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  1. saysfaa

    Free range vs feed

    Even if you live where chickens could forage for enough, they may not be able to feed themselves in the first generations. Feral flocks have learned what to eat and where to find it in different seasons or in different conditions. The chicks learn from the older chickens but if their are no...
  2. saysfaa

    Is there such thing as TOO MUCH protein for chickens??

    Dutch are allowed to use more synthetic amino acids so their feed producers can get enough of each with a lower amount of crude protein. Otherwise, there has to be too much of some amino acids in order to get enough of other amino acids.
  3. saysfaa

    What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

    Yep, it changed price today. Walmart started two weeks ago or earlier. They have it $0.89 a pound. We have the second one from Walmart in the oven. We ate all the first one, including all the gravy it could make. This one is for gravy makings to freeze for Thanksgiving. And one from Meijer is...
  4. saysfaa

    What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

    We are simplifying Thanksgiving dinner this year and I'm still not used to all the sticker shocks. I hope you don't mind if I think it through here. Turkey at Meijer is 99 cents a pound. $15 for $15 pounds Russet potatoes are $3.99 for 10 pounds. (We would prefer yellow potatoes but use...
  5. saysfaa

    New Here, and Building a Coop

    Steepest is 45 degrees. Less is better. An alternative is a step. Or they will hop/fly up a couple feet if there is enough side clearance to spread their wings. A landing platform or a roost/bar/branch/beam in front of the pop door would let them hop/fly up then step into the coop. From the...
  6. saysfaa

    Help! Beginner seeking advice on breeds for first mixed flock!

    If I were in your shoes (including the goals given here), I would consider: 1 Buff orp and 1 Black australorp because they are givens and because of some of the reasons they are givens. 2 Cream legbar because they have small tophats - to help with acceptance of tophatted breeds that may come in...
  7. saysfaa

    First time raising baby chicks!

    Things to scratch - a shovelful of dirt or compost for example. Dust bath Remember how small they are when you consider how big a small treat is. They can handle a very wide range of weather conditions as long as they can get to a warm (or cool) and dry place. It is better to have a range of...
  8. saysfaa

    Does it make sense to remove water from the coop at night to lessen the humidity in the coop?

    I did not factor in the temperature of the water vs the air. That does matter but not very much as long as the water temperature is under about 40 F (4.5 C). Based on looking it up a few years ago when I was deciding on a water system for my chickens.
  9. saysfaa

    Does it make sense to remove water from the coop at night to lessen the humidity in the coop?

    I set out to do the math or at least feed the mumbers into an online calculator. I picked 1 square foot (929 square cm) for the surface area (way more than a standard waterer or dog dish type waterer. 1 mile per hour (1.6093 km per hour) for wind speed (the calculator wouldn't accept 0). 32...
  10. saysfaa

    Are my wood shavings okay?

    Raise the feeders and waterers. Either hang them or put them on a platform. I prefer the platforms because I found them easy to set up. They may need steps. And make sure the chicks can't tip them over.
  11. saysfaa

    Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

    You may not need to attach the hardware cloth to the metal roof. Hardware cloth is stiff enough to stand up an inch against the pressure of anything small enough to fit through an inch. If you attach it to wood below and the sides where you have sides (each rafters). You might make it extra...
  12. saysfaa

    Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

    Our son is visiting from Florida so we are visiting over cooking better than usual meals. Greek restaurant last night. Eggs with crispy fried potatoes and more kinds of fruit than usual for breakfast this morning. Turkey roasting for later today. And visiting over games - Splendor so far. And...
  13. saysfaa

    Too much protein?

    That makes sense. I think laying more and bigger eggs can be detrimental to a hen in terms of her health. Part of the puzzle is that the number and the size of her eggs is controlled mostly by genetics. These studies use hens with very similar genetic egg production potential. Another part is...
  14. saysfaa

    Too much protein?

    This study looks the effects of standard, lower than standard, and higher than standard percentages of protein fed to chicks. "...how a modern hen may deal with a deficient diet during the growth and its impact in a long-term laying cycle...." Edit to add: they did continue the three levels of...
  15. saysfaa

    Too much protein?

    I think any of these protein levels are safe for adult chickens. Twenty percent won't up the risk of kidney issues or anything else that shortens their life nor will 16% or 18% shorten their life. The 16-18% was developed for shorter-lived birds because that timing works best for commercial...
  16. saysfaa

    Parenthood Thread

    When the children are adults, because that is the stage I am in now. Each stage was the hardest when I was in it.* One of my mentors said, "Don't wish the time away." She said too many people go through parenthood wishing for the next stage - if only he would sleep through the night, if only...
  17. saysfaa

    Chick crumbles not ok for adult chickens?

    If they were doing plant protein. Europe does a lot more synthetic amino acids instead. Or did, I haven't kept up with changes in this lately.
  18. saysfaa

    Parenthood Thread

    Anyone? Or was this just to the quote?
  19. saysfaa

    Can you teach a chicken to chicken?

    What sourland said and not hover over them. The less you do things to them or for them and the less they know you are watching them, the better for the first few days at least.
  20. saysfaa

    Has anyone tried this?

    Wise use of the turtle food that the turtle can't eat... assuming your chickens get a good diet otherwise. And, if you feed commercial chicken feed, you get turtle food that is small quantities relative to how much your chickens eat. Or your chickens get a wide variety of feeds/forage that...
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