The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Quote: That is so sweet..I can remember going to my grandmothers house when I was so very little and helping her gather eggs. She took me to go see a hen on a nest and lifted her off that nest and tiny little chickens peeked out. I refused to eat eggs for years. It is a good memory...mothers..plant those memory's in your children. My daughter tells stories of her farm days to all of her friends. they ask me all the time about them, most of them I do not remember, but I am so glad she has so many wonderful ones.

 

[aoxa]

That is so sweet..I can remember going to my grandmothers house when I was so very little and helping her gather eggs. She took me to go see a hen on a nest and lifted her off that nest and tiny little chickens peeked out. I refused to eat eggs for years. It is a good memory...mothers..plant those memory's in your children. My daughter tells stories of her farm days to all of her friends. they ask me all the time about them, most of them I do not remember, but I am so glad she has so many wonderful ones.

It's so funny how kids remember things their parents forget.. My mom is like this. I remember the strangest things.

My first memory is going to coal mines with my parents. I was two. I remember the helmet and not wanting to wear it.. and crying. And dampness. My parents remember that one. I guess I was a pain that day

 

[delisha]

I wanted to post some updated pics of my 7 week HRIR chicks..







I just wanted to show how nice the juvies are growing..Black Foot is taller than a garbage can. He is only 7 months old and will grow for another few months..and one want a really large cockerel?


This is one of his first kids..she is POL and should get almost as tall as that garbage can in 4 more months.

 

[arkansaschicks]

Delisha -What breed is Black Foot? Also do I remember reading that you got your HRIR's from someone in Arkansas?

 

[aoxa]

I wanted to post some updated pics of my 7 week HRIR chicks..







I just wanted to show how nice the juvies are growing..Black Foot is taller than a garbage can. He is only 7 months old and will grow for another few months..and one want a really large cockerel?


This is one of his first kids..she is POL and should get almost as tall as that garbage can in 4 more months.

If I was closer I would take him Del - and his pretty daughter

He's a studly guy. Is he good with people? Imagine that big rooster running at you! No thanks!

 

[delisha]

Delisha -What breed is Black Foot? Also do I remember reading that you got your HRIR's from someone in Arkansas?

My HRIR were eggs I hatched from Jim..on here as Mr Heintz77

Black foot is a result of 25 years of breeding Cornish..rocks and rir's. He is a beautiful combination of all of the breeds together. I will never get another one like him, however he is throwing my very first *type*.

 

[lalaland]

Blackfoot is down right gorgeous! and your pols look beautiful too.

 

[delisha]

Black foot is so gentle..I would really like him to go to a place where someone would appreciate all my work. I hate to eat him. He has served his purpose and normally I would not hesitate to cull a cockerel..this guy would really improve someones flock. He is so docile and good with chicks. He keeps harmony in the flock too. Today mom had her chicks out and in the sky was a few crows. He warned called and she was busy with chicks..he ran up to her and nipped her good when she did not move her group fast enough in the coop for his liking. A good cockerel..

 

[armorfirelady]

The day was warmer than usual in the mid 30s so decided to try & get some of the fencing moved I wanted and some spring cleaning where I store the food. I am really itching to get the electric netting ordered and up but are area is notorious for snow in April :/ so I am just trying to get other things moved so it will be easy to set up the netting when I get it.

Question for you guys. The last couple weeks my 4 hens went from eating one cool whip sized container of FF a day to sometimes 2 a day. On those days the bowl is licked clean by noon!! And when I fill it there is usually very little left when they roost at night. They also get one of those rubber bowl full of various greens, veggies and fruit. And I try for meal worms once a week plus some kitchen scraps including meet once a week or so.

Since its my first spring with the hens does their appetite increase this time of year ? They still range in a 40x20 area and are digging to china in areas so I'm guessing they are still finding things to eat when they scratch. And normally in the am they are out the pop door and scratching and then come back in for their FF. of course the wx has been all over the place but other than a few times they didn't venture outside because of the bitter cold & snow when I would expect them to eat more FF they have been out scratching. And on most of those days they ate 2 bowl fulls they were outside as well.

Today it was in the mid 30s and partly sunny and they are 2 bowl fulls of veggies, a bowl full of FF & still looking for more every time I got near the run. They didn't get any but were ecstatic when I pulled fencing up and found some grass they missed lol

Here they are after I pulled up fencing digging their way to china again lol. At least the garden will be well turned over by spring

Oh and I got my rest Poultry Press today. WOW what beautiful chickens.......I just wish more shows were closer to me. Tho I did see ads for breeders all over the US & even one for Canada. Even coupons! To bad I don't have to buy feed in lots of 4 or 6 bags.....but if anyone can use purina or other feed coupons let me know and I can mail the, to u

 

[OffGridMAMA]

I did it! My sister in law came over and helped me and we processed 3 older hens (they were downright mean to my pullets!) Still have the extra roos to do, but not so intimidated. Not fun by any means, but actually not as hard as expected. Meat resting in brine.