The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

The young ones got their first taste of comfrey today, and the little pirrahna stripped those leaves clean!

Had a client come in talking comfrey up Guess it is awesome for them.

Anyone else hear about negative ion generators in chicken coops? That was another thing they were going on about. Neat to learn things from customers that I've never heard of before. Natural things too!

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Well my poor girls have been penned with the rooster all day. I just got home and have to leave again in an hour. Though the 8 of them gave me 5 eggs and I'd like to reward them I can't let them out for just under an hour to free range. That would be more stressful (like giving a kid an ice cream bar and then snatching it back) than not letting them out.

I fed them, collected the eggs and promised them I'd be home tomorrow by noon at the latest and they could stay out the remainder of the day (unless the bear shows). At back of property the neighbors saw a bear come out of my woods and go down to their pond to drink and back to woods AT 10:30 AM!!!!!!! Uh I was outside with the chickens and in the edge of woods right behind house!!!!!! No wonder they didn't go far.... maybe they knew! When I came back in yard they came close to coop area too.

More vigilance from this time on. Especially, as my first bred heritage RIR chicks are coming soon from my partner that hatched for me! :/ Which have to be kept away from adults and out of the main coop as we have a touch of sneezing going on. Don't want them exposed.

 

[MrsHall28]

Just let my 7 week old hens out of their coop/run for the first time ever! They are sticking close to the coop for now, but they love it. We also happen to have an outdoor cat who LOVES the backyard. Right now when the chickens are out I put him away in the garage, but he cries and cries. I've seen a lot of people say that their cats don't bother their chickens. At what age would it be safe for me to let the cat and chickens out together? Or would it ever be safe?

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Guess what I got today

Congratulations!!! So cute.

 

[potagergirl]

oh soooo adorably cute you just want to give squishy hugs to each one!

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Just let my 7 week old hens out of their coop/run for the first time ever! They are sticking close to the coop for now, but they love it. We also happen to have an outdoor cat who LOVES the backyard. Right now when the chickens are out I put him away in the garage, but he cries and cries. I've seen a lot of people say that their cats don't bother their chickens. At what age would it be safe for me to let the cat and chickens out together? Or would it ever be safe?

I have two barn cats that eat mice and sparrows but never bother any of my full grown chickens. In fact the one barn cat loves hanging out with the chickens in their sunbathing dirt bathing area and can often be found snoozing with a pack of chickens. Yes, I've seen her sneak into the coop to take an egg now and then, but I've never seen her harass a hen.

I would let your cat out and observe her for a few days. See how she is with them.

 

[misbhaven]

I got a new lavender ( young daughters picked the color) bantam/growout coop today ..almost a perfect 4 ft cube got the items at a habitat for humanity Restore 4x4ft 1/2 inch plywood for $3.50 some kind of industrial palette i think, each had 3, 2x4's stapled to the bottom..so for $24 I have another coop...just in time because my Colombian Wyandotte bantams just laid their first egg yesterday (or I hope the others in with them are 12 weeks)

 

[gevshiba]

The young ones got their first taste of comfrey today, and the little pirrahna stripped those leaves clean!

LOL! I call my chicks soft piranhas.

 

[gevshiba]

My mystery chick. I heard back from the breeder. He thinks I was accidently sent a Chocolate Orpington.

 

[beccasev]

So we are considering adding a small number of ducks to our flock. Maybe 4. I'm torn between large ducks good for meat, and smaller ducks just for eggs. My main concern is pest control, specifically around the rabbit cages. My chickens just aren't doing enough. I've heard ducks are better at getting the more nocturnal bugs. My grand scheme is a large fenced run in the woods, about 50'x50'. We've cleared most of the large trees that will be within the run and may try to grow something out there. They may be allowed to free range very limitedly. My rabbit grow out hutches will be within the fenced area. My breeders are outside the area. We will build a house with a small bathing area for the ducks within this space as well.
Question is, does anyone here raise ducks? Is there a natural duck keeping thread somewhere? I avoid soy in my animal foods, so a grain mix would probably be my best choice. I'm having a hard time finding anyone who doesn't feed layer though. What are your experiences with ducks?