The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[TeaChick]

Question:
I understand that fertile rate for Cochins is about 50-60%.
I also understand that trimming the feathers around their vent can increase that rate.
Is this considered a natural practice?

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
Junk food chickens will eat: table scraps including bread, pasta, rice, cookies, pie, cake, and even left over restaurant food. My chickens have eaten chick fil a and they love it.
Chicken food that works as junk food for chickens: scratch from the feed store, cracked corn, .... There were at least 4 different bags of stuff I could use as scratch at our local RK. I went with one that had 12% protein over the cracked corn and others. I still think of it as junk food but it encourages litter turning.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Question:
I understand that fertile rate for Cochins is about 50-60%.
I also understand that trimming the feathers around their vent can increase that rate.
Is this considered a natural practice?

It is not something that would occur out in the middle of the woods, but then again a chicken in the woods would not have a nice chicken coop and run either. One has to pick a balance. I vote to count the trimming as a natural method to increase the fertility rate in the eggs.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Quote: I think that counts as a natural practice as well. Its not like given hormones or special food or anything.

 

[TeaChick]

Okay, how do I do it?
I asked on the Bantam Cochin thread and there wasn't really much help; it was right around Christmas, and things slow down on here then, but I still need to know. KWIM?

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Okay, how do I do it?
I asked on the Bantam Cochin thread and there wasn't really much help; it was right around Christmas, and things slow down on here then, but I still need to know. KWIM?

I think you just get some scissors and do it. I know no other way. Never done it myself come to think of it. :/

 

[armorfirelady]

 

 
My birds are still growing right now but they are filling up on the junk chicken food too.

Curious; what is junk chicken food?
(or should I ask what is considered junk food for chickens at your house?) ;-)

Junk food chickens will eat:  table scraps including bread, pasta, rice, cookies, pie, cake, and even left over restaurant food.  My chickens have eaten chick fil a and they love it.

Chicken food that works as junk food for chickens: scratch from the feed store, cracked corn, ....  There were at least 4 different bags of stuff I could use as scratch at our local RK.  I went with one that had 12% protein over the cracked corn and others.  I still think of it as junk food but it encourages litter turning. 

I agree with Sally. I consider junk for something they wouldn't/couldn't get naturally. My girls favorites are rice, lasagna & cornbread. Fav dessert is blueberry pie. They have good taste

Tho many many years ago chickens got whatever leftovers families had as feed. Waste not want not. Tho I don't give mine bread,p. But that's just my choice I know others do without a problem.

 

[TeaChick]

I think that counts as a natural practice as well. Its not like given hormones or special food or anything.

I guess that makes sense as a general definition of "natural".
A strict definition being anything they can find or would do in the wild.

I agree with Sally. I consider junk for something they wouldn't/couldn't get naturally. My girls favorites are rice, lasagna & cornbread. Fav dessert is blueberry pie. They have good taste

Tho many many years ago chickens got whatever leftovers families had as feed. Waste not want not. Tho I don't give mine bread,p. But that's just my choice I know others do without a problem.

Yeah, all of what you and Sally said we give too, well we put that stuff in our compost hole and the chickens take what they want (and leave the rest for the bugs to eat them later

I have smart chickens

).
Anyway, 2 things we don't give them are lasagna, and dessert!!! Those things just don't make it that far down the food chain in our family. lol
We don't generally give bread, but they get it when DS doesn't finish his lunch or when it gets stale (in the summer we make croutons for salads, but we don't eat salad in the winter, so the chickens get the scraps of bread).
Yeah, I guess we're in the waste not want not category. There's very little we put in the trash, just if it's pointedly bad for the chickens. KWIM?

I think you just get some scissors and do it. I know no other way. Never done it myself come to think of it. :/

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to it any more than ppl look forward to giving a chicken a bath. :/

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Okay, how do I do it?
I asked on the Bantam Cochin thread and there wasn't really much help; it was right around Christmas, and things slow down on here then, but I still need to know. KWIM?

I have not done it, but I would have a person hold the chicken calmly wrapped in a towel while you gave it the trim in the vent area. Or maybe a dog gromming place would do it for a small charge. They have all of the sharp tools and the cleaning supplies to keep those tools clean. After all they have to trim near the dog's rear so a chicken's rear would not be that different and you could hold the chicken. I'm sure after watching them you would know exactly what to do too.

 

[Kassaundra]

A quick feather trim seems a better alternative then holding a roo doing undainty things to him until he gives you a deposit then holding a hen while you give her the said deposit! lol