The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Yesterday was the 1 year anniversary of the fire.

Sigh.

Hard to believe it's been that long. And now look at what a wonderful new start.

 

[RedRidge]

Expecting an ice storm and then about 5-12" of snow beginning in about 3 hrs.

Please pray I don't loose power again for any length of time. Normally I don't care - BUT my bators aren't currently hooked up to the back up power. Argh!

Off to top off stock tanks, put out hay, bring in more firewood, and bake bread and make some soup... At least we will all easy for the next 48 hrs. ;-)

Good luck.  Maybe covering them with blankets would help keep them warm? 

Thank goodness the dogs have such heavy coats.  Do you put the lambs in the barn when bad weather is coming? 

The older Maremma and any ewes who might lamb or has lambs has barn access. They won't use it if it's cold but if it's wet a ewe will go in the barn if she goes into labor... usually. After the lambs are dry the love the cold weather... they have wool remember? ;-)

 

[armorfirelady]

The older Maremma and any ewes who might lamb or has lambs has barn access. They won't use it if it's cold but if it's wet a ewe will go in the barn if she goes into labor... usually. After the lambs are dry the love the cold weather... they have wool remember? ;-)

Ahhh for some reason I figured the Ewes were way out in your property with no barn access. Heck I didnt think the Maremma saw a barn either lol

And yes I keep forgetting that they have wool on

They look cold in your pics but that's because I am thinking they have so little wool after being born. I am used to the sheep with those heavy coats.

I am curious do you use the wool?

 

[RedRidge]

The older Maremma and any ewes who might lamb or has lambs has barn access. They won't use it if it's cold but if it's wet a ewe will go in the barn if she goes into labor... usually. After the lambs are dry the love the cold weather... they have wool remember? ;-)

Ahhh for some reason I figured the Ewes were way out in your property with no barn access. Heck I didnt think the Maremma saw a barn either lol 

And yes I keep forgetting that they have wool on     They look cold in your pics but that's because I am thinking they have so little wool after being born. I am used to the sheep with those heavy coats.

I am curious do you use the wool?  

Except for a few specific fleeces that I save for a few friends who are spinners I donate most to the local 4-H "wool pool" each spring. I did save several fleeces each year from my daughters champion sheep and then when she was a senior we had them made into a queen sized blanket as a graduation gift. Mclaughlin up in Canada did out for me.
The sheep have barn access in Jan and Feb when they are lambing - there is a acre pasture which adjoins the barn. The rest of the year they are rotationally grazed on the 25 acres in the north part of the property and have sections adjoining woods to use for shelter and shade.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Expecting an ice storm and then about 5-12" of snow beginning in about 3 hrs.
Please pray I don't loose power again for any length of time. Normally I don't care - BUT my bators aren't currently hooked up to the back up power. Argh!
Off to top off stock tanks, put out hay, bring in more firewood, and bake bread and make some soup... At least we will all easy for the next 48 hrs. ;-)

Praying for you. We lost power for a bit last night and I had a few pipped eggs, today is the wait and see time now. My other bater did not get too cold but I can candle those later after the temps have been stable for a few hours. It is supposed to be warming up here soon.

I got asked the dreaded question again today ~ well how many chickens do you have? Then I was catching up on this thread and came across all of the posts about your different dogs. I was thinking people must ask you the how many question about your dogs, sheep, and chickens all the time. Do you keep head counts going or just kind of estimate. For me I'm going to just estimate the chickens.

Yesterday was the 1 year anniversary of the fire.

I'm sure you will never fully get past it. But I think you are doing much better than I would be. And the new barn looks great along with that lovely incubator.

 

[armorfirelady]

Except for a few specific fleeces that I save for a few friends who are spinners I donate most to the local 4-H "wool pool" each spring. I did save several fleeces each year from my daughters champion sheep and then when she was a senior we had them made into a queen sized blanket as a graduation gift. Mclaughlin up in Canada did out for me.
The sheep have barn access in Jan and Feb when they are lambing - there is a acre pasture which adjoins the barn. The rest of the year they are rotationally grazed on the 25 acres in the north part of the property and have sections adjoining woods to use for shelter and shade.

Wow that's cool. I love to go to the 4H barn & feel the wool they have sheared from the sheep. I sure wish I knew how to spin or knot so I could make some warm blankets

And thank you for the info about the sheep.

 

[RedRidge]

You forget how anal I am... I know the answer of the top of my head. ;-)
I have...

3 pregnant cows - due in march, may and Sept
1 heifer
1 steer
2 bulls
55 adult ewes (40 polypay, 12 tunis, 3 dairy)
3 yearling ewes
11 lambs so far (1 set of triplets and 4 sets of twins). Will have about 100 more lambs in another month.
4 rams
2 Rhodebar hens
3 Rhodebar cocks
4 Rhodebar pullets
2 Rhodebar cockerels
8 HRIR hens
2 HRIR cocks
1 HRIR pullet
5 HRIR cockerels
35 productionn layers (mostly Reds and buff orps)
6 Rhodebars in the brooder
22 production Reds in brooder
4 F1 eggs hatching today
94 eggs set in 3 different bators
3 adult Maremma
1 Maremma pup
1 retired Belgian tervuren
160,000 bees (4 hives)
3 fantastic, gorgeous, hard working daughters.
AND... One very incredible husband who I deprived the rest of the women in the world of when we began dating my freshman year of college. ;-P

 

[Leahs Mom]

160,000 bees (4 hives)

Are you SURE there aren't 160,002 since you last counted?

 

[RedRidge]

160,000 bees (4 hives)

Are you SURE there aren't 160,002 since you last counted?

Well the bees belong to hubby so I'll have to ask him. ROFL He claims there are about 60,000 in each hive in the summer and about 40,000 during the Winter. Should I am him to count? VBEG I'm sure glad it isn't summer? Then I would have had to count ALL my BSF! :-0

 

[armorfirelady]

160,000 bees (4 hives)

I can just picture you out there counting bees........1,2,3,4,5,6.......

(I cant find the cool animated ones)

Now to go look up those sheep names.........