The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[camilleathome]

Those gardening w/ non composted wood chips, as wood chips decompose they tie up the available nitrogen before releasing it plus some through decomposition. So when using "raw" wood chips use them as a top mulch not mixed into the soil until they are at least partially composted. There may be some magic ratio of poop to raw chips that would work (adding extra nitrogen) but I do not know what that ratio would be w/o adversly affecting the growing plants.

Thats why you dont till the land you just mulch it. Its pretty amazing. I cant wait to try it and see what results we get

 

[Bulldogma]

How 'bout setting up a computer and let her join BYC?

I'd say that is a great idea, but have you ever seen a chicken type? They never seem to move beyond the hunt & peck stage!

Delisha - great pictures!
LM - hope you get a broody soon!
armorfirelady - too funny about the dogs getting multiple zaps. My fence isn't even on and my dog never touches it. Of course this is the dog we once blocked into our camper by putting a broom stick across the doorway. She could have gone over or under it, but instead she stood there like, "I'm locked in! You locked me in! Oh please come and let me out... *sad eyes* "

 

[camilleathome]

You can use all the cardboard boxes from your move instead of newspaper. They take longer to breakdown but work really well blocking out the weeds. Its great to put a layer of manure down before you cover the weeds with cardboard or newspaper and then add more manure.... top with wood chips. Goggle sheet mulching... Its a permaculture technique..... My one tip would be sure you water well ... you want to soak the cardboard to encourage it to breakdown. I had practically pure sand not a worm in site ... after amending the soil with manure and cardboard everywhere I dug there was a worm! The key to growing great healthy vegetables is to build great healthy soil! Good luck!

I cant wait to see how my garden does with this as we have GREAT earth here. So adding to it should be amazing.

 

[aoxa]

I read the post wrong about the measurements on the new coop being built. I apologize. I have been skimming way to much trying to keep up. No excuse. I should not give advise if I cant take the time to read. Your coop if fine for 9 birds.


I fed just at night for a month. I just started not feeding at all when the kale, clovers and spinach came up. The ground is thawing and they are moving branches and the wood pile to look for worms and bugs. I have dang mice in my coop so I know they are getting enough food. If they are hungry they eat them buggers. I hate mice..they bring in mites and all kinds of stuff. I am a bit mad at the chickens and ducks for not controlling them better and me for over feeding for too long.

That's what I'll do then. Feed them once a day until the new barn is built and stop feeding the ones I am free ranging. I will be putting Margaret in the silkies in a covered run and pen - but until then they can handle only being fed once a day.

I have some turkey carcass for them tomorrow morning, as well as some lettuce and cabbage for the bunnies from my MIL's church event. They will be well fed tomorrow lol.

Not feeding them commercial feed doesn't mean I can't give them scraps right?

 

[Leahs Mom]

my two babies are ticking me off lol. They put themselves to bed one night just to mess with me I think because I have had to wangle them up and put their little feathered behinds in the coop just making the door closing or through my door because the door auto shut for the night. You ctell they don't like it in the dark (they make a heck of a noise) so why don't they get in their coop? We checked no boogie things in there to scare them. They like their roosts now that I gave them a training ladder to reach it. I swear they are like m kids when little and just fight going to bed. They make a bunch of noise at first in their coop but quickly settle down on their roosts for the night.You can tell they don't like it in the dark (they make a heck of a noise) so why don't they get in their coop? Also how much ACV should I add to their 5 gallon water system (nipple type)?

It won't take them long to learn where bed is!

Quote:

 

[Leahs Mom]

We looked at a horse trailer tonight. Not the right one yet.

I think we're both leery of the HUGE travel trailer so we haven't moved on that. I just put an ad in one of the local Amish Community magazine/papers to see if I could locate a horse or cargo trailer. I just like the greater portability of those - and the appearance.

 

[zinia8]

Hi everyone looking for tips on how to intergrate the littles (8wks?) in with the big uns (2yrs). They are in the coop together but divided by chicken wire. I let them all free range after I get home from work with out a problem big uns go one way littles go another. Its when they are in the run together that there seems to be a problem. The hen(bitey b**ch) that is on the bottom of the pecking order is down right nasty with them. She will chase unrelentingly.

Some of the littles

Head hen (loudmouth) and an un named underling checking the littles out.

 

[Bulldogma]

Quote:

We looked at a horse trailer tonight. Not the right one yet.

I think we're both leery of the HUGE travel trailer so we haven't moved on that. I just put an ad in one of the local Amish Community magazine/papers to see if I could locate a horse or cargo trailer. I just like the greater portability of those - and the appearance.

I hope you find just the right one!!

 

[delisha]

Quote: I toss out all kinds of left overs..i still give treats too. I scorched a huge batch of puff pastry and fed them that today. Gave them left over bisquets and gravy too.

Hi everyone looking for tips on how to intergrate the littles (8wks?) in with the big uns (2yrs). They are in the coop together but divided by chicken wire. I let them all free range after I get home from work with out a problem big uns go one way littles go another. Its when they are in the run together that there seems to be a problem. The hen(bitey b**ch) that is on the bottom of the pecking order is down right nasty with them. She will chase unrelentingly.

Some of the littles

Head hen (loudmouth) and an un named underling checking the littles out.

Some large birds seem to love to beat up little ones. When the little ones gain enough maturity to evade you can take the fence down. My adults several times a day will go give lessons to the young ones. They are 12 weeks old now and do fine with evasion. I took the fence down a few weeks ago, since I needed it for a new batch of chicks.

 

[delisha]

Quote:
I loved that big one..I was hoping you got it. You would have loved all of that room. You could have turned it into a hospitol, a grooming parlor, a brooder, a hatcher, a supply wagon. You could make part of it a green house..so many ideas.