The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[MargaretYakoda]

I love seeing all these versions of the broody bucket! Great job.

You had a GREAT idea Kassaundra! I'm just copying it.

For the record, it's sunny but only 57 degrees right now. And the chicks are fine. Did I mention they're just barely over two weeks old? And they've been outside for a week already?



Also, today they learned what salmon is. This was their reaction

 

[beccasev]

Boy I hate to interrupt all the cute broody and chick talk for something so gross as this. But I have a question about the dreaded c word-cockroaches. I've had my hens for a year now. I didn't notice anything much by way of roaches last summer or fall. We added rabbits in spring and they've been outside near the chicken coop since late April. And now I see roaches. On the rabbit hutches, and now on the chicken coop. I assume everyone has them? Do you do anything about it? I've contemplated getting ducks, but I'm not sure about taking on a new project right now. Is there anything natural I can do about it? Would DE help? I deep litter my coop and run and have seen roaches in the actual coop. My run is on a bit of a hill, so my litter tends to run to the back of the run downhill. I push the litter forward almost weekly. What would you suggest? Does anyone else have roaches and do you just ignore it or actually do something?

 

[Sally8]

...

Just had to cull our beautiful Juanita....she was the Silver Laced Wyandotte that never layed an egg but she was our buddy and Oprah's running mate especially when Tina was broody. Found her face down in the coop when I got home and she couldn't hold her head up. I was kinda expecting her to not have a long life.... I'm sorry for your loss. I don't have the same bond with my chickens as I do my dogs or cats but it still leaves that hollow feeling in the stomach.

I love these pics also. It's so much fun watching mom and her fluffy butts.

Cooling off on a hot day.

That is such a cute picture. I put the pool up for the chickens (hard plastic, about 10 in deep). I've never seen anyone actually get in but it makes for a great waterer. I originally used it for the turkeys. It's great for catching bugs.

 

[Sally8]

I wish it was warm here. I just lit a fire to take the chill out of the house. Mind you was in the 60s today but the winds makes it feel sooooo much colder. Brrr!

Scot I love the pictures.

Margaretyakoda- I would watch to make sure they can't peck the styrofoam. I see there's hardware cloth over it but my girls still ate the styrofoam thru it. I finally put it in garbage bags (I use it around the exterior of the coop during the winter to keep drafts out. Goofy hens.

So my Stella story for the week is: she keeps hoping the fence to get in the veggie garden. Last 3 days she has been in there and keeps laying her egg next to the coop. I need to set up the game cam so I can see which way she is going. I swear if anyone needs a hen to see if their enclosure is secure I will send her over lol. I actually keep telling my Mom she is going to find "her Stella" in her back yard one of these days if she doesn't stop. The funny part is she can't figure out how to get back in where she belongs and as soon as she sees someone out she runs for the gate to be let in.

Lucy & Sophie are still sitting strong. No one had any suggestions so I'm going to wipe her stomach off and the eggs. She is a little stinky and I don't know if they broke another egg or someone pooped in there :/. Need to wait till after dark tho to keep her quiet

I built a fire tonight also, just enough to take the chill off, but it sure feels nice. Not sure if I would have wiped chicken or egg off. I guess it would depend on how bad it looked I've had that happen and left the egg alone and it hatched but it did smell up the coop, plus it's probably not good for bacteria to grow. I think I changed the bedding as it was all over there, also. Now, just wait and see. Like I said, I'll be surprised to see if you can wait 10 days to candle. lol

 

[chicalot]

Just stopping by to share. I have to show my new babies off. My broody's chick's didn't hatch but Ms. Dottie loves her baby quackers. My incubating was perfectly timed only by chance. This whole raising chips and incubating is so up and down. I love the new babe's but it's extremely sad to open an egg and find babies that didn't make it. Her 3 silkies were fully developed and absorbed the yolk but never pipped. Same with 2 of my ducks and 1 quitter at maybe a week or so before hatch. Hope you don't mind my off topic pics as well.

Peaking out

comfy on the food before meeting new mama

Cutie

Rascals

Herd of chicken watchers..hoping for the feed...

oh and I did assist one duck out. It pipped the wrong end and was stuck for 48+ hours. I truly felt like it was necessary. There were not any breeders and it was truly needing out of there. They hatched memorial day.

 

[lalaland]

Dorkings and bantam Cochins are like that. LOL and my buff orp too

this round, I gave up and just yanked her off the nest and tossed her (literally) in a pen with babies ranging from 3-6 weeks old. this is what happened.

nice! good to know you don't have to fret too much about the age of the chicks if you have a really good broody.

the two broody sisters of broody mama are really funny - all nest on the floor with mama and the babies. they try to call the babies to feed, but the babies ignore them. and the broody that looks like a beach ball all puffed up and wings held out - she is still like that but not on the nest, is slowly walking thru the pens etc calling to the babies. pretty funny.

 

[lalaland]

Boy I hate to interrupt all the cute broody and chick talk for something so gross as this. But I have a question about the dreaded c word-cockroaches. I've had my hens for a year now. I didn't notice anything much by way of roaches last summer or fall. We added rabbits in spring and they've been outside near the chicken coop since late April. And now I see roaches. On the rabbit hutches, and now on the chicken coop. I assume everyone has them? Do you do anything about it? I've contemplated getting ducks, but I'm not sure about taking on a new project right now. Is there anything natural I can do about it? Would DE help? I deep litter my coop and run and have seen roaches in the actual coop. My run is on a bit of a hill, so my litter tends to run to the back of the run downhill. I push the litter forward almost weekly. What would you suggest? Does anyone else have roaches and do you just ignore it or actually do something?

Huh! I've never seen cockroaches outside. WIll the chickens eat the cockroaches? What part of the country are you in?


the only thing I could suggest is trying to keep the amount of excess feed on the ground way way down. Under feed your girls so they clean it up....but although I'm not familiar with roaches I understand they can subsist on barely no food - but are attracted to food? Wherever you live, if it is in the U.S., try calling the state university ag dept poultry div if they have one, or the extension office...I'm sure this problem has been addressed. Just totally unfamiliar with it up here in the north.

 

[armorfirelady]

I built a fire tonight also, just enough to take the chill off, but it sure feels nice. Not sure if I would have wiped chicken or egg off. I guess it would depend on how bad it looked I've had that happen and left the egg alone and it hatched but it did smell up the coop, plus it's probably not good for bacteria to grow. I think I changed the bedding as it was all over there, also. Now, just wait and see. Like I said, I'll be surprised to see if you can wait 10 days to candle. lol

Hmmm maybe I will just leave them & just check out Lucys belly to see if she still has some on their.

And I will make it to 10 days before candling. 10 Days is next week Thursday.........I work till 1900 & will be candling after work. I put it on my calendar

If I cant see the chics born I am def going to see them grow. lol

 

[Meinertzhagens]

Sorry, i replied to a post before my computer had updated!

I got all of my chicks two weeks ago (only 2 hatched in the classroom but it was still a blast!) Anyway, I have been super busy with them and finishing up the school year so I haven't been on in a while and am hundreds of posts behind! I started to play catch up but decided that would take forever so now I am just playing keep up!

 

[flyladyrocks]

Dorkings and bantam Cochins are like that. LOL and my buff orp too

this round, I gave up and just yanked her off the nest and tossed her (literally) in a pen with babies ranging from 3-6 weeks old. this is what happened.

Oh precious.