The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[vpatt]

Both! I've always had horses/ponies and currently have a mini donkey...I'm thinking she needs one of those Scandinavian sweaters ...and her own pony friend. She had a Shetland but he passed several years ago. 

I have heard that donkeys will kick up a fuss if predators come around.....is that true? Id love to have one.

 

[vpatt]

Yes you can do it, just compost all your scraps. It is just myself and my boyfriend and that is how we started building our piles. We compost alot as we have no garbage disposal, I often take the house compost out directly to the run and dump it. They scratch through it pretty quick.[/quote]


I started it! I had GS #4 carry some old timbers over to outline where I want it. The tree side didn't really need that...but if there wasn't something on the yard side to keep the lawnmower out then someone would run thru it and scatter it all away. Believe me.....if its something I want someone will do their best to destroy it.

Then I put some leaves down....already some there, every part of the yard is covered in leaves. After that I dumped the pine shavings with the chicken poop on it and then scattered straw over it all. I fed the girls some scraps and seeds and ff on top of it.......they didn't stay there long but I think they will when it warms up and they realize there are some real goodies in there.
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[SallyinIndiana]

I had 2 of my chickens escape the pen this morning. The weather is nicer than it has been in a while and the sun is shining. So far I have only found one. I think a hawk might have been enjoying the good weather too. It has been a few months since a hawk got one of my birds.

as for clothes on animals, I'm sure it is more natural than a heat lamp. Still after doing a day or two of laundry for me and my family, I would not want animal laundry.

 

[islandgirl82]

People shouldn't put clothes on animals.

It isn't Natural.

Yes, they have their own coats for a reason but as far as being natural...the same argument could be made for every breed of every beast we humans have come up with.
I'm actually not a fan of dressing animals up for our amusement but I do think that there are exceptions to be made...like for a chicken who is going through a heavy molt in extremely cold weather.
Those ponies are just adorable (imo)...and I love the sweaters no matter who they were made for.

I have heard that donkeys will kick up a fuss if predators come around.....is that true? Id love to have one.

They are quite territorial in general but there are always some who are more so than others and not all are good with other livestock. My jenny's mother used to attack the goats when they got too close to her and both girls preferred the company of our draughts over any animals smaller than them. The jenny I still have ruled them...it was amusing to see our massive Percheron mare who had such an attitude with everyone back way off from her food and let this pint sized little donkey have first dibs. Now the deer stay close to her, especially during the winter when food is scarce and she does watch out for them.

If you decide to get one, I would recommend getting one that has either been raised with they type of livestock you plan on keeping it with, or getting it young enough to raise it that way yourself.

 

[vpatt]

Yes, they have their own coats for a reason but as far as being natural...the same argument could be made for every breed of every beast we humans have come up with.
I'm actually not a fan of dressing animals up for our amusement but I do think that there are exceptions to be made...like for a chicken who is going through a heavy molt in extremely cold weather. 
Those ponies are just adorable (imo)...and I love the sweaters no matter who they were made for. 


They are quite territorial in general but there are always some who are more so than others and not all are good with other livestock. My jenny's mother used to attack the goats when they got too close to her and both girls preferred the company of our draughts over any animals smaller than them. The jenny I still have ruled them...it was amusing to see our massive Percheron mare who had such an attitude with everyone back way off from her food and let this pint sized little donkey have first dibs.  Now the deer stay close to her, especially during the winter when food is scarce and she does watch out for them.

If you decide to get one, I would recommend getting one that has either been raised with they type of livestock you plan on keeping it with, or getting it young enough to raise it that way yourself. 

Thank you!

 

[armorfirelady]

Do you think I can do this with just the two of us? What I mean is do you think we will have enough scraps to make it work? We live in the woods with unlimited leaves and of course there is chicken poop and kitchen scraps. But I don't want to have to travel around looking for scraps.....what do you think? I'm going to try it and see but I wonder.... I was thinking if I get a good layer of 'stuff'.....maybe cover it until it accumates more.....and then throw some treats and maybe ff into the heap that they will go for it? The store near us MIGHT give us scraps but they would not be separated.....whatever food stuff they throw out would be in it and they may have someone else collecting it now. My FIL used to get it for his pigs.

Its only myself & my son. I don't eat a ton of veggies for scraps. But I made a compost area from free pallets and just put metal stakes inside between the pallet holes so that they stand up on end. Its set so its up against my veggie garden so I can toss used/dead plants in it in the fall. It also makes it easier for when I toss the compost into the garden for the spring. I fill it with leaves, grass clippings (in the fall I pick up ones that neighbors leave out for the town to pick up) and any veggie scraps I have. I also get scraps from friends and neighbors. The hens have access to it when they are out in the yard. Its one of their favorite places to get out of the sun or dig for yummy bugs. They break down the leaves/grass very fast in the spring.

I think a hawk might have been enjoying the good weather too. It has been a few months since a hawk got one of my birds.

Sorry to hear about the hen, My friend told me that the neighbor behind me got a pic of a local hawk nabbing a squirrel. I know its been around when the hens are quiet as church mice during the day. I like it better when the crows are back in the area. Around here its been a weird winter but I wouldnt think the haswks would be lacking for mice or other varmits to eat since its been really mild this winter. Well minus the 7ft of snow and a couple weeks of sub zero temps

 

[lalaland]

yes, I should have clarified...I don't put sweaters on my chickens. But perhaps if you had a naked molting chicken and it was 30 below zero, it would be tempting.

Sally, sorry to hear about the hawk.

 

[Amberjem]

Ditto, I pushed all the dirty bedding out of the coop around the outside towards their free range area and they just spread it nicely around and now most of the area around the coop and run has a nice layer of straw. They loved it! I out a bale in their run and tossed chunks of straw around in strategic spots and let the gang go to town.

Can anyone give me suggestions to deter mice? We are in a very rural area and next to an open space so we are getting more and more. I am pulling their food from the run each night, will be working on PVC Gravity feeders that we can just cap/cover at night. Our girls are mousers so when a nest is found they make quick work of it. Any suggestions? I was thinking a barn cat, but would haven t be strictly a barn cat as boyfriend is allergic. We also have an active coon and coyote population In our area. I need of course something natural.

there are some plants that help deter them I am too tired right now to think of them

 

[COChix]

I know peppermint is a deterrent, I was thinking about dipping some cotton balls in peppermint oil and tossing a few under the coop as the chickens have no access to under the coop. I would probably have to dilute it some so it does t interfere with egg laying.

 

[islandgirl82]

Marigold/calendula is used to deter mice and has many other uses. Great for feeding to your flocks too.