The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Nice set up LM..

If and that is a big IF I had that set up, I would fence in part of the woods (10 ft strip) and add it to the run eventually. This is my first full year with any type of fencing(I hate it) but with Orpingtons I need it for their safety. I will be adding 50 sq feet of wooded area to the fenced in area every year. Woods are an important part of hiding and hunting. I do not worry about my old birds, but these young birds I worry about.

 

[Leahs Mom]

As you add those strips, are you putting cover over the top where it is open area?

The larger wooded area is about 1.5 acres that are behind the smaller wooded area. It is fully perimeter fenced. Right now the electric net keeps them in the smaller area. The larger area that is fully fenced has an open, mowed lane down one whole side, and a mowed area between the little woods (where they are now) and the larger woods...between the pole building and the larger wooded area.

My goal was to get boer goats and turn them on the wooded area to do some undergrowth clearing, then open that whole area up to the chickens. The goats would be butchered for meat every year and we'd only have them over the spring-fall just for wood maintenance and meat basically.

So...with full woods, I'm still thinking that it would be hard to add overhead protection. Which is my main concern since they are locked in at night. Of course, coyotes have been around from time to time and a fox or 2, and I imagine they would get bold enough to hunt the woods during the day....

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Did y'all hear...Robert Blosl died, yesterday.

Uh oh. He shared a lot of wisdom with this community. What a sad loss. If anyone can, please send appreciation and condolences to his flock.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

ok I think I am ready!
tomorrow is the big day - culling 6 roosters about 20 weeks old. took them off the roost and put them in a cage, all together. We aren't starting til 10 am, so I figure I can cover the cage with a blanket to keep them calm when it gets light out.

Tomorrow I have to make the killing cone and screw it up on a post, make soup because it is supposed to be in the low 40's and raining so we will be freezing, screw up my courage, and watch those videos one more time! I convinced my friend to try the cone - as I've said she is a 60 yr old farm girl and has always used a hatchet. It is just that I want to learn it a way I can do it, and I'm pretty sure I can't hold a bird, and aim with a hatchet one handed and be successful, not to mention be humane.

We are gonna have some time doing this - she has always dunked the bird and then "wrap it up in newspapers so the feathers are steamed" ????? I'm sending her home with 3 of the birds.

Send good thoughts my way, please. It probably won't be as hard as I am thinking. Culling a bird that is suffering is one thing. This rationally and ethically feels good. Emotionally? not so much.

Good luck!!!!!

I still haven't worked up to actually "doing the deed," but I'm the bravest about the rest of it. Funny how that works. And I'm also the one gathering all the info and thinking about setting things up so it all goes well for us and the birds, and I will probably always care the most about quality. I'm still learning a lot and still tweaking how we do it. Like ... the last time one of my "team" didn't get the scalding water hot enough (though he said he said it was the right temperature when I asked him to check it), and also didn't fill the pot full enough so the legs weren't submerged (he said he was worried about hot water splashing on me

), and I spent a total of about 6 hours re-plucking the first bird (a ginormous tom turkey).

 

[aoxa]

Thisis thee first I heard it..shoot and a shame for the poultry world.

Oh no He was such a nice guy!!

 

[CoopChick719]

CoopChick, that was the most disgusting avian autopsy I have ever seen. However, I def want to thank you as that was probably the most informative set of pictures & something I never want to see in my own flock. It has scared me enough to spend even more time watching autopsy videos. Please do as others have suggested (ie, sending your next dead bird to a vet for autopsy). And as morbid as this sounds, try to watch your current flock with an eye of "Who might be next?" so you can be more aware of the symptoms early on before you have to see something like that one bird again.

Why, thank you, Quailsong

I AM watching everyone else like a, well, like a hawk! I'm also contacing our State University with a few questions before I need to send a bird to them. I still have 1 bird in the freezer so I'd like to know if they think it's worth it to send to them.

We had a rough night last night.. Had to tell a family that we can't let our puppy go with them. we had a bad gut feeling about them not being suited to our little runt girl, but did not say anything the night they came. We took the deposit and felt this sinking feeling like it was a very bad decision... They did not take it well... I hate disappointing people. Chloe, the mother told us right away that it wasn't right... Mother knows best right? We met another two people last night for another puppy and Chloe LOVED them, as did we. I get these same feelings when I sell chickens. I've only ever once made a sale I regret... We need to listen to our instincts in the first place.

to you & Susan! We have to trust our guts & our animals reactions. You did the right thing even though it was a difficult situation! I've been through that once when we had Siamese kittens.

we decided to give her a fighting chance and treated her all naturally with coconut oil to fight off infection. She healed all up and looks like a healthy puppy now.


This is her here. She is a tiny little booger. We want her to go somewhere special for sure. It's hard not getting attached...

I'm overwhelmed with people wanting them today. Big interview process goes on. We are very thorough. We even make them sleep on the decision.

She is an ADORABLE little booger! She reminds me of the dog I had growing up.

I am very interested in how you're using the coconut oil for yourself and the animals. Are you eating it? Feeding it to the animals? If so, how much and how often? I know it's good externally too.

