The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

How long after introducing hens to a rooster for the eggs to be fertile? I'm cracking one open for lunch and after 1 week together,I'll see.
It sure is snowing here again. It makes it harder on the chickens. They haven't come out today at all. Yesterday a few did, Thursday, no one did in that storm. They eat almost double without coming out foraging. We now have nearly 15 in of snow, so it will be a while before they can. I've shoveled a path along the perimeter for them to walk in the last storm. Time to do it again.

You will notice fertile eggs if they have mated the day after I believe. If they mate this morning for the first time, today's egg won't be fertile, but tomorrow's should be. If not tomorrow, the day after for sure (if he got her).

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Is anyone else having problems with email notifications today from your byc subscriptions? Y'all are posting but I'm not getting notified.

yes. I am.

 

[pigeonguy]

Earlier i was asked to post pictures of my coops and hospital. I lost my memory card and did not have pictures of the old coop or interior hospital. I did not dust the hospital. It has not been used in years and the pictures will reflect that.



The English are Laying

That second pic is what my pigeon loft looked like before the tree fell on it. That is amazing for chickens. I have seen prettier but not better for chickens anyway. I have seen better set ups for pigeons. Although this is the best chicken coop I have ever seen.
I don't get the nest box fronts though because chickens don't mate like pigeons. I still like it though. Just had a thought maybe that is why you know who lays what egg. I am going to give this some thought when I build my new coop.

 

[pigeonguy]

Delisha could you give me some dimensions on those nest box's and the door opening.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Leah'sMom, any more action in the nest???

 

[Leahs Mom]

Leah'sMom, any more action in the nest???

Not so far. I'm going to wait till after dark and take a good look and listen.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Question for you APA SOP owners... Does the book have photos of each breed?

 

[Kacey's Krazee's]

Hey all. I have another broody hatching question. Do you keep your mamas in a separate space from the rest of the flock the whole time she sets? Only at the end? and if you do, at what point do you let her bring the chicks into the general population?

Thanks for asking this question SandBsmom, and I have to ask further on this. I have my broody and her 12 chicks completely separated from the others.
She has been separated since I put the fertilized eggs under her. I have some BR, and Dellys that are pretty brutal, and love to pester others. I was afraid that they would chase her off the nest, and then lose the clutch. The coop I have her/them in, is about 3 ft from the ground, and has a long ramp on it. The chicks are now almost a week old. Would it be advisable to drop the ramp back down, and let the others come into her nesting coop, or let her take them out? They have been separated for over 3 weeks. I am afraid that the other hens, which there is about 28 of them, will try and attack the chicks, and if she could defend them and herself from the others....I have also wrapped her coop up with tarps and plastic to cut the wind, and that doesn't allow them to see each other, but they can hear each other....

 

[aoxa]

Question for you APA SOP owners... Does the book have photos of each breed?

Most yes, but not all.

Has each and every one of my breeds, and I have a lot of rare ones.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for asking this question SandBsmom, and I have to ask further on this. I have my broody and her 12 chicks completely separated from the others.
She has been separated since I put the fertilized eggs under her. I have some BR, and Dellys that are pretty brutal, and love to pester others. I was afraid that they would chase her off the nest, and then lose the clutch. The coop I have her/them in, is about 3 ft from the ground, and has a long ramp on it. The chicks are now almost a week old. Would it be advisable to drop the ramp back down, and let the others come into her nesting coop, or let her take them out? They have been separated for over 3 weeks. I am afraid that the other hens, which there is about 28 of them, will try and attack the chicks, and if she could defend them and herself from the others....I have also wrapped her coop up with tarps and plastic to cut the wind, and that doesn't allow them to see each other, but they can hear each other....

The flock are going to look on her and her chicks as outsiders, so you'll need to go about introducing them to one another slowly. If you can separate your coop and run with temp fencing that would keep them separate but will give everyone time to get acquainted . Having 12 chicks to protect will be tough if you don't have a way for mom and chicks to get away. It may take a while but this is probably the best way to go about introductions.