The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

I feel asking questions is a good tool for me. I specifically ask those questions so people who read this thread ask those questions of them selves. Many people will read this who have sick chickens, and will be afraid to ask for help.

I try to ask instead of tell. It is easier to tell than to learn about someone and where they live, what there plans are, all kinds of things..everyone situation is different. There is no carbon cut recipe for healthy chickens. The basics works for everyone, the rest you have to adapt to your personal restrictions and environment.

The basics are..
1. fresh water and feed
2. fresh air and sunshine
3. Exercise

Your personal restrictions will decide how much fresh water, what type of feed, housing, runs, fencing, deep litter, boredom

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I have a few questions for you

1. Why do you have chickens?
2. What are your plans for your chickens?

I have chickens because my family always had them growing up and I wanted that again. My plans for the chickens are to take great care of them and treat them to the best leftovers and treats I can find so the hens can give great eggs for the family and for hatching, for the roos to give me great meat and protect my flock and help in the production of tiny babies to restock the flock.

 

[chrys64moore]

I got chickens for eggs---I can distinctly remember saying something about not getting attached, not naming them, no special treats...now they all have names and get as many treats as is good for them. I hadn't counted on them having personalities---for some reason, I thought they would just stand around, scratch, and lay eggs. Mine aren't even laying yet, and I still could spend hours just watching them do their thing! I respect people who get meat birds, and I have a good friend who raises enough chickens to pack her freezer full for the entire year. But I just can't imagine eating BabyChicken. Or JLo. Or Hunnybooboo. We're pretty bad at picking out names, obviously!

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I am soooo jealous!!!!

 

[aoxa]

I have chickens because my family always had them growing up and I wanted that again. My plans for the chickens are to take great care of them and treat them to the best leftovers and treats I can find so the hens can give great eggs for the family and for hatching, for the roos to give me great meat and protect my flock and help in the production of tiny babies to restock the flock.

I got chickens for eggs---I can distinctly remember saying something about not getting attached, not naming them, no special treats...now they all have names and get as many treats as is good for them. I hadn't counted on them having personalities---for some reason, I thought they would just stand around, scratch, and lay eggs. Mine aren't even laying yet, and I still could spend hours just watching them do their thing! I respect people who get meat birds, and I have a good friend who raises enough chickens to pack her freezer full for the entire year. But I just can't imagine eating BabyChicken. Or JLo. Or Hunnybooboo. We're pretty bad at picking out names, obviously!

They sure do have personalities!

I gotta say, it's much easier eating roosters, or using them for meat. Especially when they are not so nice to the rest of the flock, or are mean to humans. I had a friend butcher some very randy naked neck boys. I was at the end of my tolerance for them. The first nice boys we had butchered was sad, but they had no other purpose than meat.

Though the only chickens I've culled myself were hens, but were suffering - so it had to be done.

 

[galefrances]

I feel asking questions is a good tool for me. I specifically ask those questions so people who read this thread ask those questions of them selves. Many people will read this who have sick chickens, and will be afraid to ask for help.

I try to ask instead of tell. It is easier to tell than to learn about someone and where they live, what there plans are, all kinds of things..everyone situation is different. There is no carbon cut recipe for healthy chickens. The basics works for everyone, the rest you have to adapt to your personal restrictions and environment.

The basics are..
1. fresh water and feed
2. fresh air and sunshine
3. Exercise

Your personal restrictions will decide how much fresh water, what type of feed, housing, runs, fencing, deep litter, boredom

And I also have to say that everyone on here has such beautiful birds and the environments you have going , well, let's just say there's a lot of lucky chickens out there.

 

[galefrances]

I got chickens for eggs---I can distinctly remember saying something about not getting attached, not naming them, no special treats...now they all have names and get as many treats as is good for them. I hadn't counted on them having personalities---for some reason, I thought they would just stand around, scratch, and lay eggs. Mine aren't even laying yet, and I still could spend hours just watching them do their thing! I respect people who get meat birds, and I have a good friend who raises enough chickens to pack her freezer full for the entire year. But I just can't imagine eating BabyChicken. Or JLo. Or Hunnybooboo. We're pretty bad at picking out names, obviously!

I can spend hours just watching them. Initially I had them in a run and I didn't see much of any personalities, but once I started letting them free range....wow, some of them are real crack ups. And I'm with you, I'm not sure I will be able to eat any of my birds. We'll see when the time comes. Heck, my youngest granddaughter won't eat any of the eggs. She thinks there's babies in there no matter what we say.

 

[lalaland]

I can spend hours just watching them. Initially I had them in a run and I didn't see much of any personalities, but once I started letting them free range....wow, some of them are real crack ups. And I'm with you, I'm not sure I will be able to eat any of my birds. We'll see when the time comes. Heck, my youngest granddaughter won't eat any of the eggs. She thinks there's babies in there no matter what we say.

that is so funny, my daughter, then in her teens, wouldn't eat the eggs either, she was always afraid she would crack one open and find a dead chick. And of course, that never happened. Don't know where she got that idea. She was in her late 20's before she would take eggs from me.

 

[aoxa]

I can spend hours just watching them. Initially I had them in a run and I didn't see much of any personalities, but once I started letting them free range....wow, some of them are real crack ups. And I'm with you, I'm not sure I will be able to eat any of my birds. We'll see when the time comes. Heck, my youngest granddaughter won't eat any of the eggs. She thinks there's babies in there no matter what we say.

My nephew is obsessed with egg collecting. He said to me "You know. I want to be a farmer and have chickens when I grow up!" Nearly busted a tear duct. It was way too cute.





First egg!

 

[delisha]

Cute names,

Naming them or not naming them does not make it easier to kill them. After 30 years it still bothers me to kill them. It is fine after they are dead and I butcher them out. I like to take them apart and examine them. It is imperative that I make sure the flock is healthy, that they are eating properly, making sure the muscle tone is correct. If they have too much fat or not enough. I look for healthy kidneys, healthy sex organs, I make sure the heart is a good size. The inside of the gizzard tell me if I need to add grit or if they are getting enough. These things you can't see unless you look. I am always so relieved when I am done that the chickens are healthy. I raise Cornish X's several times a year. I purchase 50 chicks, raise them up to 6 weeks and butcher out one chicken. That purpose is to check organs. This particular breed has internal organ problems. The heart is pretty large at a young age. Fast growth puts tremendous pressure on organs. If that chicken is healthy I grow out another week and sell half at a fair. If it look like they might be stressing I sell that week or butcher that week. I will not sell weak or unhealthy chickens. Other people are going to open them up and look at them. I want them to know they made a good purchase. Butchering out my chickens allow me to have proof in my hands I am doing a good job. The inside of a chicken is the best indicator that you are doing what is right. When you open the intestines you check for worms too. Killing your chickens and opening them up to check the heath of your flock is part of the husbandry. It is just not the fun part. Killing your chickens when you have an ill or an old chicken is part of that responsibility also.