The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[countrygirl74]

Good afternoon everyone! Just finished catching up after a harried morning of work All of these chicks are still killing me.

So our town in December finally decided to adopt an urban chicken law. Yay! For 3 hens (it's a start).

I was asked by the Farmer's Institute to bring 3 hens to our local Seedy Saturday in March and run a table for beginners about urban chicken keeping. I'm going to put together a brochure, using some of this amazing information that I've found on here!

I just wanted to say thanks. I know I've only been at it since September, but I've gotten so much information from all of you!

That's great!!! Have fun informing people!

BTW, I kept forgetting to say that I love your names... Nellie Olsen & Anne Shirley - too cute!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

We can have it delivered but we choose not to. However in our area I believe we have to buy a minimum of a 1/2 ton or ton. Where I buy it they don't deliver but I am still paying right around $340.00 a ton or $.17 lb.

How do you ferment a ton of feed?

That's why I am not on the FF bandwagon.

I found some layer feed for $.25 lb But it is a touch of a drive so I'm debating the cost of gas.
No way would I want a ton. I'm not on the ff bandwagon yet, too many personal issues with it. Where to store so my children don't play in it. Children love to play in goo. It might attract mice or even worse bugs to the house if I store it inside. There is not really room to store it in the coop and I know there are mice in the back storage building.

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO MARK A CHICKEN WITH SOMETHING I ALREADY HAVE LAYING AROUND? Without bands, please...I don't have any.

The 2 BRs are pretty much twins and I can't consistently tell them apart. One of them is seriously cranky and from as long as I can remember will just attack the others for no good reason at all...just because they exist. I'd like to mark her and really watch her for a few weeks but...

Right this minute she's looking like a nice bowl of soup to me. Atilla Soup.

Hate to lose the eggs, but I also hate watching her just stirring things up for no reason at all. And now w/the babies, she's a possible threat. We'll see...

I was thinking yarn, you could braid it into a little ring and knot it so that it could not stretch off.

Keep in mind that I feed all the animals, hogs, layers and meaties 16% hog feed.

I would not have thought of using hog feed. Do you do anything to it like soaking it in water or can it be dumped straight into the feeders? How much would about 20-25 RIR chickens eat a day?

 

[Pullet Surprise]

I'm thinking I like the idea of the paint... just a dab on a feather or 2 on the back. Won't touch the skin but would definitely id. (As long as someone doesn't pull out the feathers.... better rethink this....someone might eat paint.

Maybe paint her toenails....just a couple of them?

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I order my organic mash through our local co-op - It's not necessarily delivered to my door, just gets delivered to our town and I pick up my order once a month right down the street. This is what I use and I like to keep them on as natural and organic food as possible. This mash ferments really well too!
http://www.azurestandard.com/shop/product/1046/

the price is not coming up, but since it is all organic, I'm going to guess it is a touch more than I want to pay. Maybe I will find a coop near me.

 

[kian]

My new chicks are gone. In the classic "I thought the door was shut and I was away for two minutes" my terrier mix jumped into the brooder box and killed all four. He was in the box still and must have just finished it. My older kids took care of the bodies for me because I am just broken. I know its my fault, thinking that the door was shut and he was with me. I just feel horrible and sick. Just dreadfully sick. Sorry for the sad post but I think you all understand.

 

[Pullet Surprise]

My new chicks are gone. In the classic "I thought the door was shut and I was away for two minutes" my terrier mix jumped into the brooder box and killed all four. He was in the box still and must have just finished it. My older kids took care of the bodies for me because I am just broken. I know its my fault, thinking that the door was shut and he was with me. I just feel horrible and sick. Just dreadfully sick. Sorry for the sad post but I think you all understand.

I am so very sorry. Life is so fragile, in the blink of an eye it can come and go. Please do not beat yourself up over it for too long, (I know you will for awhile). Have a good cry, eat some chocolate and do not let this trauma go to waste, learn from it and plan for the next time. I hope you are back at it very very soon. Hugs, and lotz of them.

 

[kian]

I am so very sorry. Life is so fragile, in the blink of an eye it can come and go. Please do not beat yourself up over it for too long, (I know you will for awhile). Have a good cry, eat some chocolate and do not let this trauma go to waste, learn from it and plan for the next time. I hope you are back at it very very soon. Hugs, and lotz of them. 

Thank you.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I am so very sorry. Life is so fragile, in the blink of an eye it can come and go. Please do not beat yourself up over it for too long, (I know you will for awhile). Have a good cry, eat some chocolate and do not let this trauma go to waste, learn from it and plan for the next time. I hope you are back at it very very soon. Hugs, and lotz of them.

I vote for a chocolate milkshake and a big serving of strawberries with whipped creme.

 

[delisha]

If I have a young cockerel that has alpha issues..I do not allow him to breed in my presence, you need to make sure they understand who you are..that should not be necessary when they are older, by then he knows and understand I am alpha. Normally I just leave him be. When you are breeding..you need to witness the mounting. The last thing I want to worry about is..I wonder if he is breeding or not. My cockerels are a bit afraid of me as it is. I like it that way. They scramble to get out of my way.

 

[delisha]

Sorry Kian..

I had a beautiful cocker spaniel that had fun with a batch of 50 chicks. Not a peep left. I never made that mistake again.