Recent content by U_Stormcrow

  1. U_Stormcrow

    Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

    ^^^ this. Abundance is a social lubricant. Multiple roost areas, multiple feed locations, multiple water locations. I feed and water my free range flock in multiple locations in part to keep aggressive birds from dominating the rest of the flock. Also eliminates single point failures.
  2. U_Stormcrow

    Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

    I incubate - but if one of my hens goes broody, I allow her to set the clutch. My results from that have been near 0%. Poor hatch rates, and usually lose all of the hatchlings w/i days. Host of reasons - my clay soils are highly acidic, very hard on egg shells. My hens have been "stupid", at...
  3. U_Stormcrow

    Meat Bird Comparison: Freedom Ranger Hatchery White Ranger, FR New Hampshire, Cornish Rock Cross, and Ginger Broilers

    This is how my bigger birds tend to get bumbles, as well - the trip down. Hearing a 20#+ turkey hen hop down from a 4' tall metal gate secured with a chain sounds a lot like someone knocking over a metal storage cabinet full of half empty cans - onto an angry bird, of course.
  4. U_Stormcrow

    Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

    I use the same "15 min" rule to gauge whether I'm overfeeding my birds or not, since the value of my pasture varies so much seasonally. I find it a pretty good indicator, on average - though individual birds continue to vary some in internal fat accumulation based on gender and (seemingly)...
  5. U_Stormcrow

    Need input - would this mix + Kalmbach work?

    I'm with @FrostRanger on this. Scratch is energy at the expense of nutrition. With a good feed, there is absolutely no need for it
  6. U_Stormcrow

    Stormcrow's Hobby Farm

    In Florida, the weather forecast is "Written in Mud". Sounds like yours is similarly reliable
  7. U_Stormcrow

    Stormcrow's Hobby Farm

    Hopes the weather people are wrong about the rain for you as well. I just finished surveying the property, we finished our second mid 20s unscathed, didn't even need supplemental heat for the well pump. Will have an electric heat strip in the coming days. There's a warming trend, so not...
  8. U_Stormcrow

    Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

    Lunch. Commenting. {Caveat - I've only been doing this a few years now, and my flock of chickens has varied from a bit more than a dozen to almost 80 - so Anecdote, not data} I have 30 acres, but only a small amount of that cleared. A barn in the middle where I feed the birds, and where they...
  9. U_Stormcrow

    Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

    Reminder to self. Comment here during lunch.
  10. U_Stormcrow

    Stormcrow's Hobby Farm

    It is (for Florida) COLD. "Feels Like" 20. Finishing my coffee before I go forth and feed the animals. Had to separate a opossum from my birds at I don't know what temp last night. Not sure if he was looking to share warmth or make a meal, didn't really take time to ask his purpose in gate...
  11. U_Stormcrow

    Stormcrow's Hobby Farm

    When we get wet, we get WET. Drainage is a necessity.
  12. U_Stormcrow

    Stormcrow's Hobby Farm

    Added to my watch list, thank you!!! (and my culling project is on hold till its warmer. I'll start back up in Feb for a March hatching).
  13. U_Stormcrow

    Stormcrow's Hobby Farm

  14. U_Stormcrow

    Stormcrow's Hobby Farm

    So of course it's raining. Not gonna ruin a bunch of brand new power tools.
  15. U_Stormcrow

    Stormcrow's Hobby Farm

    Please, keep up apprised. If you start a thread like this, you know I'll follow, as will many others.
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