The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[ki4got]

Thanks Karen. I was not aware of the 3 week immunity from hatching deal. So it makes sense to get them exposed to soil right from hatching, right?

I don't know the exact time span, but it does vary by species (mammalian is typically 4-6 weeks, antibodies are found in the colostrum). I say 2-3 weeks on chicks, simply because they are further along in development than most mammals at birth.

so yes, continued exposure from day 1 will help them develop their own immunity to anything and everything that comes along IMO...

 

[armorfirelady]

Okay. We did a "hair cut".

At first I was only going to take a bit from the front like Karen described. Did that and put the rest in a rubber band. But went out again a second time and it looked like the rubber band thing just wasn't going to do it so I got drastic.

She's probably going to have to get used to the top of her head being colder than usual.



Before:

Nice job. She does look different without her poof but I bet she will be glad to see without feathers in her eyes. Bet she wishes she had sunglasses now that its so much brighter

I think I would rather trim crests than fluffy butts. You def got the better end of the deal

 

[Leahs Mom]

I think I would rather trim crests than fluffy butts. You def got the better end of the deal

Hm...never thought of it like that but now that you mention it

Seriously, though, I'd rather trim a bottom. There aren't any eyes to poke out by mistake if a head is turned too quickly. I would have liked to get it closer just above the eyes but I was scared she'd jerk and I'd put an eye out.

We did wonder if there were any narrow attachments for an electric shaver that could get a bit closer without the risk to the eyes.

 

[LadyBehir]

Maybe a mustache trimmer would be easier to use?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Maybe a mustache trimmer would be easier to use?

Interesting...I've never looked at one so I don't know how wide they are. I'm guessing pretty narrow...now I have to ask my husband. He or my dad may even have one hiding around someplace.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: personally I'd rather use scissors... clippers won't cut feather shafts, I don't think.. haven't tried myself, but I have better control with scissors for fine tuning things like crests. I do my dogs feet with scissors entirely. much easier to control getting hair around the nails and between toe pads than the clippers IMO.

 

[delisha]

Hello all. I LOVE this thread. I started by reading the first 100 or so pages and realized that was taking a really long time, so then I read the last 20.
I am a newbie. In fact, I have no chickens yet. I want to educate myself as much as possible before I get my babies.
I am a teacher and incubating my first eggs in the classroom right after spring break. I have also ordered chicks for the week of the scheduled hatch date.
I am very into the natural way and have started to question whether having my mail order chicks vaccinated was the right thing to do. I ordered from McMurray and got both the marek's and coccidiosis vaccines.
I thought this was a good idea as my neighbor has free ranging chickens who roam into my yard and I would also like to free range my chickens. I am pretty sure her's have not been vaccinated and she usually picks up the $2 chicks from the feed store each spring.
I have also been toying with the idea of vaccinating the chick's I hatch for Marek's.
Sorry for the long-windedness!!
What are your thoughts?

I posted my thoughts on the next lines..

Quote: Great advise..

I sell chicks..
I give the Mareks shots to the chicks I ship. I do not do my own. If my birds are so weak they are going to get ill from something I can bring home from the feed store on the tires of my truck, I am doing something wrong. I want strong healthy birds as naturally as possible. I want them to have a strong immune system. I have imported birds from different country's and they are going to take generations to build the same immunities my American Heritage birds have. Some vaccines help to build immunities that imported birds do not have. My imported birds have vaccines. I am considering continuing vaccinating them one more generation.

Thanks Karen. I was not aware of the 3 week immunity from hatching deal. So it makes sense to get them exposed to soil right from hatching, right?

I put in soil at day one

I am close to locking down for my next hatch. I am going to have trouble fitting that many eggs into two incubators.. :S

Yes there are that many.. I have 79 of them pre-sold. I have maybe 120 eggs. I'm hoping it all works out well!

I have peeping..they should hatch Monday..I think I have 6..due..

Quote: feather sexing for all breeds does not work and cross breeds ? umm possibly?

Quote: OMG you scalped her

 

[Scott H]

Seriously!.....glad you said it and not me...LOL

 

[aoxa]

I feather sexed them. But then I remembered that the chipmunk one and one or two off the light ones hatched significantly later than the others.
Tonight, two were inconclusive and it looked like I have seven pullets.
I think tomorrow night will yield the most accurate results.

You can't feather sex them. They have to be bred very carefully with a fast feathering male and a slow feathering female... Not something that many people do (hatcheries usually the only ones).

LM: I laughed so hard at your scalped girl. You left her a rat tail! HAHAHA

 

[mlowen]

Sue (LM) I think your SFH is very cute with her short haircut! She looks like Jennifer Lawrence, now.

Axoa...I changed my avatar, again.