The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Bulldogma]

On a good note the babies were fiancé this am. The tots were all in coop and big girls foraging. There was a tift when one of the big girls went in the coop but I expect that. Tots food & water is just outside the pop door in their safe house. Hopefully it entices them to go outside

They're a little young to be marrying off, don't you think? LOL. Don't you love auto-correct??

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Yeah that's what I thought. Especially since when I went out this morning and Greta now George started making this weird cawwww cawwww noise *sigh*. I can't have roosters here but if he quiets down and doesn't crow much he can since my neighbors can't tell them apart lol

On a good note the babies were fiancé this am. The tots were all in coop and big girls foraging. There was a tift when one of the big girls went in the coop but I expect that. Tots food & water is just outside the pop door in their safe house. Hopefully it entices them to go outside

I have found that young roosters do not quiet down. We were given a young but not crowing rooster. Once he started crowing it only got louder and more frequent. Then the older roosters that we got when they were at least 2 or 3 they were never quiet crowers. They would start at 4:30 am and keep going until they fell asleep at dark.

I wanted to mention that the new tab on the thing is great but is not showing up when I click on the links to the surprise details.

 

[aoxa]

I have found that young roosters do not quiet down. We were given a young but not crowing rooster. Once he started crowing it only got louder and more frequent. Then the older roosters that we got when they were at least 2 or 3 they were never quiet crowers. They would start at 4:30 am and keep going until they fell asleep at dark.

I wanted to mention that the new tab on the thing is great but is not showing up when I click on the links to the surprise details.

Yeah they only get louder

 

[NanaLynn]

Quick question, I am making an extra cup water bucket for my chickens and I can not remember nor find on the "thing" the size of the drill bit for these cups. I'm going to keep looking, it's probably right there on the site. I just don't see it.

Does anyone know the size of the drill bit? I use the same cups as on the Natural thread site.

Thank you!!!

Lynn

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quick question, I am making an extra cup water bucket for my chickens and I can not remember nor find on the "thing" the size of the drill bit for these cups. I'm going to keep looking, it's probably right there on the site. I just don't see it.

Does anyone know the size of the drill bit? I use the same cups as on the Natural thread site.

Thank you!!!

Lynn

is this the kind you have?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AUTOMATIC-W...067&pid=100010&prg=7683&rk=3&sd=130707440910&
then 3/8.
the others on ebay say 5/16. my nipple waterers were 11/32. Maybe start on the small side and work your way up.

 

[NanaLynn]

is this the kind you have?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AUTOMATIC-W...067&pid=100010&prg=7683&rk=3&sd=130707440910&
then 3/8.
the others on ebay say 5/16. my nipple waterers were 11/32. Maybe start on the small side and work your way up.

We ended up using the 5/16 bit and it worked well, I got mine off of ebay.

We have a trip planned for the weekend and they'll be alone for a couple days, so with the heat here, I wanted to double up the water buckets.

Thanks for your help!

 

[delisha]

I
Quote: It is hard for me to guess and help. I know you are telling me you are worried about your chicken and that tells me you are a good watcher. We all need to observe our chickens..kudos to you!. Walking backwards and avoiding contact for breeding is so different than simply a *confused backwards walk*. Also if your bird is a loner, it is not healthy mentally. Loners do not do well. Chickens have a pecking order for a reason. They will also try to chase away an ill bird so the *group* is not attracted to predators. We think in emotions and chickens do not. We give chickens emotions and it is not fair to them. They may be weird to us but they are not weird to another chicken. Many chickens are skiddish and scared, all breeds are different. Walking backwards enough that you notice in my opinion means there is something wrong. it might be as simple as they are avoiding breeding, or it can be as complicated as having some kind of organ failure.I would like pictures or a short movie clip. That will give me what I need to give an accurate opinion. With the information given I am just guessing.

my cuckoo marans is around 24 weeks now, her comb and wattles are bright red, as red as my mature hens, and have been for a while but still no signs of laying.... What do you all think? I tried checking the opening in her pelvis today, and it seemed narrower than say my big buff orp girls was, but, my buff orp was a much bigger hen too. I just added new exterior community style nestboxes to the coop, and I don't think anyone's been in them. I put fresh grass hay in, and stocked each compartment with two fake eggs. I'm a bit worried that no one has figured out to even go INTO the nestboxes yet.

I havee a huge cuckoo Marans that was hatched January 1st. She has been red for over a month. She has never allowed a male to mount or bothered to be interested in a nest box. Am I worried? No. It is normal for her. If next January rolls around and she has not layed an egg..I will be concerned. It has been my experience. The older a pullet is to lay that first egg, the older she will be still laying well with no complications.

*sighes* I found ANOTHER mottled houdan dead in my kiddie pool today. I just dumped the pool now. The chickens and ducks love going around it and having a drink in the morning when their let out

Camille,

I put large stones in my pools for chickens and baby ducks to get out. They are at the edges and in several spots. Even young ducks can get water logged and tired and not make it out with out them.

Quote: Depends on the breed too. I agree for the most part.

 

[armorfirelady]

On a good note the babies were fiancé this am. The tots were all in coop and big girls foraging. There was a tift when one of the big girls went in the coop but I expect that. Tots food

They're a little young to be marrying off, don't you think? LOL. Don't you love auto-correct??

My dumb iPad autocorrects all the time & I never catch the errors till after I hit send & then it wouldn't let me edit :/ And def to young to marry off lol. I've been outside cleaning out the tots coop since the move and using the shavings in the veggie garden. The only thing that grew well while I was on vacation was e weeds . And this dumb wx we have been having is not helping.

I have found that young roosters do not quiet down. We were given a young but not crowing rooster. Once he started crowing it only got louder and more frequent. Then the older roosters that we got when they were at least 2 or 3 they were never quiet crowers. They would start at 4:30 am and keep going until they fell asleep at dark. I wanted to mention that the new tab on the thing is great but is not showing up when I click on the links to the surprise details.

Yeah they only get louder

George Tried his voice again later this morning. He sounds like he will need practice for awhile lol. He is no louder than the girls when they are laying. So for now he stays. He is so handsome & I love his coloring. Tho you can tell he doesn't realize he is a boy yet since he won't stand up to the big girls when they chase him. At least everyone is getting along with little trouble, tho I bet bedtime will be interesting.......

 

[delisha]

I forgot to add about my meaties..

Yes, I ship both eggs and chicks.

 

[Bulldogma]

Quiet around here.

Where could everybody be??