.

 

[redbudchix]

Thanks. All the info is helpful. I think I will pass on the wood pellets, and have an area with soil, and the rest pine shavings. Thanks, now I have a plan.