The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[joyfulkeeper]

I have never ever had a broody that I couldn't discourage after a few days . So I've never had a broody sit on a nest. This hen, however, didn't care what I did to discourage her and kept going back to the nest no matter what. She is pretty funny, she got so she would tuck an egg under each wing so when I would lift her off the nest, she would take the eggs with her . Took me a while before I figured that one out!

I gave her blue and brown eggs to hatch, no idea if they are fertile or not. She and her sisters lay cream eggs, so I'll be able to pull any out that get laid daily.

I like those broody boxes I saw in other threads - a long rectangular box made of scrap lumber - just the frame of a rectangle, wrapped in wire, with a cardboard box for the nest at one end. put it in the run, broody and chicks are safe but everyone sees each other. course, the little coop run isn't really big enough or waterproof...

Wow, your broody was very determined! Too funny with the eggs!

I like the idea of a broody box as well. I was trying to get DH to make one and put it on the wall of the coop so it didn't take up floor space, but it wasn't happening anytime soon. I put a cardboard box in the back corner of the dog crate and just put it on the floor of the coop. Ms. Broody-butt is locked in there with food and water and room to stretch a bit, and she is still able to see the flock. The coop is cramped now but the ducks especially don't spend much time in there.

We are on day 3 now and she is a content Broody sitting well. I can't wait to candle the eggs for the first time on day 7 and experience the changes in the eggs!

 

[joyfulkeeper]

Me take pictures? Lol



Here it is so far. I finished 2 more tops with plastic wire yesterday then put plastic over them. I will be getting soil for it after the store opens at 9.

Eta thanks to stony for sharing the idea to use stair raisers to make the boxes like steps. I also lined inside with that black material you use to keep weeds out of your garden. As you can see they don't meet well inside so I am hoping it keeps the soil from falling out. Lala you can see they are not level at all. I tell people my carpentry skills give my projects character

I love it! Great "character" too! What will you plant in it?

 

[lalaland]

Me take pictures? Lol



Here it is so far. I finished 2 more tops with plastic wire yesterday then put plastic over them. I will be getting soil for it after the store opens at 9.

Eta thanks to stony for sharing the idea to use stair raisers to make the boxes like steps. I also lined inside with that black material you use to keep weeds out of your garden. As you can see they don't meet well inside so I am hoping it keeps the soil from falling out. Lala you can see they are not level at all. I tell people my carpentry skills give my projects character

AFL, I think this is such a cool idea and the pics really help! the stair raisers did work great. and....level schmevel...

 

[lalaland]

Wow, your broody was very determined! Too funny with the eggs!

I like the idea of a broody box as well. I was trying to get DH to make one and put it on the wall of the coop so it didn't take up floor space, but it wasn't happening anytime soon. I put a cardboard box in the back corner of the dog crate and just put it on the floor of the coop. Ms. Broody-butt is locked in there with food and water and room to stretch a bit, and she is still able to see the flock. The coop is cramped now but the ducks especially don't spend much time in there.

We are on day 3 now and she is a content Broody sitting well. I can't wait to candle the eggs for the first time on day 7 and experience the changes in the eggs!

thanks for the info about candling on day 7 - I've never paid attention to candling as had no need, you saved me from having to research when you do it.

I'm on day 3 as well! Ilost a day when she rolled eggs out of nest). are you giving her any special food?

 

[armorfirelady]

They are all filled up & planted. I planted spinach, chamomile, thyme & basil. All,things that are good for the hens and they can eat them as they want them. The boxes are actually dual purpose. Grow herbs & give them some much needed shade this summer. It also blocks that part of coop to keep the rain out but allow ventilation

In the last picture to the right I put down some mint and threw some soil on top of it. I put some catnip under the herb boxes & a mixture around their entry door. If it grows it grows. They are both suppose to be good for keeping bugs away, I won't plant either any closer to my veggie garden since they are know to take over & hard to get rid of. But they can grow all they want in the chicken area.

I also got my cold frames made from old garage door frames my friends had in their garage. They thought I was nuts when I asked if I could have them but they worked well. I planted under them spinach, betts, mustard greens, nettle, basil, oregano, carrots, thyme. Oh and peas around the perimeter of the whole garden (this is only my raised bed. I tripled the garden in size last year) then some flowers around the perimeter of the raised beds to keep bugs & bunnies away. Different kinds of marigolds & nasturtium (sp)

I've never had my cold crops in this early. I'm hopeful everything grows. The other veggies can't go in in till the end of May but I have been saving milk cartons to make mini green houses so maybe I can put them in a few weeks early. Oh and I'm going to try plants in the hay bales also. They are suppose to help start them early.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: I decided not to candle either time. Until it appeared that no more were going to hatch because I didn't want to lose a live kiddo if mamma decided it was time to move on.

 

[lalaland]

AFL, you must be all warmed up and ready to come do my garden, right? congrats on getting that done

Sue, I'm thinking about candling because I'm not so certain the eggs are fertile. About day 7, I should have those 4 legbar chicks and if no fertile eggs could try giving the chicks to the broody. She is very very easy going, not at all disturbed by me checking the eggs, or making the coop wall, etc. So I am not worried at this point about her reacting when I check the eggs.

so much to learn still!!

 

[joyfulkeeper]

I'm itching to get in my garden. Thankfully, I held off because most of the farm will be a big "pond" after the 6 days of rain that is predicted. Just 2 days into the 6 and there are little "ponds" all over the farm... the ducks are in seventh-heaven, but the chickens complained terribly this morning when they rushed out following the ducks into a downpour. They might learn to check things out before they follow the ducks next time... maybe?

AFL, how do you use milk cartons for greenhouses? And, your garden sounds wonderful! I never thought of planting mint around the coop, great idea!

I don't really feel like I need to candle the eggs as I have seen good fertility, but I just want to see the magic taking place while it happens since this is my first time hatching eggs. The kids want to look for "science sake" as well. I decided to just candle twice though so the eggs won't be handled too much. Ms. Broody-butt seems to be fine with us "messing" with her eggs.

I haven't fed her anything special, just the normal FF. I think I will maybe give her some greens and scrambled eggs though since she is not out foraging getting her usual bugs and greens from the yard. Are there some other good important things I should feed a broody?

We gave the eggs to the hen on Friday afternoon. Do I count that as day one? I thought I read somewhere that that would be day 0 and Saturday would be day one?

 

[4Hgirl]

4Hgirl:  Congrats on your hatch.  Any more?  Am I understanding that Mama is a barred rock?  What is Daddy?  If he's a solid colored roo, (not barred, and not white) your chicks will be sex linked.  That first one looks like a girl!!

Yes, one more hatched I think the last two were duds so took them out and put in incubator just in case. The first baby had already been out 24 hours and i was worried it needed food and water. As soon as we did and went back outside momma already had her three out of the nest and in the feed! The daddy is a BT silver laced polish so quite an experiment mix. One has a white dot on the head and two don't. I'm happy to see she is raising them well and now I know I have a broody to hatch and raise some pure breds
Hopefully the one polish hen will ever lay! She is in the same coop and I prayed these eggs were hers but no head bumps so not a chance. So excited with the prospect of not always incubating and box raising chicks I like this natural method so much more!

 

[4Hgirl]