The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Sally8]

Since that's a million pictures, I'll stop at that. I have plenty more where that came from. Please don't quote all the pictures

As usual these pictures are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing them.
My 5 yr old grandson was visiting today and I let the turkeys out to follow us around. At my house, it is apparently mating season and Chuck and Rosie put on quite a show for Evan. When my son got here, I told him he would have to explain and without missing a beat, he told Evan that they were wrestling hmmmm. well ok, I'm thinking.

 

[PeepsCA]

My 5 yr old grandson was visiting today and I let the turkeys out to follow us around. At my house, it is apparently mating season and Chuck and Rosie put on quite a show for Evan. When my son got here, I told him he would have to explain and without missing a beat, he told Evan that they were wrestling hmmmm. well ok, I'm thinking.

LOL!!! Wrestling! ​

 

[PeepsCA]

Hi everyone,

Another lurker out of the wood work!
I had been following the GB, FF and OT threads since early Fall, soaking up as much info as possible that will help me with my own birds, posting a little here and there on the GB and FF threads, but mostly reading/lurking/learning/absorbing... I took a break from reading the threads/staying caught up over the Holiday rush tho, and came back to... well... you know. 'Nuff said

It has taken me almost a week, but I've just now finally caught up with this new thread (I'm way behind once again on the FF thread tho). Glad to see that a lot of the regular's have regrouped and that their great info/knowledge on natural ways to keep poultry (not just chickens) is still being generously given/shared. Thank you all for that. Much appreciated.


I wholeheartedly agree with what Aoxa said about Turkeys a few pages back... mine are so cool, I love them. Delisha you need a couple! They are my eyes on the sky here, very alert even tho they are still pretty young. They are also active peacekeepers in my flocks, and will instantly scold, womp on/kung fu kick/break up any of my squabbling Guineas in a heartbeat (I so lol when I see that happen). Their personalities are just so so so unique... you cannot help but fall in love/bond with them. Very personable/friendly/curious (mine follow me everywhere, and trill/whir/whoop at me from the back yard gate if I am not outside where they can see me be near me), yet they are also so noble/stately/independent at the same time. Incredibly silly/dorky/clumsy until they grow into those big huge feet tho, lol, but they do indeed gain their gracefulness as they mature.
As long as I keep poultry, I will always have Turkeys. Great addition to any flock that free ranges, IMO.

A few pics...​

​

These 6 HOOVER the FF like they have not eaten in weeks. They suck it down so fast that they get clogged up and have to stop for a breath or 2, then dive right back in. 15 mins later they will spend hours trying to get my 3 ferment bucket lids open to get more.

​

 

[Melabella]

PeepsCA,

Hi, thank you for speaking up, I'm sure you will be a lovely asset to the gang here! I absolutely drooled over your photos on the link to your coop page! I dream of having guineas of my own but have only owned chickens since July 2012 and wanted to educate myself as I feel I needed to learn some skills before attempting to train guineas! I live in Dutchess County, New York which has some of the highest concentrations of lymes, (and other kinds) ticks in the nation, heck, the world for that matter. I could definetely use a few! What beautiful colors you have!


The picutes of the turkeys looking up in the sky are precious!

Welcome to the thread!

MB

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes - natural sunlight for eggs or other reflective things. Got to play with the angle so you don't have the reflection coming straight at you. I often look like a contortionist whilst shooting... and my children laugh!

The Silkie barn was really dark when we picked up these two. Yes - we were told the dark one was "black" but since getting her home, I think she might be a blue, also. She hasn't been free ranging long enough to fade out, and she is not black to the roots.

Our cochin is a goof-ball! I always get the giggles when he does his little drop-wing dance!

Here he is, trying to look regal and bantam-cochin-like. He has a bit of filling out and feathering to do, but he's not too bad. He's missing the top of one of the middle ridges to his comb... a guinea gave him an impromptu combectomy.

The things you say crack me up... combectomy. Love your guard wookie too.

 

[aoxa]

That is the camera my daughter has minus the lens. You say to replace the original lens with the EF 55-250.
I just want to make sure I get this right. The box says canon EOS Rebel T3 Deluxe kit EF-18-55MM IS 11 Kit.
aoxa Please tell me exactly what lens I want I do plan on getting it for her next month.

