The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

Mumsy- I am waiting for peat moss to be on sale here and am going to buy extra to use throughout next winer. My DL breaks down wonderfully but I think the peat moss will help for those area that get damp from the elements.

BDM- your chicks are so cute. Thanks for posting the pictures of them & the eggs. I am interested what they think the cause of the bloody egg is.

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Quote:

Strawberries!!!! Ah Spring!

I can see the attraction in that man!

Please don't post that awfully yummy looking chocolate strawberry....

 

[Sally8]

My mom comes to visit and I get way behind.

Lots of exciting things going on. Wonderful coops, beautiful birds and a new book to look forward to.

I bought my dh some crayfish and now that he's enjoyed them I was going to give them to the chickens. I thought someone had done that with lobster, but when I search I can't find I. Could the original poster point me to the post number or date time frame or let me know how they gave it to their chickens? Thanks.

Also have some good news to share! I got an egg yesterday! I can't imagine what it is like to have babies hatch when we get this excited over our first egg! Can't wait to try it.

 

[midnightroo]

Thanks BDG! Your chicks are so stinking cute! I guess mama knew best, she knew it was a good egg. I hope it's health conitunes to improve. Sorry no clue about the egg and the veining.

About the peat moss. I haven't used it, but the dirt my chickens love best is very dry soil from the dump that doesn't hold moisture very well. It is very coarse. If memory serves me, it is similar to peat moss. Perhaps, the soil is coarser then the average soil and better for mite fighting.

When we got the egg we knew pretty much we were going to get one that day. She tried to nest under the coop, but I had to swoosh her away because I had to fix the ramp. As soon as I fixed the ramp, which will be replaced with logs like others here have suggested, she hopped into the coop and went right for the nest. My roo went into the box next to her and it sounded like they were both making nests. I had to peek in because I was worried he was trying to do the funky dance with her in the nest. Came out about an hour later with her on the egg in the nest. My roo was outside waiting like an expectant father. It is incredible the personalities they have when you take the time to watch.

Thank you everyone for all the help and advice and support. I really appreciate it.

 

[Sally8]

My DL is a balanced blend of pine shavings, local grass hay, leaves when I have them, and Peat moss. I fork it every day when the flock is outside. I have a layer of grass hay in every outside run attached by pop door to the barn. I love it there too. So do the chickens. I should have bought more when I had the chance. Lesson learned.

Hay is a bad choice if you don't use it correctly or don't bother turning it if the chickens aren't. I hate straw. Won't use that any longer.

I got attacked on another thread for my use of Peat moss. I kicked that thread to the curb.

I don't judge others with what they use if it works for them. Not sure why some people feel the need to attack me. We all live in different parts of the world and our circumstances are all different.

My DL is one of the best things I ever learned how to do. Love that earthy rich goodness. I planted fifty bare root strawberry plants in my potager beds. Looking forward to summer!

Happened to me also. That's what I like about this thread. I like my DL. It doesn't smell and is still fluffy after 5 months. I throw grains in under the roosts in the roosting room and every day the floor's topography is different. I don't see how I can save the DL and get rid of the mites My DL is made up of pine shavings only. I'm anxious to use it in my strawberry beds and around my blueberry bushes.

 

[pigeonguy]

I wonder if I can use whitewash just in the seams where the wall panels hit the floor and ceiling and on the roosts and such... think that would be helpful? (there's a metal siding on the walls with seems). I don't have an infestation but I'm thinking in spring as a preventative?

I don't see why not. Never tried it with double walls but it is the cracks and crevices that give them a place to hide.

 

[TeriO]

Horse feathers saloon

 

[pigeonguy]

Anyone have some clever name suggestions for my new coop? My dollhouse coop is the "Pollo Club," a little play on words/language since we keep chickens on a horse farm. Now my new coop is a horse trailer. The name doesn't have to stick with that theme. Could be anything, but perhaps something that highlights the mobility factor or something. All suggestions welcome!

After a horse with feathers Pegasus

 

[pigeonguy]

If you use Pegasus Then you could name chickens with mythological names like Thor, Zeus, Aphrodite, Hera. There is a list here with lots of names including women's names for the hens.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Greek_mythological_figures#Notable_women

 

[Mumsy]

Yea, I don't know what happened with that. There was a lot of attacking that day. I had to back off too for a few days. Did a lot of PMing with the peeps I like on there. Hopefully you can come back someday.

I think there was a full moon. Noticed some weirdness going on in few other forums too around that time.

My favorite threads are the ones that welcome everyone and everyone is tolerant. My least favorite are those that just a handful of people monopolize the conversation and very little REAL knowlege is shared. I try only to post when I have something to offer. I try not to just post nonsense.

This thread is the best. People are genuinely friendly and helpful. I learn something new every single day I check in here. Even if it is about something I don't raise or have much interest in. Maybe a few months or years from now that shared tid bit of knowledge will come in real handy.

It is counter productive to changing someones mind about poultry husbandry by bullying. There are bullys out there. I don't play with them.

You are a good person Trav. Thank you for speaking up.