The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

So some actual progress. Road put in to go from the driveway to the barn so that they can bring the heavy machinery in without sinking. Our yard is quite low, so it stays wet longer than most.. even in the summer it is quite soft and if it rains they wouldn't be able to work.



Here is the road that is in. We have to get the sod on the right moved, but no big deal.



The contractor has put in temporary power to start the job, and a big load of gravel. Very exciting!

Mama Sumatra and her 11 lil fuzzy butts. Right at the door step of my workshop

ELEVIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That girl must be WIDE!

When you're bored... (

) would you be willing to do a drawing of some kind showing how you divide off your property for the breeding areas? How much space for being outside in those? Are they confined to them all the time? Do the breeders ever get to range freely?

I know you have some ranging for sure - is that the general egg layers?

I'm trying to figure out how to manage this as I'm thinking I want to have 2 breeds and want to keep the roosters separated to their respective breed when it's breeding time. I don't have this yet - just trying to plan for the future!

Quote:
Ron Fogle and his friend Paulletta from AR. Paulletta drove them to me too. Super nice and friendly. And the chicks were treated way better than the USPS would have for the trip. They had food, water and space to move around. Also the weather was perfect, not to cold and not overly hot. My children already love them.
Drove them!!! Was she on her way to somewhere else and dropped them? That's some DANG GOOD SERVICE!

 

[NanaLynn]

Mama Sumatra and her 11 lil fuzzy butts. Right at the door step of my workshop

Awesome pictures of mother and chicks!

You take such nice photos too, this one should be a book or magazine cover.

 

[TipihlowLadies]

New to layers got 26 EE's suppose to be pullets 1 big pretty Roo and he has started his duties at 7 weeks should I separate them until 6 months old.

 

[jlynnet]

My 3 week olds are off their heat lamp. Will they be okay outside in the coop with the 5 week olds? The older ones stay inside mostly. I toss them out in the enclosed run, which they love once they're out. Our nights are in the 50's.

 

[stonykill]

ELEVIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That girl must be WIDE!

lol, nah. She flattens out nicely and is an expert. This is hatch number 21 for this girl.

her 2nd brood last year she hatched 11 then adopted 4 others. She raised 15 on brood number 2 last year. Mama is just good

 

[aoxa]

Justine,
It can be too early to plant perenials, it depends on what they look like. I

If you got your perennials from a friend or neighbor, i.e. just dug them up, no problem to plant now.

If they came from a local nursery, and look about the same as plants in your yard in terms of presence of leaves, buds, or flowers - thats fine too. Some keep their perennials outdoors all winter, and they will be in sync with your area.

It is just the ones that have been shipped from warmer areas, or have been raised in a greenhouse and look like summer- leafed out, in bloom, now that will have problems. (assuming it is not some kind of early spring perennial like primroses). I can buy blackeyed susans and even foxglove in bloom right now, but if I planted them they would die back and have to start over. If the ones you have are way ahead of the season, hold them indoors til frost passes, and you won't have to wait for them to recover.

I got them from a local nursery. They had them outside and I asked if they brought them in or covered them at night and they said no. Yes a few have a few flowers on them, but I never get plants in full bloom because they've already bloomed for someone else

lol. I like them to be close to bloom though. I have left them on my porch since Tuesday. I have not checked to see if they were affected by the frost, so I'll check when I get home.

I bought Hostas, Dianthus, and I forget the rest.. I just know the Dianthus is one of my favourites. I always end up getting a plant every year. We just moved to this property last April, but didn't touch the garden until late summer. WE were too busy. Now we have time. Lots of time. Going to be getting everything going...

 

[aaggjg]

mite treatment..I posted a great video a few days ago..I posted herbs that work for mites yesterday too. I probably should keep better records of all the stuff I post. I will look for it.
And yes..burn it. or you will have them crawling all over and finding a new place to live till they come back.
You have to do what works for your environment. Some places you can't burn, than you will have to bag it up and haul it out the same day.

I had a feeling you were going to say that .....

My coops are down a hill in a high fire zone so no burning allowed here! I saw the video you posted that is why I asked if I needed to burn it .... was hoping the answer would be put enough stuff they hate in there and they will leave ... Wishful thinking I know

Well I know what I am doing this weekend .....

 

[Sally8]

DH just left for the 2nd brush fire of the day. This one just a mile up the road, by the church. Unbelievable! I just love all the pictures of Mama and babies. Thanks for sharing them.

Justine, I haven't felt well for almost 2 months and today I sat down and read your response to Countrygirl74. Telling her to get rid of the buff Silkie and your reason why made me bust right out loud laughing. I know nothing about Silkies and apparently it is very evident. Thanks.

I took my little poults out yesterday and after a few minutes they enjoyed it so much. I then let out all my 8 week old future layers.. They took longer to adapt. I would have had pic's but after beating my attacking tom with it, my battery was dead in my camera. should be ready for today.

I can't remember who posted about mites. It is an on going battle for me. I like the wood ash and use it frequently. In the beginning I tried Frontline Plus (it did work but a few months later we had them again) and then I've used Sevin. It's hard for me to understand how that doesn't hurt their skin when it will kill almost anything. Either this week end or next, I'm completely cleaning out both coops. (We can't burn but I can bag and get rid of everything) Then, I'm white washing both. Not sure yet, what treatment for the birds.

May 8, our county fair grounds is having a poultry auction. Hopefully I can find some Buff Orpington's and Blue Slate Poults. An employee of our TS is the auctioneer. So excited!

 

[FarmerJH]

LAB NECROPSY RESULTS FINALLY!!!

vet finally called me with the university's path lab results: ecoli periotonitus . System infection in the blood, in other words. Brought on by either production laying or stress - from moving or pecking, etc.

This little hen looked to her sibling for protection, and would run to her and cower under her sister's wing - even at a year old. And she was being pecked and bullied by one hen in the flock. Her sister was the hen that dropped dead overnight - I don't think her sister was under stress quite as much. But with the sister gone, this little one only lasted a few weeks.

The run is huge, and I have multiple water and feed stations, so I am not sure why she was overstressed. From what I saw, the bully didn't seek her out but would go after her if their paths crossed.

I had asked them to check the parasite load, and there were a few roundworms, but not an overload.

I asked about prevention: antibiotics once sick but immediately, and keeping her helathy in the first place.

shoot.

eek, well at least it wasn't a contagious infection, I always look on the bright side

 

[aaggjg]

So some actual progress. Road put in to go from the driveway to the barn so that they can bring the heavy machinery in without sinking. Our yard is quite low, so it stays wet longer than most.. even in the summer it is quite soft and if it rains they wouldn't be able to work.



Here is the road that is in. We have to get the sod on the right moved, but no big deal.

The contractor has put in temporary power to start the job, and a big load of gravel. Very exciting!

OMG that is SO EXCITING!!!! Can't wait to see the progress!!! Do they have a estimate of how long it will take??