The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Sally8]

I love reading all these mama and baby stories. The pc's are too cute. I'm glad everyone shares them.
i have a Sizzle setting on eggs, only about a week. But today I saw that she had moved to the next nest. I picked her up and no eggs under her. The nest she left I candled all had started to develop but she had been off them too long with our temps still dipping to 20 degrees f. Tomorrow I have an incubator full of eggs, mostly BCM but a few EE and Sizzles, going into lockdown. Could I take a couple of the lesser important eggs and slip them under her to finish hatching. Will that make her happy? This broody stuff makes me more nervous than when I'm hatching in the incubator.
Happy Easter all!

 

[delisha]

Happy Easter



30 chicks out..the last one is pipped

 

[Leahs Mom]

In the line-up - only one of them is alive.

Happy Easter
HE'S ALIVE!

​

 

[delisha]

In the line-up - only one of them is the alive.

Happy Easter
HE'S ALIVE!

​

That is so cute

 

[OohLaLa]

CoopChick awwwww thats my hubby to. To hear him tell it he built this coop...um one post hole, 4 wonky A Frames and helping me hoist the wire up on the frame for the roof is the sum total lol. Now that said...while I've been at work he has been helping care for the babies, giving them attention and treats. The only side step was when I came home to find he had left the door open and there was a ten degree drop in brooder temp. He has been very careful since then. I'm hoping the temp will get up by next weekend so I can take them out to their new run for a few minutes.

 

[OohLaLa]

tooo cute

 

[aoxa]

We're making coloured devilled eggs for our Easter dinner with family. Also Susan made a gluten free apple crumble cake - and OMG it is delicious! Yum!

 

[Sally8]

Leah's Mom - That is so stinkin' cute.

 

[aoxa]

Here it is It was a lot of fun!

We found a local free range farm that does not use medicated feed, and eggs were fertile, I even stuck one in the incubator for fun

 

[Leahs Mom]

Found a really interesting article on fermenting food for preservation in general. It's a long article BUT...PAGE 15, it starts a section on NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF FERMENTED FOODS. That section isn't too long and might be worth reading if you're interested in fermenting feed. Most of the article is about fermenting with Lactic Acid Bacteria. There is also some info on alcohol fermentation in it.

Pretty interesting...scroll to page 15!

http://www.eden-foundation.org/project/articles_fermentation_thesis.pdf

ETA: Keep reading the whole section. Talks about proteins, minerals, gut flora, anti-cancer effects, etc.