The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[RedRidge]

Justine,

They look like rose comb rir..
Buckeye have a black ring in the middle of the feather is you look right above the tail..you will know for sure than

nope... not a RC RIR... color and shape are both wrong...

 

[RedRidge]

Here's a RC RIR if that helps... Don't Buckeyes have a Pea Comb?

 

[RedRidge]

Several folks have asked, so I thought I'd share a birth announcement of our next generation of maremma.
They are awesome and dependable and I couldn't free range my chickens or lamb on pasture without them.
Of course... these aren't quite working yet...

They are just a few hours old in this pic - and of course she picked the filthiest place she could to have them.

6 Boys and 1 Girl born Sunday evening. Proud mom is Whenny (short for Emerwhen), and dad is Reptar.

 

[onederchick]

Hi All, I just started keeping chickens and got my first egg today and was wondering if I need to clean it? It was not "dirty" or anything and Im really am not into chemicals so any pointers would be much appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Sally8]

Quote: Sorry, just a little rattled.
I just retread ingredients for NuStock and found recipe for Dakins Solution. Should I clean it also?

 

[Rachey62]

My problem seems so minor compared to the previous, I really hope you get her sorted Sally8, poor thing!

I've already posted this in Raising baby Chicks but thought maybe someone could help here when it comes to raising chickens naturally with a mum rather than a heat lamp!

I'm hoping someone can offer us some advice. Our Partridge Orpington went broody so we got 10 hatching eggs for her, she kicked 2 out in the week they were due to hatch and we found one dead chick a few days before they were due (assuming she stood on it) 2 chicks hatched on Sunday and she abandoned the other eggs (She's in a converted rabbit hutch with 2 separate nest boxes attached) Last night (Monday) we added 5 more 3 day old chicks at night and she seemed to accept them quite happily. Then, this afternoon we heard a bit of commotion in the coop and went to investigate, she was in the main area of the coop scratching around as if she was looking for food (there's plenty of food and water available to her and the chicks) there was one dead chick, still warm, poor thing, another looking a bit weak and the others getting thrown around by her scratching.

So... We collected all the chicks, popped them in a box under a heat lamp, in the mean time screwed a narrow piece of wood in front of the opening to the next box so she is essentially trapped but can get her head out for food and waters and the chicks can get away from her if they need to, we popped the chicks back in with her and she seemed to settle. we did this in about 10/15mins so they weren't away from her for too long. Can anyone tell me if we've done the right/wrong thing? or can you suggest what we should do. At what point should we let them all back together? I very much feel like we've done something wrong and we've been a bit naive about how easy it would be to just let her do her thing and raise them, she seems as confused as us to be honest.

Thanks in advance, hoping someone can help

Rach
x

 

[lalaland]

I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in - the only thing I know is to not let there be hardly any shavings or litter for the first couple of days because the hen will scratch through it and accidentally kill chicks.

 

[lalaland]

Sally, are you using the nustock on her? I would get that going asap. poor baby - electrolytes might be a good thing for her too. What a good broody, to have her chicks hiding.

and I am so sorry for the stresses of your mom and her dog...hang in there.

 

[aoxa]

Sally8, Oh dear.. that really sucks..

Nustock, BlueKote, something like polysporin will help fight infection.

I would use coconut oil though.. It saved one of Chloe's puppies from having to be put down.

 

[Rachey62]

Thank you! that makes so much sense, very obvious too, feeling a bit stupid now! thanks!