The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Hmmm.... I never considered using this design for anything but poultry.
NOW you have me thinking... where is LM's "thinking" emoticon when I need it. ROFL
One of my chondro dexters LOVES to stand in the stock tank in the summer... Hmmmm....

You need to get that kiddo a wading pool to cool off in

 

[Leahs Mom]

Ok... I need to get a pic of my bucket covers... You could make them for any container. They are basically a pie shaped "spider web" of wire laced across the opening of the container to limit head access. Only down fall is you need to not let the level of the water get too low. I have some frostbite on some wattles this year in the more sheltered coop where I didn't use them. The outside pens I have no frostbite at all. I basically used wire to create a "star" over the top of the container.
We had a bunch of extra wire from a dropped ceiling we put in a basement years ago. I designed my own after I saw these....

Yes...Please do a photo of how you made it for your waterers

ETA: Like you were saying above, you have to keep them filled up with this kind of system. But I'm thinking that maybe could rig something for a flatter glass pan of some kind. I've pondered this a good part of the winter and just couldn't figure out a good way to do it with a stock tank heater or fish tank heater in such a way that it was restricted and they could still reach the water.

 

[armorfirelady]

Ok... I need to get a pic of my bucket covers... You could make them for any container. They are basically a pie shaped "spider web" of wire laced across the opening of the container to limit head access. Only down fall is you need to not let the level of the water get too low. I have some frostbite on some wattles this year in the more sheltered coop where I didn't use them. The outside pens I have no frostbite at all. I basically used wire to create a "star" over the top of the container. We had a bunch of extra wire from a dropped ceiling we put in a basement years ago. I designed my own after I saw these....

Yes...Please do a photo of how you made it for your waterers ETA: Like you were saying above, you have to keep them filled up with this kind of system. But I'm thinking that maybe could rig something for a flatter glass pan of some kind. I've pondered this a good part of the winter and just couldn't figure out a good way to do it with a stock tank heater or fish tank heater in such a way that it was restricted and they could still reach the water.

I really dislike the giant heated bowl I bought in December when my other one died. But it's the only one they had. I actually stuck a glass bowl in it with a glass milk jug in the middle to try & keep chickens out of it. (You would think they were ducks as much as they stand in the darn thing)! I put water in the bottom thinking it would help keep the glass warmer and stop it from freezing. Have to go and check it now since we are a balmy 8 degrees (45 tomorrow!!) I'm over winter !!! I also moved the bowls in the dog crate to the end. At least that way they can only get on them from one way. Thank goodness I decided to tear apart the dog crate Tuesday. There was 6 inches of ice in the bottom. It's sunk in the ground so I'm guessing as the snow melts it's pooling in the bottom. Next year I need to set it on blocks to raise it up.

 

[yawningreyhound]

I am having a problem with my rooster, having a problem with my little girl. She is 10 and I have been letting her help me with my hens. (She is Never alone with any of my chickens.) My rooster does not like her handling my hens. So, I have stopped having her help, but he is still acting as if she is a threat. He does a little dance toward her. I always step in when he does this, but yesterday when free ranging, he seemed to be stalking her. We were working in the garden, and he kept himself positioned about 10 feet from her. If she turned her back toward him, he would advance. When I stepped between them, he backed down. He didn't ever actually touch her, but I am sure that if he had the opportunity, he would have.

I do not want to keep a rooster that is a danger to my kids. I don't have a problem culling, I will do it right now if I need to. However, I am so inexperienced and this rooster does take great care of my hens. He calls them to food, puts them in the coop or under the porch if a hawk is nearby and even fights off the neighbor's poodle. Is it possible to have roosters that don't mind children? Is it possible to improve my rooster's behavior? I feel like I shouldn't even give him another chance, but then I worry that I am over reacting because of inexperience. After seeing his behavior yesterday, I couldn't feel comfortable with them both out in the yard together, at least not unless I am right there watching him.

I was taking care of a coop with a normally sweet-tempered Polish rooster. He and I became fast friends. When the owner of the coop came back, he started attacking her. He would actually bite her calves. She's not afraid of him, but I did notice she would back off from him when he advanced. So I started going out with her and when he'd try that stuff, I would just swoop down and pick him up and carry him around for a while. I think he actually enjoyed the ride because he was able to see things above 2 feet off the ground. I handed him to her and had her carry him around, too. Once he acquainted her feet (which I think is all he sees when he's on the ground) with her face and voice, he stopped being so aggressive toward her.

I can still yell "MICKJAGGER" up the mountain and he'll answer with his call. I would take him here but I only have 5 hens and the ratio seemed off.

When I would squat down to clean their coop, I used to joke that I was being "twerked by MickJagger" cuz he bounced off my back a few times...again, I turned around and made eye contact with him by picking him up and lifting his poof and looking at him...I don't think he realized that stooped back was just me. He quit doing that twerking pretty quickly.

