The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Mingming]

My question of the day... lol

This is exactly what I did about 2 weeks ago with my 2 week old meat chickens - it was about 70 here - and they loved it!! And my layers didn't even notice, they were too busy enjoying the freshly turned garden area I was preparing for peas

 

[chickiemomy]

We have a new member in the family.. I am so excited to announce it here.. Susan already did on facebook, but I had to wait to get home before announcing it to you guys...



We still haven't decided on a name 100% yet, but I am stuck on Henry. I just love that name and I feel like it fits him.

He is a Bernese Mountain dog. We did not want to get another Great Pyr. Too much like Clementine.. We were torn between the bernese and the Newf. Decided on the Bernese because of the drool factor. This line has been imported from Sweden, and the breeder has been breeding these guys for 20 years. They are registered, guaranteed and microchipped (with first shots and check-up).

Her last 3 she had to put down were 12 years old. That is a really good age for a Bernese Mountain Dog. They typically have short lifespans because they are more prone to fatal cancers. Also can have hip and elbow issues, but this line has been thoroughly tested, and again - he is guaranteed to be joint/hip issue free until 2. She said if they are going to have these issues, you find out before a year old for the most part.

His parents.. oh my.. so loveable. His dad is named Rico and is stunning. He is 7 years old. His mom is 6 and he was her last. She was just spade. He was the only pup in the litter. The remaining sibling was still born.

I'm in love.

Oh we won't have him until Saturday. Time to get the house ready for the pup!

Congratulations! -- he's quite a cutie - love the name Henry too!
We had neighbors with one (Bear) - she was sweet, but protective of their young kids - good disposition - looked alot like Henry does.

 

[Eggcessive]

Chickiemomy, you should check out the Heritage Large Fowl Thread or Heritage RIR Thread--Robert Blosl does a lot of teaching about the differences in the production birds and heritage birds. Many of us on this thread have hatched or are getting heritage RIR eggs from breeders on BYC this year.

 

[Eggcessive]

Aoxa, love the Bernese pup--adorable. Our daughter has 3 of them, and they have always been so gentle with her small children--they are kid guardian dogs.

 

[aoxa]

On Facebook I agreed with the choice of "Bear" and added my dog's name of "Samson" but I hadn't seen Henry. Henry is awesome, it should win

He is soooooooooooooo adorable.

I like Samson better than Bear. My great aunt had a dog named Bear and he was very mean.

I had said we would have named a boy Henry when we got Clem.

Delisha - Congratulations on some BEAUTIFUL Silkie chicks!! They are precious!!



Sue - not sure what to tell you other than that USPS can be awful on shipped eggs! The scrambled state likely had something to do with your chick's condition at hatching. Keep us posted and I'll keep my fingers crossed it is OK!


Aoxa - the BMD is one of my all-time favorite breeds! Great choice!!!!! And he's perfect! Adorable and totally perfect! Congratulations!

As for me - spent the day driving to Knoxville, TN and back to southern VA to help a friend pick up a pony. Got back and went to check the humidity in my hatcher as chicks will be due tomorrow... and there was a chick, still soaking wet and wobbly-headed. It's a Dark Cornish. I have 6 SFH and 4 more DC eggs in there and I'm

the rest of them hatch OK... of course I don't have a brooder ready yet for this group - LOL! Wasn't expecting them until tomorrow some time. I guess the first one can spend the night in the hatcher and hopefully there will be a window of opportunity to extract him tomorrow between other hatches. The SFH often hatch a bit later than other breeds.

I LOVE big breeds. Newfs, Saint Bernards, Great Pyrs, and BMDs. The Newfs and Saint Bernards drool a whole lot.. something that Susan would not like (she is a neat freak). We can handle the shedding. We have had many cats that do (and Koda). But drool all over was a deal breaker.

His parents are remarkable. I can't say enough about them.Did I mention the two parents were imported from Sweden?

Congratulations! -- he's quite a cutie - love the name Henry too!
We had neighbors with one (Bear) - she was sweet, but protective of their young kids - good disposition - looked alot like Henry does.

Yes - the BDMs were raised to be very watchful of children Doing her job I see!

 

[kian]

I like Samson better than Bear. My great aunt had a dog named Bear and he was very mean.

I had said we would have named a boy Henry when we got Clem.
I LOVE big breeds. Newfs, Saint Bernards, Great Pyrs, and BMDs. The Newfs and Saint Bernards drool a whole lot.. something that Susan would not like (she is a neat freak). We can handle the shedding. We have had many cats that do (and Koda). But drool all over was a deal breaker.

His parents are remarkable. I can't say enough about them.Did I mention the two parents were imported from Sweden?
Yes - the BDMs were raised to be very watchful of children Doing her job I see!

The only thing I don't like about my dog is the drool. The amazing amounts of DROOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. And when he shakes his head.......... ugh.

Other than that, he's super!

 

[rowerjen]

We have a new member in the family.. I am so excited to announce it here.. Susan already did on facebook, but I had to wait to get home before announcing it to you guys...

 

[aoxa]

The only thing I don't like about my dog is the drool. The amazing amounts of DROOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. And when he shakes his head.......... ugh.

Other than that, he's super!

Clem never drooled! haha

Does Samson go inside the house at all? He's the Great Pyr right?

 

[Melabella]

We have a new member in the family.. I am so excited to announce it here.. Susan already did on facebook, but I had to wait to get home before announcing it to you guys...

We still haven't decided on a name 100% yet, but I am stuck on Henry. I just love that name and I feel like it fits him.

I'm in love.

So wonderful, and look at those paws! Congratulations Justine... what a wonderful thing!

xo MB

 

[kian]

Clem never drooled! haha

Does Samson go inside the house at all? He's the Great Pyr right?

Yes he is, and yes he does. I live in suburbia, so it's just the back yard and the house. We have a drool towel constantly at the ready. It's disgusting, but he's wonderful so we try and ignore it, though some of his favorite things to do are:

walk up and just touch the side of his face to our leg, usually just after we've put on clean clothes
drool heavily whilst staring at the table (he is no longer allowed in the house during meals. I don't want to elaborate on why)
drool into the water dish, ensuring that the other dogs won't touch it
drool on the smaller dogs (which is just funny, and gross)
fling it. Anywhere. So, so disgusting.