The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[kian]

Thanks!
LOL

Gotta start them young! I fed my first batch of chicks greens from week 1. They would run up and steal a sliver of whatever I had at the moment and play keep away. I do notice they are fussier if you don't start them early!

Oh no they LOVE greens. At the very beginning I'd give them a clump of grass and dirt. They run for cilantro especially (all the chickens do). It's just the strawberries. The big girls have always been the same way.

 

[countrygirl74]

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!!!

Thanks!! I look forward to seeing the photos - I sure hope everyone is wrong! I do have an opportunity to pick up a new one on Friday but she would then be 3 weeks behind my youngest babies and I wouldn't again be guaranteed 100% to pick a girl. AND, I still would have to do something with Monsoon since I can't possibly have another roo.

 

[gevshiba]

Thanks Delisha for the suggestion to continue with my "off" FF, but I had already tossed it before I read that. I was worried because it had white-ish slime down in the jar, under the water. I might look up starting the next batch with raw milk kefir. I give them some every morning anyway.

BTW, I wanted to thank everyone for all the good info on this thread. I'm pretty sure it's why my chicks and poults seem to be doing so well. I mostly lurk, but I've read the whole thing and learned a lot! Maybe I'll try to post some pictures one of these days.

 

[Mumsy]

Today marks the last batch of Johnny chicks I will hatch. They all came from two barn yard pullets that just started laying a few months ago. Phoebe and Edith lay every day without a hiccup. Phoebe lays very fast and actually runs from the nest to get back to the garden as fast as she can. Edith takes a couple hours. I hatched six chicks from their first pullet eggs that first week of lay. I just processed two males out of the six. I thought for sure most of them were cockerels because their legs were so thick and the combs so pronounced from a young age. Looks like four are pullets now. They are growing very quickly.


The first batch hatched Feb
They all have a uniform appearance.



The four pullets here will go to one daughter that lives in Seattle when they are a few more months old.



Judy the Broody hatched five Phoebe and Edith eggs but one jumped into a five gallon water bucket that was under a down spout and drowned. It was the only chick I've lost this season. These four chicks are very wild and savvy and would be able to fend for themselves free ranging even now at four weeks old.


Four Phoebe and four Edith eggs went into the incubator twenty one days ago and eight Johnny chicks came out this morning. I will sell them at the Farmers Tilth market this summer.

 

[delisha]

Quote: X2000!!

Today marks the last batch of Johnny chicks I will hatch. They all came from two barn yard pullets that just started laying a few months ago. Phoebe and Edith lay every day without a hiccup. Phoebe lays very fast and actually runs from the nest to get back to the garden as fast as she can. Edith takes a couple hours. I hatched six chicks from their first pullet eggs that first week of lay. I just processed two males out of the six. I thought for sure most of them were cockerels because their legs were so thick and the combs so pronounced from a young age. Looks like four are pullets now. They are growing very quickly.

You keeping Johnny? Or are you vacillating?

The first batch hatched Feb
They all have a uniform appearance.




Four Phoebe and four Edith eggs went into the incubator twenty one days ago and eight Johnny chicks came out this morning. I will sell them at the Farmers Tilth market this summer.

Great hatch rate!!!
Congrats!

 

[delisha]

Thanks Delisha for the suggestion to continue with my "off" FF, but I had already tossed it before I read that. I was worried because it had white-ish slime down in the jar, under the water. I might look up starting the next batch with raw milk kefir. I give them some every morning anyway.

BTW, I wanted to thank everyone for all the good info on this thread. I'm pretty sure it's why my chicks and poults seem to be doing so well. I mostly lurk, but I've read the whole thing and learned a lot! Maybe I'll try to post some pictures one of these days.

Sorry I was slow to respond.

You can also start it by adding nothing. Kefir will work great as a start.

I look forward to pictures!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Wait - Is this fowl or 'possum?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Mumsy - such great baby photos! Wonderful when I remember back when you first got Johhny!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Bluemouse - (I was going to call you BM but thought better of it...guess we can't abbreviate that one

)

Loved the photos of your daughter...reminded me of "recess captain"!

And thanks for your feed info!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Okay...these are just production reds, but I thought one was a rooster for a long time...until she laid an egg:

Little Red: (This was just after a fray where she was protecting her chicks..looks like she has a wound above her eye there.)

Big Red. Huge size difference.