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Lens


There is one that is 75-300mm but it has terrible reviews in comparison. Yes she has the exact same as I do. I really enjoy my lens

As usual these pictures are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing them.
My 5 yr old grandson was visiting today and I let the turkeys out to follow us around. At my house, it is apparently mating season and Chuck and Rosie put on quite a show for Evan. When my son got here, I told him he would have to explain and without missing a beat, he told Evan that they were wrestling hmmmm. well ok, I'm thinking.

Geez!

 

[Miss Lydia]

As usual these pictures are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing them.
My 5 yr old grandson was visiting today and I let the turkeys out to follow us around. At my house, it is apparently mating season and Chuck and Rosie put on quite a show for Evan. When my son got here, I told him he would have to explain and without missing a beat, he told Evan that they were wrestling hmmmm. well ok, I'm thinking.

Thats a very good way of explaining it don't you think ?

 

[loanwizard]

On the DL issue. This is how I do it. This is NOT to say I am a pro or anything close, just for a different perspective.

I have 80 +/- birds. They roost in a horse stall, and lay in another yet have free run of a 75' barn and are free ranged. I spread hay and shredded leaves about once per week. We have so much ventilation that we rarely have smell. I don't seem to have build up of my DL but underneath, it is very wet. This spring it will come directly out of the roost area onto a trailer and into the garden.

As far as how long it takes compost to break down, I have used horse manure in straw, brought it home and turned it every two weeks or so. When it stops smelling and stops heating, it is done.

I don't worry too much about burning my plants but I am NOT a master gardener by any stretch. I don't put it on fresh, but I watched my meat birds and as long as I moved them daily or at the very least, every 2 days, the grass coming in behind was ridiculously long and thick. I can't wait to use the dl from the barn this spring.

 

[Fred's Hens]

When a daddy turkey love a momma turkey very much .................

 

[aoxa]

Hi everyone,

Another lurker out of the wood work!
I had been following the GB, FF and OT threads since early Fall, soaking up as much info as possible that will help me with my own birds, posting a little here and there on the GB and FF threads, but mostly reading/lurking/learning/absorbing... I took a break from reading the threads/staying caught up over the Holiday rush tho, and came back to... well... you know. 'Nuff said

It has taken me almost a week, but I've just now finally caught up with this new thread (I'm way behind once again on the FF thread tho). Glad to see that a lot of the regular's have regrouped and that their great info/knowledge on natural ways to keep poultry (not just chickens) is still being generously given/shared. Thank you all for that. Much appreciated.


I wholeheartedly agree with what Aoxa said about Turkeys a few pages back... mine are so cool, I love them. Delisha you need a couple! They are my eyes on the sky here, very alert even tho they are still pretty young. They are also active peacekeepers in my flocks, and will instantly scold, womp on/kung fu kick/break up any of my squabbling Guineas in a heartbeat (I so lol when I see that happen). Their personalities are just so so so unique... you cannot help but fall in love/bond with them. Very personable/friendly/curious (mine follow me everywhere, and trill/whir/whoop at me from the back yard gate if I am not outside where they can see me be near me), yet they are also so noble/stately/independent at the same time. Incredibly silly/dorky/clumsy until they grow into those big huge feet tho, lol, but they do indeed gain their gracefulness as they mature.
As long as I keep poultry, I will always have Turkeys. Great addition to any flock that free ranges, IMO.

A few pics...​

​

These 6 HOOVER the FF like they have not eaten in weeks. They suck it down so fast that they get clogged up and have to stop for a breath or 2, then dive right back in. 15 mins later they will spend hours trying to get my 3 ferment bucket lids open to get more.

Hey there Peeps!

So glad you joined us. Those turkeys are beautiful. Since you free range.. Let me know what you do about cars and neighbours. My four love both automobiles (cars, lawn mowers, trucks, anything like that) and humans. So they kind of irritate my neighbours.

Guess not everyone thinks it's cute to wake up with Tom peering in your bedroom window.. Anyway.. I'm thinking electric fence all around my property. But.. is there something else I should be doing in addition to that?

They sure are great protectors, and mine do keep the peace among the roosters. Right now they are penned up for the winter until I can get that electric fence in, as they scratched my neighbour's brand new car LOL. It's a good thing they are great neighbours, as he just laughed it off, but was hoping we could try to keep them over. I just have to keep the peace. I really like them.