The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

Showed the pic to DH and he's seen reference to this phenomenon before. It's totally natural. Link below gives explanation, scroll down for pic and text at bottom of article.

http://totalupdate.blogspot.com/2012/08/4-amazing-natural-phenomena.html

Thank your DH for me! I am going to pass this on to my FIL.

I love learning new cool things.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

That is one of the reason i haven't gotten a cat again is because of chicks I thought that would be way to tempting for a cat.

I have two cats between 3-4 years old. The Manx is not allowed to get to close to the chickens, my rooster chases her off. My other cat that is allowed to walk among the chickens is scared to death of the chicks. When my broody had her chicks out and the cat was near by, I thought, here it comes, the moment of truth. But the chick approached the cat and she took off running. We have had her inside and she avoids the brooder like the plague. But she is my critter killer. Birds, mice, rats, moles, mink, squirrels. I think it is like dogs and chickens, you have to observe and react to them.

 

[aoxa]

such a nice enabler..
she does look a bit full
however I don't think one or two more will make much difference
the kids obviously love them

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

The FF started fermenting. I stirred it up this morning and had all sorts of active bubbles coming up. Gonna give all the chickens their first feed this afternoon when I get up.

 

[aoxa]

I have two cats between 3-4 years old. The Manx is not allowed to get to close to the chickens, my rooster chases her off. My other cat that is allowed to walk among the chickens is scared to death of the chicks. When my broody had her chicks out and the cat was near by, I thought, here it comes, the moment of truth. But the chick approached the cat and she took off running. We have had her inside and she avoids the brooder like the plague. But she is my critter killer. Birds, mice, rats, moles, mink, squirrels. I think it is like dogs and chickens, you have to observe and react to them.

That sounds just like my tortishell cat Angel. No I didn't name her. She is a rescue. She kills a lot of moles for us.

Terrified of the chicks. Won't even go into the room they are in LOL.

 

[delisha]

The FF started fermenting. I stirred it up this morning and had all sorts of active bubbles coming up. Gonna give all the chickens their first feed this afternoon when I get up.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote:
My son's friend that is living with us doesn't want her to come in his room, he is afraid she is gonna get some blood or some critter parts in there. Funny thing is she won't eat the moles, just kills them. But she will eat every thing else. Oh yeah, she catches rabbits too.

 

[off-grid hen]

Why not?

I see you have 23 birds by your signature. Obviously above city maximums. Is it just a personal limit? 

I'm such an enabler. 

I am in the sticks with no limit on the number of poultry I can have, unless there are so many that it contributes to watershed damage. And even that is not spelled out. It is all very ambiguous. That being said, I have an 8x16 coop, and a 10 x 30 run, with a few areas (outside the run) shoveled out so the birds can walk around. I think I need fewer chickens in the coop when they refuse to go outdoors. Or I need less wimpy chickens. I am very seriously trying to avoid chicken math, and the only chicks I will have this spring is to test out a broody/grow out area that I put in place last year. If one ends up hatching a brood of chicks, I will have to reduce the size of my adult flock. I will not build another coop, and the current coop is on a trailer and hard to make an addition.

What I need is a barn like yours with plenty of space for everyone to walk around.

 

[JeffOeuf]

I didn't trust my cats around chicks, but once the chicks were chickens it didn't take long for the cats to figure out that they were outmatched in both fighting speed, equipment and spirit. They took about three lightning quick pecks to the forehead and never approached the chickens in any sort of menacing way again. Now they all (chickens and cats) eat out of the same food bowl at the same time.

 

[Melabella]

Second day with two eggs!

The bird brain who laid on the coop floor did it again...she could still get it down right? Don't like the thought of her laying an egg every day in fresh poo.....