The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Scott H]

Here's what we get today....

Quote:
Bleh.....so Delisha, how did I get so lucky to get a Wyandotte that's molting before turning a year old?

 

[CoopChick719]

I wish I could do that in the morning but I leave for work before sunup. Could do it on the weekends, though.

On the slats width, I'd have to go out there and measure. If you make something from wood, you could experiment until you get it to a size that works and they could be adjusted as they grow as well. The width you need depends, of course, on the size of your specific kiddos.

I just happened to see these metal fence panels at Lowes last winter that looked like they would work. I picked up 2 of them to make a corner and they worked really well size-wise. My fenced dog kennel run was smaller at that time so just 2 worked well.

Couple weeks ago I got 2 more as I now have more room and added them on. I just use zip ties and remove them when I don't want them up anymore.





This is the smaller corner for last spring:

Ugh, leaving before sunup! I used to do that too! Thank you for the pics! They are very helpful for judging the width between the bars. I may have to make something out of pallets or netting. I'm thinking if I use the sizing for holes on a bantam nesting box, it will let the Sizzles & Banty Cochins in but keep the LF out.

 

[aoxa]

Hey Justine, I finally got around to reading "Must Love Chickens". Really good read and loved your portion. Great info

Thank you Trav

sigh. another bad chicken keeper day.

just got home to frozen water in the coop. based on what I can see, I think the water was frozen almost all day long. left fresh water at 4am. I've been taking the water out at night to keep the moisture out of the coop when they aren't drinking so didn't know the heated dog bowl had stopped working.

its a wonder these chickens survive me. will go spend $$ on another stupid bowl. wonder if those immersion heaters last any longer?


Delisha, I've been looking at chicken feathers for a month or so during these molts moults and haven't seen a single stress line. wish someone would check my feathers, sure I have a zillion.

How cold is it?

My dog dishes froze after -30. Sometimes in the centre after -20.

 

[aoxa]

Big Bertha - Cornish X - CX or Meat King lays the biggest eggs in our flock. They are double the size of the others. She has been laying steadily 4-5 eggs a week

 

[wantedman66]

sigh.   another bad chicken keeper day.

 just got home to frozen water in the coop.  based on what I can see, I think the water was frozen almost all day long.  left  fresh water at 4am. I've been taking the water out at night to keep the moisture out of the coop  when they aren't drinking so didn't know the heated dog bowl had stopped working. 

its a wonder these chickens survive me.  will go spend $$ on another stupid bowl.  wonder if those immersion heaters last any longer?


Delisha, I've been looking at chicken feathers for a month or so during these molts moults and haven't seen a single stress line.  wish someone would check my feathers, sure I have a zillion. 

Do not spend the money if you are handy you can make one out of a cookie tin,just need a 60w bulb and a socket.They work great I made 2 of them and have never had a problem with water freezing,they cost almost 50.00 at chicken supply places.

 

[aoxa]

Do not spend the money if you are handy you can make one out of a cookie tin,just need a 60w bulb and a socket.They work great I made 2 of them and have never had a problem with water freezing,they cost almost 50.00 at chicken supply places.

I don't recommend these... They could very well start a fire. Just because you haven't had an issue, doesn't mean someone else couldn't. The fire marshall told us this was a terrible idea, and that if we have to use a heating element to keep water liquid, it should be one that was made by professionals.

 

[lindz8504]

Ok I have a question about deep litter. I cleaned out my coop about 6 weeks ago and threw a couple of feed bucket fulls of dirt out of the woods onto the floor of my coop. It is 5x8 wooden floor with linoleum... nest boxes at ground level and lowest roost about 15inches from floor. Anyway.... I used pine needles and leaves that we raked out of our yard and my moms. I have been turning them at least once a week and adding a little more. Today when I turned them it was pretty wet and had a little ammonia smell. I didnt add anymore and left the big door open to help air it out and dry it out. Do I need to just clean it all out and rebed it?

 

[armorfirelady]

I agree Aoxa.......but that's just the firefighter in me

Got the girls all set for while I am gone........kicked up the 6 inches of packed DL and added a large bag of dry stuff on top. They will digging thru that for days maybe they will even find an earthworm or two.

It's a toasty 26 degrees with snow flurries here......girls are in and out. I am still amazed how observant they are. They were happily eating grapes and the hawk alarm was sounded. I scanned the sky and trees and saw nothing........till the hawk flew from tree to tree. I don't know how the girls see him he blends in just as good with no leaves on the tree as he did all summer :/

Only a meal a chicken would love......chicken hearts & gizzards, grapes and yogurt. Glad I am not a chicken!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

i have 2 wire strainers (enamel coated wire mesh) and i'll put one over my 3rd 5 gallon bucket, pour off most of the liquid into the extra bucket, then transfer the strainers onto 2 smaller 2 gallon feed buckets, just for ease of use... the strainer wants to fall into the 5 gallon if I'm not careful but fits the smaller buckets great. then i fill both strainers to the top with the glop and let it drain while i feed the horses, and feed it to the chickens once the horses are done.

the poured-off liquid goes back into the bucket and when it's about down to the bottom, then i add the next round of feed, add enough water to top it back off and set it aside. made the mistake this time, i forgot to stir it yesterday, so the feed had a huge air bubble trapped underneath and had risen to the top. but it still smelled ok so i just stirred it back in and added a bit more liquid from the other bucket.

fwiw, i found plastic strainers don't work so well, they take a lot longer to drain than the coated wire does.

Do you have the product info for the strainer you have that does work? I haven't figured out the strainer situation yet.

 

[lalaland]

just a quick post to say that:

the deer got tangled up in the extension cord and it got unplugged from the meter cord, so that is why the dog bowl heater quit working. You know the first, the very first question tech support/trouble shooters will ask you is "did you check to see if it is plugged in". duh!

30 below windchill, but the air temp has warmed up to -8, and the sun is coming out! hooray!

edited to add: I love my National Weather Service forcasters: the forecast for today is "abundant sunshine" . is that a wonderful way to look at it? highs of -4.