The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Wow, thank you for all that well put together and written information. You explained my own approach to a T. I for one enjoy reading what you are sharing. I sometimes have troubles putting my words together so everyone can understand, I tend to fall back to mumbling and rambling.

I personally have never seen worms in my birds droppings so I'm unsure why everyone else does. From my years of dealing with worms in my goats I have found that no amount of wormers will stop them and eventually the worms become resistant and the worms kill the goat. I have since gone back to worming as needed, and some not at all, and have seen an improvement. I find managing the pasture to prevent worms is a better approach. Same as with my chickens.

Please share more.

 

[GreatBreeder]

Hello, I'm new to this forum. I'm interested in starting a mixed flock, and was wondering if I could have a mix of ornamental and egg laying chickens. BTW, I will isolate them in tiny cages. LOL. Also how many Hens per rooster

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I keep all kinds of breeds together. I recommend not keeping bantam hens with large breeds, and to be careful mixing crested birds with non crested birds due to bullying.

The more room you give your birds the better off they will be, I think you were joking about tiny cage.

Generally it's 8-15 hens per rooster depending on the rooster.

 

[GreatBreeder]

Thank you so much and I was joking about the cages. I was wondering about the talk on this forum about food. I thought they could free range on bug, weeds, etc and I would give them some feed, but I'm hearing about fermentation?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

There is a fermentation thread in the feeding forum. You could check that out. I personally feed an all flock free choice right out of the bag. My birds free range and add to their diet from there.

 

[GreatBreeder]

Thank you for all the help! I'll check it out

 

[GreatBreeder]

I just checked it out, so it said UP and ACV, what is UP? Also it mentioned adding UP/ACV to all their water, not sure about it.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm afraid I don't know what UP is. I add nothing to their drinking water as I prefer them to have fresh clean water. Sometimes birds won't drink fully with all that stuff in the water. Drinking enough water in my opinion is better than having vinegar in it. I wouldn't want to have to drink the stuff either.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Perhaps UP is unpasteurized....referring to raw apple cider vinegar.


Yes... I vote for fresh, clean water

 

[GreatBreeder]

I was thinking it sounded odd too. I think I'll go with oldhenlikesdogs's idea of the letting my chickens supply themselves with a fresh feed bag w/ free range. I was thinking about getting some Cornish hens and Ameri-Flower hens, no rooster