The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[midnightroo]

So sorry Camellia. Hugs

Mumsy he is a pretty boy. I like having lots of wildlife around also. A mama Carolina wren just hatched a couple of eggs in a box in our carport. We has some bluebird babies also, but think a black snake got both sets. So upsetting. Found 11 black swallow tail caterpillars today and the chickens killed, but didn't eat an American bullfrog. They found a toad in the garden also, but left it alone. A busy day for them.

Am outside relaxing with them and one hopped p on the arm of the chair, I guess she wanted to see photos on FB also.

Armor Jerusalem artichokes are a tuber that native Americans grew. They are in the sunflower family. They get very tall.

 

[NanaLynn]

Thank you Lynn and everyone with the kind words. I planted my yards and gardens with my four children in mind starting twenty five years ago. One of my childrens favorite books was by Beatrix Potter and the story of Benjamin Bunny. They also loved the books by Tasha Tudor. I used Mr. McGregors garden as inspiration for my Potager garden and I have been a fan of Tasha Tudors gardens for many years. My oldest daughters favorite book is The Secret Garden. If my gardens ring a bell for old childrens stories, there is a reason for that.

Well you did a great job! It is so much like the Secret Garden and the others from the books.

 

[armorfirelady]

Lynn- I looked them up on google. They are beautiful !!! I will have to see if I can find them around here. I would love to put some of those around the coop for natural shade.

You said they spread? Must be like day lilies. Plant a couple and the following year you have 12

 

[MumsyII]

Well you did a great job! It is so much like the Secret Garden and the others from the books.

Thank you Lynn. Truly. I was thirty six years old when we moved to this property. I got busy planting right away. Planted two dozen fruit and ornamental trees I bought on discount that first year. Two years later while I was pregnant with my fourth, I planted a dozen more. She is all grown up and married now and loves coming to the place and walking out to those trees that were planted the year she was born nearly twenty three years ago now. Some of them have become enormous!

I've told all my kids when they have their own properties they can come and get cuttings and starts any time. Two of them already are.

 

[Eggcessive]

My chicken luck went south again. Found henry with Steven in his mouth(My silkie rooster) He didnt make it. I had to process him. Im so mad at this dog right now I could shoot him. Hes also the dog that almost killed my mottled houdan last time

So sorry to hear about your silkie rooster. I have a wonderful golden retriever, Opie, that roughed up a couple of my pullets 2 years ago that had jumped over the chainlink fence into my yard. The third time, the pullet died. We were upset, and as much as I always have hated shock collars, we bought one. We put the dead pullet in the yard and shocked him each time he came near it. It took about 3 times, and in 2 years he does not even come around the chickens. We have 3 that live inside our yard now (as well as the others across the fence) all of the time, and they aren't bothered at all by our 4 dogs. We put the shock collar away long ago.

 

[NanaLynn]

Lynn- I looked them up on google. They are beautiful !!! I will have to see if I can find them around here. I would love to put some of those around the coop for natural shade.

You said they spread? Must be like day lilies. Plant a couple and the following year you have 12

Maybe you meant this post for Mumsy? It sounds very interesting whichever plant you're talking about. Or there might be another Lynn on here, not sure? (I am curious about the plant you are talking about though

)

Thank you Lynn. Truly. I was thirty six years old when we moved to this property. I got busy planting right away. Planted two dozen fruit and ornamental trees I bought on discount that first year. Two years later while I was pregnant with my fourth, I planted a dozen more. She is all grown up and married now and loves coming to the place and walking out to those trees that were planted the year she was born nearly twenty three years ago now. Some of them have become enormous!

I've told all my kids when they have their own properties they can come and get cuttings and starts any time. Two of them already are.

I am a little late with my plantings compared to you, my oldest is 24 and youngest 19, but we've been adding fruit trees, rose bushes, berry vines, etc. the past few years. So I am hoping it will all be in full bloom once I have grandchildren. One son has been married almost 2 years and the other will be soon, so I am hoping for some in the next few years.

Hopefully we can have our little secret garden here in NC too.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I want to coarsely crack some of my grains and peas as part of my mixed feed.

Is anyone "cracking" or "coarse grinding" grain or legumes for your own feed?

