The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[PetRock]

Yes, that is a reference to Doctor Who, a huge fan, from back in the early OETA, black and white, Saturday night days as a child. Love how the new one has kept the corniness.

Big Dr. Who fans here, also!!! Would love to have a Tardis coop!

 

[TexasLisa]

I am sending out prayers to anyone in OK and people who have families suffering in this crisis.

My husband and his brother just left for Shawnee, OK. Their parents lost their house, all outbuildings, and vehicles. They are okay. The walls of the house are still standing, but no roof, etc. They wanted to spend the night in the basement!

Never heard of the Banana Boat thing...will have to try it. Here in Maine, some people swear by Avon's Skin So Soft. I can't say that it works all the time but it does help. You do end up looking like a grease pit if you use too much. I spray ball cap with it and use a bug net over that. It keeps them out of my face...yuck...hate those things but I've heard they help pollinate the blueberry fields.

That is one of the things I liked about the Banana Boat 50. It is NOT greasy.

The storms here have been horrible, Moore was badly hit and all over the news, but many other smaller communities have taken direct hits from that and other tornados in the past two days and we still have one more day to go, tomorrow they are forcasting more tornadic storms.

O Kassaundra, I hope you are wrong about that. Too much devastation!

Lisa

 

[brandislee]

Anyone have experience using Guineas to rid the garden of pests (specifically squash and potato bugs) DURING the gardening season? And if I got a few, like 3, are they really THAT loud? My garden is near my neighbor's house/yard, and I'm sure the roosters are annoying enough, I really don't want to add to that too much.

 

[brandislee]

Yes, that is a reference to Doctor Who, a huge fan, from back in the early OETA, black and white, Saturday night days as a child. Love how the new one has kept the corniness.

Yeah Doctor Who Fans! I'm admittedly a new fan- only actually started watching around the time season 7 started (Asylum of the Daleks was one of the first episodes I watched). But it seems like I've been a fan forever now, and I've seen every episode of the reboot at least twice (yeah, I watch way too much TV, esp in the winter!). I've watched some of the classic episodes on Amazon Prime and I've been watching the specials- definitely ground breaking stuff for it's time, and great to know the background of the series. I'm really excited for the anniversary special!

 

[jlynnet]

Lisa, so glad our in-laws are okay! Bummer on the house, but it's so great they are okay! I worry about my nephews in Dallas and Arkansas. Tornados scare me because they are so sudden. My heart is so heavy with sadness for all of those affected. Stay safe everyone.

 

[520farmer]

Hey guys I made some ACV the other day and just wanted to make sure it was ok to give to my animals. I made up a gallon of apple juice out of organic frozen concentrate, waited till it warmed up to room temp and poured in a half bottle of bragg that I shook up first and let it sit on top of the fridge with a paper towel on top of it. its been about a week and the mother is starting to get a large air bubble is this normal? it smells vary strong of vinegar but it doesn't smell off or anything its just the air bubble that has me concerned, ive never done this before

 

[Reina Rana]

*Raises hand*
I have a question...all 35 of my chickens avoid the roosts, in fact, almost that entire half of the 10x25 coop...they would rather pile all 35 of their wriggly bodies on top of each other on the top of the 8ft top of the nest boxes, or just lay in the shavings. I have attempted to move a few to roosts around dusk, some stay, most jump off and flap and squawk until they squeeze themselves into the pile. Do I just have weird birds or what? Any insight?

Thanks!

 

[aoxa]

*Raises hand*
I have a question...all 35 of my chickens avoid the roosts, in fact, almost that entire half of the 10x25 coop...they would rather pile all 35 of their wriggly bodies on top of each other on the top of the 8ft top of the nest boxes, or just lay in the shavings. I have attempted to move a few to roosts around dusk, some stay, most jump off and flap and squawk until they squeeze themselves into the pile. Do I just have weird birds or what? Any insight?

Thanks!

How old are they?

 

[beccasev]

Welcome! As far as free ranging, they range over 2-3 acres it seems... probably right where you don't want them.... at the neighbors, in your flower bed, in the garden.... but, they don't really go far that I know of.

The one thing you mentioned in passing that i want to warn you about is the coop "conveniently tucked" near the trees. I did that. The coon used the branches and nearly cleared me out in 2-3 nights. It is the main reason I free range.... But... in a subdivision, I would have my coop and run at least 15 yards from the nearest wood/weed line, also read predator cover.

Thanks! There aren't any large trees in their yard or very close to the coop. And these are all really old tall trees. A coon would have to drop about 30 feet from the closest branch. Plus the girls are locked in at night, so I think they will be OK. Thanks for your insight though. I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[loanwizard]

*Raises hand*
I have a question...all 35 of my chickens avoid the roosts, in fact, almost that entire half of the 10x25 coop...they would rather pile all 35 of their wriggly bodies on top of each other on the top of the 8ft top of the nest boxes, or just lay in the shavings. I have attempted to move a few to roosts around dusk, some stay, most jump off and flap and squawk until they squeeze themselves into the pile. Do I just have weird birds or what? Any insight?

Thanks!

Youngsters like to pile on sometimes. Avoiding half the coop.... There is a reason.... don't know what it is but there is something there that they do not instinctually like. Something that looks like a predator to them.....

If I cared about them sleeping on top of nesting boxes like I used to, put a slanted top on the boxes. Also, if they want to roost, they will go to the highest point. Are your roosts higher than your nesting boxes?