The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[OffGridMAMA]

To this weather in southern California

Planning my garden. Planning Broody pens. Planning breeding pens. Attempting to retain sanity as our heater shuts our generator off again

Rant: love living this country life but it has been a STEEP learning curve and in these freezing temperatures i miss ELECTRICITY. (Sigh) the kind that does not require solar cells, deep cycle batteries and a backup generator. -end of rant-

On lighter note, just scored a huge box of free canning jars. Woohoo gotta rejoice in the little things.

One of my goals this year is simplicity and joy in everyday things

 

[OffGridMAMA]

Sorry this silly phone cut my post in two!

Delisha: they down right attack it! It's pretty hilarious to watch. Added oregano today

 

[chickiemomy]

Howdy All,
I haven't been ignoring you all. I have been lurking and reading and keeping up! The keeping up part is the hardest!
I received a call today from Ideal Poultry. My chicks I preordered for this spring will be available on Wed. January 30 ! I ordered 6 Mottled Java, pullets, and 12 White Rocks, straight run.
I have to confess, I haven't ever killed one of my chickens, and have never eaten one either. I confess that if one of them is found dead, I feed the 'yotes, or 'coons with their carcasses. Just run them down the road, and pitch them in the gully.... everything has to eat.....otherwise I sweet talk my DH to do the job, which he hates doing. I have even taken one bad roo to a neighbor, and he did the deed. Well, with the 12 chicks that hatched on Christmas Eve day, those 'roo chicks, and the 'roos of the White Rocks, I am going to learn how to process them. I am scared to pieces, but think I can do it. I have read so much here, and hopefully learned enough to get past the squeamish part. Huh,maybe I am kind of excited about doing it.... imagine that!

We are driving over to Ideal and picking them up on day of hatch. We live less than an hour from there. I feel pretty lucky about that. We did the same the last time I ordered from them. I like them, the chicks have always been very healthy.

There was talk afew pages ago about the guineas. My neighbor had 10 of them last summer, and only has 1 left. He had been hanging around my chicken coop, and I would throw him some scratch and pellets every day. He would fly up on the run roof, and just hang out. He would leave at dusk at go roost somewhere else. Then, during the beginning of December, he started roosting in trees near the coop, and when I let the girls out of their covered run, into the open air run, he would fly up and over and hang out with them. Everyone got along well. I have a couple of crabby Barred Rocks, that wanted to give him a little trouble, but it passed. Then he actually went into the coop one evening and started roosting with them. That was the Dec.26, and he is there every day and night. He begins to freak out if I put the girls up and he is outside. I call him, and he comes through the gate and heads straight to the roost! I thinks it hugely funny!
Thanks for letting me ramble a bit.

I like it -- gives me a little more hope in incorporating watch bird guineas -- now back to convincing the DH's that aren't as keen on birds --

 

[camilleathome]

My doctor who diagnosed me also has IBS and knows how meds didn't work for him. He suggested all natural remedies, like fibre, aloe vera juices, and essential oils. I just don't like the juice.. it's hard to find, expensive and it has chunks of aloe in it. Seems almost all of my troubles come while doing chores. Yep. That's my trigger.
No more chores! LOL

Superstore and that blue oyster place both stock aloe vera juice. It wasnt TOo too pricey

 

[delisha]

Sorry this silly phone cut my post in two!

Delisha: they down right attack it! It's pretty hilarious to watch. Added oregano today

Good!!
Darn phones

 

[camilleathome]

Just thought id share this. Not chicken related but beautifull. This is bear my possible new horse a few years back. Hes the one at the beggining trotting. He has two socks on his back legs.

