The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[slordaz]

Well I tried putting the boys up and they about had a heart attack. They don't fight at all, as they were literally raised together. I don't have any runs for separating them at the moment - my chick does stay inside and only goes outside when I supervise, but the BCM came over earlier in the week to give him "whatfer", as did his sister. I didn't let them peck the little one, shooed them off after that.
I reckon I'll wait it out and see how things progress. They won't be a year until April 2017. I really only want to keep one because it seems to balance the flock, but I could do without the egg-lessness and the crowing.

I suspect have 2 roosters got a couple of silver laced wyandette chicks this spring and one is looking to be a rooster they are so totally different and one mixed roo + the 2 older ones and so far only have the main flock protector that crows, but the 2 juvenile roos are with the flock they were raised with and haven't had really any trouble with them up to this point even though they are getting ready to mature, the hens that hatched with them are getting close to starting to lay. personal opinion is why move em if they are getting along ok. last year had to rehome 3 roosters because they couldn't get along they were little and liked to cause major upset in the hen house.

 

[armorfirelady]

I made a roof for barrels that hold my free wood shavings for the coop.

Pond I moved into hen's area. They dont drink from it but hopefully they enjoy the bugs it attracts.

This is their dusting area. In the center is the bottom of a plastic wreath holder container. The hay bales are the ones I used this winter around the hoop coop & will go in the compost this winter. I used to use the A frame as a chicken hidey place from the hawks but they have more hidey spots now so it works better for this. On the shepard hook is a plastic owl that moves on fishing line. There is a long wind sock on the other side and those plastic spinners on the hay bales. An attempt to deter the hawks

 

[Leahs Mom]

Yes. I bought a dehydrator this summer, so if you had one, it would be an option. But, really, it's so aromatic, and the leaves are fairly dry anyways, so if you hang it it will dry well, not to mention, you can rub it every time you walk by it!!!

If you give it a good trim, save a few cuttings to root. I always like to start a cutting of any plant I buy if possible. that way if the parent dies, I have a spare.

@lazy gardener
I do have an Excalibur that I can dehydrate with. I just wondered if doing it that way would lose too much of the oils to the air vs. air drying....I'd love to put it in the dryer just for the smell!

 

[Leahs Mom]

@armorfirelady

I was going to ask you if your birds used the pond for drinking and you said they didn't... Do you know why they wouldn't use it? Maybe the water isn't so fresh with the fish in it....

Do you have to heat the pond for the fish in the winter?


Also....better tell us how you are getting the shavings free! Are they shavings or chips?

 

[armorfirelady]

@armorfirelady

I was going to ask you if your birds used the pond for drinking and you said they didn't... Do you know why they wouldn't use it? Maybe the water isn't so fresh with the fish in it....

Do you have to heat the pond for the fish in the winter?


Also....better tell us how you are getting the shavings free! Are they shavings or chips?

My girls have drank from puddles in the yard ..........I just don't think they drink from it because they have no interest to walk on the rocks to get to it I guess? The water was actually green, so green you couldnt see to the bottom, until I added the pond fish. The fish did a great job cleaning it up !! I wont heat it......no electric this far out. The bubble and float fountain you see are solar powered.

And for the free shaving I actually put an add in my local craigs list almost 2 years ago. A guy about 20 min from me contacted me.....he makes homemade cabinets & has lot of shavings. Some are fine some are larger pieces. The town wont let him throw them in the trash so he needed some way to get rid of them. I give him free eggs

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thanks!

Do you have a link for the solar bubbler?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
@Molpet @MargaretYakoda

Bringing this back up again...

Now that we have had the goat boys working in the overgrown wooded area of the property for awhile, we hired an excavator to clear some of the "junk trees" in about .75 acres of it. Some of the old-growth large trees will be left (pines, oaks, maples and few "piss wood"..can't remember the real name on that), but they have cleared the ground and enough trees and stumps that I can get in there and mow. There's also enough sun and open space to plant a few orchard trees.

I'm hoping that nectarines will grow in our area. If not, I know peaches will. Thinking 2 peach (or nectarine); 2 pear; 2 apple.


In your orchard area, did you leave any low scruffy plants (low growing bushes) for your birds to hide under from hawks or is it just open?

 

[Molpet]

@Molpet @MargaretYakoda

Bringing this back up again...

Now that we have had the goat boys working in the overgrown wooded area of the property for awhile, we hired an excavator to clear some of the "junk trees" in about .75 acres of it. Some of the old-growth large trees will be left (pines, oaks, maples and few "piss wood"..can't remember the real name on that), but they have cleared the ground and enough trees and stumps that I can get in there and mow. There's also enough sun and open space to plant a few orchard trees.

I'm hoping that nectarines will grow in our area. If not, I know peaches will. Thinking 2 peach (or nectarine); 2 pear; 2 apple.


In your orchard area, did you leave any low scruffy plants (low growing bushes) for your birds to hide under from hawks or is it just open?

They mainly stay by the brush/brambles/tall weeds and thick tree canopy when the hawks are around

 

[countrygirl74]

Have not been on here in a looooong time - life just got too busy. Everything has been great until just in the past month... posted this on the disease forum but wanted to see if you any of you had any thoughts on this as I obviously prefer to do things as natural as possible... Video included!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1134409/help-favorite-rooster-sick-mareks-botulism

 

[countrygirl74]

Here's the good news update!!!

I had to leave town from Friday morning to Saturday night and debated on either leaving him in the house or leaving him outside in our "grow out" pen. I was hesitant on outside because the temps were going to dip but finally decided that he would be better off outdoors so he could see the rest of the flock through the fence. He could have lots of room to "flop" around and still work himself out and I put multiple shallow dishes of water and food around so he wouldn't fall into something deep.

When I left, he could do a slight "crawl" but was still somersaulting. I left him with electrolyte water, one dish with poly-vi-sol and the other with colloidal silver. When I got home tonight, I wasn't sure what I would find but to my surprise he was standing and walking around!!!! He is still a little wobbly so I will wait a little longer to put him back in the coop but between all those treatments, he is pretty much better!!

I may never know what it was... toxin/botulism, Marek's, or what, but it appears he is recovering!