The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[SallyinIndiana]

Re nesting boxes: I'm going to try a commununal nest box. (It'll be a couple of months at least before anybody is laying.) I have an old kitchen cabinet that is about 3 feet wide, 1 & 1/2-2 feet high & 1 foot deep. I drilled holes in the side and back for ventilation. I'll put a small board across the front to hold in the grass hay/shavings & see how they like it. I only have 5, so they should have plenty of room.

my hens like to share boxes. I don't think I would want one box for each hen.

 

[nova022]

Quote:
I have two nests in the coop for 9 girls and they all want to use the same one. They will squabble over it while the other one sits empty. I also have three out in the run that I use for broodies, but they don't use those either, unless I have them locked out of the coop all day when I am cleaning it.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

A touch bit off topic. But I have noticed many of you are from the north east. I'm trying my hand at making maple syrup candies. The last batch I made tasted great but did not have the harder outer shell. Any idea how to get the harder outer shell?

 

[Sally8]

A lot of people around me do Maple Syrup but I cannot be of any help. Sorry. sue

 

[Pozees]

Mumsy, it sounds as if it stays at a cooler and more stable temp in your house than in the barn, maybe storing the eggs the house would help? I know I've read so many treatises on storing and hatching eggs I sometimes feel blind, but one thing that really stuck in my head was that if the egg reaches 85 degrees it begins to develop. I also read recently about someone who says she has had better hatches since she stopped increasing humidity at lockdown. I would be afraid to not increase at all because it is so dry where I am, but where you and Aoxa are, it might be humid enough to try it, or to try increasing less. Another swore she had far better luck when she only increased humidity by using moistened wash cloths or towels in plastic containers right on the hatching surface.

 

[MumsyII]

Silkie hatch update. Five out and beautiful healthy chicks. Two vaulted skulls. All correct number of toes and well feathered center toe. Good looking chicks. Three now pipped.

Bee's nest update. Purchased a small bottle of Almond oil as suggested by del. Set me back $11.

I drizzled it over the porch boards where the bees go in and out and down through the boards. Other than killing a couple bees out right that crawled in the oil, there is no change. They are continuing their busy bee business flying in and out. The flock get chased away when they come near the porch and one got in my hair! Freaked me out. Not stung yet. My husband may get ruthless tonight if they are still there.

 

[MumsyII]

Mumsy, it sounds as if it stays at a cooler and more stable temp in your house than in the barn, maybe storing the eggs the house would help? I know I've read so many treatises on storing and hatching eggs I sometimes feel blind, but one thing that really stuck in my head was that if the egg reaches 85 degrees it begins to develop. I also read recently about someone who says she has had better hatches since she stopped increasing humidity at lockdown. I would be afraid to not increase at all because it is so dry where I am, but where you and Aoxa are, it might be humid enough to try it, or to try increasing less. Another swore she had far better luck when she only increased humidity by using moistened wash cloths or towels in plastic containers right on the hatching surface.

Well...I don't know how I could have any better luck than 100% fertility and 99% normal developing embryos at eighteen days. I'm not having a bad hatch yet. Just a really slow one. The five hatched chicks zipped and broke out on their own normally. Humidity is holding at 62% just using one channel of the Genesis 1588. I don't have any chicks struggling to hatch. They are just taking their sweet time about it. There is nothing I can do to speed the process. Chicks are stronger over all if they are allowed to hatch unassisted. I won't change anything I'm doing, but thank you for all the suggestions though. They are good ones.
If I change anything next time it will be after this hatch is finished and what I find if I need to do any eggtopsies. If there was a problem with the temp or the way I store my eggs, there would have been far more quitters or failed to develope eggs. This was the best set I've ever had. I hope they all hatch. Judy the Broody is due in a couple days. I'll bet her chicks pop out quicker! Hah!

 

[armorfirelady]

Silkie hatch update. Five out and beautiful healthy chicks. Two vaulted skulls. All correct number of toes and well feathered center toe. Good looking chicks. Three now pipped.

Bee's nest update. Purchased a small bottle of Almond oil as suggested by del. Set me back $11.

I drizzled it over the porch boards where the bees go in and out and down through the boards. Other than killing a couple bees out right that crawled in the oil, there is no change. They are continuing their busy bee business flying in and out. The flock get chased away when they come near the porch and one got in my hair! Freaked me out. Not stung yet. My husband may get ruthless tonight if they are still there.

I forget Mumsy are the Silkies suppose to have vaulted skulls? I remember you and others speaking of this before, I think last years hatching, & I believe they are suppose to? Its a sign of better breading?

Maybe after dark when the bees are in for the night you could lift up the boards where they are going in and pour the almond oil right into the hive? I am guessing they are ground bees from your description so there should be a small hole under there somewhere.

 

[lalaland]

ok, all you ee lovers out there - I think this is a pure araucana, or else a leghorn/auracana mix (super blue egg layer).
Are you thinking roo or pullet? about 9 weeks old (time flies)

 

[MumsyII]

I forget Mumsy are the Silkies suppose to have vaulted skulls? I remember you and others speaking of this before, I think last years hatching, & I believe they are suppose to? Its a sign of better breading?

Maybe after dark when the bees are in for the night you could lift up the boards where they are going in and pour the almond oil right into the hive? I am guessing they are ground bees from your description so there should be a small hole under there somewhere.

Very good question armorfirelady. You always get me to put my thinking cap on. Vaulted skulls were not an original Silkie trait on the Japanese strains back a time ago. They were introduced into modern strains using Polish. Along with the vaulted skull came silkies with light eyes, light skin, missing toes, messed up combs, and a host of other things I attribute to that polish outcross. It used to be thought that vaulted skulls produced bigger, better, and more luxurious crests. This has been proven wrong though when you put two adult champions side by side. One vaulted and one not. It is nearly impossibe to see the difference. It also used to be thought a vaulted skull was more prevalent on females than males. That has been discounted as well. Although, every vaulted skull Silkie I have ever personally owned or bred was a female. Of the five chicks I have hatched now, three are vaulted. I really hope they are females because that's what I want for my foundation breeding stock.

About the bees. Since the oil they are swarming and very agitated. Haven't left at all. Unfortunately, to remove the porch floor means we would have to remove the porch supports and roof too. My husband will not want to do this. I took a picture of one of these little guys that I caught with a net and then ran for my life!

Very small. And very aggressive. Anyone know melittology and want to identify?

Edited to add: I think it is somekind of ground dwelling hornet.