The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

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Tuesday
March 19​

Wednesday
March 20​

Thursday
March 21​

Friday
March 22​

Saturday
March 23​

Sunday
March 24​

Conditions
6am - 6pm​

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Cloudy periods Snow Variable cloudiness Snow Light snow Mixed precip.

P.O.P.​

30 % 90 % 20 % 80 % 80 % 70 %

High​

25 °F 37 °F 39 °F 36 °F 36 °F 37 °F

Feels Like​

9 21 28 23 23 27

Low​

9 °F 18 °F 23 °F 28 °F 30 °F 30 °F

Wind​

NE 6 mph E 12 mph S 6 mph NE 12 mph N 12 mph N 9 mph

24-Hr Rain​

- - - - trace 0.1 in

24-Hr Snow​

2-3 in close to 1 in close to 4 in 6-8 in close to 2 in 2-3 in​

Snow every day this week except today.

I want spring!

Altogether snow this week expected: 17-21 inches

 

[TheH Klan of 10]

I just picked up my HRIR's from Ron Fogle. They are 4 weeks old and they are wonderful!! I also got some of his CPR's He lives 20 minutes from me, it was so easy! They are beautiful birds!!

Arkansaschicks..... Would like to know where you got the HRIR .... What town? How much?
That's great!!

 

[aoxa]

I meant to share this picture of Susan & Henry's father Rico.

This will be roughly the same size Henry will be. Rico just loves people. It was a struggle to keep him still because he wanted to come see me

LOL @ The TV.. Bird is watching us..

 

[Pullet Surprise]

great picture of Rico AND Susan!

 

[armorfirelady]

I wanted to share my new nesting boxes I made for the new coop. I got the shelves free since someone had them out for the trash, the buckets from a friend, had an extra milk crate & the perches were from scrap pieces I had here. Total cost $00

I figure the plastic will be easy to clean and I don't think mites or lice will live in the plastic?

Just need to add one more bucket and drill a few holes at the top so I can secure it to the hoop coop

I got the idea from an ad on here but they were made out of round buckets with plastic perches. But I couldn't beat the price of mine

 

[arkansaschicks]

Arkansaschicks..... Would like to know where you got the HRIR .... What town? How much?
That's great!!

Ron lives in Lonoke but for bio security reasons pick up of birds is in Jacksonville. Price depends on the age. I needed all pullets so I paid a little more. There is also another person who is Ron's friend who has HRIR'S too. I am getting all her BLRW's and some GNH's this Friday from her. I am going to take over selling her BLRW eggs. Send me a PM if you want more information.

 

[Sally8]

When you all hatch and they are not of show quality, do you cull them if you can tell early on or do you keep feeding them until freezer camp? It's the one in the tub and he's only a month old but it sure is a crow. I'm thinking I'll have more in feed in him than to keep him. He's a BCM/EE so he would be of a good size to eat early summer.

armorfirelady - around here I've seen those buckets used for everything. I can still see the top of one under our deck where we filled it with concrete for a post. I was always angry that he left 2 in of bright yellow visible. lol

Oh and another poult was hatching when I left home this morning. Robbing nests every few days might not have been the brightest thing I've ever done.

 

[Mumsy]

Final hatch count is twelve live and wonderful chicks. Last one just out this morning is another Buff. Drying in the bator. I removed the last three eggs and did an eggtopsie. A White and a Black were both quitters at day fourteen! I missed them candling. They looked right to me with air cell and everything. The third was a gorgeous Lavender chick that died in the shell without internally pipping. It had absorbed the yolk too! This chick had the hugest vaulted skull of any of the other twelve chicks. Hmmm..

So twelve live beautiful chicks out of thirteen viable embryos is the best hatch out of Silkie eggs from an incubator for me EVER!

 

[Noncentzter]

So, on the subject of freezer camp, how old is too old? I know you can eat any age chicken, but I've read that if they're too old they're tough to eat. Our Cochin boys will be about 8 months when hubby is home to help (if I don't sell them) and the Wyandotte (not handing off those little snots to irritate others) girls will be just under a year. Thoughts from the experts?

I'm only up to here...

I've been boiling my older chickens and then grinding the meat. This is very helpful when cooking an older bird. I then freeze the cooked and ground up meat and use it later in soups or spaghetti...

 

[Mumsy]

When you all hatch and they are not of show quality, do you cull them if you can tell early on or do you keep feeding them until freezer camp?

I will and do cull aggressive people attacking males without hesitation if they do not respond quickly to training. I will cull for defects, injuries, or illness that prevent a bird from living normally with it's peers in it's flock or jeopardizes the health of the flock. I make very few exceptions.
Not every chick is going to be show quality. It takes nearly a full year for Silkies to fully mature to their potential. Some of my Silkies will be pet and I will sell them. Most of mine will be breeders. I am building foundation flocks this year and plan to be very strict in my selection. Extra HRIR males that don't make the grade will go to freezer camp.

There is a difference of opinion among people for what 'Show Quality" is. I had an interesting conversation with Karen of Catdance about this very thing. She told me it drove her nuts when people would ask for show quality young birds and offer her $10. I hold the same belief about this term as she does. You can only truly call a bird show quality if it has been shown at least once, placed, and wasn't disqualified. Competition is really stiff at big shows with Silkies. It is not enough to have a bird that qualifies to be shown. The proof is in the showing.

Buying eggs and young stock that come from Show winners ups your odds of having show quality winning birds someday but there is no guarantee.