The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[OohLaLa]

I think I can officially do the happy dance. My reluctant young hens have put themselves in the coop for 5 nights in a row (tonight without the aid of wind and rain).

 

[NanaLynn]

a food bowl! seriously, I can yell "chick chick chick chick" from pretty much anywhere within eyesight of the darned birds and they'll come thundering down on me en masse. Especially if I have the food bowl. If I have the food bowl they will follow me to the ends of the earth.

All of mine do come for food and treats. I always yell "chickie chickie" and they zoom in from everywhere, this is the first time we had one of our skittish ones fly over the fence. I guess I need to build a door for our fence so I can coax them back in. I tried to coax her to fly back over, but she couldn't figure out how to do that. We are new at this and built the fence around the coop and garden, but we just step over the fence to get in ourselves. If we had an open area to lead them back in with treats, that would be a better idea. Live and learn, kind of a "dah" moment for me, well us, my husband was there to help.

Plus, yeah I know, need to build a taller fence, if we can step over it, they can fly over it, a 3 foot tall fence is not gonna do the job.

Now my "newbieness" is really showing.

 

[Bulldogma]

There's a hole in the bucket Dear Ida, Dear Ida....

I'm sorry, I could not help myself.

Then FIX it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry...

Newbie Question: What do you use and recommend for catching chickens when they roam from their free range area? I've read that some use a net and some a hook. Where would you find these items? Or any other ideas?

Thank you for your help!!!

-Lynn

I have an angler's net (used for netting fish to get them into the boat after they are hooked) that I got from Walmart. It has come in very handy many times!

I think I can officially do the happy dance. My reluctant young hens have put themselves in the coop for 5 nights in a row (tonight without the aid of wind and rain).

Hooray!

 

[NanaLynn]

You don't catch them until bed time.. Or you work really hard at getting them into a secluded area and then catching them.. Or you can get a net, but it doesn't really work if they free range.

If only I could free range them until bedtime, but they need to be safe from our dog (she wants to eat them) and the road. Also, I am not supposed to according to the rules here let them wander around not fenced in. I wish I had has much land as you.

 

[stonykill]

Well I have a broody raising 8 little 10 day old cannibals. We processed 9 cockerels on Sunday and the the broody stood behind me and as I dropped bits and pieces she clucked to her babies and they devoured whatever was dropped. All of my chickens stood around waiting for us to drop bits and pieces and scratched around after we were done to make sure they got everything. I saved the livers for them to get in a few weeks. I don't think there is anything wrong with feeding them meat that was humanely raised and well fed and humanely killed.

or better yet killed by the chicken itself. There is not only nothing wrong with it, it is natural healthy behavior for them. Chickens are omnivores not vegetarians.

 

[hotrodflash]

or better yet killed by the chicken itself. There is not only nothing wrong with it, it is natural healthy behavior for them. Chickens are omnivores not vegetarians.

Exactly!

 

[aoxa]

Well I have a broody raising 8 little 10 day old cannibals. We processed 9 cockerels on Sunday and the the broody stood behind me and as I dropped bits and pieces she clucked to her babies and they devoured whatever was dropped. All of my chickens stood around waiting for us to drop bits and pieces and scratched around after we were done to make sure they got everything. I saved the livers for them to get in a few weeks. I don't think there is anything wrong with feeding them meat that was humanely raised and well fed and humanely killed.

And here I was thinking they'd be all sensitive to the killings... Not.

I knew they would be fine. I knew they'd want to harass us, so we put our killing area out back.. it was winter.. and some still trudged through the 3 feet deep snow to find us.

 

[Eggcessive]

Eek... feel like I need more guidance and knowledge.
And am terrified to try it on my heritage chickens until I feel like I've gotten the hang of it... I can't afford to kill any.

That's why I thought I might start small and do one group of production layers.
I currently have 11 in that group.
I'm just not to confident I would know the difference between fermented and spoiled.
How often does the "liquid" need to be replenished?
How many days of "feed" do you ferment ahead?
Is it necessary to feed twice daily? I only feed in the mornings usually.

See... too many questions....

Am I overanalyzing this?

I just use 5 gallon buckets (I have 3 going, 1 in use.) Every 2 days I start a new one (the one I empty that day.) To start the first one I use about 2 oz. of unpasteurized vinegar with mother, my usual feed of 24% game bird crumbles with good quality scratch grains 3:1 ratio, and lots of water. Stir several times a day, and add water to keep it covered. By day 3 or 4 it is ready. From then on when I start using it I dip off the excess liquid and save it for my next batch. Then each batch begins to ferment quicker, but I keep the 3 buckets in rotation, The feed doesn't go bad, just keep stirring and add water if needed. I sometimes add yogurt, ground meat or liver, garlic, cayenne pepper, whey, or whatever I feel like to that day's serving. I feed 48 chickens and have started my 30 chicks on it. For 7 months I have played around with what works for my group, and changed to what works. Feeding in the morning works well to see how much they will eat, but I usually give them an afternoon ration. They have 20% flock raiser available, but they prefer the FF.

 

[NanaLynn]

or better yet killed by the chicken itself. There is not only nothing wrong with it, it is natural healthy behavior for them. Chickens are omnivores not vegetarians.

I never understood the commercials that some companies have out that say their chickens are vegetarian fed and free ranged. Are those chickens not eating bugs, small rodents and reptiles, etc.? Every chance they get I'm sure. Agree with all of you, let them be chickens and get that protein they need to be healthy.

Bulldogma, thanks, I'll check walmart for the net, just in case.

 

[stonykill]

And here I was thinking they'd be all sensitive to the killings... Not.

I knew they would be fine. I knew they'd want to harass us, so we put our killing area out back.. it was winter.. and some still trudged through the 3 feet deep snow to find us.

I 9 out of 10 times do the plucking and such in an area of my workshop. Just because butchering with 70 or more chickens around you because they smell blood and want a treat is not productive to getting things done swiftly.