I grew French sorrel this summer and the chickens destroyed it, they loved it so much. One of the other things they love is something I always thought was clover--with a little yellow flower. Imagine my surprise to discover that what I thought was their beloved clover is actually a sorrel...
I use dishes from my kitchen to feed my chickens. A recent visitor thought this was very unsanitary and unsafe. I disagreed. What do you all do/think? I usually wash them in the dishwasher, but not all the time.
I have 7 hens, born last spring. They had slowed down their laying when it got really cold. 2-3 a day--mostly from my work-horse BOs. Well, last week we gave the chickens some leftover white rice and got 7 eggs the next day. We gave them more rice over the next few days and they are laying...
The last couple of very cold days when I have let the chickens out of the hen house for a little free ranging, I have been following them all over with a bucket of warm water, which they have poitely ignored. Well, after I saw a couple of them eating snow--now I know why, lol.
I can buy lecithin granules at my food co-op. I assume that it is from non-GMO soy, assuming that it is from soy.... I don't know much about lecithin except as used in making homemade releasers for baking.
I googled lecithin in chicken feed and only got industrial sites.
I make a homemade...
This question is about ventilation, drafts, humidity, and the birds being warm in the winter. This is my hen-house:
There are 4 lower open windows and 4 high round windows. Certainly there is great ventilation, but the position of the open lower windows on 3 of 4 walls makes for complete...
I am into aromatherapy and have read that there are some essential oils that help prevent insects, etc., on the chickens and in the henhouse/coop. Any one have any experience with this? I am already using ACV in their water, and food-grade DE in their food and bedding, dust bath, etc. I have...
I am using the deep litter method. What are some things you all use for this? I do not have access to wood/pine shavings. I am using straw, will add grass clippings during the summer and will add mulched leaves in the fall. Is DE necessary? I don't want to have a earthworm slaughter, lol...
We had a lot of fun doing this and the girls seem to like it. I would love any suggestions for improvement. This was originally built about 13 years ago for our daughters. The under level was a sandbox, with chicken wire applied all around it to keep the cats out of it (think big litter...
We've been planning our flock since last summer, but had to get the organic garden fenced in and started last year. Finally finished the henhouse and got our flock last week. Local farmer in Plum who breeds chickens. We got 3 Black Copper Marans and 3 Buff somethings. He kept going on about...