The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[TeaChick]

I decided to use a heat lamp and had my hubby secure it up high. Worries me but I think it'll be okay. I added straw and stapled feed bags over the North side vent area and made a straw path to the heated water bowl in the run. They looked so much more comfy! I have a rooster limping now. Its always something!

You're not kidding there!

How bout a box from costco or something similar? Works well for free. Or you can always do a recycling bin. Unless you want something dark and secluded... I feel like they should make those rubbermaid totes in half sizes... They'd be so perfect for a nesting box that didn't take up so much room.

Wal-Mart (and I'm sure other stores, Target comes to mind) sells stackable storage bins that are the perfect size for nesting. They're in the kids bedroom organization section. There's a woman on the Broody thread who uses them; there's pics. If you want the link, I can get it for you. =)

Yep. Lock you in a small pen with young chickens.

Queen Emma Belle




(And, dang it. I forgot I'll need to set up a nest box.)

 

[SallyinIndiana]

tea chick I would like a link to stacking nesting boxes made from children's storage.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Check this out:

My biggest issue with using heated bowls as-is is that I want to create something that keeps them from stepping in the water and possible frostbite. I'll bet we could make something similar with smaller openings that prevent them stepping in it. Perhaps a piece of hardware cloth molded over the top of something like this leaving just enough open at the bottom for them to get a head in.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/L-HEATED-WA...=100010&prg=1076&rk=3&rkt=15&sd=221342559463&

 

[lalaland]

Leahsmom, on a thread somewhere someone was using round vinegar gallon jugs in the heated bowl, with a little hole to make it a waterer - she said the space between the edge and the jug was just the right size to keep feet and wattles out, but let the chickens get their heads in to drink. my problem with that is you couldn't get a full gallon in it, and my flock drinks pretty close to a gallon a day....but if I had two...

 

[delisha]

@chicalot
I know some folks that would bring a bird inside if they were in that condition. I may just be one of them but I've never had to decide that before.

The fact that she's molting and was wet too would weigh a lot to me. Especially if she were by herself shivering. Yep. This hard-stance, no heat in the coop person would probably bring her in and a buddy with her.

The other consideration, however, is that once she's in, you may need to keep her in for a long time depending on when your weather warms up enough to put her back out without total shock to the system. I probably wouldn't re-introduce her out until it was closer to 30 degrees.

Unless...you have some kind of "half-way" area where you could keep the temps warmer but not as warm as indoor temps - say around 25-30 like in a garage or enclosed porch...then it wouldn't be such a shock to the system to re-introduce her (them) to the cold.

All this is just an opinion and should be taken as such

good suggestion..mine would be to bring her in and blow dry her..than put her back out the same day. Make sure she was out of drafts and had excess to water.

Quote: No onion..

Quote:
Thanks! So you don't think that will make her more alienated from the rest of the adults?

I wish I could put the 2 lowest adults in but the other one makes a beeline right for the younger kiddos and bites them.
You can add the higher rank to the lower rank and they will bond..you will need to separate them from all the others.
You can add the lower ranked with the baby's and they will bond
You can take the lower hen and the roo and they will bond. You will need to separate them from the others..

tea chick I would like a link to stacking nesting boxes made from children's storage.

I use a cat litter box with a hood..those work great..I found one at a rummage sale for 2 bucks.

we reached -58 today. I have never been so cold before. Just going out to the coop I froze my forhead. I wore layers of clothing, a face protector, but above my eyes and my eyes were exposed..It is a little burned..not too bad.
The chickens all seem fine and are active, even the young birds..

 

[delisha]

tea chick I would like a link to stacking nesting boxes made from children's storage.

If you have a dollar tree by you they have baskets and containers for a buck that would work

http://www.dollartree.com/catalog/search.cmd?keyword=basket

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
I think these are the ones that tc was referring to:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-and-informational-thread/15120#post_10193260

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-and-informational-thread/15130#post_10195206
on the right in this photo

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-and-informational-thread/19640#post_12498783

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Medium-Stacking-Bin/25857298

 

[armorfirelady]

Check this out:

My biggest issue with using heated bowls as-is is that I want to create something that keeps them from stepping in the water and possible frostbite. I'll bet we could make something similar with smaller openings that prevent them stepping in it. Perhaps a piece of hardware cloth molded over the top of something like this leaving just enough open at the bottom for them to get a head in.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/L-HEATED-WA...=100010&prg=1076&rk=3&rkt=15&sd=221342559463&

Karen suggested using something like a piece of fencing that has opening about 2x3. Just enough to get their head in but that's it. I have the fence just trying to figure out how to secure it to the bowl so it doesn't get knocked off. I was thinking a bungee cord but it would have to go underneath the bowl then be uneven.

I am still trying to figure out how to make a container to hold the flock block lol

 

[aoxa]

I think these are the ones that tc was referring to:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-and-informational-thread/15120#post_10193260

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-and-informational-thread/15130#post_10195206
on the right in this photo

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-and-informational-thread/19640#post_12498783

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Medium-Stacking-Bin/25857298

I have never seen these in our Canadian Wal-Marts, and not for lack of trying either. You Americans get all the good stuff!

 

[Leahs Mom]

AFL - I actually like your setup with the jug better than the "cage" idea. Just posted for "food for thought".