The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: I have read that the ice bath right after scalding before plucking can help the skin to tear less.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
I was organizing my chicken binder and came across some plans for a heated waterer that uses the chicken nipples
http://www.avianaquamiser.com/posts/Heated_chicken_waterer_experiments/

I have the step by step directions for one. I most of got them before they started charging for them? No idea but if someone wants them I can scan them and email to you. Just PM me

Thanks!

I don't (and won't) use the chicken water nipples for various reasons... but I know some of the other folks here do! Thanks for offering the plans

 

[chirpingcricket]

Hi Chirp.

As I process the chickens I place them in a plastic tote with running hose water(we have a well).
They could be in there for an hour or 4 depending on how many I am doing.
I have a chest cooler 1/2 filled with ice and brine all ready. (brine refrigerator cooled)
BRINE
2 gallons of water
3/4 cup of sugar or honey or  you can use 1/2 with stevia leaves chopped up if you hate the sugar idea
3/4 cups kosher salt
4 lemons sliced and floating

I brine over night and bag them up the next day.
I do not freeze with brine.

If i am doing just a few birds, I bag them up and add the brine to the bags and over night them in the fridge. I dump out the brine, rinse, and freeze or cook.


ACV

I stuff a glass jar with apple cores and apple peelings.  Or you can food process the whole apples if you have a few that are not good for pies or eating. over ripe winter apples work best
Cover them with cooled boiled water and 1 tablespoon of sugar
Cover the top with cheese cloth and place on the counter away from the sun. 60-80 degrees is best.
You are letting the apples ferment. The more apples you have in the jar the faster it will ferment.
3-4 weeks
I put the cap on over the cheese cloth and tip the jar over to stir once a day threw the fermentation. Remember to remove the cap because it needs air to ferment.
I also leave the cheese cloth on and dump the vinegar out when it is ready before storage. I give the jar of peelings, cores to the birds.
Store in a dark place until the mother starts to form.(I use the same jar, remove the cheese cloth and put the lid on after I wash it)


For adding to brine I just pick the apples off the ground, wash them, cut out spots and food process the whole apple. (I have 4 trees) I even use crab apples.
I use this liquid as part of the brine measurements. So if i have 1/2 gallon of apple slime i use 1 1/2 gallons of water.

Great info, thanks so much!!!! Will do....

 

[delisha]

Quote: I have read that the ice bath right after scalding before plucking can help the skin to tear less.
If your water is the right temp for removing feathers, you wipe feathers off and don't pull.


I boil my water and bring it outside. I test it and use it at 165- 170. Dunk the bird all the way down and all the way up 3 times. Wipe the feathers at the leg. If they do not come off by simply wiping, I re dunk. The only feathers I have to pull are primary's in the ends of wings. No torn skin.

 

[Mrs Hutcherson]

Finally got my cats and chickens to get along! Yay so happy! No more stressing ! Dont have to worry who is where anymore lol

 

[Leahs Mom]

Finally got my cats and chickens to get along! Yay so happy! No more stressing ! Dont have to worry who is where anymore lol

You MUST tell us how you accomplished that

 

[Kassaundra]

My cats have never bothered the grown chickens at all, walk amongst them, even the couple of ferrel toms that run around the neighborhood have never bothered an adult chicken. I would never trust mine or the ferrel w/ a chick though.

 

[Mrs Hutcherson]

LOTS of time and patience! I have 4 cats and 9 chickens, the kitten was the easiest he grew up around them, sometimes I think he thinks he isa chicken lol. The grown ones, I took the out one at a time over a long period of timeand walked around corrected any behavior that was unacceptable, they listen to me very well, my husband and I have raised the kitties to respond to different small sounds accordingly. Example if I make a small sharp ssss it tells them what what they are doing is wrong. Pspspsps means come here. After a while they got to where didnt care about the chickens aftera while. And of.course praise and love with good behavior. My hunter was the hardest, he would just sit and drool over them, had to hold him out around them for a while. Then followed him very closleymaking sure he behaved himself. Now he could care less. Walks right next to them with out a second glance

 

[Mrs Hutcherson]

My chickens are 10- 13 weeks

 

[Leahs Mom]

I imagine that the smaller the chicks are the more of a temptation... what about yours, Kassaundra...do they pay any attention to the chicks?