The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

Our Barred Rock has always been the friendliest we've had.
When oh when will these ducks stop eating the shavings? I bought an eight pack of cheapy paper towels, and we've used three so far. I wait two minutes after I pull it all up, to see if they're still eating it, and they haven't stopped yet.
We have started our spring projects. Had the barn wired last week, that'll come in handy. Hubby is insulating the shed connected to the barn, and the ff and worm bin will go in there. I have trees and bushes being delivered every other day. We're going to block off the fruit bushes with plastic fencing, to keep the chickens off them. Really wish it would warm up all the way, having two days of warm doesn't make up for six cold days.

Wow I am so behind...

Ashdoes, try puppy pads. They sop up the water the ducks make a mess of. I am using them right now for 6 little calls I just hatched.

PS: Ducks are a pain to hatch! I did terrible on the first two goes at duck eggs. 2/24 first round, 6/65 second round - if you just go by which ones made it to lockdown: 2/12 and 6/15. :| I am not impressed.

 

[aoxa]

Hmmmm.... I wonder why so many people say citrus and parsley are poisonous to them then?

It is not poisonous, they just generally don't like it a whole lot.

Anything we humans can eat - the poultry can eat. If it is dangerous to our health, it is dangerous to their health (ie: Avacado skin and pit is not something you would eat, and the pit contains something that is toxic, so don't give it to any animal, let alone your chickens!)

I have never picked things out of our scrap bin that could be dangerous for them. It's all fine to give them, it's just "will they eat it?" With my birds, most often the answer is yes. They will eat pretty much anything.

Cirtus..in the coop for repellant..they don't eat it.

My old birds would eat citrus. Not like it was the best thing in the world, but they definitely did eat it.

It took them a good 5 days to eat a pineapple. That was 100+ birds, so definitely not their favourite!

 

[brandislee]

I buy from Azure standards and although some of the grains can get pricey they do have a bunch that are really reasonable for organic non GMO grains! Bulk chicken wheat 50Llbs for $15.20, Animal whole barley 50Llbs $18.95, Milo 25Llbs $10, Wheat soft white or hard red is $19.15 for 50Llbs , Whole Oats Animal Feed 45Llbs $15.35 etc etc you get the point....

Justine people in the city often try to order a pallet of the feed because there is a huge discount on the per bag cost! It might be something worth looking into....

Woa, where are the animal grains? I didn't see them on there???

 

[NanaLynn]

anyone want to wade in on whether it's safe to feed my chickens the home canned spaghetti sauce with meat that went bitter on me? (I think it was the swiss chard I was "hiding" in it...) I was thinking like a cup a week to them until it's gone?

I am not an OT, but when I have been in the same situation, I have poured sauces and stews into a strainer rinsed with water and given the meat and any veggies that strain out to my dog or cats. I hate to waste anything, especially meat and I worry about loads of tomato sauce and digestion, that's why I strain it. Too much tomato sauce upsets my stomach, so I thought it might upset my animals stomachs. I just recently got chickens, so I have not done this with spaghetti sauce for them yet, but I would, as long as it has not gone bad.

I have a question for everyone, I am basically just a lurker on here and I have learned a lot. I am finally caught up!!!! Yay!!!! I have to check twice a day to stay caught up though!!!

I have 10 week old chicks, I have more coming next week. Eventually between both sets I will have 20 to 22 chicks. (Depends on if some of the ones next week are roosters or not, won't keep them.)

My question is, I have a large area where I let my chicks free range most everyday and almost all day each day, they have access to my raised bed garden area plus some more room around. Each bed is fenced in, I have 12 raised beds and a large compost area. They can get in the compost area. My husband is worried that they will not be able to keep up with the grass and weed growth in the areas surrounding and running in between the beds. Will 20 chickens eat that much grass? I imagine the area is maybe 1/6 of an acre, can they eat that much grass and weeds? We do see them eating grass now, but they are young still.
(Plus they are doing a great job eating all the bugs around the beds.) I know this is an odd question. I can post pics of my setup if you'd like?

