The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[kntrybumpkin]

Is your run covered only to keep your chickens in?  Or to keep flying predators out?

What I would do is start training your "wild" chickens.  Spend more time around them.  Go in their coop as its getting dark and talk to them, touching them briefly.  When you feel them tense, take your hand off and move to the next one.  After not terribly long, if you're consistent, you'll be able to leave your hand on longer and longer.  Even if it is only a few seconds, progress is progress.

Also, I doubt they will run away. They know where their food and water is.  They are creatures of habit and like to sleep in the same spot.  If you start opening the door to their run about 15 minutes before they generally head to roost, they may come out for a peek and to scratch around a bit but will most likely go home to roost.  Keep doing this, then start doing it 30 minutes before roost.  Expand the time out of the run and the time your hand is on their back and I think you'll be pleased with the result.

we have it covered for both reasons we have alot of Hawks around in the evenings we have tried everything possible 3 of the hens are somewhat tame so we don't much worry about them but the rest just go crazy and all of our bantam hens are beyond crazy it's unreal just worried they will realize they can get out after seeing the guinea in and out and something getting them but it's the only practical way to keep everyone and keep them happy with everything they need I think k we are not going to clip wings so if they do get out they can get away from predators if need be and being with the guinea maybe it will help them with coming back if they are out

 

[slordaz]

I have a question our chicken run is completely enclosed our chickens were never tamed when we got them so if they get loose we wouldn't ever catch them... Now my question we have guineas we have raised and we are going to add them to our chicken flock but before we do that we are expanding our run which is 6 foot tall we would like to leave the new add on part uncovered so the guinea are allowed to come and go as they please to eat drink and roost at night or incase of bad weather.... So I hate to do it but should we clip our chickens wings so we don't have to worry and they stay put in their place or not clip and risk it and hope they stay

my pullets @ 10 weeks did fine but we supervised the first bit as there's hawks, eagles, wild cats and now a skunk around. We have a rooster, 2 ducks and 1 dog we trained to watch over them though too. They have been out for about a month now so far knock on wood no problems. We do vary the times we let them out and for how long as an added measure. The first thing we did was show them where they were allowed to go so they knew where to run to for protection and they stay close to where they can get to it if need be.

funny story was when the 4 week olds were out free ranging with them, one of the wild cats got a little to curious and the older pullets circled the babies and started moving them towards protected spot, while the ducks and rooster chased the cat off. I have never seen a cat run that fast , ducks and rooster had it treed and it hasn't come close again.

About wing clipping, it's a personal choice I think, depending on the predators in the area you live, we chose not to clip ours as there are ground and areal predators.

One trick I do if I need them in is that is the only time they are given treats so I call treat and they all come running for the run. So this might help too to train them to come in for you.

 

[lazy gardener]

Are you wanting to let your chickens out to free range at all? Or do you want to keep them penned all the time? If You want to let them free range, I wouldn't worry so much that they are not terribly tame. Chickens are food driven, and will come on the run when you shake a can of scratch grain, as soon as they learn what that sound means. You can also call them when you shake the can. Soon, they'll come on the run when ever you call them. If you intend to keep them penned, you could clip wings, or take a wait and see approach (which is what I'd do). Only clip the wings of the ones that manage to scale over the fence.

 

[slordaz]

Mine come a running I call treat now or if they hear scatch treats or think I'm going to get the fermented feed, they are really good at anticipating that too, as they only get treats when i need them in the run or coop.

Is it normal for them to redo their pecking order when chickens are removed from the flock even though they were lower on the pecking order? we processed 2 of the meat roosters, and gave away a meat rooster and a hen and one of the RIR roosters, took the 2 cornish x hens we kept a couple of days to get over that but then they all decided to redo stuff, feathers everywhere. now the 2 meat hens are stuck like glue to the babies. Guess that is good they acting useful now and up foraging with them and the amerecuana rooster instead f the rest of the flock.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Completely normal slordaz. Whichever bird was beneath the bird/birds that were removed will take the opportunity during the confusion of missing members to try to move up the ladder.

 

[JulesChicks]

Ok, so I still have birds with runny noses in quarantine. For sure 3 of the 6 have the runny noses but still seem fine otherwise. One of the laying SFH has a dirty beak I think but I don't think I'm seeing any discharge - she was not cooperative last night when I tried to get her to inspect her. So I am still just treating the 3 younger ones, one of which definitely has a slight cough/sneeze once in a while. I have been giving them the VetRx once a day this past week (well 5 out of 7 days directly on their heads, etc - but I've also been putting it in their water or feed). They are still getting the probiotics/electrolytes in one water and ACV in the other, except for the last couple of days I have put Rooster Booster in the second waterer - it's a vit/min supplement. I chopped up some garlic one day and put it in their food. What else can I do and at what point should we consider culling? The three older girls they are in with are SFH, which are laying and a Cream Legbar who will lay any day. They are our only layers and it's really why I got these at all, to have layers while our other chicks grow out (and then I had her hatch out the 2 Marans thinking they would be more "correct" than the ones I got from a backyard breeder - NOT!, and I also had her hatch a 2nd CL because the first is uncrested, but the young crested one is the one who arrived snotty - she is also the friendliest, of course!). So, ironically the 3 that I had her hatch to be transported with the POL pullets are the ones who are sick.

Although they are in a quarantine tractor, they are in a central area and when I let the 7 week olds out yesterday they eventually found the tractor and kept trying to hang out there in spite of us trying to keep them away. These are healthy chicks that I obviously don't want affected. Since I'm new to all this I'm just not sure how to proceed. Thanks for your help!

 

[slordaz]

Jules, I am not real sure, it shouldn't be stress related you would think. Are they acting ok otherwise?

maybe mold or dust in bedding?

Never heard of a chicken with allergies but I know my cats do, so animals can have them.

 

[slordaz]

Completely normal slordaz. Whichever bird was beneath the bird/birds that were removed will take the opportunity during the confusion of missing members to try to move up the ladder.

Thanks Lacy, the babies as they were smallest came after the ,meat chickens in pecking order, we did keep 2 and they actually watch over the little ones now as foster pullet decided if they was big enough to go outside they didn't need her watching over them lol. Thinking it's more one the RIR's are growing and one is a cockerel starting to get a little full of himself, after watching closely.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Jules, you might consider going with an antibiotic for a few days. Tylan works well for what you're describing. I know... it's not natural. But, it's that or cull them, right?

If you do the Tylan, resume all the other stuff for support once the antibiotics are through.

What kind of Marans did you get and why do you say they are not correct?

 

[JulesChicks]

They are on straw over concrete in 4x10x4'high chicken tractor with lots of ventilation and about 4 feet of it is covered on 3 sides so it shouldn't be drafty. Night temps are high 40's, low 50's since we got them 3 weeks ago. I guess it could be allergies. It's just weird, they are acting fine, just have the runny noses. My DH wheels the tractor out for them to dustbathe and get some grass but only on the weekends when we have more time. They were on ground most of yesterday.