The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[texasmomma]

Finally someone who has used the Ecoglow! I've been wanting to "pick someone's brain" about the for some time now. I contacted the co as I wanted to have a back-up brood solution sans light and was wondering if this might work. I would be brooding outdoors in an UNHEATED hen house. They told me they don't recommend using it in an area that the room temp is under 55 degrees F.

When you had your chicks in a shed in the fall, did you use it there? Was the shed heated? What was the room temp?

The chicks were a little older and were outside during the day when I used the ecoglow in the shed. It was actually the garage, but similar. It went to 20 that night, and they were 3-4 weeks old, but fully feathered. I was worried about them, so put them in a more enclosed area with the ecoglow. It was fine. I also used it outside. I have an oval garbage can in their coop outside. They actually live in a dog kennel with no solid sides, so I put the garbage can in there and they sleep in it. It has some pine shavings in it, but they usually kick those out. I have also put the ecoglow in the garbage can and they snuggled up to it as well. It was probably 30-32 F those nights. I finally decided that since they were mostly feathered out, they were ok. And they have been just fine.

I've got some chicks hatching right now. I will probably keep them in the garage with the ecoglow for a while, at least a couple of weeks. These last chicks feathered out super fast and I expect these new ones to do the same. The FF seems to help with the faster feathering. It's expected to be in the 50's during the day and the low 30's at night for the next few weeks. Our winter isn't especially difficult/cold.

The thing is. The ecoglow feels warm to the touch. If the chicks know to touch the ecoglow, then they should feel some warmth. It's really as close to a broody as you can get without having a broody, IMHO. Now, I've never had a broody, but I'm really amazed at how great this thing is. It is 100 times better than any heat lamp I've ever had and I'm not worried about fire. I do, however, worry about the electricity and rain/sleet/what they call snow here. So far, I haven't had to have it plugged in when there has been precipitation. I'd rather just bring them into the garage at night.

HTH.

 

[stonykill]

This is just one of the things I appreciate so much about you, Stony. We don't have to do everything to same in order to share and learn.
Thank you for being here!

there are many different methods to raising healthy chickens. I can only speak of what works for my flock and flock dynamics.

I actually seriously considered FF and spoke in Pm in detail about it. In the end.... staying how I am for now.

I'm just glad there is a thread where I can share and be appreciated

 

[Lacy Blues]

Here's another quick-read that kind-of pulls the info together in one place without having to wade through the whole thread here. You can take a quick-read, then as you have time you can wade through the whole thread on byc!

http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/p/fermented-feed.html

Thank you Leahs Mom. I looked over her blog yesterday and read the whole gnarly bunch story! Very impressive! I have it book marked because I couldn't possibly read everything she has on there.

Well, I kept up with this thread yesterday but I didn't accomplish a darn thing in my life. This morning, I got on and there was at least 70 new posts. My eyes are really tired. I did not read them at all. Now this evening I get on and there are almost 20 more pages. I've decided... I cannot keep up with this thread. So, I'll be checking in every once in a while to see how things are going and to give y'all updates on my project progressions.

I had posted that their health is a top priority to me and somebody said "post pictures and we'll try to help you with your birds." Just to answer that... I don't have any problems, I just try to keep them as healthy as I can. Its not easy when they have to live in pens. As much as I'd like to, there are just too many predators around here to let them run around so I try to stay on top of their health and do the best by them that I am able.

 

[Leahs Mom]

First...Aoxa, thanks so much for teaching me how to do the multi quotes!

I'm a sixty year old OT and been raising chickens before many folks here on this forum were born. I learned about FF just a couple months ago and will never go back. I also like saving money on unwasted feed and my week old chicks are now eating it. Saving $ and healthy chickens is not a bad thing. This old girl was willing to learn a new way of raising chickens. My OT DH age 65 is a new believer because he is seeing the results. Up close and in the flesh. I got to say. He was a BIG skeptic until he started doing the math with the feed bill.

Glad to see you here again! Got any photos of the new chicks? And I LOVE your hen house...the outside is very nice looking!

. I can't imaging my wife....who puts up with a lot from my chickens

I can imagine your wife:

The chicks were a little older and were outside during the day when I used the ecoglow in the shed. It was actually the garage, but similar. It went to 20 that night, and they were 3-4 weeks old, but fully feathered. I was worried about them, so put them in a more enclosed area with the ecoglow. It was fine. I also used it outside. I have an oval garbage can in their coop outside. They actually live in a dog kennel with no solid sides, so I put the garbage can in there and they sleep in it. It has some pine shavings in it, but they usually kick those out. I have also put the ecoglow in the garbage can and they snuggled up to it as well. It was probably 30-32 F those nights. I finally decided that since they were mostly feathered out, they were ok. And they have been just fine.

I've got some chicks hatching right now. I will probably keep them in the garage with the ecoglow for a while, at least a couple of weeks. These last chicks feathered out super fast and I expect these new ones to do the same. The FF seems to help with the faster feathering. It's expected to be in the 50's during the day and the low 30's at night for the next few weeks. Our winter isn't especially difficult/cold.

