The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Scott H]

So how come they pick this time of year to molt! I got two with bald heads and necks and it's going down into single digits this week.........

 

[Gramma Chick]

Is this the rooster that is hogging the feed ? Is he young ?
My main Roo lets the ladies eat 1st then he eats ..
Most of The 6 month Roos just eat with the girls or peck them away

 

[delisha]

Yes! Pretty boy

X2...nice shape

Delisha and others who replied - Thank you so much for your kind and helpful advice. My thought was to generally spread the seeds in places that they might have a chance to grow for a little while before my six girls scarf them down. I'm thinking I might make some sort of mesh frame to give the seeds time to grow a bit, then move the screening on to another area as time passes.

For now we are being buffetted with high winds and temps in the twenties. It is hard, as a first year owner, not to install a toasty heater for the coop. Truth is my roost is barely large enough for the six of them, and if you reach a hand between them, they are warm as can be. I still wish I could bring them in the house. OK, not really. Hypothetically, I wish I could bring them in the house - my hypothetical chickens would not poop all over my warm, hypothetical house. snort.

Pallets will help too...the greens can grow up between the slats and the birds will not get all of them.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: thanks... the cage doesn't really let him sit normally, but I had him out earlier today and he's every bit the same type his sire had, which I'm ecstatic about!

he's got a couple minor flaws (extra toes aren't quite right, he might lose points on his comb from frostbite, one wing feather has a streak of white) but not enough to really worry about.

I was worrying about getting a second grade roo or one from somewhere else that would set me back in my progress with the reds, but as long as he does well integrating with the flock I'm hoping to have eggs/chicks from him sooner than later (pending the girls starting to lay again of course LOL). once he's out of quarantine, they're all getting penned together. 2 of the girls at least, initially (my best 2 from the same lines but unrelated as far as I know) and then the other girls will swap out so I can see what they throw. (one is more orange-red (his mother I think), the other more tannish-red).

this year, once my backed up orders are filled, I'm hatching for ME! then i'll sell some eggs when the bators are full.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
As these are 1st year chickens they shouldnt be slowing down yet . they will normally slow down the 2nd year .
Are these all hens ? When I had just hens they wouldnt always want to go to bed . My rooster takes care of it now ..They are all in bed before dark .

Chickens sometimes stop temporally when moved to a new location ..Could they be hiding eggs ? Like in the old coop ? Are you giving them layer ?
Heres some tips .
Put fake eggs / plastic easter eggs / golf balls in the spot you want them to lay ...

To get them in a night . Feed them at night... in the run / coop . do they have food during the day ? give them just a little in the morning
Or give them a treat at that time . Call them ..put the treat inside
Here is my flock last year at snack time ..they know they are getting a treat ( they love bread )
To make it better for them ..I sometimes mix in some yogurt , Veggies , fruit pieces , leftovers , garlic or onions , what ever is available
This video makes me laugh every time I see it

 

[aoxa]

Aoxa, finally got some comb pictures for the "who will lay first" guessing game. Apologies for the poor pics>

1. Angelina, (icelandic)she is actually redder than you can see in the pic. She is icelandic, has a scalped comb, meaning, sliced off somehow as a chick, and she is blind in one eye. Also has a stunted wing.


here she is a few weeks ago:


amelia is a crested cream legbar:


and here she is with her flockmate, Seaquist (think she is leghornx ameracuana):





Here is coco chanel, she hasn't even pinked up at all:


and here is Edie:


I am supposed to have two ameracaunas and so that must be Edie and Coco Chanel.

And the three sulmtaler pullets, one is missing in the photo:



So, these are 8 or the 9 pullets who are now six months old and are still not laying!

Your legbar will be first - mark my words!! Followed by your Sulmtalers.

 

[ki4got]

This video makes me laugh every time I see it

LOL cute, but try doing that with 30+ birds... it's like a swarm of hungry bees.

 

[Leahs Mom]

So how come they pick this time of year to molt! I got two with bald heads and necks and it's going down into single digits this week.........

I've always wondered that myself. My BRs go naked on their fluffy but areas. Must be freezing!

Quote: I'll be watching for your video, K. Call 'em in and stand back!

I LOVE that video

 

[aaggjg]

the thing i'm leaning away from marek's for, is that it usually affects birds under 5 months old. not always but most often.  so if she's an older bird that's been laying, I would say it's unlikely.  but if she laid a shell-less egg, was it a 'leather' egg or just egg whites and yolk?  if it was just the whites/yolk strewn around the nest, I'd say she has a broken egg inside and that may be causing the problems... (not a good prognosis if that's it) if it's a 'leather' egg with no shell on it, then something's upset her system.  that can happen with hens new to laying or hens under some sort of systemic stress.  also, hens that are lacking calcium will pull it from their own bones short term to keep laying, but that weakens the bones and can cause fractures down the road...  or it could be an injury, such as coming off the perch and landing wrong. they can break a keel bone or leg/hip/pelvis when that happens.  not much you can do about them for the most part, except keep them quiet, immobile and well fed.

personally, the vitamins are a good idea, but I might also mix up some scrambled egg (with milk and cheese added) and make sure she has a good supply of crushed egg shell/oyster shell available within easy reach (and water too!)  I'd put her in a hospital cage (think you said you were) and limit her ability to move anywhere other than maybe to stand to poop. (aka a small cage with only enough room for bird, food and water.)  if you're of a mind, you could also add some veggies she likes or bits of chopped liver, bacon or other meaty bits too. meat has a lot of good vitamins birds need, especially when the body is stressed.

I've had hens with broken bones (thanks to my blind horse) and usually they will test their own abilities a bit at a time and will let you know when she's ready to graduate to a bigger cage or back outside...

I just poked my head in before I came down to feed the chickens. She was standing.... So I think that is a little progress. She didnt move all day yesterday. I put her in a nursery flat full of shavings so the edge wasn't too high. The only time she tried to move was to fight me

The egg I found had a soft shell .... So I don't think it broke inside.

I soaked her but it probably wasn't hot enough. I'll try again today but its so hard with work & these crazy short days!!!

I've already made her morning scramble and will sprinkle some mealworms on top .... If she tells the other girls about the menu in the sick ward I have a feeling I will have a bunch of fakers on my hands

I forgot to say she is about 18 months old.

 

[Shan30]

Have any of you hatched out Silkie x Amerecaunas? If the mink hadn't gotten our broody that's what would have hatched and now I'm curious as to what they would have looked like. Google wasn't very helpful