If so, what do you use to crack the grains?

Note: I have my mom's Vitamix which I've never used for anything before but it is here. I'm thinking it would grind too fine and add too much heat but I'd like to hear if anyone has experience with it or any other means of cracking.

 

[Bulldogma]

The sun is setting and the temp in the house is 68 degrees. No AC. I go barefoot on my tile floors all day.
It occurred to me today that I've never shared images of my chick/brooder house. It's cleaned out for the Silkie chicks due in another week or so. I don't sterilize it between batches. No adult birds are kept in here. Just chicks up to two months. The turkeys were in here last.
From the back. This is the path from my back step from the house. Through the gate to the potager garden and to the barn and barn yard. Due North and always cool and in the shade.
From the barn yard standing near the gate to the potager garden. Looking at the chick house and run.
The flock nibble on all the flowers that grow through the fence. They can visit with the chicks if they want. Between the old watering can and flowers is a dust bath. I throw buckets of wood ash in it once every few weeks.
The old chick/brooder house. Started out forty years ago as a tool shed. I turned it into a potting shed twenty years ago. Then I used it to raise Mourning Doves. Then it was the quarantine house. Now it is the chick house. Two pop doors barely visible.
The back side of the chick run.
Inside. I can keep thirty chicks in here.
Back side of the chick run. You can just see my barn. The chicks don't have access to the flower portion when they are first planted.

Mumsy - when I see your garden pictures, I always think of fairies. The Secret Garden has always been one of my favorite books.
Your garden and chick coop are absolutely beautiful!! Thank you so much for sharing. Hope it's OK if I use some for the Weekly Country Shoot Out on the thing. Beauty has a language of its own.

My chicken luck went south again. Found henry with Steven in his mouth(My silkie rooster) He didnt make it. I had to process him. Im so mad at this dog right now I could shoot him. Hes also the dog that almost killed my mottled houdan last time

Oh Camille - I'm so sorry! Don't be discouraged. Poodles are VERY smart and can learn to leave chickens alone. Heck - I have an Olde Victorian Bulldogge who had a rough start to life. I worked with her - turned her into a Certified Service Dog for my kids and now she is great with the chickens, too.

I asked people on Facebook to describe what it takes to be a farmer in one word. Wanted to share what everyone came up with. There were over 80 people who gave a word, but a lot were repeats:

LOVE it! Thank you for sharing it here!

Today I decided to pull one of my White Silkie boys out for another look. Sheryl Butler strain. I hatched him out on Dec. 31, 2012. He is six and a half months old. Crowing since he was four months and trying to breed and fighting with the Catdance cock since he was five months old. He whooped the Catdance boy and they both got beat up so I separated him from the flock. He is rough and inexperienced with the pullets and hens. But....After looking him over he is by far the best White Silkie male in the pen! So the Catdance boy is getting a well deserved rest. I have plenty of eggs under incubation to see what he begets. Now it's Mr. Big Foots turn. Pulled him out of a pen dirty and rough but he is a natural at posing. What a guy!

His bum is trimmed. Can't hardly wait to see if he can get the job done. I'd love to have chicks by this guy.

What a lovely boy!!

 

[Quailsong]

Thank you Lynn. Truly. I was thirty six years old when we moved to this property. I got busy planting right away. Planted two dozen fruit and ornamental trees I bought on discount that first year. Two years later while I was pregnant with my fourth, I planted a dozen more. She is all grown up and married now and loves coming to the place and walking out to those trees that were planted the year she was born nearly twenty three years ago now. Some of them have become enormous!

I've told all my kids when they have their own properties they can come and get cuttings and starts any time. Two of them already are.

That's so wonderful, the pictures are out of this world. I love the Secret Garden theme.

I'm hoping to do the same with this new place. It's so bland & bare like some dying Monsanto field. Totally looking for a natural, welcoming look w/ fruit trees, fruiting vines & other perennials. Oh Mumsy, I wish I could take you into my backyard, tell you my fav plants & just let you ramble on, "They should go here, and this would work..." Or even pictures, I'd send you dozens of photos & plant lists (how much would you charge for a garden planning estimate? lol)

 

[Bulldogma]

This was too funny and bizarre not to share!