The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[countrygirl74]

Forgot to mention that my beautiful cochin boy "Monsoon" finally started to crow. He just turned 6 months old. They really do mature a lot slower... took him a while to mount the girls at first, didn't crow for a couple months after he started that, and just recently started doing "rooster" things - like calling to the girls.
I have to say I LOVE his crow! It's rather quiet and deep sounding AND he doesn't crow much at all. I hope it stays that way because I've had some pretty annoying roosters and while I like to hear them crow, I don't like hearing it 100 times in a row all day.

I also really hope he stays so nice and mellow... will try to post new pics of him soon.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Question, can you mix calf manna into FF. I have started a craze on a closed FB group and this question came up.

 

[uglychickens]

Tired achy feet. I just might have to try this.

This mite sound like the grossest thing in the world but the very best way to get rid of athletes foot is dog saliva! Told ya it was gross!! Lmao

 

[chirpingcricket]

marking

 

[lalaland]

I'm loving these tips.... so what specific book are you reading?

Right now I am reading the Biggle Poultry Book from 1917 and Chickens by A.J.Johnson from 1909. I think the sod tip came from Johnson's. I was able to download both of these, from some ag library. Unfortunately, I don't remember the site, it was after a long websearch that started with looking for the Biggle Farm Library books - these are small 5x4 inch books, with volumnes on pigs, berries, horses, cows, and chickens! maybe more but that is all I have discovered so far.

 

[lalaland]

I'm giddy from relief.

convinced my boss to let me work from home today so I could see the girls come out of the coop at daylight - just to see if Mrs. Murphy had somehow hidden herself in the coop (the chicks are in part of the coop that is also used for storage so there are some nooks and crannies).

Was watching everyone come down the ramp when I heard a commotion over my head, and there was Mrs Murphy at nearly the top of one of the full grown pines in the run!

I had searched the pines thoroughly by flashlight last night, going from ground to maybe 10-12 feet up, but didn't go far enough apparently. I am sooo happy and lucky!

 

[aoxa]

I'm giddy from relief.

convinced my boss to let me work from home today so I could see the girls come out of the coop at daylight - just to see if Mrs. Murphy had somehow hidden herself in the coop (the chicks are in part of the coop that is also used for storage so there are some nooks and crannies).

Was watching everyone come down the ramp when I heard a commotion over my head, and there was Mrs Murphy at nearly the top of one of the full grown pines in the run!

I had searched the pines thoroughly by flashlight last night, going from ground to maybe 10-12 feet up, but didn't go far enough apparently. I am sooo happy and lucky!

Those bantams are CRAZY good at flying to the highest of high places. Just ask Stony with his Sumatra (who would be teetering between standard and bantam I think). Really any light weight chicken can fly very well. Randy would fly and land on our 8 foot run attached to the baby barn, no problem at all. My heavy chickens can not do that.


See this overturned root tree? One night I bawled my eyes out as my favourite Houdan hen was missing at lockup. I thought she was dead.. I was PMSing already, so her missing set me off - don't judge

Anyway, she was at the very top of this.. Dylan found her. I was SO relieved.

 

[TipihlowLadies]

Have a monster bobcat festing on my free range birds seen it face to face as big as my rot shepard mix will shot if poss. can wild cats be live trapped in hog trap. Don't want to steel trap any ideals?

 

[aoxa]

Anyone ever get embedded with a tick? Supposedly I have to get a tetanus shot now. :|

I've only pulled maybe 3 from my pets this year. Last year it was unbelievable, but never had one on me!

I was so grossed out.

Tick was a deer tick, or black legged tick.

This is what it looked like.

 

[TipihlowLadies]

Anyone ever get embedded with a tick? Supposedly I have to get a tetanus shot now. :|

I've only pulled maybe 3 from my pets this year. Last year it was unbelievable, but never had one on me!

I was so grossed out.

Tick was a deer tick, or black legged tick.

This is what it looked like.

deer ticks carry limes disease to.