The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[mossyroo]

My birds are so intent on the highest roost they jam together on the top 2 of 4 levels. I'm sure if there was any physical possibility of them all being on top they would. Some of them are practically on top of each other now. Has nothing to do with the temps here in FL.

 

[Birdrain92]

Thanks for the feedback!

@Birdrain92
When your old girl broods, does she still take care of the chicks well? You must take care of them well to have one so old!

She can only handle 2 or 3 chicks at a time. I don't use her often but I do use her if my incubator is full of eggs and I still want a few more chicks.

 

[Leahs Mom]

So...are you saying that if you give her chicks, even if she's not "broody", she'll raise them?

Or are you saying that she goes broody and then you give her some chicks.

 

[JanetMarie]

So...are you saying that if you give her chicks, even if she's not "broody", she'll raise them?

Or are you saying that she goes broody and then you give her some chicks.

I am also interested to know.

 

[Birdrain92]

So...are you saying that if you give her chicks, even if she's not "broody", she'll raise them?

Or are you saying that she goes broody and then you give her some chicks.

If I give her chicks she pecks them a couple time and then she would claim them. If I let eggs pile up in a nest she'll go sit on them.

 

[slordaz]

I have 2 barred rocks if you remember since 8 weeks old wanted to raise chicks and didn't let us put them in the brooder, they raised them almost a month, they weren't old enough even to lay. Will let you know if they repeat it now they are laying. neither of them are really interested in brooding yet maybe come spring. I had 2 hatch but one died after hatching as it absorbed the yolk but not the veins, I am just letting her get some feathers in as it is rather cold some days here.

Maybe it's an Idaho thing lol as both of us are from same state lol

 

[allyclair]

My last hen from the older flock was killed by a hawk in August; she was about 4.5 yrs and was laying 5-6 eggs a week. Not sure how long she could have kept that up.....she was a dark brahma.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@allyclair
Wow! Hod did she do in winter times....assuming she took off some time for molt and winter?



That's pretty interesting about the birds brooding chicks when they haven't been broody. I've always thought I'd like to try that with my bird that did brood a couple times.

Once when I had chicks and she saw them, I could tell that out of all the birds she had a pretty intense interest in them. But I was afraid to put them together to see what she'd do so I never did.

 

[allyclair]

She usually started molting in September and eggs would decrease until none at all by about end of October. She'd take part of the winter off - Nov, Dec, Jan. I'd start getting eggs again by end of January, which is still very cold and dark here in Nova Scotia!

I don't give the chickens any light in winter, lots of people here do, but I'd rather they have a break if they need it.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Me too...no extra light.

I think it's healthier for them - the way they were designed - and I like to try to emulate nature as much as possible.

I can understand the light in production facilities where production is more important than health of their short-lived birds.