The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

One more pic for now..top view of that pol..really nice structure..


She has a nice hard feathered tent..it could be a little bigger for her size and it flares open pretty big when she is digging, so it might open a bit more..she has a really nice square body. A nice wide head for her size. It fits her. She does not have excess under skirts, but, some to make her look girlie and soft. I am looking forward to hatching her chicks for Easter hatch. I expect her to lay any day. She is pretty young to be laying..but Black foot had been breeding from a very young age. I see his foot prints on her back, so that is another indicator of an egg soon. I have this POL's two sibblings from another hatch too. They are almost body structure identical. I am pretty excited about these three.

 

[rowerjen]

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.

Great question. I haven't started with FF yet (too cold, no where to set up in the house) but I've noticed the same thing with layer pellets. Used to fill the feeder every few days, and now they're draining it daily.

 

[delisha]

I feed a higher protein diet during the winter..right about now they are picking up more eating to get the body ready for breeding, laying and nesting..they know spring is close..the winter depletes them of nutrients they normally get so sometimes they are starved for certain things..like greens..now is the time to get some cabbage, kale, spinach and offer greens daily. Sprout some grains for them. they don't need a lot..but the body is starving for missing things they normally can find. Bake some egg shells..get a pumpkin or a squash and toss it in. Even carrot peeling will help. Offer some raw liver once a week

 

[Bulldogma]

I got my first two eggs this morning.

Congrats!!!

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.

Beautiful babies, Del! And what a lovely cockerel! His daughter is a looker too!

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.

Good for you!!!!

And Mumsy - keep those Silkie pictures coming!

 

[armorfirelady]

I feed a higher protein diet during the winter..right about now they are picking up more eating to get the body ready for breeding, laying and nesting..they know spring is close..the winter depletes them of nutrients they normally get so sometimes they are starved for certain things..like greens..now is the time to get some cabbage, kale, spinach and offer greens daily. Sprout some grains for them. they don't need a lot..but the body is starving for missing things they normally can find. Bake some egg shells..get a pumpkin or a squash and toss it in. Even carrot peeling will help. Offer some raw liver once a week

 

You know they had cabbages for 33 cents each today at save a lot and I just walked by them. Might stop back tomorrow and grab one to see if they will like it. I forgot to mention they get pumpkins also. That blue tarp behind the hens covers a pallet full of pumpkins I picked up last year. They get one once a week if they are unfrozen enough to break them open. The veggies I froze last fall and put in the chest freezer include squash, zukes, cucumbers, apples, grapes, watermelon & something else I can't remember. They get those every day and romaine hearts, parsley & cilantro....I figured a bowl full of the above items every day was enough?

They also get egg shells as well at least once a week. I sell most of my eggs but what we do use the girls get the shells. Plus yogurt, granola and Johnny cakes (when their not frozen solid in the suet feeder)
I did find they like cooked ground beef better than raw tho they did eventually eat the raw stuff after walking through it numerous times :/

 

[delisha]

yes..most chickens flunk fine dinning class

armorfirelady, you are feeding all the right things..

 

[arkansaschicks]

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*.

Black Foot is beautiful!!! nothing like a good,gentle rooster! I was just wondering about the HRIR's cause I am trying to find some close by and I thought I saw that someone had ordered some eggs from Arkansas. Maybe it was Silkies someone ordered.

 

[delisha]

Quote:
Order eggs from Jim..you will not be sorry..tell him i sent you

 

[arkansaschicks]

Thanks I might look into ordering from him and I would definitely tell him you sent me! I have been visiting with 202roosterlane about her HRIR's , BLRW's and German New Hampshires. She is in Lonoke, Arkansas. I am a little nervous about eggs coming in the mail so I would love to just be able to pick them up.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Got a bantam Splash Laced Red Wyandotte chick to put under my broody with the one chick she hatched out on Sat. Got it from another local BYC'er's son. Hopefully the SFH's and CCL's in next day or two