The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

At least now you are not shocked about me not feeding grains/feed to my birds during grow seasons.

 

[Leahs Mom]

At least now you are not shocked about me not feeding grains/feed to my birds during grow seasons.

BTW...there are 3 pages in that article that are very interesting regarding feeding. The second and third pages have links from the TOP of the article so someone may miss them if you're not looking expecting them to be up there!
http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/A+Paradigm+Shift.html
http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Biodiversity.html

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Homegrown.html

 

[chickiemomy]

Well I got two mystery eggs in one day. I think, however, that they were laid by the same pullet, one I've been waiting for eggs on.


Here's the first one I found, outside in the run, near the waterer. It was completely clean, the dirt is from when I rolled it on to my hand so it wouldn't split open:



Huge yolk, huh? Would have been GREAT with a shell on it! There were a few girls around it too, so it must have been just laid and they hadn't had time to investigate.

The second I found underneath the coop, when I was cleaning out the coop. Just happened to notice it and at first I didn't think it was an egg. It was just a soft shell egg. I've heard of them but haven't had one like this one yet. One of my less consistant with quality layers had one off the roost that had broken and the shell was thicker than the one I found, but still pretty soft.

So I'm figuring it's one of the up and coming girls, even though she's been IN the nest box, she laid them outside. More than likely the soft shell egg was laid yesterday. It was cool to the touch and fairly protected/hidden in straw. Glad I found it though, it's 86 today and is supposed to be in the mid to upper 80s the next few days!

I had something similar happen to one of my pullets - I called them all in from foraging, and one GSL was quite late - came slowly waddling in after, went straight to a corner of the run & laid a leathery egg. I took the egg into the house, came back, not 5 minutes later & she was standing over a non-shelled egg, which the others immediately ate (chickens can be so gross).

Don't have a clue what happened - she'd been laying prior to that (in the nest box) - continued laying after that incident - I think it was just a mis-fire in the reproductive system of a young pullet. I think she was 6 months old at the time, but had been laying for at least a month by then.

no fair bragging on the weather! I sooo miss California weather !!!!!

 

[aoxa]

At least now you are not shocked about me not feeding grains/feed to my birds during grow seasons.

Well that's awesome! I'm going to really cut back this year than. They'll suck it up.

Though please promise me you will still feed your silkies.

Because they will NOT find their own. Oh if only.. Thank goodness they are small and don't eat much.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

I've read that on the vermont composting before! It didn't hurt at all my desire to have chickens as I have ALWAYS been a composting organic chem free (uncertified) gardener. Even when I lived in the sub-urbs. Neighbors didn't care as I kept it turned but now.... some (most truthfully) days turning is out of the questing due to health. Chickens doing it sounds good to me! Eggs and helping me turn compost! Double duty... I will have to see about the triple duty bit.... meat. Hopefully I won't have to for a while... will need all three for eggs. They have given 2 a day between the three for former owner. And today on phone she confirmed they WILL BE MINE!!!! I am a chicken owner!

Monday Contractor and Inspector come for house "pre work clarification meeting" and find out when it will start. Monday evening the hot water tank gets replaced.... that will be a huge bill. Then 25th coop assemby begins. Cleaning house and shed to move stuff from house and building up area where coop will go to make it more level and predator guard the base area around. Back to work!!!!!

 

[kian]

Chickiemommy: while I do love these temps, they wreaking havoc with my garden of cool weather crops! High desert weather is so unpredictable!

 

[Bulldogma]

I put Delisha's recipe for organic chick starter feed on the thing.

 

[Sally8]

Thanks Bulldogma.


Can anyone help with an answer?
There are chickens in the pen with this poult.............My little guy looks like his wing might be broken. I've got left and right photo's. Has this happened to anyone and what can I do with it? Should I leave it? Thanks. sue

 

[delisha]

Quote: Silkies are Ornamentals and not ranging chickens..My DH would never allow me to FR the silkies..he is afraid to let them out at all

 

[MsMickeyMom]

Thank you. I'm going to try this.