The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Yah, I was thinking of just taking 'em with me.






(not)

 

[armorfirelady]

Thanks both of you.

Anyone else?

SURVEY.... Need advice!

What do you all think is a reasonable pay for someone taking care of your chickens while you're gone?

Specifically, this is an adult. He will have to drive over 2x a day. Morning: Put out feed and be sure water is fresh. Evening: Be sure everyone is in and doors closed. Gather eggs. Put feed out if needed.


Would you pay by the day?
Would you pay by the "job" (as in a flat price for a week or weekend?)
HOW MUCH????

I am late to the party but I agree $20 seems fair. I am lucky that my best friend watches them for free (dogs to if needed) & my neighbor does as well. I give them the eggs that are laid while I am gone. Plus extras of course. Both also tend to give them veggie goodies which the girls certainly appreciate.

I lost my Edie the other day. She has been escaping their area into the veggie garden & then the main yard. I was out of town when my son & neighbor cornered her & got her back in but Wednesday morning the dogs found her dead in the yard. My Mom thinks a hawk got her then must of had her in the yard & the dogs scared it away. Her wings were trimmed but she was still able to hop up. I've covered the length of the compost bin with tarps & I haven't found any other escapees into the garden. She was my white hen who laid blue eggs that I got from Ue

 

[hellbender]

I am late to the party but I agree $20 seems fair. I am lucky that my best friend watches them for free (dogs to if needed) & my neighbor does as well. I give them the eggs that are laid while I am gone. Plus extras of course. Both also tend to give them veggie goodies which the girls certainly appreciate.

I lost my Edie the other day. She has been escaping their area into the veggie garden & then the main yard. I was out of town when my son & neighbor cornered her & got her back in but Wednesday morning the dogs found her dead in the yard. My Mom thinks a hawk got her then must of had her in the yard & the dogs scared it away. Her wings were trimmed but she was still able to hop up. I've covered the length of the compost bin with tarps & I haven't found any other escapees into the garden. She was my white hen who laid blue eggs that I got from Ue

Sorry to hear about Edie. It's always one that is favored in someway, or so it seems. I hope you didn't have BOTH wings clipped....If both are, that gives them substantial more lift than if only one is clipped.

Again...sorry.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I am late to the party but I agree $20 seems fair. I am lucky that my best friend watches them for free (dogs to if needed) & my neighbor does as well. I give them the eggs that are laid while I am gone. Plus extras of course. Both also tend to give them veggie goodies which the girls certainly appreciate.

I lost my Edie the other day. She has been escaping their area into the veggie garden & then the main yard. I was out of town when my son & neighbor cornered her & got her back in but Wednesday morning the dogs found her dead in the yard. My Mom thinks a hawk got her then must of had her in the yard & the dogs scared it away. Her wings were trimmed but she was still able to hop up. I've covered the length of the compost bin with tarps & I haven't found any other escapees into the garden. She was my white hen who laid blue eggs that I got from Ue

@armorfirelady

Thanks for the input.

Very sorry on Edie. It I remember correctly that was one of your mom's favorite's too.

I got myself a new "toy" a few weeks ago. http://www.reedjoseph.com/pyrotechnics.htm#prettyPhoto
Video here: https://view.vzaar.com/1082578/player

Got some bangers and screamers. Seem to be working pretty well atm.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Forgot to say that I got the double shot one.

My goal is just to make them afraid to come to this area by having some "scary noise" every time I see one show up. Of course I"m not home all day long, but I'm hoping that the associate the area with the shots rather than ME with the shots. I am trying to conceal myself somewhat when I am using it so they associate the area rather than my presence.

 

[slordaz]

hmmm I either have strange birds or they are super smart, the leghorns are sharing brooding duty on 5 eggs, and instead of using their own feathers to line the nest, they pull the roosters feathers lol.

So far we are doing good haven't lost any free ranging them, one of the meat hens got a sore foot I think trying to get up to the nesting boxes. We gave her a spa day for 2 days with warm water and epsom salt , now she expects it daily though lol. quite commical to see her trying to get the bucket she takes her soak in. They were fed laying rations and made to free range with the layers and are still doing great 4 months old. Outta be an interesting combination cornish cross with barred rock.

They all learned really fast to stay out of the garden as they like their daily vegetable treats, if they go to the garden they don't get them, wish it was that easy training the wild birds to stay outta there though they took all the cherries and berries.

Any idea how to deter them short of enclosing the garden?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Wow. That's amazing that your birds won't go in the garden. And even surprising to me that hen likes the soak!

I'm guessing the only way to keep wild birds out of the garden would be the bird netting. (or a fence with pretty small openings covering the top too) It's pretty inexpensive if you get the light weight stuff marked for deer/bird netting.

 

[slordaz]

We do work with the birds daily as we are cleaning out stalls and feeding them and the calves anyway. They've learned they can run anywhere out in the corral and pasture and go to the ditch bank with the ducks and graze there in the shade while the ducks go swimming. We had to chase them out a couple of times,but taking away their treats of fruit and veggies they like for the day they learned really quick if they go there as it's not even fenced off they weren't given their favorites which don't happen to be in the garden.

They still test parameters about going out front but leave the garden alone.
The cornish x I think likes the soak more beccause it feels good but then the other hens and the drakes aren't trying to clean them off lol

will have to check see where I can get that netting around here. Thanks

 

[BBrady]

How do you

hmmm I either have strange birds or they are super smart, the leghorns are sharing brooding duty on 5 eggs, and instead of using their own feathers to line the nest, they pull the roosters feathers lol.

So far we are doing good haven't lost any free ranging them, one of the meat hens got a sore foot I think trying to get up to the nesting boxes. We gave her a spa day for 2 days with warm water and epsom salt , now she expects it daily though lol. quite commical to see her trying to get the bucket she takes her soak in. They were fed laying rations and made to free range with the layers and are still doing great 4 months old. Outta be an interesting combination cornish cross with barred rock.

They all learned really fast to stay out of the garden as they like their daily vegetable treats, if they go to the garden they don't get them, wish it was that easy training the wild birds to stay outta there though they took all the cherries and berries.

Any idea how to deter them short of enclosing the garden?

I think I need to soak my roosters feet. They are scaley. How do you give the Epsom salt soak without them trying to drink it? Do you hold her and pet her, or just put it in her pen?

 

[Leahs Mom]

I use a bucket if I need to deal with a foot injury. It's way easier to keep them in there. And yes, you'll need to hold him in there. I actually put a towel over the bucket to keep them in. If they calm down, I'll pull back part of the towel to let their head out, but you have to be right there holding it down tight or they will try to get out.

But if you're dealing with leg scale mites, you need to put something that is oil based on the legs to smother the mites and their eggs after you scrub the legs. Some put on the oil-based item without scrubbing. Some put it on before to soften up the scales, then into the soak and scrub with something like a toothbrush to loosen up the scales and gunk, then re-apply the oil based item afterwards. Main think is to suffocate the mites and kill the eggs.

Here are some things that seem to work:
NuStock (stinks)
Vet RX (You can get this at most farm supply stores in the chicken department)

Some folks use vaseline. (I don't like using petroleum products personally)
Even a heavy cooking oil could work.