Thank you everyone too for all the great info, I have learned so much!!!

 

[aoxa]

Delisha, Mumsy, others who study natural healing/health, I have a coworker whose 6 year old son suffers every year from horrible dry skin. She has tried myriad ways of treating it, every lotion and oil she could think of, and so far no luck. She was telling me today the skin on his legs is so dry they look like ash. I promised her I would ask here in case anyone can suggest natural remedies for extremely dry skin. She has even asked his pediatrician about it, who recommended a few of the things she tried to no avail.

Thanks

Judi

Has she tried coconut oil? Works great for me and I'm the same way with dry skin. It's terrible and I'm so itchy in the winter because of it.

 

[aoxa]

How in the heck am I supposed to keep up with you guys?! lol

200+ posts behind! I am never that behind!!

I am extremely busy at work, but I took an hour to catch up. I skimmed through some posts, so forgive me if I don't reply to something I should have replied to:

BDM, love your new photos, very well done!
LM, I am in love with your blue SFH. She is gorgeous!
Mumsy, love hearing from you. You've been busy lately so I haven't seen you around as much as I like to Hope all is well, and it sounds like it is!
Delisha, Great advice all around as always. I must see photos of your young Ameraucanas!
Lala, your avatar confused me

To all the new people posting, welcome!

And now...

I just received two ecoglows in the mail. I will be testing them out tonight. Two more were shipped out yesterday. I'm looking forward to using this instead of heat lamps. Hope it cuts electricity costs!!

 

[aoxa]

I used to post pictures like crazy on here. I'll be starting that again as the weather warms up. Here are some recent shots. The flock is free ranging so I can take better pictures.


Rooster Boy - I can't figure out a name for him so I am stealing LM's name for her boy
If any are not going to be kept - it's him. He is bossy with the others, but not so with us. He is a teenaged boy after all. Thing is, he would have very little meat on him and wouldn't be worth the job alone. If he gets to be too much for everyone, I will process when I process my meat birds this summer.


Gertrude checking to see if the crows are gone.


Joy


Gertie again


Nora... about the tiniest chicken ever (at least that I've seen She is smaller than some Japanese bantams and sebrights I've seen in show! She is the cutest little thing. 20 weeks old now!


Phoenix - 15 weeks. Already calling girls to tidbits he finds

Tina - 14 weeks - she is really funny to watch. A very good forager.

Even Stony complemented her good appearance. He must not have known she was 1/2 silkie


One of the 5 bunny kits at 1 week old. Their cuteness kills me!


Another one...


Henry - for those of you who don't follow us on FB, he is getting huge!


But is sooooo good with the chickens.

BDM, Please feel free to use the above picture if you ever to a piece on LGDs.


Nora again.


You can really see how tiny Nora is here. She is 2 weeks older than Doc Holiday - the silkie on the right. The one in the middle is 6 weeks younger than her.


Hope - a surprisingly distant forager. She does not mind being alone to her own devices and is always the last one in for the night. I have seen her call her friends to tidbits as well. She is hilarious.. you should see her afro bob when she runs


Lucy - Barred Naked Neck, and my favourite of the basement babies. She loves standing on my boots, and once I have her in my grasp, she loves to sit on my lap and preen herself. She is also squatting, so I think we should be seeing eggs again relatively quickly! Go Lucy!!

 

[Bulldogma]

Aoxa - I have dutifully stolen Henry's picture. Some time (hopefully) I'll be able to do a piece just on LGDs!

... and I'm so stealing Henry! LOL. I think your puppy must have hundreds of fans by now.

 

[countrygirl74]

Love, love, love all the new pics aoxa!!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Like 'em all but Nora is sure pretty!

Henry is indescribable! What are you feeding that boy? Is he going to eat you out of house and home?