 

[pigeonguy]

Hey maybe you should post the info about the Ichthammol ointment on here https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/729825/all-natural-herbal-remedies-and-recipes-for-chickens

I thought about that but when I look at that thread I am expecting to see herbs

 

[DeesHens]

Quote: I'm in Snohomish also!! - Del's or the one by the fairgrounds? - when I was buying chicks I stopped by several - didn't like that the one by the fairgrounds allowed handling of the chicks by anyone, anytime - & from tub to tub. Thought it might introduce, or spread disease among the various chicks. When I was in there a small child was handling one, after another, unsupervised. Got my chicks from the Sno Co-op - who ask that only store 'ees handle the chicks. I know nothing -- but that policy made more sense to me. I'm happy with the chicks I got from them. (buy from all of the co-ops/feedstores - they've all been helpful resources from time to time - also fyi Dayville over on Springhetti has non-gmo scratch & forco - prebiotic.
You make some interesting points about purchasing chicks at places that allow handling by the public. My Coop will be getting a shipment of Black Australorp chicks Mar. 1st so I think that is what I will do. They pick them up at the post office at 6AM and the store opens at 8 AM. That is when I intend to be there so I get first choice. I think they will get 100 chicks but not sure how many are Blk. Lorps. Anyway, so far this looks like my best option.

BTW, I managed to read 385-407 tonight. Now i just need to read 59-379 or so. I really enjoyed DarkMatters pics of the chickens in the garden while he rotatilled. What a great shot!

Also looking forward to trying the canadian bacon & egg pie. We

bacon, egg, cheese combo's!

Looks like a certain adorable black poodle is going to become a farm dog. How cool is that new place you will be moving to soon. Love that it is near the ocean too. (forgive me if I can't recall names. Senior moment)

Does anyone in here use a reptile light bulb to keep their chickens warm in the coop? We have been using it with our solo girl and it seems to work perfect for her 4x8 space. Keeps it 40 F. degrees typically so far. Lowest outdoor night temperature so far has been 26-28 F. degrees. I don't do the DL. I have a small tractor with a pull out poop drawer that my DH built for me a few years back. I love it and like to keep fresh pine shavings in it and scoop it out daily along with the run. DH is working on a secure (electric fence) 1,800 sq. ft paddock and has it almost finished now. We have a raccoon problem so was necessary for safety. Anyway, we let Betsy run around in it today and she was in hen heaven. I was so happy for her I about cracked my face smiling. Silly aren't I?

 

[SandBsmom]

Hi all. Can you all educate me a bit about the ventilation issue? My coop is a shed type that is shut up tight at night. I have a few small roof openings (like 2 2x6 inch openings) But there is definitely quite a bit of condensation on the inside of the windows at night. I didn't think it was a big deal until I read a post a few pages back about chickens freezing from humidity! Yikes! So when you all say keep it ventilated what exactly are we talking about. My coop is 6x8 and aprox 7' high. It has plexiglass windows on all sides which are closed for night and winter. I have deep shavings inside but not a real DL system as I have roost trays with PDZ and a wood/vinyl floor. Its COLD in there. I have a heat lamp that I do turn on when it reaches the 20s but its off tonight as it's 29-30 out. The lamp keeps the inside just barely above freezing.
Please guide me! What do I need to change? Oh, and several of my girls have the sneezes. Not sure if it's just little colds due to the weather or if I should worry.

 

[zinia8]

Hi all.  Can you all educate me a bit about the ventilation issue?  My coop is a shed type that is shut up tight at night.  I have a few small roof openings (like 2 2x6 inch openings)  But there is definitely quite a bit of condensation on the inside of the windows at night.  I didn't think it was a big deal until I read a post a few pages back about chickens freezing from humidity!  Yikes!  So when you all say keep it ventilated what exactly are we talking about.  My coop is 6x8 and aprox 7' high.  It has plexiglass windows on all sides which are closed for night and winter.  I have deep shavings inside but not a real DL system as I have roost trays with PDZ and a wood/vinyl floor.  Its COLD in there.  I have a heat lamp that I do turn on when it reaches the 20s but its off tonight as it's 29-30 out.  The lamp keeps the inside just barely above freezing.
Please guide me!  What do I need to change?  Oh, and several of my girls have the sneezes.  Not sure if it's just little colds due to the weather or if I should worry.

 

Here is a link on venting your coop to give you an idea. I live in the dang blasted frozen mountains of Pa. I have windows on all four sides of my coop. I open and close them according to which way the wind is howling from.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop