The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Shan30]

For me there are a couple of things that just won't happen.  First I have toddlers so the time it takes to hunt is hard to fit in.  Next I have no guns, so no aiming and shooting skills.  Back to the toddlers, I'm not comfortable with guns and powerful bow & arrow sets in the house.   That may change as my children age.  But for now, it is not happening.   

Then lastly BUGS, I do not like bugs.  I like honey and vegies so I know they have a purpose.

I'm completely with you on the bugs. Thank goodness for the bug killing house cat!

We have two gun safes one with a key and one with a combination. Both are in the bedroom, one build into the wall and one in the closet. We are pretty hardcore about gun safety at our house. My mom even had the police check our house when we were out of town and there was a man on the property and they were impressed with our gun storage. Really scared the neighbour who had heard the chickens freaking out and just wanted to make sure they were ok haha!

We are in the lucky position of being able to walk out the back door to hunt so that makes it convenient. My brother and his wife built a tree stand on their property and take turns hunting from it while the other watches the kids inside. When their daughter was 18 months she would go to the window with binoculars, look out and say "darn, no deer"

I think that if possible everyone should know how to safely handle a weapon. I'm by no means a "prepper" but you never know when you might need that knowledge. On the other hand I have no basic first aid training which is pretty irresponsible.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm far from being a prepper, but a word to the wise is sufficient. There may come a day, sooner than we think, where it will be practically impossible, if not illegal to purchase a gun. IMO, every home needs to be armed, and informed. Also, if needed, you will be prepared to protect your flock.

 

[lalaland]

edited to take my knee jerk reaction off the post. how bout we stick to chickens?
and yup, guns to take the predators getting your flock, and yup guns for food.

assault rifles? nah.

 

[jtn42248]

I think that if possible everyone should know how to safely handle a weapon. I'm by no means a "prepper" but you never know when you might need that knowledge. On the other hand I have no basic first aid training which is pretty irresponsible.

Absolutely!!!!! Neither of us had any experience with weapons when we bought this place a year ago. Within the first month we had several racoons prowling in the barns (we had not gotten chickens yet thank God) and 6-8 feral hogs root up the entire back yard. Plus several visits from skunks and the tracks of a Bobcat who is still around and visits in the field next to us but with our dogs will not come on the property. My cousin, a lifelong hunter, helped us select what we needed for home defense and instructed us over several weekends on what we needed to know. Sadly we have had to make use of those weapons a few times in order to protect our livestock. Neither of us are gun wonks but we do believe in keeping our home safe for ourselves and anything that we have committed to provide a safe living environment for.

Get some first aid training too. Luck held for us and we knew what to do when I stupidly tried to stop a food aggression fight between two of our dogs and ended up with a severed nerve in my hand, 6 hours in the ER and 14 stitches with a permanent 30% loss of feeling and mobility to my right index finger. Depending on how rural you are you need to know how to treat simple cuts and burns, stabilize a broken bone, deal with venomous insect and snake bites, CPR and a whole host of other things until you can get help or get to a hospital. First aid is certainly a lot more than a box with bandaids and iodine.

 

[Leahs Mom]

A couple years ago I took first aid and cpr for medical professionals (the class they require the nursing students to take prior to starting classes). I'm always glad whenever I take them and I need to re-do it as my "certification" expired last year.

ETA:
I like the one for med professionals as it also covers cpr and first aid that is specifically applicable to children as well as adults. Much more in depth than the regular classes.

 

[Shan30]

I know its random but there is a firearms law in Canada that allows people owning livestock to keep a firearm in an outbuilding unlocked and apparently loaded. Crazy! I could see storing it with a lock and a loaded magazine nearby for emergencies such as the bears but that's just ridiculous.

On a happy note my young birds are starting to lay and I'm back to ten eggs a day. Thank goodness my egg customers stuck it out during the molt before these girls started up!

Edited to add: Sorry if anyone feels that I took this off topic. Thought my comments applied to the topic at hand and may have been useful information to some.

 

[armorfirelady]

I think it's something that everyone should at least have a chance to learn and be familiar with - even if they don't choose to ever become an owner. As I look back now, I feel that's one part of education I didn't give my kids... nor did I get it... and I wish I had. On our lessons, some of my adult children were going to do the classes w/us.

When my son was 13 or 14 he wanted an air soft gun. I told him he could one but only if he took the NYS gun safety course first. He thought it was dumb but he did learn a lot from the class. Ive taken mine as well so I could get my pistol permit. My son wont be home always so I feel better with a pistol in the house if needed. And when I get my property I know I would feel better with it.

A couple years ago I took first aid and cpr for medical professionals (the class they require the nursing students to take prior to starting classes). I'm always glad whenever I take them and I need to re-do it as my "certification" expired last year.

ETA:
I like the one for med professionals as it also covers cpr and first aid that is specifically applicable to children as well as adults. Much more in depth than the regular classes.

I've been an EMT for almost 25 years. Before that I took Red Cross class courses while in high school.

I think if everyone took a basic CPR course they could change many lives. And of course a basic first aid course as well. Some schools have EMT classes for high school seniors. My son took the class.

In my regular job I speak with a lot of people who think they need an ambulance for something as simple as a paper cut. (honest !!) It seems that many people have lost/were never shown basic first aid as they grew up.

I believe everyone should have basic first aid training. You may never use it but at least you know what needs to be done if need be.

 

[lalaland]

hey, if you are interested in building a poultry hut or feeder, the u of m just updated their stuff and have videos too

If you need portable huts, or poultry feeders, these might be of interest.
The links can be found on the following webpage:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/food/small-farms/livestock/poultry/


the huts look similiar to Armorfirelady's - and have a material list and cost.

the feeders are great for mash, probably not ff because I'm thinking it would be a pina to clean. I want to build one for winter use when I am feeding a dry mash when it is below freezing - I lose too much feed with the birds tossing it out - this design seems to eliminate that problem.

 

[armorfirelady]

hey, if you are interested in building a poultry hut or feeder, the u of m just updated their stuff and have videos too

If you need portable huts, or poultry feeders, these might be of interest.
The links can be found on the following webpage:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/food/small-farms/livestock/poultry/


the huts look similiar to Armorfirelady's - and have a material list and cost.

the feeders are great for mash, probably not ff because I'm thinking it would be a pina to clean. I want to build one for winter use when I am feeding a dry mash when it is below freezing - I lose too much feed with the birds tossing it out - this design seems to eliminate that problem.

Wow that does look like mine. He def did a better job with instructions & supplies

 

[lazy gardener]

I like his adaptation with the swinging PVC bar at the back to encourage the birds to move forward when the tractor is being moved.