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  1. witchwriter

    Ended Official BYC Caption Contest 8/11/14 - picture by aoxa

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  2. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    oyster shell has been available since 15 weeks of age ;)
  3. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    we'll know when they start laying, correct? if it is too taxing on them or if the egg quality is low, i will rethink my position on what we're feeding them and go buy feed. i won't stress my girls.
  4. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    this is a small corner of what my girls are foraging in. they will never, in their lifetime, eat all the frogs, lizards, grasshoppers, or crickets on this property. i only have 6 chickens at the moment and this will sustain them fine. they also get a cup of corn and sunflower seeds each day...
  5. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    i am mistakenly referring to everything growing in the lawn as grass. there are at least 15 different plants types in the lawn and another 5 on the fence. we are very lucky to have such a large variety of plant life and after reading here i am grateful for where our home is located. after...
  6. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    we live in central florida and there is no snow - it does get cold and we will supplement with more protein but the grass and other plant life really doesn't die out. this will be our first winter coming up so i'm not sure as to how much we will have to supplement but the birds will definitely...
  7. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    yes, we would be happy to take in any rescue. i have started the paperwork - just haven't finished the 301c. i will pm you our details ;)
  8. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    we're very lucky to have such varied plant life where we live. i didn't realize that before i started this post and listening to everybody's input. the girls do get table scraps and cracked corn mash. i am just avoiding factory made feed. i don't want to give them something i wouldn't eat...
  9. witchwriter

    last night an owl got my flock

    i'm so sorry - i know how scared and helpless i felt that night only being able to find 2 of mine. i do hope you find her today. expect the owl to return at the same time for the next couple nights. i was up about 4 am with mine for the next 3 nights just to be sure they were ok. we added...
  10. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    ours was a rescue - he looked so pitiful - he is beautiful and very opinionated right now :D nobody can touch but me unless i am not in sight. i am his human and he has trained me well :p my son will take him when we pass away - there was always a forever plan and our son can handle him very...
  11. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    i only have 1 macaw - blue & gold - and i pet him all the time. he regurgitates for me - i am his mate. while petting i rub his pin feahers on the back of his head and under his "chin" so they don't poke him. i only have 6 ladies. with a large number of birds this would probably never happen...
  12. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    btw, only on their heads and upper neck cuz thats where they can't reach - if they can reach it let them do it themselves ;)
  13. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    when the new feathers come in, and the shaft has dried, i crack those and remove the husk from the tiny ones - cracking pin feathers. leave the big feathers alone. the little ones can be removed so they aren't poking them in the head and neck so bad. you will get quite dusty. its something i...
  14. witchwriter

    Bugs

    how many? not a clue but they eat them all day long ;) when hubby is mowing the grass they will follow behind the mower and catch the crickets and grasshoppers that pop up. i wouldn't even begin to know how to measure the amount. but they also like lizards and frogs!
  15. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    according to http://www.grit.com/animals/molting-what-is-it--how-to-help-chickens-get-through-it.aspx#axzz39dSzUOOT it is a 2nd juvenile molt. you had me scared!
  16. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    call it what you want but their head and necks are shedding feathers and new feathers are growing. i spent the better part of an hour cracking pin feathers on one of their heads the other evening. my girls are very healthy and their poop is normal according to the poop chart...
  17. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    they are 16+ weeks and the molt seems to just be their head and neck - their chest and body/tail has no pin feathers coming in. my parrots molt 2x a year - spring/fall. i realize august isn't fall but it isn't always in august they molt.
  18. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    mine are molting right now, same as my parrots - it's just that time of year. my chickens have yet to reach maturity.
  19. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    what do you look for on their combs and wattles? shine? mine haven't fully come in and they look rather dull and faded :/
  20. witchwriter

    sticking to free range & avoiding laying feed

    LOL it must be the parrot mom in me - if the feathers are shiny, the bird is not sickly. yeah, if my black australorps don't have shimmering feathers i will adjust their diet to include more seeds or other sources of oils.
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