The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

Photoshop for me (I work in photoshop every day in my job).

What is your job? I didn't know that!!

Photoshop is way to complicated for me. So many options. My brain would explode lol. I'd need a course.

 

[Leahs Mom]

AFL...

Was wondering if you have any "remodeling ideas" on those vents. I was really hoping they were going to work - I thought it was a great idea! So...could you keep us up to date on if you figure out a fix on that... Thanks!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Caught my first opossum of the season. I leave a live trap out with meat all the time and found a Juvinile opossum in there this morning.

Wish I had a camera with me...I had gone out to open the gate to the range area and all the chickens ran to the fence...the trap was just on the other side of the fence.

So there was a line-up of 5 or 6 adult chickens along the fence looking out at that opossum that was in a trap just on the other side. I told them not to get too friendly...


....He just smiled at them

 

[Smithyard Farm]

Thanks veryone for your hints on the cornish crosses... i feel alot better about them now.

Just a question on the feed. I normally supplement with Fremented Feed once a day - in the morning i bring a big bucket out, and then they have thier crumbles mixed with rye, oats or whatever else I have all day. They also are let out of the coop for a couple hours during the day to free range.

I want to reitrerate your suggestions to make sure I am understanding....

1. dont let them free feed. -
2. start out feedeing three times a day, for how long? then nmove to two and them 1
3. I think i saw let them eat for 15 min at a time and then take away thier food, is that rght? even if only feeding once a day? Keep in mind they only free range 2- 3 hours a day....

and one last question.... what are you feeding them? is it still the high protein or standard grower? I assume I can also feed the FF.

My FF has mostly layer crumbles, (1/3or so); then a mixture of wheat, oats, rye and chooped up "whatever we had for dinner that night" stuff in it.

Should I change the food I am feeding to the cornish and use a higher protien?

 

[aoxa]

Caught my first opossum of the season. I leave a live trap out with meat all the time and found a Juvinile opossum in there this morning.

Wish I had a camera with me...I had gone out to open the gate to the range area and all the chickens ran to the fence...the trap was just on the other side of the fence.

So there was a line-up of 5 or 6 adult chickens along the fence looking out at that opossum that was in a trap just on the other side. I told them not to get too friendly...


....He just smiled at them

What did you do with it?

 

[armorfirelady]

AFL...

Was wondering if you have any "remodeling ideas" on those vents. I was really hoping they were going to work - I thought it was a great idea! So...could you keep us up to date on if you figure out a fix on that... Thanks!

As of now it has a tarp over the top to block the vents. I tried cutting out solid pieces of plastic to cover the vents but we have had such heavy rains it didnt help.

So this is what I have now

My friend thinks if I got one of those round vents with spinners for the top it might work better and no rain will get in. Something like this but smaller version



I also ended up covering the one end I didnt cover. So much rain getting in everywhere & then cold winds.....did I mention its suppose to snow tonight? :/

I stapled plastic to the bottom wooden frames. It can easily be removed when its warmer. The top half circles were covered with window well covers. the shape was perfect & they are clear plastic so I can see into the coop from the house. I still needed to cover a few small places with plastic to keep out the wind. There are def no drafts now !!! But still enough ventilation.

As for the water on the ground......just lots of bedding put down. We just got so much water the ground couldnt hold it all. The water is right up to the coop on the right side (that brown you see is all water) and the front of coop and to left is all under water as well. I had to pallets down to get to the coop.

EDITED TO ADD: I CANT WAIT TILL WARM TEMPS GET HERE

 

[aoxa]

As of now it has a tarp over the top to block the vents. I tried cutting out solid pieces of plastic to cover the vents but we have had such heavy rains it didnt help.

So this is what I have now

My friend thinks if I got one of those round vents with spinners for the top it might work better and no rain will get in. Something like this but smaller version



I also ended up covering the one end I didnt cover. So much rain getting in everywhere & then cold winds.....did I mention its suppose to snow tonight? :/

I stapled plastic to the bottom wooden frames. It can easily be removed when its warmer. The top half circles were covered with window well covers. the shape was perfect & they are clear plastic so I can see into the coop from the house. I still needed to cover a few small places with plastic to keep out the wind. There are def no drafts now !!! But still enough ventilation.

As for the water on the ground......just lots of bedding put down. We just got so much water the ground couldnt hold it all. The water is right up to the coop on the right side (that brown you see is all water) and the front of coop and to left is all under water as well. I had to pallets down to get to the coop.

EDITED TO ADD: I CANT WAIT TILL WARM TEMPS GET HERE

The water is terrible here too. It's holding up the rebuild. Trucks can't get down to the build site without getting stuck.

Last year we did not have the puddles we have this year. I'd be seriously afraid to have broodies with chicks.. I have had drowned chicks before, and no doubt the water level we have right now, they would drown.

You're doing good with what you have to work with!

 

[Sally8]

I can't wait until warmer temps get here too. Either tonight or tomorrow night it's supposed to get below freezing. Somehow all this snow has missed us.

I'm trying to come up with ideas for your vents too. I thought it was a great idea to put them in. I'd love a hoop coop for those not so nice days. I have my dream coop already but chicken math kind of took over.

 

[pcappy2]

I free range mine.... Pasture to be more exact, as I keep mine in the electrified fencing. I will either free range or pasture my meat birds this year as well. The other option is to tractor. Mine have 24 hour access to feed or field. BUT.... I raise Freedom Rangers although going to try the Cornish Cross this year.

I also free ranges mine. It was my first attempt at meat chickens but I wasn't going to leave them all locked up 24/7. They were delicious

 

[Leahs Mom]

Opossum ..well....first I asked hubby if he wanted some fresh stew but he declined

So I had errands to run and he came along. First we went to the post office. Then we went for a nice ride in the country and found a nice wooded area that didn't have any farms with chickens nearby. He wanted to check out the woods so I let him. But he never came back.