The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Hey all. I've got another question. I want to.make my own ACV. Its expensive to keep buying when I'm feeding it to.my chicken.s, my dog, my horses and myself. Lol. Everything I keep reading says it has to be done in a glass container. Can I just use a regular old water jug for this? Does anyone have any preferred methods or recipies? Thanks in advance

I have a batch growing in a plastic jug that the plain Apple Cider Vinegar was in. I poured out some of it and added the UF/UP AVC and covered with wash cloth over top and put in dark cabinet. Been in there almost 2 weeks now. Haven't checked on it but have been told takes a month or two to grow the mother.

 

[aoxa]

Mommy's little helper! Meet Gunsen - two days after Gunnar died, one of my 2 pullets from him suddenly sprouted a comb and wattles. Looks just like his daddy did at this age! He's helping Mom with her new clutch. Just like a Silkie to continue brooding her chicks while tending her new nest of eggs! She still has the 2 youngest (Gunsen and Liisa) next to her every night. (Yes - Darth Bator is the one who adopted a whole bunch of chicks that were 2 and 3 weeks older than her own a few days after her own eggs hatched. She's a keeper!

I love these pictures. My silkies never did this.. allowed the others to stay. I did have a broody BO that did though.

How many juveniles do you have right no Leigh? What's your total chicken count now? (Including all chicks!)

aoxa: Wow, awesome pictures!!! You even captured the water droplets on and around the duckling. I just had to say something.

Thank you Lynn!

Was hoping the Hatchery RIR that was broody this winter (when she was 8 mos old) would get in the mood again. Nothing yet. I even stuffed a next full of fake eggs. A baby sfh who was 18 weeks old got on that clutch of eggs and was throwing grass on her back... (way to young, of course...she was just trying things out). A couple of the others kind of sat around in there awhile but nothing serious.

Oh well... maybe it will happen yet.

So many other breeds set too. Games are really good setters, as are Sumatras. Cochins are very good too. Silkies seem to be the only breed I've had that I was able to encourage broodiness.

I haven't raised Sumatras though. I have raised one game, and she was insanely broody. As much as a silkie, but kept switching nests.

 

[starlingdaly]

My silkie will switch nests if the adjacent nest has more eggs.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I moved my broody to a different nest area after dark so there was no nest jumping. I'd do it again if I ever get one!

 

[Ashdoes]

Dang it, I lost the post with the link to sour dough starter....any help?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Dang it, I lost the post with the link to sour dough starter....any help?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...eeping-thread-ots-welcome/15620#post_11326161


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...eeping-thread-ots-welcome/15630#post_11326177

 

[Ashdoes]

Thanks! I think I prefer the wild starter...I'm going to give it one more try, hopefully it works.

 

[Sally8]

I wish I could share some of my broodiness to all of you. I'd like some eggs. I had to knocked the Twisted Sisters off several nests before they got the idea, Cecilia, the Sizzle, switched nests so often, she never waited 21 days and that started when we were still in winter. She actually lost all the feathering off the shafts on her wings. I see they are finally growing back. I fed her in the nest every afternoon and picked her up every morning and carried her half way to the house to give her time off the nest. She was determined. I have 2 EE's on nests right now. I'll give them another week. I moved sister tot's to armorfirelady's tot's, outside. I moved the chick's in the tub, out in the grow out pen on the porch.

Stony, do your duck's have access to water (creek, pond)? If not, are they happy with a pool? Thanks, sue

 

[armorfirelady]

Why I don't mind rain we are once again flooded
Cleaned out the hoop coop again.........then decided enough is enough & with the help of a great friend, her boys & my Mom we moved the coop 10ft to higher ground, extended the metal fence & moved the electric netting !! No more flooded coop . I didn't even bother putting shavings down since there is so much grass in the coop. Maybe tomorrow.
You know how you know when your yard is a lake? When these show up

They left but are back tonight. I'm going to sneak out later to see if momma is going to build a nest in the yard. I did block the yard so the dogs can't get to them if she decides to

So who wants to play Roo or pullet? I love my BCM and finally got some close ups.....fingers crossed they are both pullets still........

With her copper chest I've decided her name is Copper. They are 6 weeks old Her sister has barely any comb. And the BR has almost nothing also and she is 5 weeks.

Stony love the silkie video.
BDM love Darth Bator and her babies

 

[BlueMouse]

anyone have any thoughts on my hen that's losing weight??? Not to nag, but I'm worried about her.

Eliza spent the day penned up while we policed the garden fence for bantam sized entrance holes. I'm tired of her digging up all my peas! Think we plugged them all, but I guess we'll see tomorrow.