The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lazy gardener]

I just want to sing the praises of Lazy Gardener's flock. I have three of her girls from the EE too and Dominique mom. No broody, yet. (I' rather they didn't) But they ARE beautiful, have lovely rose combs, do very well in the cold and though they are not interested in hanging out with me, do very well with the other hens.

Thank you very much! I can't wait to get an other generation of Jack's babies on the ground this year!

 

[Serenashome]

We are getting a blue orpington, a buff orpington, a light brahna, and a barred rock. We have been reading up on fermenting feed and soaking feed, still not sure what we are doing there as it will probably be a learning curve for us. We are building a chicken moat around the garden for them to live in. They also have a coop. When the moat is finished (a year from now) will give them 396 square feet of space. We plan this taking into consideration the seriousness of chicken math. Obviously chicken math is not something to be trifled with. So we are trying to be prepared for when it strikes.

I am thinking of planting the chicken moat (they will only have access to half of it at a time) in spearmint to aid in lice and mite control naturally. Their dust baths will be sand and peat (not sure about the Diatomacous (spelling?) Earth or how much to add and if we need it. The outside and top of the moat will be in some sort of vine and/or sunflowers, also not decided on what is best maybe peas that they could eat them fresh?

Definitely searching for ideas and input at this point.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Well... lacking a broody for the last season, I've decided to put the ceramic eggs in one of the nests to see if I can encourage someone.

I should be getting some chicks around April 9, so I was hoping for a broody to raise them. Yes...I have placed chicks under a broody before in the night and she took them as her own. Of course, not sure if I'll be so "lucky" again but at lease I can try

I'm seriously thinking of purchasing 1 chick from a known broody breed for the seasons to come. Also hoping to get a cockerel from the new chicks (SFH..the "real" SFH) this spring as I'm currently roosterless. It's been pretty peaceful for the girls, but my hope is to produce my own from my flock. I'll have enough variety of lines if I can just get a good roo.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My always broody cochin have not gone broody yet and continue to lay lots of eggs, I have chicken eggs coming the end of April and turkey eggs in June so hopefully they get at it, they haven't let me down yet, though I lost a couple of good broodies that I could really count on, so some are newbies. I have plans for them to hatch the chicken eggs which I will pull because they are large breeds, than a week later I am getting some bantam chicks I hope someone will adopt. I put mine in a wire ring of wire than put each broody with them, one at a time to see if anyone is interested.

 

[Leahs Mom]

My always broody cochin have not gone broody yet and continue to lay lots of eggs, I have chicken eggs coming the end of April and turkey eggs in June so hopefully they get at it, they haven't let me down yet, though I lost a couple of good broodies that I could really count on, so some are newbies. I have plans for them to hatch the chicken eggs which I will pull because they are large breeds, than a week later I am getting some bantam chicks I hope someone will adopt. I put mine in a wire ring of wire than put each broody with them, one at a time to see if anyone is interested.

That's something I've never tried! I will remember that for the future.

When I put chicks in I had put them under the mamma at night in the dark, then got up early before sunrise to watch and see what happened when she discovered extra chicks. I was ready to remove them if need-be. But she took right to them.

She had hatched ONE lone chick and I got the new kids 2 days later. She was still on the nest when I added them and then left then nest that morning for a new place to settle.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's something I've never tried!  I will remember that for the future.

When I put chicks in I had put them under the mamma at night in the dark, then got up early before sunrise to watch and see what happened when she discovered extra chicks.  I was ready to remove them if need-be.  But she took right to them. 

She had hatched ONE lone chick and I got the new kids 2 days later.  She was still on the nest when I added them and then left then nest that morning for a new place to settle.

I always wanted to try it that way but I'm not an early riser, I would fear for them because I can't wake up early. Last year I had a young hen hatch a single egg, she wanted nothing to do with the chick and went back to sitting on an empty nest, one of my Cochin took it, than a d'uccle hen became a second mom, it was adorable. My Cochin bantam get jealous when someone has chicks too.

Sounds like you have a really great broody, some won't take anything that they didn't hatch, I think they know because they talk to the chicks in the eggs and at the end the chicks talk back, so I think they know each other by the time they hatch.

 

[lazy gardener]

We are getting a blue orpington, a buff orpington, a light brahna, and a barred rock. We have been reading up on fermenting feed and soaking feed, still not sure what we are doing there as it will probably be a learning curve for us. We are building a chicken moat around the garden for them to live in. They also have a coop. When the moat is finished (a year from now) will give them 396 square feet of space. We plan this taking into consideration the seriousness of chicken math. Obviously chicken math is not something to be trifled with. So we are trying to be prepared for when it strikes.

I am thinking of planting the chicken moat (they will only have access to half of it at a time) in spearmint to aid in lice and mite control naturally. Their dust baths will be sand and peat (not sure about the Diatomacous (spelling?) Earth or how much to add and if we need it. The outside and top of the moat will be in some sort of vine and/or sunflowers, also not decided on what is best maybe peas that they could eat them fresh?

Definitely searching for ideas and input at this point.

The chicken moat idea is a workable plan. However, I'd extremely limit the use of spearmint. This plant is extremely invasive, spreading by both seed, and underground runners. Also, your chickens won't care to eat it. You could grow some mint in containers, or limit it to one small area of the moat. Instead, I'd plant various forage crops. You might look at a product called "Plot Strike" or something similar. It comes in various blends and is planted by hunters to provide forage for deer to attract them to their "hunting" areas. You might do a blend of the grains and brassicas. As far as dust baths, you don't need to make those, or provide anything particular for the chickens to bathe in. As they eat the vegetation, they'll make their own dust baths!

 

[mossyroo]

I've been waiting 2 yrs for a broody hen. Just had to get rid of our roos because the were aggressive towards wife and grands. Probably get a broody now.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I've been waiting 2 yrs for a broody hen. Just had to get rid of our roos because the were aggressive towards wife and grands. Probably get a broody now.

Isn't that the truth!

I may have to break down and get an incubator but it sure is nice to have a mamma do it. I was hoping to get my flock to be "self-sustaining" in that way. I have heard that some bantams are good broodys - at least the old fashioned bantams. I wonder if that's still true with all the breeding.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My bantam cochins go broody every year and i put them to work hatching, they are hardy and adorable. Can you tell I like them. There's some d'uccle mixed in.