The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Mumsy]

@ AlCamus: Here is a link I found on Egg Yolk Peritonitus. The images are some of the best I've found with just a little searching. Did you find this? Did your hen look like some of these images?

http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7990068

 

[TeriO]

some chick pics

they are. So darling. Congrats. Love them

 

[OffGridMAMA]

Leah's mom your sfh chooks are just gorgeous!! Wow!

 

[TheH Klan of 10]

I am needing to know how much ACV to put n the chicks water per gallon

 

[Mumsy]

I am needing to know how much ACV to put n the chicks water per gallon

I don't really measure but maybe a Tablespoon. I just sort of splash it into the jug. If you put too much it won't hurt your chickens but they may not drink it. So you can start out with a little and if they take to that quickly, add a little bit more.

 

[OohLaLa]

Still working on my coop. I swear since I can only get anything done on the weekends and when its not raining it's taking forever. I have a question regarding how high to mount my watering nipples. Someone told me chest hight (my babies have not arrived) and since this in my first flock....what is chest hight? I have a variety from silkies to an Astralorp on order. Google says 8-18 inches that does not really help,sort of a big range.

 

[Pozees]

some chick pics

 

[Melabella]

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.

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?

http://www.streufex.com.au/

Steufex is pelleted straw bedding, it is NOT advised to be wet down. This is a different product than the pelleted horse bedding that DOES need to be wet down before use. Steufex is considered to be the new choice in bedding for horses to combat the dust factor that horse owners are constantly trying to avoid Steufex breaks down faster for compost use as well. In horse stalls the pellets break down to smaller pieces over time to a softer consistency, and the urine clumps around it a bit like cat litter. I find it a bit easier to clean my horse stalls with it, and can attest to the less dust. When using it in my coop it seemed to do a fine enough job, but found the chicken poo a bit harder to sift out, seemed to all blend in with the pellets. I was going to give it another try as I had used it the week of the blizzard, and so much snow found it's way into my coop through the tiniest little holes, everything had to be changed out.

One drawback is that it is not recommended for dirt or clay floors. I had to put rubber mats down in the stalls I am using it in. It will draw moisture from the dirt floor. It is also supposed to help with insulation in the cold when used correctly.

MB

 

[aoxa]

some chick pics

Are you hatching in the Genesis?

If so, isn't the picture window awesome come hatch?!

your pics are so good - would you share what kind of camera/lense you use??? -- know it's mostly technique - you see the birds & animals on their level, for example - but am curious about your equipment?

Canon Rebel T3i with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS but I also use an additional lens -EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II which makes my images all the more steady

Mouth full yes? And thanks for the compliment!

So many new folks posting today. Happy happy happy!

For the new folks, this is how I do the litter in my barn.

I use pine shavings, local grass hay, leaves, and peat moss in equal amounts in my DL. I use pine shavings exclusively now in most of my Silkie breeding pens. My LF, LF chicks and bantam RIR chicks are on DL. I have been noticing some of the Silkies eating the shavings. Impacted gizzards in Silkies is a real risk so I covered the trio pen shavings in grass hay today. I love using hay for bedding but forking litter is one of my favorite things to do in the barn so it works for me. I liked using sand in the chick house in years past but it is too heavy for me to physically handle anymore.

If I could only choose one type of litter, it would be a hard choice. Hay is a lot cheaper here than bagged shavings, but hay is too difficult to use with tiny chicks like Silkies or other feather foot breeds. So I would have to say pine shavings. My least favorite thing to do in the barn is scrape poo off of hard surfaces. I love being able to go four to five months before cleaning out the DL. And I never have to clean it all out all at once. Beauty!

My first hatch of silkies, I lost 3 to impacted gizzards from shaving eating. I don't know WHY they do that... I mean they aren't the sharpest tool in the shed, but that is just plain dumb!

 

[Eggcessive]

In another thred folks told me to use horse pellets for bedding and they say it works kinda the same as u have explained but its not white or powdery it is pellets have u used this?

I tried pellets (right out of the bag) on the floor once when I got a smaller coop for some pullets. They hated them and were scared. Unless you wet them, then dry them out, it would be hard to use them, and then it is like using sawdust. I wouldn't ever try them again although some like them. Sand, PDZ, and shavings would work. There are some new clumping kitty litters out there made of ground corn cobs, but I would worry about impacted crop--has anyone used these with chickens?