The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

Leah I have a ton of branches piled in the back yard & you made me realize I could rent a chipper & chop them up into a pile to use in spring. Better than dragging them all to the curb for the town to pick up . Better to reuse them

People asked earlier about molting. Red was molting before I left on vacation and I came home to her looking worse

They are 16 months old today & this is the most she has ever molted. I thought for a moment her face looked swollen but then realized its because her feathers there are missing my coop looks like a pillow exploded
I brought back a chicken breast we didn't eat and sat with the flock after giving them it. Edie has learned to be quick on her feet and run with her goodies when the others get close

And I was happy to see them all out foraging when I got home. The night only feelings are working........thanks Delisha

 

[aoxa]

@Aoxa: I love the pictures of the meaties and the eyebrow guy. Nice looking flock. I'm am sorry about the hawk attack. I sit outside with my flock and can count Eagles, Ospry, and Red tailed hawks all in an afternoon cruising over head. So far, all those whirly gigs and streamers and flags are keeping them away from my birds, but I know it's only a matter of time before one of them gets hungry enough to take a chance. I know what you mean about not breeding 'stupid' into your flock but it still doesn't help when you lose them like that.

Eagles do not worry me, unless they are young. They seem to nest close to open water and prefer fish rather than the chickens.


Quote: According to some research I've done, they are most likely migrating south. Last year we had a close call in late fall, but this year it is cooling down much quicker. wondering if they are migrating earlier...


Quote: In North America, migratory goshawks are often seen migrating south along mountain ridge tops in September and October.



Know your enemy....

This is the Northern Goshawk. Kids saw it and described it and I knew right away what it was.

 

[delisha]

Wisconsin has over 20 birds that kill and eat chickens.

I am fortunate that I do not live to close to open waters. What attracts predators to my chickens is that in my back yard is swamps and the geese hatch thousands of goslings yearly. The preds leave when the geese leave. The fox, coyotes, wolves, and dogs love the goslings too, not to mention the racoons and skunks and all of the egg lovers.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
I would LOVE to see an outdoor photo or 2 showing how your runs are set up out there. I really wish I had a second door on my hen house/shed coop so that I could let the broody mammas go out in a more protected area with the babies when it's hawk season like this.

Whatever hatches should begin on Friday and hatch over the weekend. Just in time for a nice hawk lunch.

 

[Leahs Mom]

So, AFL, specifically how much feed are you now putting out for your birds. Tell us the number of birds and the amount of feed by measure. (For example: 8 birds, 3 cups of feed daily.)

 

[maryhysong]

Well the little Am girl is still alive this morning; prhaps a tad livelier than last night; Her ears were not as gunky as yesterday and didn't stink this morning, still a lot of snorting, sneezing and gurgling tho. Cleaned out her ears, put in antibiotic cream. Realized she is not eating or drinking, so I took two thin slices of fresh ginger root and a clove of garlic mashed. Poured about 1/4 cup boiling water over it and let it sit until cool, then strained. I've been giving it to her with a syringe and she is swallowing once it's in her mouth, just not actively looking for it. I have to leave for work in an hour, so will give some more before I leave. so far not finding anything she is hungry for, hoping her appetite perks up at least by tomorrow.

Tho I know she can go a long time without eating as long as I can keep her hydrated. My BO that survived the dog attack last year with a bite through the skull went a week or so without eating a thing.

 

[lalaland]

maryhysong, keeping my fingers crossed for your hen.

I never knew chickens had ear canals!

 

[maryhysong]

maryhysong, keeping my fingers crossed for your hen.

I never knew chickens had ear canals!

Thanks lala! I didn't know they had open ear canals either until this happened. Learn something new everyday

 

[Leahs Mom]

Me too, mary

AFL...GREAT IDEA on renting a chipper! I wonder how much they cost to rent? Maybe a few neighbors could go together and do all their trimming and contribute to the cause

 

[Kassaundra]

I would LOVE to see an outdoor photo or 2 showing how your runs are set up out there. I really wish I had a second door on my hen house/shed coop so that I could let the broody mammas go out in a more protected area with the babies when it's hawk season like this.

Whatever hatches should begin on Friday and hatch over the weekend. Just in time for a nice hawk lunch.

That is what we did, we put in a second pop door, enclosed (with wire) the floor area under the roosts (which we put in the center no roosts on an outside wall). Covered the enclosed floor area, put sand on top for easy cleaning. It can be closed off w/ it's own covered run and under coop (our coop is raised) area when there are babies, or left open for the chickens to pass through when not being used. If that sounds confusing think of a wire box w/ a solid wood lid covered in sand sitting under the roosts.