The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Guys,

I'm currently working on my farm website, and I have a FAQ page. Anyone want to take part? I need questions.

So far I have:
Are Naked Necks Chickens or Turkeys, or both?
What do you do in Winter, Do you provide heat?
How long does it take for a chicken egg to hatch?
Do you process your own chickens?
Do chickens make good pets?
Do Hens need a rooster to lay eggs?
Can Silkies Roost?

All asked on FB. Just curious if any of you have more for me

Here is a tough question with lot's of answers: How do you know the sex of the bird?

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote: I think there is a local 4-H, but we will prolly show as a family in open shows. My DW wants to go that route with the silkies i think.

I have more friends on the internet than I do in person. I am overly shy and take a while to come out of my "shell"(haha, turtle metaphor there).

 

[delisha]

Quote: They are in the bator.. I have a total of 23 in there..the rest are not Heritage..they are all RIR jut that the rest are mine and cross bred to my cockerel mutt

 

[Sally8]

Has anyone made the imitation Nu Stock? Is it yellowish from the sulfur powder? I'm sure it is the correct consistency, maybe a little too thick. Since I don't know what I'm trying to imitate.....
Any comments would be welcomed. Thanks. Sue

 

[delisha]

Quote: Simply beautifully told and shown

 

[pigeonguy]

On the other side of city folks we can't go there either. We moved to the city for 2 years so I would have a job. Still owned the house we are in now. Just rented there. The DW bought the cutest blue scarf with a pink stripe on it. We went to meet friends for dinner and her Friend quickly removed it from her neck and said you can't where that here DW said why I see a lot of girls with them. Her friend said that's why. Took us a while to get it and was rather funny to our city friends that we didn't know.

OK about chickens I have 8 roosters that's to many. I can see body now. Size and breast, leg size and shape the comb things like that. For feather I should wait till after 1st molt right?

 

[delisha]

Quote: can my chicken live in my house?
can I feed my chicken corn or dog food?
Is my chicken a rooster?
Is my chicken a vegan?
When will my chicken lay an egg?
Do I have to wash my eggs?
Will I get salmonella?
Why does my dog eat chicken poop?
Will he get worms?
How often should I worm my chickens?
My hen has stopped laying eggs for 6 months, how can I get her to start laying again.

 

[delisha]

Has anyone made the imitation Nu Stock? Is it yellowish from the sulfur powder? I'm sure it is the correct consistency, maybe a little too thick. Since I don't know what I'm trying to imitate.....
Any comments would be welcomed. Thanks. Sue

I still have the old stuff. A little thick is better than too thin

 

[delisha]

I was going to check this out to see if or what anyone might think about worming. I have had chickens now for over 6 years and have never wormed them. They do free range. I have never seen anything or even thought that they might have them. But because I went to the Emergency/medical post to ask about an older hen - she is 4 - with a dirty bottom I have been in an overload of information on worming and that I need to worm them twice a year. I have had a few die over the years but just thought that is was a "natural death type thing. Heat mostly for the older birds. I am at a moment where to tell you the truth I just don't know what to do. I have 40 birds. My husband has cancer and my grand children consume these eggs like crazy. So not really wanting to put into the birds that may be harmful. Any help from some of you would be great. So to worm or not to worm that is the question. Thank you so much.

I have never wormed my chickens ever..Friday for the first time ever i took a sample to the vets office since i was taking the dog in. It was clear. No worms. I have always used natural worming methods. Seeds from pumpkins, apples, cucumbers, squash, garlic, and a few other things. Read the site you were give too. But if you are worried for a few dollars drop of a sample.

 

[delisha]

Okay. It looks like the tallies are in and I only had one egg hatch out of the 7. I'm scrambling right now trying to find someone w/in driving distance to get a few "hatch-mates" to add to the nest under mom so this little one isn't all by itself. Hopefully some doors will open up here soon.

Today I put a little food in the front of the box and mom called baby to come out. Interesting...those of you who have done this before will know.... the "language" mom uses is quite different depending on what she's communicating. There's definitely a "come out here for some food right now" thing she says.

Baby came right out and mom started breaking up some larger pieces of scrambled egg that was mixed in w/the ff I put there for them. It is SO AMAZING to watch this hatchery mom - who didn't have a mom raise her - talking w/this baby and "fixing" food for it so it can eat smaller pieces.

is that food in the bed?