The thing is. The ecoglow feels warm to the touch. If the chicks know to touch the ecoglow, then they should feel some warmth. It's really as close to a broody as you can get without having a broody, IMHO. Now, I've never had a broody, but I'm really amazed at how great this thing is. It is 100 times better than any heat lamp I've ever had and I'm not worried about fire. I do, however, worry about the electricity and rain/sleet/what they call snow here. So far, I haven't had to have it plugged in when there has been precipitation. I'd rather just bring them into the garage at night.

HTH.

Thanks so much. That's really helpful.

Just wondering if you ever put a thermometer under it to see how warm it was getting under there? I had a theory that it would likely raise the air temp under it by about 40 degrees judging on generalized calculations. Just wondering if I'm right?

I would only be using it in the hen house; not in the outdoors. It is just not heated in there so it's the same temp in as outside minus the wind.

 

[delisha]

I wish I was good at remembering who said what. If I missed a question someone had, please forgive me and repost it.

All the pictures of the coops and repurposing is absolutly fantastic. My DH is a repurposer. He has so much stuff all over this place that he is going to use. Right now in the rafters are 3 -100 year old wooden doors. In the other rafters are a dozen really old wooden windows and those first made aluminum windows. I have so many ideas, but, I feel with all of your beautiful pictures you have really helped me formulate some plans in my head.

I love to see those healthy looking chickens everyone. There are some serious shinny things running around in peoples yards.

I just want to give a shout out to all the lurkers we have..please feel free to join and tll us a bit about yourselves, post your pictures!

Hello Mumsy..I am so delighted to see you! Love your barn those touches make every thing seem so warm and inviting.

I am painting my building next year, and I will post pictures in the next few days. I would like some suggestions on colors from everyone.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thank you Leahs Mom. I looked over her blog yesterday and read the whole gnarly bunch story! Very impressive! I have it book marked because I couldn't possibly read everything she has on there.

Well, I kept up with this thread yesterday but I didn't accomplish a darn thing in my life. This morning, I got on and there was at least 70 new posts. My eyes are really tired. I did not read them at all. Now this evening I get on and there are almost 20 more pages. I've decided... I cannot keep up with this thread. So, I'll be checking in every once in a while to see how things are going and to give y'all updates on my project progressions.

I had posted that their health is a top priority to me and somebody said "post pictures and we'll try to help you with your birds." Just to answer that... I don't have any problems, I just try to keep them as healthy as I can. Its not easy when they have to live in pens. As much as I'd like to, there are just too many predators around here to let them run around so I try to stay on top of their health and do the best by them that I am able.

Glad you found it. One of the things I like about the blog is that BD is taking a lot of the topics from the thread here and organizing it into topics over there. It saves having to wade through so many pages to get the info you're looking for. You might want to skim through the topics over there if you're looking for something in particular. New topics/posts are being added almost daily. Then...the only thing you miss is the "socializing" ...and you can drop in and join us for that any day!

ETA: And I hear that there will be some give-aways over there along the way!

 

[texasmomma]

Fir
Just wondering if you ever put a thermometer under it to see how warm it was getting under there? I had a theory that it would likely raise the air temp under it by about 40 degrees judging on generalized calculations. Just wondering if I'm right?

I would only be using it in the hen house; not in the outdoors. It is just not heated in there so it's the same temp in as outside minus the wind.

I never did. Underneath of it doesn't seem to get warm, just the top of the ecoglow itself. When the chick touches the ecoglow, it feels the warmth. All you can do in your situation is try it and see how it goes, though I would hate to have you lose chicks because it wasn't warm enough.

 

[littlemissstang]

Yes, Ma'am! I think so too. At least he didn't have to cull her to get his "samples". I was proud of that. But, I'm still not getting my hopes up. I try not to count my chicks before they hatch...so to speak!

My DH also talked with the previous owner and he said that he didn't have any problems with them. And that they were around 4 or 5 years old. My DH also talked with his Uncle (who got some birds from this same guy) and he said he hasn't had any problems with his. He said it might be the stress of moving them, with them being that old. He was with us when we got them and he said he never would have thought that they were that old.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I love all the feeder pics and ideas. I would much rather make things is possible than buy.
My gma taught me alot and I remember seeing all the momma hens with their broods and cant wait to have one of mine go broody.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I never did. Underneath of it doesn't seem to get warm, just the top of the ecoglow itself. When the chick touches the ecoglow, it feels the warmth. All you can do in your situation is try it and see how it goes, though I would hate to have you lose chicks because it wasn't warm enough.

Sure wish I knew someone nearby that would let me borrow one to do some experimenting. I don't want to spend that much to do an experiment that may fail!

I actually put out an ad on Craigslist sometime last month to see if anyone had one for sale...that and the incubator. No bites but I did get some response from just nice folks trying to help me learn how to brood.