I SO want to trim his bangs and give him sight. He's got excellent hearing and when the hawk cries, he makes noise and runs into the coop with everyone following, so he's a great guardrooster.

We're afraid if we give him sight he'll get full of himself and he's just so sweet now.

 

[TeaChick]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Leahs Mom
Could we do a list of our top 5-10 things each of us have learned that have helped us raise healthy chickens in a natural way? That might be a good starting point

1. Keep It Simple, Sweetie.
2. Keep everything as dry as possible.
3. There aren't very many things that some combination of yogurt, coconut oil, oregano/Ecinechea, and/or an egg (scrambled w/ the shell) can't help.
4. Lots of room is important.
5. Give cover for areal predators.
6. Cheyenne pepper for worm prevention (treatment requires something stronger).
7. Protein is important.
8. Droopy wings, disheveled feathers, and lethargy are bad signs.
9. Watching combs and waddles can tell you a lot about what's going on with a chicken.
10. Don't count your pullets before they lay.
Sorry I'm kind of late with this. It said "everybody".

 

[Attila the Hen]

I am having a problem with my rooster, having a problem with my little girl. She is 10 and I have been letting her help me with my hens. (She is Never alone with any of my chickens.) My rooster does not like her handling my hens. So, I have stopped having her help, but he is still acting as if she is a threat. He does a little dance toward her. I always step in when he does this, but yesterday when free ranging, he seemed to be stalking her. We were working in the garden, and he kept himself positioned about 10 feet from her. If she turned her back toward him, he would advance. When I stepped between them, he backed down. He didn't ever actually touch her, but I am sure that if he had the opportunity, he would have.

I do not want to keep a rooster that is a danger to my kids. I don't have a problem culling, I will do it right now if I need to. However, I am so inexperienced and this rooster does take great care of my hens. He calls them to food, puts them in the coop or under the porch if a hawk is nearby and even fights off the neighbor's poodle. Is it possible to have roosters that don't mind children? Is it possible to improve my rooster's behavior? I feel like I shouldn't even give him another chance, but then I worry that I am over reacting because of inexperience. After seeing his behavior yesterday, I couldn't feel comfortable with them both out in the yard together, at least not unless I am right there watching him.

I am no old timer or expert on roosters but I wonder if this would be a good opportunity to teach your daughter to be dominant where the rooster is concerned. As someone else pointed out, carrying a rooster around is a good way to subdue and humiliate him. It would be a shame if your daughter developed a fear of roosters and chickens as a result of this. The ability to be the "leader" with any animal is a good trait to develop.

 

[yawningreyhound]

I was looking for what it looked like when a real rooster attacked (this little Polish isn't a fair comparison) and came across this Mother Earth News article.

Food! I hadn't thought of FOOD! When I rotate shy or fearful greyhounds through our house, that's always what I use: FOOD!

http://www.motherearthnews.com/home...elp-for-agressive-roosters.aspx#axzz2vsi7sMt9

 

[Attila the Hen]

Great article!! Thank you. Very funny too.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I was looking for what it looked like when a real rooster attacked (this little Polish isn't a fair comparison) and came across this Mother Earth News article.

Food! I hadn't thought of FOOD! When I rotate shy or fearful greyhounds through our house, that's always what I use: FOOD!

http://www.motherearthnews.com/home...elp-for-agressive-roosters.aspx#axzz2vsi7sMt9

That is interesting! And it says to do just the opposite of what most of the "old time chicken keepers" have told us to do.

My rooster has always been pleasant so I've hot had to do any "correcting". But we've definitely heard lots about people doing the scenario that is described here.

Now...now having had to deal with a mean rooster, I will defer to others who have. I'd like to hear what everyone thinks about what the article says!

(And food does sound like a pretty reasonable idea...but I suppose it doesn't work for all...

)

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Leahs Mom
Could we do a list of our top 5-10 things each of us have learned that have helped us raise healthy chickens in a natural way? That might be a good starting point

1. Keep It Simple, Sweetie.
2. Keep everything as dry as possible.
3. There aren't very many things that some combination of yogurt, coconut oil, oregano/Ecinechea, and/or an egg (scrambled w/ the shell) can't help.
4. Lots of room is important.
5. Give cover for areal predators.
6. Cheyenne pepper for worm prevention (treatment requires something stronger).
7. Protein is important.
8. Droopy wings, disheveled feathers, and lethargy are bad signs.
9. Watching combs and waddles can tell you a lot about what's going on with a chicken.
10. Don't count your pullets before they lay.
Sorry I'm kind of late with this. It said "everybody".

Yes! Everybody!

Keep 'em coming.