The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Sorry lalaland. I know it wasn't pleasant to see. I only put it up because there are some people (not necessarily on this thread...I don't know) who think that having chicken saddles and the like is pampering your birds.

I'm glad you posted too.

On the chicken aprons, I purchased some from this lady last year. She has the extra long ones which were what I needed as I had one hen that was gets bare from about 1/2 way down her back to the base of the tail. Same girl 2 summers in a row. It was all skin and I was afraid she'd get a sunburn! Each year after molt she grows back in a beautiful set of feathers and I'm hoping she doesn't go bare again this summer. But I thought the apron did help with covering for sunburn and what-not.

She sells several different sizes and I got mine all in camouflage/jean (by request) as I want them to blend in - not stick out for hawks in bright colors. She does sell several different sizes, but this is the size I got. I purchased a couple to put in the first aid box so I'd have them around if needed in the future.

Mine has camo material where you see the floral material in this photo.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Tail-Feat...a&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=181624980909&rt=nc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181624980909

 

[Leahs Mom]

PS: The price includes shipping on those.

 

[Jewelwing]

I thought you guys might like to see a video my husband took while working in the garden yesterday. We have 7 free-range hens - the fence they're scratching next to is the new garden fence we just put up, so the dirt is fresh & full of worms.

I like that the perspective makes the chickens dwarf our Great Dane, I like watching the chickens gobble up worms while making happy noises, I like the close-up of a fluffy Brahma butt, I like that it shows 4 of our 5 chicken breeds (our Speckled Sussex is broody so isn't out foraging), and I like the surprise ending (which really shouldn't surprise any chicken owners!).

 

[lalaland]

love the video especially the sound track of such happy hens!

 

[COChix]

I thought you guys might like to see a video my husband took while working in the garden yesterday. We have 7 free-range hens - the fence they're scratching next to is the new garden fence we just put up, so the dirt is fresh & full of worms.

I like that the perspective makes the chickens dwarf our Great Dane, I like watching the chickens gobble up worms while making happy noises, I like the close-up of a fluffy Brahma butt, I like that it shows 4 of our 5 chicken breeds (our Speckled Sussex is broody so isn't out foraging), and I like the surprise ending (which really shouldn't surprise any chicken owners!).

Nice thanks for sharing. We are definitely into spring in Colorado and we had a beautiful day so our gang was put to work in our garden area. It was a task trying to herd 24 chickens from their free range area to the garden. Here are a few shots. They really got into digging up the beds near the end of their time, didn't get any pics of that as phone was dead. We will put them In there a few more times before we plant. Happy Spring everyone!

 

[Farm Chic 29]

I want to ask possibly a very stupid question

when you guys say natural...does this include no Merks etc...

if so can you explain why and what you du instead...

I am very into natural things but was told that the jerks or medicated food were my 2 options...

would love to be educated on this
thank you...

 

[jtn42248]

I want to ask possibly a very stupid question

when you guys say natural...does this include no Merks etc...

if so can you explain why and what you du instead...

I am very into natural things but was told that the jerks or medicated food were my 2 options...

would love to be educated on this
thank you...

Actually that would only be a stupid question if it had not been asked. There are two schools of thought. Vaccinate or not. Personally I adhere to the not since I have only a small flock that was hatched and raised and have always lived together. If you do vaccinate you do not want to use medicated feed. I also do not use medicated feed. Not because I am necessarily organic in any sense of the word but because I want a truly natural experience for my birds. I have never had a sick bird. I also do not allow anyone to go around my birds when they either visit or stop to buy eggs. That is a biosecurity thing that I do believe in. There are no other poultry around us for many miles but I do not want to take the chance that someone may track in something that my birds could be affected by. When I first started with poultry the hatchery that I dealt with (and still deal with) recommended to NOT vacinate if you were only having a small flock and that has worked well for me.

But, like I said, there are two schools of thought on this. I expect that there will be many post that disagree with me and that is fine. Each of us has to do what we see as the proper thing to do in the care and protection of our flocks.

 

[mlowen]

@Cassaundra: I don't know how far from Denton, TX you are...but they are having a Doctor Who day on April 4. I thought you should know!

 

[Kassaundra]

@Cassaundra: I don't know how far from Denton, TX you are...but they are having a Doctor Who day on April 4. I thought you should know!

Oh cool, I'll have to look that up and see if it going to be an annual event. It is on Sat. and I need 30 days notice to get off work.

 

[vpatt]

I decided against getting my chicks outside this week. There is no way it is warm enough at night and I decided a heating pad would not work well in the coop. They are four weeks old now. They look so big! I supersized their brooder and I am not using the light nearly as much. I did get one of the microwave pet pads and it is replacing the light most of the time now. The pad has a thick cover and after heating it I put it under one end of the brooder. They sleep over that spot but not always so I think they are warm enough. No distress. I'm still giving them a few snacks, sand and small grass plugs and today I started trying ff. I had meant to do that sooner. So they will be inside another two to four weeks depending on the weather. Then like you all suggested they will be in their own pen until the others are used to them. Then I will open their small door so they can get in their pen if they need to get away from the big chickens. After that will come transitioning to the main coop. Am I forgetting anything?