The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

@armorfirelady

I found that the glass waterers DID NOT work for the winter with the heating base. They had enough surface that they would get a freeze over the surface even though the jar and water below stayed thawed.
I'm hopeful...

but the jury is out.

Thanks Leah for the feed back. I guess I will need to stick with the galvanized waterer.

I am looking forward to how the new nipples work out for the winter for you also

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: I have taken the pepper pills, I had to fill those pills myself, what a task. I will second the statement to start slow. I'll add the idea of having some milk nearby if heartburn becomes an issue. I did not have ulcers so I can't speak on that pain issue. But as for the labor the pepper pills helped start that was more than a bit painful.

 

[delisha]

I am looking into heated waterers. I thought I had bought one on Amazon but when it showed up its not heated. My error so back it goes. Most I have reviewd have poor critiques so I started looking at the heated bases and then looked at the galvanized waterers to set on top of it. Any one ever used these before?

I was also wondering Leahs Mom if you though one of your glass waterers would work better on the heated base? The only concern I would have is them knocking the top glass jar from the glass base when they are all crammed into the feeding area. Thoughts?

ETA: meant to add the link to the base I was looking at
http://www.tractorsupply.com/product__10151_-1_10001_7241

That is what I have used for 30 years. I have one that is about that old still working. I have it on patio bricks so it stays off the ground. You can make a nice three sided box covered in shingles to place over the base and waterer. It lets the chicken go in to drink out of the snow, sleet, and rain and helps keep the water from freezing too.

Quote: I have taken the pepper pills, I had to fill those pills myself, what a task. I will second the statement to start slow. I'll add the idea of having some milk nearby if heartburn becomes an issue. I did not have ulcers so I can't speak on that pain issue. But as for the labor the pepper pills helped start that was more than a bit painful.
Are you having another adorable one?

 

[Leahs Mom]

@delisha
Do you use the metal double wall founts? If so, which brand do you use? I've read a lot of reviews where people had problems with them leaking and that certain brands were better than others.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Good to know thanks. I have a lean to that I use year round to hold their water & in the winter their food. I will make sure to keep it on the cinder block I use for the non heated waterer

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: I have taken the pepper pills, I had to fill those pills myself, what a task. I will second the statement to start slow. I'll add the idea of having some milk nearby if heartburn becomes an issue. I did not have ulcers so I can't speak on that pain issue. But as for the labor the pepper pills helped start that was more than a bit painful.
Are you having another adorable one?

No not yet, the most recent is a bit young to drink cows milk and I won't have goat milk till at least June. But I did use the pepper pills to help make sure everything was all ready for the last labor. Sometimes I wonder if the baby just did not like the pepper and decided to come out.
I do know that when the time comes again, I will have a whole list of herbs and herbal mixes to make sure all goes well with labor. Lots of different uses for the herbs during pregnancy but the birthing herbs are the strong ones.

As for the pepper pills, they do increase one's body temperature a bit too so starting this time of year is great. Can't say I would take the pills in July without a very very good reason. Also the powder is very economical on bulk herbs . com. And it tastes great in chili. For those of you that do want to stock up on herbs and herbal tea, the last few Thanksgiving sales have been wonderful there too.

 

[LindaB220]

@armorfirelady

I found that the glass waterers DID NOT work for the winter with the heating base. They had enough surface that they would get a freeze over the surface even though the jar and water below stayed thawed.

I am going to try a new water system this year but didn't want to mention it until I tried it to see if it really works well. But.... I'll show what I'm trying.



Horizontal nipples. Not the vertical kind that drop tons of water but the newer horizontal kind. It's a more natural way to drink and they won't get the wattles and front of birds and ground wet. But will they stay thawed?

Many people that used them last winter are liking them and said they did stay thawed with a heater in the bucket. I'm going to try them with my 50 w fish tank heater in the bucket. The nipples recede farther into the water than the type I used before and the potential of them staying thawed is pretty good. We shall see.

I already have a test bucket set up for them to start learning how to use them. Here's a thread that you can look at to learn about them:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-vs-horizontal-spring-loaded-watering-nipples

This is not mine but it looks similar to this:

I got mine at the only US distributor:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Solway-HO...286?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33969f0236

The seller's name is Rich and he is very helpful.

I'm hopeful...

but the jury is out.

My fellow is coming to finish my coop tomorrow. He's going to build me two of these. I ordered my from there also. Really hear good things about these.

 

[delisha]

@delisha
Do you use the metal double wall founts? If so, which brand do you use? I've read a lot of reviews where people had problems with them leaking and that certain brands were better than others.

I do not. I use the galvanized heating pans. It has heat tape under the pan. I use a plastic 5 gallon waterer on top of the pan. With insulated box covering it all just large enough for a few birds to get inside. The box is actually an old cupola.

Quote:
No not yet, the most recent is a bit young to drink cows milk and I won't have goat milk till at least June. But I did use the pepper pills to help make sure everything was all ready for the last labor. Sometimes I wonder if the baby just did not like the pepper and decided to come out.
I do know that when the time comes again, I will have a whole list of herbs and herbal mixes to make sure all goes well with labor. Lots of different uses for the herbs during pregnancy but the birthing herbs are the strong ones.

As for the pepper pills, they do increase one's body temperature a bit too so starting this time of year is great. Can't say I would take the pills in July without a very very good reason. Also the powder is very economical on bulk herbs . com. And it tastes great in chili. For those of you that do want to stock up on herbs and herbal tea, the last few Thanksgiving sales have been wonderful there too.
Thanks for the information!

 

[lalaland]

I wanted to get the new boys on the grass as soon as possible so I did some rigging.....

Have an old swingset frame here from when I was a kid!!!!! Yep, I said old.

Had a few kennel panels around waiting to be used elsewhere. Add some plastic netting I also had around. A few clips. And bedsheets just to shield from hawks since I didn't have a top. And.....

very creative! nice to use what you have at hand.


Those oil pan heaters - delisha, you are lucky to have an old one. They don't make them like that anymore - most I've ever gotten out of them has been a couple of years, I think lasted 4 years but after that, couldn't make it through 2 years. would quite in the middle of the second winter.

Thats why I went to the heated dog bowls, which, also don't last very long but longer than the oil pan heaters at half the cost. I read the tractor supply one and it says it is good to 10 degrees. thats not gonna work up here either.

I dread winter....smaller run, closer quarters, everything frozen....


I am still!!!! having problems with that silly pullet who. will. not. use. the. ramp. and waits by the people door or hits the pine trees. I've decided perhaps she is ramp-phobic. Going to look for tree stumps and see if she would like a set up like leah's.

been a whopping three days since last hen took sick with mareks. still waiting on necropsies. I asked them to do a fecal check too. Flock is quieter without the rooster. It is amazingly hard to watch the eyes on the hens. You have to see both sides....and get a good look...and they are busy hens and not holding still. I'm doing a lot of garlic, they are getting 18% grower mash soaked overnight.

I've got comfrey dried and ground to put in their feed this winter, and lots of nesting greens dried (yarrow, wormwood, tansy, mint). Hoping for a few dry days after the leaves finish falling to get bags of leaves to store for winter.

This year I've collected storm windows so I can make a solar warming area under the trailer by using glass to shield from the wind and snow instead of hay bales. I'll still have plenty of hay on the ground underneath. And hay bales on the north side, but I'm hoping for more light under there. I will build the sunporch addition too again (plywood on haybales.

 

[Lacy Blues]

lalaland, I've heard some pretty fantastic things about not only comfrey but plantain and its healing abilities. I finally got some seeds this fall and intend to grow some next year.