 

[aoxa]

Why, thank you, Quailsong

I AM watching everyone else like a, well, like a hawk! I'm also contacing our State University with a few questions before I need to send a bird to them. I still have 1 bird in the freezer so I'd like to know if they think it's worth it to send to them.

to you & Susan! We have to trust our guts & our animals reactions. You did the right thing even though it was a difficult situation! I've been through that once when we had Siamese kittens.

She is an ADORABLE little booger! She reminds me of the dog I had growing up.

I am very interested in how you're using the coconut oil for yourself and the animals. Are you eating it? Feeding it to the animals? If so, how much and how often? I know it's good externally too.

I use it on any wounds on the animals. On Chloe, I would rub it on her dry and irritated nipples. They can not get enough of that coconut oil. They lick it all off. I use it on their coats for shine and to replenish natural oil they lose when bathed.

I am glad I went with my instincts. She found a great home with an elderly retired couple who have another poodle for her to love on

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
Other than it was very sudden, not much has been posted about it in his RIR thread. From what I have read there it looks like he had made a phone call about chickens and posted about a chicken picture as a couple of the last things he did.
It is very shocking news and I did not even meet him in person like some of the others on his thread did.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Nothing was said as to the how just that it was sudden. He had posted less than 24 hours before he passed away/.

Since the hawk attack, the kiddos have been confined to jail. Right now I'm thinking that I want to wait maybe a week so that if the hawk comes back it might just move on after awhile where it can't get to the birds. Not sure if that is good reasoning, but going to try it anyway. What do y'all think of that...good reasoning or not?

I have my electro netting up to the trees now when I moved it a month ago. I have seen young hawks in the trees near the netting last spring but there was some nice brush for the hens to dig thru plus multi hidey spots.

We had a close call with the hawk last Sunday. Luckily he flew into the electic netting. Girls spent reest of the evening in the coop. But I haven't kept them locked in. I know the hawks are still around since several times the hens were all in the coop quiet as church mice. But I let them decide if they want to go out or not. Sometimes I think they know what time the hawks are in the area. Early morning they are at the farthest point. Afternnon & early evening they stay in or next to the compost pile & late evening back out in furthest part. I just leave it up to them that they know best.

Well except Stella.......she tends to hop the fence between their netted area & the veggie garden. I keep telling her she is easy picking for the hawk. And a couple times I have come home and she is pressed as close as she can be to the glass in the coop door. I am guessing the hawk was nearby and she was trying to act hidden. The rest of the girls were in the coop.

Love the pic with your BR and SFH. I have one of those treat balls and they never eat the greens out of it lol I am guessing its because they have access to so much now

 

[delisha]

As you add those strips, are you putting cover over the top where it is open area?

The larger wooded area is about 1.5 acres that are behind the smaller wooded area. It is fully perimeter fenced. Right now the electric net keeps them in the smaller area. The larger area that is fully fenced has an open, mowed lane down one whole side, and a mowed area between the little woods (where they are now) and the larger woods...between the pole building and the larger wooded area.

My goal was to get boer goats and turn them on the wooded area to do some undergrowth clearing, then open that whole area up to the chickens. The goats would be butchered for meat every year and we'd only have them over the spring-fall just for wood maintenance and meat basically.

So...with full woods, I'm still thinking that it would be hard to add overhead protection. Which is my main concern since they are locked in at night. Of course, coyotes have been around from time to time and a fox or 2, and I imagine they would get bold enough to hunt the woods during the day....

I do not cover it nor intend to cover it. The woods and under growth is the cover. The fence is for the coyotes and fox.

Quote: Nothing was said as to the how just that it was sudden. He had posted less than 24 hours before he passed away/.

Since the hawk attack, the kiddos have been confined to jail. Right now I'm thinking that I want to wait maybe a week so that if the hawk comes back it might just move on after awhile where it can't get to the birds. Not sure if that is good reasoning, but going to try it anyway. What do y'all think of that...good reasoning or not?

I have my electro netting up to the trees now when I moved it a month ago. I have seen young hawks in the trees near the netting last spring but there was some nice brush for the hens to dig thru plus multi hidey spots.

We had a close call with the hawk last Sunday. Luckily he flew into the electic netting. Girls spent reest of the evening in the coop. But I haven't kept them locked in. I know the hawks are still around since several times the hens were all in the coop quiet as church mice. But I let them decide if they want to go out or not. Sometimes I think they know what time the hawks are in the area. Early morning they are at the farthest point. Afternnon & early evening they stay in or next to the compost pile & late evening back out in furthest part. I just leave it up to them that they know best.

Well except Stella.......she tends to hop the fence between their netted area & the veggie garden. I keep telling her she is easy picking for the hawk. And a couple times I have come home and she is pressed as close as she can be to the glass in the coop door. I am guessing the hawk was nearby and she was trying to act hidden. The rest of the girls were in the coop.

Love the pic with your BR and SFH. I have one of those treat balls and they never eat the greens out of it lol I am guessing its because they have access to so much now
You need to do what you feel comfortable doing. If the hawk finds another source of food it might move on, but, they are here for a while. They will probably check back. I have not lost a chicken for three weeks to a Hawk. Today I lost two chicks. I was standing in the yard when the Hawk took the first one, and I was only 100 feet away. Very bold.