The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[ramblinH]

Here's what type of feeder I'm currently using...

But I do have this one...

Am guessing the above is the style you're referring to when you say "feeder with holes"? Both styles were given to me...

Here's one of my BOs with a piece of shredded paper (their bedding) stuck to his wing...

Every once in awhile I'll catch another chick pulling on it...

 

[JacqueOCS]

Can baby ducks & chickens be kept together until the ducks are old enough to be let out to be around the pond? Thx for any info

 

[OohLaLa]

And the Swedes


Gray






Orange







Rooster Boy

very pretty

 

[ramblinH]

Lol I know. I have posted in large threads like this before and been ignored. I just wanted someones attention first.

Agree - that's why I usually remain in lurk mode until I have a question. Have laughed at myself before feeling self-conscience over social media, ha!

LOL - Here's mine (and forgive me for not searching the whole thread for the answer):

About how much ACV do you put in 1 quart of water for chicks?

Read somewhere - 2 tbsp per gallon, so 1/2 tbsp per quart...

 

[bluebirdnanny]

LOL - Here's mine (and forgive me for not searching the whole thread for the answer):

About how much ACV do you put in 1 quart of water for chicks?

Even with my large one for my 3 year olds I just put a few tablespoons in. You will need to start small amounts or they may refuse it at first. You may need to provide both plain AND some with a small amount added.

Delish and BDM can answer better.

 

[OohLaLa]

Brrr what a cold turn we have here in Georgia. Funny I rushed home from work worried about my two newly outed Amereraucanas to find them happily foraging in their run. What is the secret to training them to go back up the ramp into their coop, especially at night? They kind of sort of have the down thing (one better than the other). They spent a few days in the coop with no run time, and they will settle in when I put them in at night (about like toddlers). I installed a Pull-it-shut door (works just like it's supposed to and was supper easy to install). They nestled in the coop near the door after I put them back in for the 2nd time (just like trying to get my kids to bed). They nestled in and watched the door close, then open for the stragglers and then close again as advertised. They did not try to come back out then.

Okay so back to my original question how do I get them to go up the ramp and into the coop on their own at night?

 

[armorfirelady]

Lol I know. I have posted in large threads like this before and been ignored. I just wanted someones attention first.

I HATE the idea of using chemicals on my birds, but would like to worm them. I have looked and looked, but everything on natural worming is so controversial. I have heard of the cayenne pepper and black walnut shells. So, to the point, has anyone heard of/used a natural substance that will effectively worm my birds?

I am a newbie since I have only had my hens since August but I have learned on some old forums from people on this one that all hens have worms. But a natural worm preventive that some others & I use are pumpkin-cucumber-zucchini-squash seeds & cayenne pepper flakes. The veggies they get all winter and as they grow from the garden. The cayenne pepper flakes I add once a month or so to their FF. I can say that I have never seen an overload of worms in my hens poop ever. I believe prevention is better than treating a problem. I also use ACV in their water for good probiotics. They also get garlic in their FF to maintain good health.

And for mite/lice prevention I use wood ash. Happily I have never had those either

Hope this helps & welcome !!

 

[camilleathome]

Here's what type of feeder I'm currently using...



But I do have this one...



Am guessing the above is the style you're referring to when you say "feeder with holes"? Both styles were given to me...

Here's one of my BOs with a piece of shredded paper (their bedding) stuck to his wing...



Every once in awhile I'll catch another chick pulling on it...

The one I have is plastic. That one you have looks like its metal? Metal would sadly react with the acv so shouldnt be used with FF if it is. I made that mistake with my first feeder when I got my silkies but thankfully aoxa was there to let me know.

 

[Kassaundra]

Lol I know. I have posted in large threads like this before and been ignored. I just wanted someones attention first.

I HATE the idea of using chemicals on my birds, but would like to worm them. I have looked and looked, but everything on natural worming is so controversial. I have heard of the cayenne pepper and black walnut shells. So, to the point, has anyone heard of/used a natural substance that will effectively worm my birds?

Everyone has an opinion on that natural vs chemical vs culling for high worm load. People are highly passionate about their views on this. The chemicals do remove and kill the worms (if you use the right one for the right worm(s)) To my knowledge from everything I have read the natural methods anticdotally work, that is people report they have success w/ this or that but the only posts I have ever read w/ follow up fecal worm testing have shown those birds still have worms, and there have been VERY few posts or sites on or off BYC that I have seen that have followed up natural methods w/ actual fecal tests. There was an oldtimers thread started by a BYCer named Beekissed she liked the culling method, but that relies on having your flock able to free range (not confined to a run) and a flock big enough that you actually hatch from the chickens that have proven to thrive under the husbandry you provide, and being able to cull (as in kill) the inferior stock.

Have you determined 1) that your chickens have internal parasites, 2) that the parasite load they carry is harmful, 3) which parasites they have?

 

[armorfirelady]

Okay so back to my original question how do I get them to go up the ramp and into the coop on their own at night?

I had a ramp in my old coop and they figured it out on their own.....same with the new auto pop door I installed. They are always roosted before it closes for the night. For roosting I had to put them on the roost at night a couple times and then they did it on their own