The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

@lalaland

If we want to watch do we just sign in as "guest"? Also - do they have an archive of their programs if someone can't make it at the specific time?

 

[lalaland]

@lalaland

If we want to watch do we just sign in as "guest"? Also - do they have an archive of their programs if someone can't make it at the specific time?

Hi Sue,
I don't know! I got the notice, and this is the second one I've been interested in, the first one got cancelled. Try the link and see what you can find out. It is open to everyone. I plan to log on maybe 5 minutes early to be able to figure it out....and I haven't looked up the presenter so I sure can't vouch for him. Topic, though, sounds interesting.

 

[subhanalah]

Really enjoyed seeing his chicken yard!  I did something similar in my run but it was just with the wood chips, indoor litter put out on the run, etc.  Made the most wonderful soil for our gardens this spring.  We dug out some of the greatest, worm-filled dirt you can imagine.

I know some folks throw their compost in the chicken yards but I haven't done it in my run since it's so small.  We used to have a compost pile in the larger area that they run in but the chickens totally decimated it and you wouldn't even know there was compost there now!  I am trying to think of a good way to make a compost area in the large range space in such a way that it is kept in a small area and we can actually get some compost from it fro ourselves   Maybe that isn't a big deal as the kennel pen has a great soil production.

Also interesting about the stuff they sprayed on the "organic" carrots.  It's very frustrating that you can't trust the organic label to mean what it's supposed to mean.

And...
My chicken area doesn't stink either.  Inside or out.  I had a friend that hates animals come over once and I took her out to see how my husband had remodeled the hen shed inside.  The first thing she said was, "It doesn't stink in here.  Why doesn't it stink?" 

I took that as a sign that I was doing something right - especially when THIS friend made that comment unsolicited! 

I've seen some people build like a box around their compost piles, with a one of the side walls being lower in the center so the chickens can get in and out, but the compost mostly stays confined.

 

[armorfirelady]

@leahsmom I made mine out of pallets that were free and green t stakes I had already. I can easily block the entrance off with another pallet if needed. My have free reign of it and they have kept the compost well turned lol. Yes there is not much in there but it will get fuller as they summer progresses. It def breaks down faster with them in there. But all that free bug protein is good for them plus it's shaded in the afternoon and the dirt must be cool because that's one of their favorite places to lay.

I have a smaller plastic one that I use for indoor scraps. It takes a lot longer for stuff to break down in there lol

 

[misbhaven]

Well....my kiddos have been where the adults can see them for weeks - both inside and outside the hen shed - but in a separated area with their own side of the hen shed and run...including their own separate door to the outside area.

I'm just a bit "gun-shy" of having them out where they can get lost in 3/4 acre or so when I turn them into the larger crowd. I have been going out and luring them inside in the evening and shutting the door. So last night I decided to see if they'd come in on their own at the proper time. Nope. All 3 sitting in their separated run area on a stump. I had to lure them in to shut the door.

Not sure if they would have come in as it got darker or if they would have just sat out there all night. There was still a bit of light outside when I got them in.

my youngster actually go introduce themselves as they get to free range pretty much all day long they wander around depending on the run some wander in the runs and say hi and run back out...some of my LF pullets are escape artist their run is a dog kennel with chicken wire around the bottom with a tarp and bird netting over the top every morning i find the same 3 out.think they may have dug a whole in the corner or something. of course those same few are very social they go in their own coop sometime bed down with the bantam and even had 1 sleep in the playpen as we call it just a 4x4 coop with a short garden fence youngster are mostly non flyers or bad flyers and pretty much just stay in except to go visiting every now and then...I have 2 coops of LF soon to be 4 when all the pullets,roo's reach laying age. they take turns free ranging as a few like to go visit my neighbors etc too much if I let them out very early in the day..

when I made the big introduction I actually had the 16 -6 to 8 week old's in a new coop and moved the older birds in with them no fighting over favorite spots etc, the LF old coop and run I gave to the bantams of course
on a side note I have THREE broody hens right now all in the same nest box I could probably sneek in anything i wanted right now....oh I have no idea how many eggs they have as the other two just climb right on top and lay..and i know the first hen had 10 I gave her 5 and she had 5 when she started...
Need any Dorking chicks? i sure i will have a few to spare and I will be passing your direction in a few weeks hopefully my mom lives in eastern IN...How about an attack Maran rooster

hates men eats out of my hand ,flogs my husband ..

 

[gevshiba]

Thanks for catching that. It was me. Luckily, it didn't look the same. Also, the hens were definitely not in wet conditions. If anything, the barn is really dusty and dry.

 

[Grannychick55]

do you use a routine worming schedule in your maintenance or onlybwhen the chooks show symptoms?

I was looking on this thread for a answer to a question about worming large flocks of chickens. I have around 275 birds and was looking for a way to worm that many and do you need to unless you are sure they have worms? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am somewhat new just bought a few and it has been new breeds or pretty colored eggs and now have alot of birds. Should I worm them on a regular bases and if so what is best for large flocks that range in age from 2 days to 4 years old.Thanks for any advice

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
The easiest way may be to add something to their water. I use dish soap every so often. I put a squirt in a gallon of water or 3 squirts in our 3 gallon water containers. I will make a guess that my squirt is between a teaspoon and 2 teaspoons. I keep the soap in the water for at least a week, sometimes up to a month. I tend to do it in cooler weather so fall and spring. I don't want to risk a bird not liking the soap and overheating in the summer.

 

[flyladyrocks]

Thanks for catching that. It was me. Luckily, it didn't look the same. Also, the hens were definitely not in wet conditions. If anything, the barn is really dusty and dry.

So glad! It was this vague memory and I could not remember what exactly you said!

 

[flyladyrocks]

I've seen some people build like a box around their compost piles, with a one of the side walls being lower in the center so the chickens can get in and out, but the compost mostly stays confined.

I recently asked my hubbie if he could build me something like - the compost pile is pretty much non existent! I am very impressed with how well they have spread it around is just a few days. I now totally understand why you can just dump a pile of woodchips in the middle of the run.