Topic of the Week - Managing Expenses and Saving/Making Money Keeping Poultry

[Teila]

Sorry, I know this is slightly off topic but as I was feeding my freeloaders this morning I was thinking about the recent Topics of the Week and how my gals rate on them:

Managing Expenses and Saving/Making Money Keeping Poultry – big fat X on that one!

Incubating Eggs – big fat X on that one also, no eggs getting laid around here.

Feeding Treats – that one gets a √

Which Breeds Are Best For:
Getting lots of eggs
Good dual purpose birds (Fair egg layers that can also be processed for the table)

Bzzzt on that one! X

You get the picture………

So, I have a Topic of the Week Suggestion:

When & How to Have ‘The’ Talk With The Freeloaders in Your Coop

1. How do you identify the Freeloaders?

For me, that is easy .. all of them!

For others, they are the one’s sunning on the deck or bathing in the dust, scratching in the garden, begging for treats .. you know, all the things chickens do minus one key character trait, laying of eggs.

2. When is the best time to have ‘The Talk’?

Another easy one .. you can have ‘the talk’ any time you like, morning, afternoon, evening, you can talk and talk until you are hoarse, ain’t none of it going into those deaf freeloading chicken ears.

Tip: the word "Worms" does catch their attention but if there are not actually any worms within a few seconds, you will lose them again.

3. How do you manage your freeloaders going forward?

Manage them? Nooo, they manage you! You will still let them out every morning, you will still clean up after them, you will still feed them, including eggs you purchased at the supermarket and you will still fret that they all get tucked in at night time.

Most importantly, you will still LOVE them

 

[dogkahuna]

Many good ideas here! I'll add a couple and chime in on a couple.

Build your coop with salvaged materials! We used wooden pallets and other salvage lumber to great effect.

Rather than buying straw bales at $7 a pop at the farm store, we have a grass farmer deliver a truckload of bales once a year. You'll need to cover or shelter them to keep them dry. We use a deep-litter method in coop and run, so we are adding 1-2 bales every other week depending on weather and other factors.

If you have the right kind of sandy soil, let your chickens dig their own dust baths.

Meal worms and black soldier fly grubs are easy and cheap to culture.

If you've got the space, grow forage for your flock.

We hit up the produce department at our local organic food store for trimmings and past-prime fruits and veggies. This results in several large garbage bags a week! This is an excellent avenue to explore!

Give them eggshell for calcium, including asking egg clients to save shells. We live close to foodie-heaven Seattle and sell eggs at $7 a dozen to our business clients, and they are happy and excited to contribute shells to the cause. Folks love to help this way! Get them invested and involved by emailing chicken photos and reports.

We give our flock access to compost piles, which they do a great job at turning (and further inoculating.)

 

[egg-nation]

Coops- too much experience with predators, rats, snakes, possums n hawks. My coops r built solid, with wood floors, electric, and secured.
Food-they r fed with pellet food, no dust, no rats. Lots of organic food, either from my gardens or marked down items from store. I have feeders for them, that do not waste and r refilled when empty.
Free range-only when im home and can keep an eye on them. Do have chunnels built so they can at least get out of cooped area but r kept safe.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! It's so true, everyone loves chicken! There's no such thing as too much security. Mary

 

[LMVB]

I'm not familiar with "BOSS". What is that?

 

[LMVB]

Can you explain how you built the chunnels? I have 5 hens and a HUGE, aggressive (to me!) rooster. I have plenty of organic greenery in the yard that they'd love to munch on! However, I have 2 issues with that: 1) how to get them to a specific area of the yard, and 2) what to keep them in while in the yard so that they don't wander just anywhere? I'm worried that if I just let them out, they'd scatter to the 4 corners and I'd be here alone trying to wrangle them back into run! Any ideas?

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm not familiar with "BOSS". What is that?

black oil sunflower seeds

Can you explain how you built the chunnels? I have 5 hens and a HUGE, aggressive (to me!) rooster. I have plenty of organic greenery in the yard that they'd love to munch on! However, I have 2 issues with that: 1) how to get them to a specific area of the yard, and 2) what to keep them in while in the yard so that they don't wander just anywhere? I'm worried that if I just let them out, they'd scatter to the 4 corners and I'd be here alone trying to wrangle them back into run! Any ideas?

Have you considered building a tractor? That would allow you to move them around your yard while keeping them safe.

 

[AkChris]

Can you explain how you built the chunnels? I have 5 hens and a HUGE, aggressive (to me!) rooster. I have plenty of organic greenery in the yard that they'd love to munch on! However, I have 2 issues with that: 1) how to get them to a specific area of the yard, and 2) what to keep them in while in the yard so that they don't wander just anywhere? I'm worried that if I just let them out, they'd scatter to the 4 corners and I'd be here alone trying to wrangle them back into run! Any ideas?

I second that a tractor could work well for you to keep them in one area. I've also just just rolls of cheap, lightweight fencing and a few garden posts. Just unroll the fencing in a big circle around the area you want them and secure it with a few garden stakes/fence posts. Mine don't make too much effort to get out as long as there is fresh greens or goodies inside to keep them occupied (even though they can fly over the short fence if they want too). That set up is rather flimsy and not predator proof but works well to keep them contained within the yard or when I'm around to keep a bit of an eye on them.

Also it's really easy to train your chickens to come when you call. I do it my calling to them "here chick, chick, chick" every time I feed them, give them a treat, or scatter grain for them. I also take a cup of scratch and rattle it while calling to them, then give them the scratch. You can do this is the coop and run at first. But it doesn't take them long to figure out that "Here chick, chick, chick" means food. I can just call mine and about 90% of the time they'll come see what I might have. If I have the cup of scratch and am rattling it while calling them it brings them in 100% of the time at top speed. It's actually quite fun to call them across the yard and see just how fast they can run. I have a couple of different areas that are fenced off and it I want them to spend the day in one area I just get a cup of scratch, open the gates, and lead them to where I want them by calling and rattling the cup of scratch.

 

[LMVB]

I don't have the funds to purchase a tractor or even a riding lawn mower at this time. Add to that the fact that here in Central Texas the ground is pretty rocky and uneven...hard to safely maneuver in that terrain. I may try the idea of setting up just a circle of light wire as mentioned before. But my issue still remains: how to get them from the run area to the temp. fenced area. And yes, I'd be close to keep my eyes open. So, how to get them from point A to point B. Not sure they'd follow my lead at first to get to wherever, but may just try it. Would feel much better with some safer option, tho. Thanks!

 

[mobius]

I do think there are several and safe options that can be lightweight...think of a hoop made out of a cattle panel and secured on the ends that you can pull by hand, or a covered (fenced in) rectangular setup made from fencing and pvc pipe that you can pull by hand! That way the chickens can be placed inside and you just pull slowly...I am just certain there is a solution for you!