The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

I found a really cool picture that shows how a chick develops in an egg on Pinterest. Being a newbie it was really cool to see what you should see when you guys are candling your eggs at different intervals

http://pinterest.com/pin/121315783684453874/

And since you can pin it to your board I figured it was safe to share on here

 

[Eggcessive]

Mumsy, so glad you had a good hatch! I'm getting Ron Fogle HRIR's on the 20th. Can't wait, but I'm nervous with my new Genesis incubator. My humidity is only reading 16%, indoor is 35%, and outside is 80% and raining, so I guess I will add a bit of water or a wet sponge. I started some black copper marans eggs today because some were a week old.

 

[Leahs Mom]

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..

THAT IS ONE HUGE DOG!

Quote:
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...

L

Any ideas would be great!

I moved mine like turtle said - at night in the dark. Wanted her to have her own space, be closer to the ground, and not have anyone trying to lay eggs in the nest with her. Worked fine.

Quarantine might be something good to post on that thing maybe by a combined group with advice and stories to support (if you have any)

Here's an article that's already there: http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2012/12/biosecurity-one-method-of-introducing.html

 

[Leahs Mom]

Aoxa - thanks for the hawk info. Strangely, I have TONS of crows all around. In the fall/winter, I'd see groups of crows chasing a hawk across the sky on occasion.

The same day that hawk came into the pen there were crows all around all day long. They were shirking their duty.

 

[jendodd79]

I would not say that Houdan is a pullet just yet, but it does look promising. The crest reminds me of the girls I have raised at that age. I am going to be getting 20 in late April and maybe even ordering some sexed pullets from McMurray as they seem to have half decent birds.. 

The frizzle cochin is adorable as well

I hope it's a pullet! It was sexed although I know that it's not guaranteed . I'm 90% sure that the frizzle will end up a roo though. Maybe it will be a quiet roo and I can keep him...

 

[delisha]

Long term thread lurker and occaisonal questioner...

I finally have a broody hen

however, she has chosen a nest box that is in the middle of everything, two feet off the ground and cannot be moved.

I want to move her as I am concerned about the safety of her babies both because of the other birds and the two foot drop from the nest.

Have any of you moved a broody successfully? I'm thinking of taking a nest in beside her at night, first stealing her eggs and then placing her on them. That way I can move the whole assembly to where she can still see the flock but will be safe from them. My concerns are that this will break her out of her broodiness or she will break the eggs in transport.

She's been on the nest for just over a week, let her keep some random eggs last Wednesday. Have not seen her leave the nest at all.

Any ideas would be great!

Hello Shan..welcome to the group and please keep us updated on what you are planning on doing.
I have done both..left them and moved them. If they are in the coop..I leave them..if they decide to nest outside..I move them in the coop.(If I find the nest) Sometimes the missing hen comes back with a troop of chicks.

Aoxa - thanks for the hawk info. Strangely, I have TONS of crows all around. In the fall/winter, I'd see groups of crows chasing a hawk across the sky on occasion.

The same day that hawk came into the pen there were crows all around all day long. They were shirking their duty.

I have had hawks lately too..

 

[Pozees]

Mumsy, would you mind sharing exactly your incubation technique for your Silkie hatch?

 

[Shan30]

Hello Shan..welcome to the group and please keep us updated on what you are planning on doing.
I have done both..left them and moved them. If they are in the coop..I leave them..if they decide to nest outside..I move them in the coop.(If I find the nest) Sometimes the missing hen comes back with a troop of chicks.


Hello I think I will leave her for the moment... So once she brings the chicks out they won't be able to get back in that nest box. If I leave her in should I put a nest box on the ground for her to take her brood in when the time comes?

I've never had a broody hen in with the flock, is it common for another chicken to attack the chicks? There are 25 others including 3 Roos ( I know I need to get rid of one).

Thanks for all your wisdom!

 

[Sally8]

Here's an article that's already there:  http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2012/12/biosecurity-one-method-of-introducing.html
[/quote]

Can you believe that I already commented there? I'm suffering from that can't remember disease. Thank you.

 

[Mumsy]

Mumsy, would you mind sharing exactly your incubation technique for your Silkie hatch?

*Gah!* I just spent an hour typing out a detailed reply and it disappeared!

I will try again in the morning.