The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Bulldogma]

I'm saving this one for a caption contest - "Dude - you dead?"

Is this normal comb and wattle size for a 6 week blue cochin? I will be sooo upset if she turns out to be a boy. I only have one and I have been wanting one for a while. I will post this on the cochin thread too but thought you guys might have some opinions...

OK - that "dead" picture is hysterical!!

As for your Cochin... those wattles look awfully pink, and that comb seems a bit... large... for a pullet.

 

[Kassaundra]

6 weeks old you say??????

for you I don't know much about cochins, ............................................... but those are some aweful red wattles for any breed 6 week old girl, my bet would be a boy.

 

[Bulldogma]

OK - everyone who mixes their own feed, please post your "recipe" here with percentages/measurements etc.

Delisha's article with the recipe for organic chick feed has been very popular and I'd like to compile some info on different chicken feed recipes. You can PM it to me, or share it here (because I'm sure a lot of folks on the thread would be interested!!).

Note: This does NOT have to be an organic recipe. People mix their own feed for all different reasons, so it would sure be great to have all different recipes!

Alright, folks...

I'm gonna keep reposting this if you don't share your secrets with me - LOL! (Next it will be a small, dark room with a single, over-head light... Vee haf vayz ov makink you talk!)

Even if your local mill mixes the feed for you, how much of what do you have in there?

Inquiring minds want to know!!

 

[countrygirl74]

As for your Cochin... those wattles look awfully pink, and that comb seems a bit... large... for a pullet.

That's what I am afraid of...I was hoping maybe it was just a "cochin" thing...

 

[aaggjg]

I have been meaning to share this insect repellent recipes from an organic site .... They use it for MITES!!

Essential oil insect repellent recipe:
In 1 ¾ ounces of olive oil
add 20 drops of Rosemary oil
20 drops of Lavender oil
10 drops of Tea Tree oil
5 drops of clove oil
20 drops of Neem oil.
Shake well.

You can also try adding Orange oil. Some people make substitutions of Pine Needle oil for of Tea Tree. Great insect repellent that is totally safe and works very well on all 4 legged creatures....

Spray on chickens under their wings , back of neck, vent , legs ......

 

[aoxa]

That's what I am afraid of...I was hoping maybe it was just a "cochin" thing...

Not in my experience. My few girls had combs and wattles like that when broody or not in lay...



Example.



Here is Carlton at the same age as yours.

 

[aaggjg]

That's what I am afraid of...I was hoping maybe it was just a "cochin" thing...

I was going to say I LOVE THAT COCHIN and am so jealous!!! I will look back at my 2 bantam cochin chick pictures... one of them I was sure was a boy b/c of red & size of wattles and she is a SHE .... so I am crossing my fingers, toes etc for you!!!

 

[loanwizard]

Alright, folks...

I'm gonna keep reposting this if you don't share your secrets with me - LOL! (Next it will be a small, dark room with a single, over-head light... Vee haf vayz ov makink you talk!)

Even if your local mill mixes the feed for you, how much of what do you have in there?

Inquiring minds want to know!!

Your Russian stinks! I had to slow down to read it.

Here is my super secret recipe....

Bringggggg, Brinnnggggg!

Hello? Zanesville Feed Supply?

Um Yes.....

This is Shawn up in Coshocton.... I need some of that 16% Hog feed.....

You mean with corn, wheat yada yada yada....

Yeah, whatever you normally give me.... I need a ton and will be there in an hour or two....

Ok....

Ok, bye, thanks

Cranky lady

He is such an *****.....

That said, I am thinking hard about raising Barley Fodder this summer and next winter.

 

[Mumsy]

To think the white ones used to never leave the run. Its a total 180 in personality! I was wondering if anybody else has noticed that with their silkies. Mine are just 1 year old now ....

My White pen is acting the same way! They were all such a bunch of paranoid, hide in the pen, never venture out, shavings eating fraidy cats. Now they wander all over the place. Scratch in the compost pile, munch leaves off shrubs, and will come and go into and out of the big run when I open the gate and 'shoo' them. Except for Dumpling. I pick her up and deposit her in the thick of the flock where ever they happen to roam. She can keep up on grass if they don't move too fast. And those Silkies rarely move fast! My flock are under seven months old. They freeze in a tight group when hawks fly over head so I only free range them when I'm outside close by.

Your Russian stinks! I had to slow down to read it.

Here is my super secret recipe....

Bringggggg, Brinnnggggg!

Hello? Zanesville Feed Supply?

Um Yes.....

This is Shawn up in Coshocton.... I need some of that 16% Hog feed.....

You mean with corn, wheat yada yada yada....

Yeah, whatever you normally give me.... I need a ton and will be there in an hour or two....

Ok....

Ok, bye, thanks

Cranky lady

He is such an *****.....

That said, I am thinking hard about raising Barley Fodder this summer and next winter.

HAH!

 

[BlueMouse]

I'm saving this one for a caption contest - "Dude - you dead?"

This kills me. I almost want to get a turken just for the funny factor now.... they look kind of buzzard like.... dead buzzard like in this particular shot...

Alright, folks...

I'm gonna keep reposting this if you don't share your secrets with me - LOL! (Next it will be a small, dark room with a single, over-head light... Vee haf vayz ov makink you talk!)

Even if your local mill mixes the feed for you, how much of what do you have in there?

Inquiring minds want to know!!

Ok, so this is a work in progress, I'm still reading everything I can get my hands on. Harvey Ussery's (sp??) articles have been most helpful....
1 part whole oats
1 part barley
1 part field peas
1 part scratch
1/2 part flax seed

comes out to about 16% protien. I ferment the whole shebang, and then I top dress with kelp meal and ground eggshells. I think it's low on animal protien, especially at this time of the year, so I give them a chunk of raw meat once or twice a week, and a half a can of mackerel once a week. this is reasonable because I have so few birds. For the little people I've just been putting batches of fermented feed through my food processor. I just process enough for that day and keep it in a tupperware on top of my fridge. I top dress theirs with kelp meal, but only eggshells once a week. I also give a chunk of fodder every day, since there's still nothing green ANYWHERE, and all my kitchen vegetable scraps. Hard stuff like broccoli stalks and carrot tops I've been running through the food processor and stirring into the ferment. Everything else I throw out for them to pick through. They especially love things liek squash guts and green pepper guts it seems. I would like to replace the scratch with something else, because I'm not so excited about the GMO corn in it, but my options are limited. I asked for wheat at the local feed store and they looked at me like I'd grown two heads....

I'm going to try another less local feed store for my next round.

I let the 6 week olds loose in the fenced "play area" we have for the kids outside today. It's a tall fence and I don't think even the leghorn can get over it. They're having a great time out there, alternately scratching around and cuddling down in the leaves to nap. My stupid rooster had to go over and attempt to terrorize them, but he was foiled by the fence. HAH. He also attempts to chase the songbirds away from the birdfeeder.

they ignore him.




the kids scratching around.



Jade supervises free ranging activities.


Mr. Bennet being a poop. I'm not really sure what to do about it, but figure that he can't get to them, and they'll eventually sort it out. Look at those wings! He looked more like a turkey than a stupid chicken.