The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

I made the drive last night and picked up my BCM eggs. They are in the bator now. The farm has some beautiful birds! I just might have to go back for another breed.

no pictures of the eggs? I would like to see the color at this time of year.

 

[Mumsy]

thought about you today Mumsy - I went to the Monroe Poultry show. Had a lot of fun looking at tons of different chickens -

Awww...Thank you chickiemomy! I thought about all you folks that went to the show. Sure would have loved to have gone.
I have been bator watching. Nine Catdance chicks out and two pipped. The Blue Splash chick that was first to pip, hatched on it's own after 28 hours! One foot is curled. A very small egg and a small chick with a vaulted skull. Interesting color. Doesn't look anything like the other BlS that hatched. One Paint hatched. Very white chick with pink comb and light colored toes. It will be interesting to watch the project colors mature. Two Porcelain hatched. Two Partridge. And one Lavender. This Lavender chick is truly remarkable. The egg was marked L 3. I'm hoping it came from that dream pen of Lavenders I saw at Catdance Farm. It's a beautiful baby. I've never seen this color in a Silkie chick before. One of the Partridge chicks is also stunning. The typey-est chick of the nine. A Buff and a Black are the two pipped eggs I'm waiting on. The chicks are really slow to zip after pipping. Today is day twenty one. Fifteen went into lockdown. If I get eleven that would be great. Hoping for more of course.

The baskets with compartments worked for a while. Then the stronger older chicks climbed right out and mixed with other chicks! Hah! So much for that idea!

 

[delisha]

Mumsy..how wonderful!!

I am so jealous! It sounds like it is a wonderful hatch with more to go..go chicks go!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Well...the basked idea was good while it lasted!!!!!

 

[jlynnet]

Mumsy great hatching!

I will get a picture. They aren't as dark as they were a couple of months ago. Still quite dark though.

 

[jlynnet]

The 6 on the right are BCM. The 6 in front of those are Birchen Marans.

 

[delisha]

The 6 on the right are BCM. The 6 in front of those are Birchen Marans.

very nice color! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Mumsy]

Still holding at nine hatched and two pipped. I heard chirping from the bator so somebody is still working. I took all the babies out so may have slowed down the hatch of the rest but It was chaos in the bator and so I took a chance.

Who would have thought that Silkie chicks could climb? I should have put netting over the top of the baskets!

It's really hard to tell the Porcelain chicks from the others so I put the food coloring on feets and tummys for most of them so I can get familiar with all the colors. These chicks are definetly different than the Silkies I've raised before. The beaks for one thing, are very small. Love that! The legs are short on all of them. Love that too! Both good type signs of quality Silkies. Most have vaulted skulls but not extremely so. I need to find my good reading glasses and examine feet next. I can tell straight off that some of the project colored chicks have lighter skin. Time to take a few pictures.

 

[Bulldogma]

Today was a rough day for me. I did my first culling. I did a lot of research, asked a lot of questions from several people. I went through the steps, one by one in my head, atleast 100 times. I made peace with my choice a couple of weeks ago. But there is just nothing that truly can prepare you for the process. You just have to do it. I have to admit that once the rooster was culled, the hens seemed to have a peaceful day. I'm still at peace with my decision. So thankful that it's behind me. And now we have a wonderful looking roasting chicken in my fridge.

It's never "easy," but good for you for taking such a big step.

 

[Bulldogma]

I brought the chickens meal worms and crickets, so they were not left out of today's fun. I sat with them for an hour before we went to get Henry.. and then again when we got home and before we went to supper. Henry met them too. Doesn't seem interested at all, but I won't trust him alone for a very long time.

It's great you're introducing Henry to the chooks so early! They will become like family to him.

Hugs!