The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

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

It does not look broken to me. It looks like the feathers have grown long on one side. Does she hold it funny? Like it is injured? I have never seen this before, sorry i can't help more.

 

[GardenWeasel]

Hi all been madly reading though I am still in the 600s but wanted to ask some questions. I went a little mad buying things to plant for the chickens and not sure about using some of it. I do not know when to plant Kamut wheat. Also I have hairy vetch seed from a mixture that I planned to plant along the fenceline of their run. My theory was to use it as a catch crop for Japanese beetles but won't if it poisonous for chickens or will fence it off if they will just eat it. I am a dork known to go gather Japanese beetles and bring them as a treat. In my pre-chicken gardens I grew it cause it was preferred by the beetles over any other crop, literally thousands on the plants. Thought I could save some time by bringing them right to thechickens. Also am incubating for the first time this year with a Brinsea Advanced. I have 34 hens and one rooster can he cover that many? I had two but they were fighting so had to cull the other.

 

[ChickChickChicky]

Artificial eggs, produced with NO chicken involved, if not already on the market they will be very soon... http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/03/14/sf-company-cooks-up-sustainable-alternative-to-eggs/

Here's a small snippet of the article:
That’s right – Tetrick claims Hampton Creek has improved on the egg. They call their product “Beyond Eggs.”
“It’s made up of a variety of plants, including peas. We use different gums. We use a host of different plant-based protein sources,” Tetrick explained.
It’s hard to believe a blend of plants can imitate not only the taste of an egg, but the ability to whip up into foam like an egg, or coagulate into gel like an egg, but Tetrick said his team is clever about selecting plants that not only replicate, but surpass the egg in food products.

 

[Sally8]

It does not look broken to me. It looks like the feathers have grown long on one side. Does she hold it funny? Like it is injured? I have never seen this before, sorry i can't help more.

The wing on the other side is just as long but it's actually tucked up under the shorter wing. I can tuck it back under but it pops back out when he uses the wing. Maybe it's not broken but flexible. lol He doesn't complain if I move it. I'll keep watching it. Thanks. sue

 

[Pozees]

The wing on the other side is just as long but it's actually tucked up under the shorter wing. I can tuck it back under but it pops back out when he uses the wing. Maybe it's not broken but flexible. lol He doesn't complain if I move it. I'll keep watching it. Thanks. sue

Could it be a split/slipped wing, similar to angel wing in waterfowl?

 

[mrsamplias]

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

Is this only for chicks? Or okay for older chickens?

Today I separated the Catdance eggs in the Genesis into basket compartments. I found them at the dollar store. Cut them apart and re-glued them into three compartments each. For hatching I want the chicks separated so I can mark them.



Baskets, sissors, and hot glue.


Sixteen eggs separated between six compartments. A tight fit but the two baskets just fit.
I broke one egg out today. A PA egg means Paint. It was a quitter between day four and day six. It had eye with pigmentation, leg and wing buds, and was stuck to the shell. There are two more that I will probably break out tomorrow too. Waiting until the last minute before lock down to be sure. Air cells look good on all the rest.

Mumsy, Were your eggs just in cartons in the incubator before switching to the baskets? Do they go in the baskets for lockdown? Do you base your assessment on the candling or weight of the egg? Sorry for all the questions. I'm just starting today on incubating my first batch of eggs. I'm following your recommendations for my LG...

 

[aoxa]

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

You're right about that. I still will allow some of mine to range.. Only the ones that will not be for show.. And the roosters. They will probably be the only boys with my layer flock. I'm trying to decide what to repurpose my baby barn for after the barn is built. I'm thinking of using it for a bachelor pad over winter (for the Rock boys as well as the Houdan boys and the BCM boys if I end up getting them).

I'll use Clem's kennel as a run.

I just find the boys that hatched in spring are so darn randy in the winter.. Just getting geared up for breeding season.

It does not look broken to me. It looks like the feathers have grown long on one side. Does she hold it funny? Like it is injured? I have never seen this before, sorry i can't help more.

Doesn't look broken to me either. Just looks like it grew longer.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

We had snow lots of it then rain then mud to our knees then it froze now they say more snow.

We also have the snow then rain then mud followed by snow and cold.

Let me know if you need eggs. I have Dark Cornish hatching eggs. Girls are a little slow right now, but I can't hatch what they do lay because we're going on vacation in a couple weeks.

Have a great vacation.

thank you all for a warm welcome back. i am reading up on the posts so i can chime in.

Welcome I also wait till I have tried to catch up before posting.

Is this only for chicks? Or okay for older chickens?
Mumsy, Were your eggs just in cartons in the incubator before switching to the baskets? Do they go in the baskets for lockdown? Do you base your assessment on the candling or weight of the egg? Sorry for all the questions. I'm just starting today on incubating my first batch of eggs. I'm following your recommendations for my LG...

I'm following her guide as well.

Mumsy, how do you like the genesis compared to the LG? Is it a lot easier to use?

 

[delisha]

My adult chickens are fed different than chicks. I have several piles in my fields. They are years of composts. I plant spinach, oregano, dill, Milo, peppers, tomatoes, squash, clovers, wheat, kale, and a few others. They forage and find there own food. I have apple and pear trees. There are also wild berry plants that some of the birds like to eat. Nettles, dandelions and all kinds of weeds and plants native to Wisconsin weather. They have access to the garden in spring before planting and after harvest. I do not really feed my birds during grow season if they have access to free ranging. They are nashing at the teeth to get out and forage. I have a few that fly into the woods right now for access to bugs that are starting to come up from hibernation. The snow is not deep in the woods so they are finding all kinds of goodies. The winter has made them fat and a few are going to have problems getting out. Not all can fly.

 

[arkansaschicks]

Does anyone remember where in the thread was the conversation about soy vs animal protein in the feed? The person I just bought my BLRW's from is really interested in reading the articles someone posted in this thread.
Thanks!!