The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[uglychickens]

Haha very funny! Glad you guys find this hilarious but you all were in my shoes at one time!! Just remember that while your snickering lol

 

[MEMama3]

You MUST tell us how you accomplished that  

I found one day sitting outside with the hose to be very effective. I had a really wet cat, but safe chickens ever since. Actually, now she protects the chickens from the other neighborhood cats.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
I was there with my hatchery RIR that were supposed to lay at 16 weeks but waited until well past 20. I think it was week 26 before all of them were laying.
Now I have HRIR hens that are at least 4 weeks away if not 10 weeks away from laying. I'm so busy with other chicken stuff including ~ planning (dreaming as my DH calls it), I don't think too much about when they will start laying.

 

[delisha]

My Gold Laced Orpingtons are finally breeding. I think I will be getting my first GLO eggs soon, so I do know what you are going threw. I have never lost the excitement of a pullets first egg. I want to know what it looks like, feels like and tastes like. I love first eggs. That pullet sure sounds like she is going to start laying any day now. She is very loud. I have not seen her in a nest box yet.

 

[BlueMouse]

I mentioned earlier today and got no response.... I have a hen looking awefully ratty right now. her feathers look frayed, thin, and dull, and she was a bit light when I picked her up to give her a once over. I'm hoping she's moulting because she's not broody at the moment, and not laying either. should I give her soe extras? I'm going to start keeping her in and giving her a scoop of grain in the morning... should I get some calf manna? give her more animal protien (ground beef, canned mackerel, eggs, yogurt?) She doesn't appear ill, comb is bright, she's actively foraging/dustbathing etc.

I have the first of our home grown chickens brining in the fridge! going to eat it tomorrow for dinner with new potatoes and fresh veggies from the garden.....

 

[kimmerjo]

Hi everyone.Just found this thread must subscribe go through it later.

 

[Sally8]

Hi everyone.Just found this thread must subscribe go through it later.

Welcome kimmerjo. You'll love it here!

 

[MumsyII]

Tonight the husband and I went to the fair together. He wanted to see the pumpkin and get something to eat. We were in the pig barn and enjoying the show in there. This guy made me laugh!


He was most likely dreaming of his dinnerl. Such a Wilbur.

The poultry barn was next door and I was very curious about that sick Silver Dorking chicken. This is what I found in her cage.


The judge did her job after I left on Thursday. Half the chickens in the barn were DQ for being 'Production type' or 'Not typical for Variety'. One of those Silver Phoenix I admired won 'Best of Show'. The White Plymouth Rock I so admired? DQ for brassiness! I could hardly believe it. But when I squinted and looked really close....Yep. There was a bit of brassiness in his hackle and back. Wow...Tough judge. But I'm glad. She didn't mess around with getting that sick bird out of the barn and telling it straight on the cage tags. It was very educational if you took the time to read each tag for each chicken.


DQ for brassiness.

The eggs were judged.



I REALLY wanted one of these but got fresh made mini donuts instead. *sigh* I love fair food.

 

[AletaG]

I mentioned earlier today and got no response.... I have a hen looking awefully ratty right now. her feathers look frayed, thin, and dull, and she was a bit light when I picked her up to give her a once over. I'm hoping she's moulting because she's not broody at the moment, and not laying either. should I give her soe extras? I'm going to start keeping her in and giving her a scoop of grain in the morning... should I get some calf manna? give her more animal protien (ground beef, canned mackerel, eggs, yogurt?) She doesn't appear ill, comb is bright, she's actively foraging/dustbathing etc.

I know it might be counterintuitive, but the Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds thread has a lot of really knowledgeable people on it.. They'll probably ask the age, breed, state of her crop, whether you've palpated her abdomen to see if she's egg-bound or what have you, any recent changes in sleeping arrangments or feed... I'm learning the questions, just not the answers yet!

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

I skin all my birds too. We just had 3 cockerels for dinner tonight. 2 with a dry cajun rub(one of them was a Silkie) and one in teriyaki. MMMM, I love home grown chicken. Kelli and I have decided never again will we do the Cornish X for meaties. These cockerels have so much more flavor, partly I believe is due to hormones in the boys. These guys were around 17 weeks old and all crowing. I am going to be raising Faverolles for our meat birds. Yes, slow to grow but are a great table weight at 20 weeks and have the hormones.