The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Wow... Makes me glad I don't have open pans of water out. And I did finally figure out a way to keep the cup-water bucket working in the single digits at least.

But...the babies have one of those canning jar waterers and I often worry about their feet - and the fact that they stand in the ff pan while eating since it's damp. Maybe being w/momma gives those feet the opportunity to warm before they get frozen?

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[aoxa]

Wow... Makes me glad I don't have open pans of water out. And I did finally figure out a way to keep the cup-water bucket working in the single digits at least.

But...the babies have one of those canning jar waterers and I often worry about their feet - and the fact that they stand in the ff pan while eating since it's damp. Maybe being w/momma gives those feet the opportunity to warm before they get frozen?

I have to have open water for the waterfowl. Normally this isn't an issue, but it's one of those things..

You don't have extreme temps like we do. It was -30 that morning.

I worry about chicks in any open water. In the summer we use a big waterer that they couldn't drown in, but if it freezes in winter it breaks... So the ducks need something to clean their bills with (as do the geese)..

She is walking well now.. but it was touch and go. I didn't know what to do for her. Glad she is coming around. She is one tolerant chicken.

 

[loanwizard]

Not asleep.... repo last night, negotiate with her today, had an auto auction, taking rental payments, lunch.... been a little busy....

Could use a nap though!

 

[midnightroo]

I was wondering if a chicken would stay inside the coop, where there is no food or water, and make herself ill rather then come out into the wind? These last two days have been so windy and I don't see this particular one come out so I am worried about her not getting enough food or water. The other two will poke their heads out and sometimes I see them scratching, but not the other one. This morning they all came out to free range for five minutes, but then the wind made such a noise they all went running back to the coop. I did put some food in the coop yesterday that I had added some water to, so she did eat some yesterday.

I feel like such the nervous nelly with the chickens!

Aoxa, sorry to hear about your chicken. Glad she seems to be on the mend. I feel bad complaining about the weather after hearing how cold it is other places, just seems like this winter is wacky.

 

[Bulldogma]

I'm awake now...

Congrats on the eggs, kian! Two of the chickens I raised from chicks have been laying for a couple weeks now, and today I got my first shell-less, yolk-less egg... probably from the 3rd of the same age. It was just an albumen filled membrane that she likely laid while she was on the roost. She's been checking out the nest boxes over the past weeks... guess she just didn't put two and two together - LOL.

My new Dark Cornish have been laying like they've been here forever... average of 2 DC eggs a day from 4 hens since the first full day they were here! I'm impressed!!! And here I just thought they were meat birds - LOL! Tanker is still hanging out in the house. She looks tons better this morning, but I don't see suddenly tossing her out into some of the coldest temperatures we've had so far... I'll wait until it get a little warmer.

Aoxa - poor little bantam. Keep us updated on what happens with her feet! I'm really curious about this - - it's certainly not something we have to deal with around here. I know how frostbite affects the combs, but have wondered about feet.

 

[Mumsy]

Hey Stony was taking part just as everyone else

Then BAM. Nothing. lol

Even when Stony is involved in the discussion he gets bored. Go figure..

I'm back from the nursery with fruit trees! My chickens are going to be sick of apples in a couple years! Chickens and plants, plants and chickens. It's a beautiful world!

 

[Mumsy]

I have to have open water for the waterfowl. Normally this isn't an issue, but it's one of those things..

You don't have extreme temps like we do. It was -30 that morning.

I worry about chicks in any open water. In the summer we use a big waterer that they couldn't drown in, but if it freezes in winter it breaks... So the ducks need something to clean their bills with (as do the geese)..

She is walking well now.. but it was touch and go. I didn't know what to do for her. Glad she is coming around. She is one tolerant chicken.

With so many bodies to keep track of in that extreme of weather, you still manage to take great care of your animals. I have deep respect for you.

 

[Arkansas81]

talking about wind-well let me tell ya it's been blowing about 100+ here and at times with gusts nearly 70+. I seriously thought I was going to loose my whole flock. We had a mini tornadoe blow through, man made a mess of everything! No major damage other than it blew up the tarp i have on my coop, so i had to go out and repair that. Actually just had to reattach it to my coop, coop was soaked, near freezing.

so next day went and bought about 10 bags of pine shavings, 5 square bales of hay. Put about half and half in the coop to help with the sogginess. as i was reattaching the tarp i saw that the lid to the food bucket was blown off, food completely soaked. so now i am fermenting the feed, planned on doing that all along but wasn't quite ready yet.

so yesterday had to go get new food, etc to put in the other bucket. but i did find out that my local co-op sells boss at .70 a pound! so i got some and man do the birds love it. checked on my worm farm, doing really good! i'm telling ya just as i get everything situated then this horrible weather messes everything up! so back to the start with fixing everything-again. i'm soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ready to have summer here! i let my birds free range today, the outside run is damaged so at some point today or tomorrow i will have to repair that too! UGH soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo annoyed!!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

i saw that the lid to the food bucket was blown off, food completely soaked. so now i am fermenting the feed, planned on doing that all along but wasn't quite ready yet.

So sorry for the mess but....

When life gives you lemons, you make fermented feed

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

 

[JeffOeuf]

... I think a few dwarf Filbert bush trees will do nicely in that capacity.

Mumsy,

Are you familiar with Contorted Filbert? Grows beautifully in your neck of the woods, and is a very interesting plant all year round. It's sometimes called Harry Lauder's Walking Stick.