The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

I thought it was the Isbars that changed names to Silverudd's Blue? They lay green eggs.

Icelandics lay off white eggs, I think.

You're right! Brain-fart

 

[FridayYet]

You're right!  Brain-fart

. I was thinking about getting some Isbars, that's the only reason why I remembered.

 

[lalaland]

If you have had a broody on the nest, you know the typical behavior when you pull them off for a break to eat, dust bathe, and let loose with one of those famous broody poops - somewhere in that sequence she'll stand up tall, flap her wings like crazy, and scream/roar.

The little game hen actually takes off like a helicopter, she flaps so hard - just levitates up !

Well, Petunia who is a first time mama and only off the nest a day, was stressed because I moved her and her 3 chicks into larger quarters - after settling in, she did the broody flap and scream, but she flapped so hard she kicked up a little windstorm and all three chicks literally went tumbling backards like little miniature tumbleweeds. didn't bother them a bit, but the sight of them being blown more than a foot away was astonishing!

 

[JanetMarie]

I love broody moms. I have two RIRs (the real ones, not Production Reds) that have been moms together for the past two years, but not this year yet. They take care of all the chicks together, and the chicks didn't have a specific mom. They just go under who is closest. One year they adopted three orphaned chicks, and they integrated with their same age chicks, when their mom was killed, by I'm pretty sure a fox.

 

[curious chickee]

I have another broody, one of my bantam brahmas. She wanted to go broody after her 3rd week of laying her first egg, but since I was breeding her I wouldn't let her. Now that we are finished hatching, she can go broody. Tomorrow I will mark her eggs and see how many are under her.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I have another broody, one of my bantam brahmas. She wanted to go broody after her 3rd week of laying her first egg, but since I was breeding her I wouldn't let her. Now that we are finished hatching, she can go broody. Tomorrow I will mark her eggs and see how many are under her.

I had one go broody several years ago at 8 mos...in November! Wish she would still go broody!

 

[lalaland]

One of the mamas seems ready to abandon her chicks. She was restless, pacing back and forth - I opened the door but she didn't go out. I checked on her a couple of times since I was working remotely from home, she was doing the mama thing. But this evening, when I went to check, the chicks were distress cheeping and wanted under her, she was busy making a nest. Throwing hay over her back. scratching the nest shape out. Pecking the chicks away. She finally settled down, and a chick squirmed under - not easily - she didn't lift at all. She let the other two in.

have to leave them tomorrow to go to work. At least it will be warm.

This is a first time occurence for me. Not sure if the other mama will accept these chicks or not. I could set up the brinsea brooder for them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

One of the mamas seems ready to abandon her chicks.  She was restless, pacing back and forth - I opened the door but she didn't go out.  I  checked on her a couple of times since I was working remotely from home, she was doing the mama thing.  But this evening, when I went to check, the chicks were distress cheeping and wanted under her, she was busy making a nest.  Throwing hay over her back.  scratching the nest shape out.  Pecking the chicks away.  She finally settled down, and a chick squirmed under - not easily - she didn't lift at all.  She let the other two in.

have to leave them tomorrow to go to work.  At least it will be warm.  

This is a first time occurence for me.  Not sure if the other mama will accept these chicks or not.  I could set up the brinsea brooder for them.  

Some hens don't actually want to be moms, they just want to be broody, hopefully she will be more interested tomorrow. I have had other broodies take over chicks before from inexperienced hens. I will have my chicks in their wire fence than put hens down next to them to see if anyone is interested, if they are I put them in and see how it goes.

 

[gevshiba]

One of my mama turkey hens. Sorry to those who've seen her on other threads. I'm kind of excited about it!

 

[Newburnchicks]

Well first off, does natural mean organic?  As in GMO free?  I want to go organic but the shipping cost for organic feed is very high.  I haven't tried the ton route but right now a $30 organic feed bag $20 shipping which is like $1 a pound. 

Anyone have a way around this?  Like a reasonable internet company?

I just started up with azurestandard.Com and when u order they will find closest "drop point" is to you and you only pay a percent of total cost of your order. Mine was 8.5 % which is like the tax if I went to Walmart or where ever which I thought was neat. You might check into that. They do sell organic feed.