The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

I was free ranging a lot more and they were separated from the other meat birds from day 1 and brooded etc with some SLW, the heavy girls are pretty active and do come out a free range etc..but we have 2 foxes roaming our little dead town killing everyones chickens..i live in a dead town where people have1 to 10acres but all houses are right on streets etc so basically have to trap the critter and then shoot it because the fox is always seen right by someones house etc..I am borrowing two live traps i know there are at least 4 other set just a matter of time..
I do extra's in the water every couple days, I get Merrick blue ribbon poultry electrolytes has probotics right in it 4 0z bag on sale for $1.69 or full price is only like 2. @ farm and fleet .for a gallon it takes a little over a tablespoon..
 
Very frustrated with myself right now. Someone posted a link to a podcast they did on fermented feed. I thought I had e-mailed it to myself and saved it in my chicken folder. I only go tthru part of it and was just o overwhelmed to process it it all. Now that I want to listen to all and am starting to ferment - I can't find it!

I am in the process of going thru a ridiculous number of posts trying to find it. Was it you Lean's Mom? Can anyone help before I rip out all my feathers -er- hair?
 
Very frustrated with myself right now. Someone posted a link to a podcast they did on fermented feed. I thought I had e-mailed it to myself and saved it in my chicken folder. I only go tthru part of it and was just o overwhelmed to process it it all. Now that I want to listen to all and am starting to ferment - I can't find it!

I am in the process of going thru a ridiculous number of posts trying to find it. Was it you Lean's Mom? Can anyone help before I rip out all my feathers -er- hair?

Yes :D

Scroll all the way to the bottom for the podcast window: http://www.urbanchickenpodcast.com/ucp-episode-048/
 
The broody mama's have started to lay again, chicks are now about 5 or 6 weeks old - I've lost track.

And I think I have 4 pullets and 2 roos....plus the 3 legbar pullets, so 6 more hens will be laying this fall. The sulmtalers are great moms, and have taught the babies the best foraging skills. The babies peep hysterically when I get near the run because they want OUT NOW!. THe run has been eaten clean, so all the bugs and greens are out. Two fox dens nearby so absolutely no free ranging unless I'm there.

Plus, those chicks have a way of getting themselves into trouble.

So far the bear has left the coops alone - I'm nervous about having a screen door on the little coop - I want to be able to keep them cooler at night and when it starts to heat up I'll use the screen. Hardware cloth on a wood frame, but no match for a bear. I don't worry about the big coop,

happy solstice tomorrow everyone!
 
The broody mama's have started to lay again, chicks are now about 5 or 6 weeks old - I've lost track.

And I think I have 4 pullets and 2 roos....plus the 3 legbar pullets, so 6 more hens will be laying this fall. The sulmtalers are great moms, and have taught the babies the best foraging skills. The babies peep hysterically when I get near the run because they want OUT NOW!. THe run has been eaten clean, so all the bugs and greens are out. Two fox dens nearby so absolutely no free ranging unless I'm there.

Plus, those chicks have a way of getting themselves into trouble.

So far the bear has left the coops alone - I'm nervous about having a screen door on the little coop - I want to be able to keep them cooler at night and when it starts to heat up I'll use the screen. Hardware cloth on a wood frame, but no match for a bear. I don't worry about the big coop,

happy solstice tomorrow everyone!

Have the mammas left the babies now or are they still taking care of them?
 
the two hens who didn't hatch the babies are pretty hands off now, but all three hens are still roosting on the floor with the chicks under all 3 hens. Or chicks nesting on top of the hens when it is hot.

This morning it is damp and chilly, about 52, and the chicks got chilled and wanted under the hens. Only the broody mama let them come under, and of course they didn't fit!.

Broody mama still calls for tidbits, but the other two mamas will chase the chicks when the chicks get a worm or bug.

And broody mama isn't tracking the chicks, and is unconcerned when they wander off and get lost in the tall meadow grass.

This morning, one of the rooster chicks tried his first crow.

THe 3 legbar chicks had a first afternoon outside in the sun - and had a constant parade of visitors checking them out. The main flock spent a lot of time grazing right up next to the tiny chick enclosure, and on the other side, the 6 week old chicks were fascinated by the babies.
 
When my broody has a clutch she was taking care of them till they were 13 weeks old. And they would still try to get under her
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It's quite hilarious to see these huge chicks trying to squeeze under there!!!!
 

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