The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[texasmomma]

I'll use the panels that come with the Ecoglow brooder set to block drafts and provide a safe area inside the kennel to start, then wrap hardware cloth around the sides to keep the chicks in once they're large enough to play around. I plan on using the same water with UACV and a couple drops of Dawn I use with the other chickens. What about FF? Can I use that from the start? And I've heard great things about both DL wood chips and gravel being used in the brooder. Thoughts? Advice? TIA

The Ecoglow is not to be used outside under a certain temperature. Otherwise, the chicks won't be warm enough, especially during this time of year. It might not be such a big deal later on. When I brooded in the fall, I had my chicks in a shed. I have a chick pipped today, so I may end up with a couple in a few days. I will keep them inside in my brooder with the ecoglow. They eat FF chick starter when they start to eat. It took my last chicks quite a while to start eating, but they did eventually. I hadn't ever had just hatched eggs; I guess that was the difference.

I have used the ecoglow outside, but the temps didn't dip too low. Another time, I had the ecoglow outside, the chicks were quite a bit older. I just had it there for me, probably.

I DL the wood chips in the brooder as well.

 

[Pullet Surprise]

Some more money savers,, natural or just plain made out of recycled goods,, give me your set up for food and water. I made a couple feeders out of old pvc pipe

I like this. It's what I need to do!

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I used empty soup cans and shoved them in the ends and screwed them in to plug the holes, I forgot that part. Its simple. I also made one of my 5 gallon waterers with the red bottom. I used bailing wire to make a ring around the top tightly and took rope and made 3 equal pieces to tie in balanced spots to the wire ring and an old metal plant hook I took off my house to use as my hook. Maybe i need a pic of it. My coop is recycled privacy fencing

 

[Pullet Surprise]

I used empty soup cans and shoved them in the ends and screwed them in to plug the holes, I forgot that part. Its simple.

That solves that problem too! Great!

 

[stonykill]

BDM wonderful Blog again. You are so talented!

aoxa, I just love that camera and your ability in capturing your subjects. So beautiful!

The ff...I'm sure it's not for everyone. I don't even bother putting it in a bowl anymore. Just a blob here and there. They eat it right then. off the ground. I have a couple pumpkin half shells that I put a blob in each also. I was going to buy another heated bowl but have decided against it. As soon as I charge my camera's battery, I'll take a couple pic's. I'm not trying to talk you into it, just sharing what is working for me. I live in NY also, and we have been frozen here for some time. I did buy 2 heated bowls for the water. Best investment I've ever made.

9 coops, 75ish chickens plus 11 ducks. That is a lot of lead cords and heated bowls.And a LOT of buckets of FF. I'm not against using it... I'm just not using it.

 

[stonykill]

nice looking re purposed coop Maiden!

 

[maidenwolfx80]

nice looking re purposed coop Maiden!

Thank you, it isnt pretty but it supposed to be either. It works. Next spring I am fixing the little things here or there that need adjusted or done better. Hopefully out of recycled goods.

 

[JeffOeuf]

We had a lovely day yesterday. Temperature in the upper 50s, sunshine and little wind. I spent a good part of the morning walking around with the girls and a camera. Here's my little flock of 5.



This is Pepper (Salt's on the left). She's just starting to come out of molt. She was a very reliable layer before the molt. Nice large brown egg.





This is Paula Deen (loud, brash, large and lots of grey). Lays a large blue egg 4 out of 7 days a week now. 6 out of 7 in September.







This is Ginger. She's the youngest and smallest. Even after repeated lock-downs, she prefers to roost in the cedars right behind the coop. Just like Ginger in Chicken Run, she longs for freedom, so, as of a couple weeks ago, she gets it. Don't know how long she'll last, but she is definitely happier. Hasn't started laying yet.





Salt on the track of some bug that has survived our mild (so far) winter. Lays about 4 out of 7 days now. Almost a daily layer earlier.





Blue, who just started laying. She's giving us an olive egg every other day.

 

[Sally8]

9 coops, 75ish chickens plus 11 ducks. That is a lot of lead cords and heated bowls.And a LOT of buckets of FF. I'm not against using it... I'm just not using it.

Ha ha, now don't I feel silly. Not really, I only have 18 chickens and 2 turkeys. Can't they all just get along?

 

[Frizzle13]

my chickens only eat mixed grain from the feed store and and what they can find on the farm. is that natural chicken keeping?