The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

I went out today & did another hen inspection since my Mom coud help me. Happy to report all the leaky butts & prolapse vents are gone. red hen who has the defects is the lightest weight bird and her keel is easily felt. She does eat well so I believe it's just her genetics. She is still laying & acting normal so she may always just be light weight. She had the worse prolapse and leaky but and she is clean. A little piece showed up but it went back on its own. Nothing like a few weeks ago. I just put a little Nustock on her vent just as a precaution.

Their diet hasn't changed except they haven't had parsley or cilantro in a few days. So I really don't know what was causing the leaky butts. Finally did find some plain yogurt with no sugar today. Maybe it was the other yogurt I gave them. Also found some organic cereal full of nuts, fruit pieces, oats, flax seed and sunflower hearts. So that's what I mixed in their yogurt. You would of thought they were given candy they ate it so quick

And A giant jar of fresh garlic reasonably priced. Put in a bunch in the FF with basil. It smells so good but I can't wait to plant my own plants this spring and save the expense. I need to look up how to plant garlic. That's a new thing for me.

Also found a plastic container with a lid to turn into a chicken first aid box. Also got some Epsom salt cheap and witch hazel for it. It's all stocked and I hope it collects a lot of dust

AOXA- your pictures are beautiful. I love the facial expressions of Koda
DELISHA- love your set up

 

[aoxa]

They are loving all that room! Great pictures Justine

Yes they sure are!!

Aoxa, I love the naked neck mix. What is that bird in the third pic down? I really like her feathers.

She is a bantam Ameraucana (blue). Thanks!

I need Mumsy to help me figure out if Doc Holiday is a girl or a boy. I was so sure on it being a boy, but really no comb development and I'm just not sure anymore...

 

[arkansaschicks]

Delisha - so, so sad you had to leave the rest of the birds in those conditions, but you did what you could by saying something to the guy. Beyond that, it's out of your hands (if you stay within the law... )

If anyone wants happy news, my coop is almost done! Only things left to do are putting perches in the main area and... well... you can read about it and see pictures Here.

You did such a great job on your coop! I think that is such a neat idea!

 

[countrygirl74]

just wanna follow this thread......

Welcome!! I only follow a few and this is one of my favs!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

No..she got a really nice deal..they were only $45.00. I offered him $200.00 for all of his birds..He also had about 10 millies from Green Fire too.
His birds were not thin at all..just no water..lack of water will kill a bird before lack of food. He had 5 gallon dry feeders i am sure he filled up and he had one gallon waters..the waters ran out before the food did.
You need to go on the Easter hatch a long and say..I am in!! that will get you all set up..than after set day..you post a picture of your eggs.
I am not sure if you will get the whole picture..but i will try

at the bottom of that door is a poop door..the ducks use it to go out to the runs during nesting season

This is the back side of the run, the run goes all the way around the building. The two parts that contain nest boxes are completely enclosed and pred proof.

The ducks wanting out.

one of the nest boxes in the other enclosed pen


This is another nest when I also had different ducks. It had a movable enclosure for pred proof. I tore it apart when the neighbors dog decided to kill them a few years back. I left the A frame standing and they use it for shade. i sometimes put chicks in it with a tempory fence during nice weather.

My runs are pretty big. That coop is a small converted house. I probably have at least 50 feet of fence run. This week after we loose some snow I will take some better pictures. I just use these runs for breeding. My ducks free range once they hatch out the ducklings. The moms usually bring the ducklings back into the enclosures at night for safety.



It sure looks so nice..i bet they are having so much fun with that room!!

OK I went and took more pictures..i hope this helps to clarify


Open run..attached to back flight enclosed pen

back flight pen

Back flight pen with run to south enclosure (that little box with snow on it in top center)

All thought this pen has a cover on top ....snow and rain does get in it..it is still open. I have a piece of wood braced against the fence to keep direct snow and rain from getting into the the nest box.

These are sun panels and let in late sun..they are on the west side of the coop

south flight pen with coopalo

It is partially roofed with shingles and completely enclosed with hard wire. The poop door is on this side.

Hard to see in this picture but the entrance to the back enclosure is at the center bottom, on the other side of the door.

I love your duck house! Do you use the 2nd story of the house? I'd love some more pictures of the inside. Jealous ; )

Yes they sure are!!
She is a bantam Ameraucana (blue). Thanks!

I love your lil Silkie hen. So adorable!

~ Aspen

 

[Bulldogma]

well i keep my flock as natural as i can and today i had a bantam go broudy , unforunatly and against my better judgement i moved it and so it seems to have lost interest in the eggs

just wondering if you guys have any tips to encourage hens to sit on their eggs ( re encourage )all advice would be greatly appreciated

pmon - I would say if she was that easily deterred from sitting on those eggs, sooner or later she would have likely left them anyway. If you need to move a broody, be sure to do it at night when they are sleeping. I also was able to successfully move a broody during the day by throwing a towel over her and moving the whole rubber container she was using as a nest box - but I don't generally suggest this... it was an "emergency" because the amourous rooster was trying to chase her off the eggs to breed her.

If that particular hen goes broody again, keep a close eye on her... she may not be cut out for the job. Then again, she simply may not have been totally ready this time around. A hen who is a good and determined broody will be hard to keep off the nest. Don't blame yourself for her breaking from broodyness so early.

 

[aoxa]

pmon - I would say if she was that easily deterred from sitting on those eggs, sooner or later she would have likely left them anyway. If you need to move a broody, be sure to do it at night when they are sleeping. I also was able to successfully move a broody during the day by throwing a towel over her and moving the whole rubber container she was using as a nest box - but I don't generally suggest this... it was an "emergency" because the amourous rooster was trying to chase her off the eggs to breed her.

If that particular hen goes broody again, keep a close eye on her... she may not be cut out for the job. Then again, she simply may not have been totally ready this time around. A hen who is a good and determined broody will be hard to keep off the nest. Don't blame yourself for her breaking from broodyness so early.

The idea is to move her entire nest and not just the hen and eggs.

I've had disastrous results by moving a hen after her chicks hatched. She got up and left the nest and the babies (who had already hatched) died from the cold.

But I had great luck moving entire nests. Especially if the nests are covered - like a kennel or that type of box LM used for her hen. Again - at night would be the best time.

 

[delisha]

Aspin..I am posting these for you...many on here are probably sick of seeing my coops
Coop one









nest boxes



get out of my box!!


Up stairs

Upstairs..does not get much use...has not been dusted in years..sorry

Hospital coop/separation coop/quarantine coop

grow out coop



more nest boxes

Quarantine pen.

 

[Leahs Mom]

What? Who's sick of seeing your coops? I'm not!

 

[armorfirelady]

I agr

What?  Who's sick of seeing your coops?  I'm not! 

I agree I love to see pictures of other coops & runs. It always gives me ideas on how I can improve mine being a newbie