The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
That's amazing! And looks so wonderful. I think I'm going to try it...thanks!!!!

 

[Anna6]

Okay so I want to tell you all a story about my 2 white silkie hens.... They were kept inside a little longer then they should have been because their coop was being built. They were raised with Ameraucanas & Lav orps they were by far the lowest on the pecking order and very shy. They always stuck together and when I would open my run door to let the hens out in the yard these 2 girls would hang back and enjoy the quiet in the run. One day you all might remember that I was shaking out the tarp that I put over the run during a heavy rain and the silkies got scared and ran out into the yard. Well they NEVER LOOKED BACK.... These 2 girls often go up my hill together foraging and they are fearless. They are trailblazers. One is a scrappy little thing named Pickles and the other is bigger fuller and her name is Penelope.... They lived with some other silkies the lav orps, ameraucanas, a sizzle etc etc .... Well 2 of my hens in the coop with my older girls died ... there was 1 lone silkie in that coop so I decided that these 2 whites should go live with the older hens... bantam cochin, ameraucanas, frizzle, Marans & lone silkie ..... They adjusted very well and the other lonely silkie had some new friends ... They've been living together for 6 months or so ...


Well, lately Pickles has become a very Chatty chicken... She is taking after my splash Marans, Pearl, who I now call LOUD MOUTH .... Pearl crowed a month or so ago .... I've heard her a few times but I immediately pretend I am a rooster and pull her neck feather and pinch her tail... She hasnt crowed for a few weeks ... Crisis averted .... Today Pickles was on the lower Patio with the Big Girls Loud Mouth & others and she was being CHATTY so I went up to see what was going on and no sooner did I arrive then Pickles my sweet scrappy little white silkie CROWED .... PICKLES!!!! She is not at the top of the pecking order ... What is going on??? This better be a one time thing.... Do you hear me Pickles ??

You have me in stitches. I would really like some silkies with my chickens just for my twin girls, 8, to have their own silkies. Sofar I have not found any but I just know it will happen. Hubby doesn't really understand why but he will humor me and support me in getting some.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Are we sure they're ladies? REALLY sure?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Does anyone have specific information on phosphorus when feeding chickens? Is there a higher level that crossing is too high?

 

[aaggjg]

You have me in stitches. I would really like some silkies with my chickens just for my twin girls, 8, to have their own silkies. Sofar I have not found any but I just know it will happen. Hubby doesn't really understand why but he will humor me and support me in getting some.

Where are you in SoCal??? I live in Los Angeles ..... I hatched all the ones I have and I LOVE THEM .... I bought my 1st silkie chick at a feed store (Kahoots) but it turned out to be a boy ... then I decided I wanted better quality ones ... so I got some eggs from Catdance in WA.... I know there is a silkie breeder out in Norco who will do DNA testing so you can make sure you get a girl ... Its not cheap though ....

I LOVE my silkies they crack me up every day!!! Hope you find some for your girls!

 

[Shan30]

I've found that the among the best baits for my Rat Zapper http://www.amazon.com/Rat-Zapper-RZC001-Classic/dp/B002665ZTC   are Calf Manna http://www.mannapro.com/products/calf-manna/    and/or black oil sunflower seeds. Rats (and mice) love both of them dearly.

Hmmm I will try some seeds, don't have any calf manna but I might try meat. They clearly like chicken :/. I'm considering trapping my big Tom cat in the people portion of the coop for a few days.

 

[Shan30]

Does anyone have specific information on phosphorus when feeding chickens?  Is there a higher level that crossing is too high?

All of the information I have found is about deficiencies and feeding enough... Sorry!

 

[ChickensRDinos]

Where are you in SoCal??? I live in Los Angeles ..... I hatched all the ones I have and I LOVE THEM .... I bought my 1st silkie chick at a feed store (Kahoots) but it turned out to be a boy ... then I decided I wanted better quality ones ... so I got some eggs from Catdance in WA.... I know there is a silkie breeder out in Norco who will do DNA testing so you can make sure you get a girl ... Its not cheap though ....

I LOVE my silkies they crack me up every day!!! Hope you find some for your girls!

I'm in Los Angeles too! Yay! Where are you in LA? I am just about dead center in LA city near Baldwin Hills.

Are you taking about Amber Waves Silkies? They will also do a one time rooster return/swap for less than the DNA test, of course you then have to start over if you are unlucky but it gives you an out at least. They are very nice and have lovely birds.

 

[RedRidge]

Does anyone have specific information on phosphorus when feeding chickens?  Is there a higher level that crossing is too high?

I know you have total phospherous and phytate phospherous... But everything I've ever heard is about min required.

 

[Leahs Mom]

What's got me asking about the phosphorus is the level that might be in ground bone. I got some inexpensive "dog food" meat from one of the local butcher that includes ground bone. I've been hesitant to feed it due to the levels of raw ground bone in there. Just trying to decide whether to send on to a friend for dog food or try some for the chickens.