Here's my two cents about barley: it contains the same gluten protein as wheat. Wheat, barley, rye are very similar in make up, which is why when you are allergic to wheat, or have celiac or gluten-intolerance, you cannot eat any of the three grains. I'm seeing a lot of dog and cat food now...
I make my own. Mine does have corn, but not gluten or soy. You do not have to use corn. I first based mine on Harvey Ussery's natural feed recipe, simply using what I could get. Now I base it on the recipe found in Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, by Gail Damerow. She gives a table for making...
Thanks for the feedback. I have her where she can rest and not have to use the leg much. Unfortunately the only good place I have is away from the other chickens in the pen. I tried giving her a bit of time in the chicken run last night, and one of the other hens attacked her. Dang.
Hi, All. Please see pictures below. Any thoughts on what could be her problem would be appreciated. I'm a new chicken owner this year. My almost-8 month old pullet turned up lame in one foot about 11 days ago. Noticed she could not use her right leg. Separated her where she could rest easy...
Thank you for the encouragement. I am puzzled over my girl. Her foot remains arched. Having seen many red blotches on her feet, I have soaked her feet and applied antibiotic. The red blotches appear gone, and she is walking better, with an arched foot. Maybe it will remain that way. Maybe it...
Encouraged to find this thread. My 7 month old Rock pullet is almost the same. Happened 8 days ago. First couple of days, she would fall over on her right wing even when sitting down. After a couple of days she began getting up and limping around, with her foot in an arched position. Now that I...
Thank you for this post. My 7month old Barred Rock turned up limping 8 days ago. The first day she would not get up and would fall over to the right side. I separated her, examined, could find nothing, but she couldn't use the leg. Next day she was standing a bit, but her foot is up in an arched...
After reading an article, from a writer in the North, about having an 'open' coop, I decided to make the large west door of my small coop hardware cloth. I've been delighted with how airy our coop stays here in south Alabama. Best thing about our hen house is the air flow. Never have an odor or...
I am not exactly certain what DE is, other than Diatomaceous Earth, but I can tell you what it has done in connection with keeping my chickens. Like you, I'm new to raising chickens, and yes, I've heard all manner of stuff that DE is supposed to do. What it does in my chicken house is keep...
I've been wondering the same thing about replacement. I'll learn by experience. I have the soft sand, not the coarse spoken of, could not get that as readily. Clean it with a large kitty litter scoop with screen over it thus far, hope to find something better. Don't get it all clean, but just...
There is so much in this thread, such good info. Thank you all for sharing.
Question: Does anyone know about buying soybean meal to feed the chickens and/or mix in a home mix? I understand soybeans need to be roasted for chickens. Is all soybean meal roasted, or does it matter? I have my...
We got our first eight chicks this year. I decided to go with sand in our run after reading this article. I needed something to fill in and level, and because I live on the Gulf Coast sand is sure easy to get. My son decided to be helpful and came home with a trailer load of river sand--unlike...
Not a clue as to good price or not. But do you mean to feed them to chickens? I have a fig tree, hoping for a good harvest this year, bought netting to protect from birds.
And I humbly must interject that it is my personal experience that many people are on the "Paleo Diet" and the Atkins Diet because they are so very sick; the doctors can't help them because they are corrupted by the pharmacuetical companies, and it is indeed the normal American diet, heavy in...
Thanks for the update. My chicks turned 5 weeks old last Thursday. Somehow on the weekend I just knew it was time to put the oystershell into their feed and in a dish w/grit in their pen. They don't eat much, but they do peck on it. I think I may have finally, now that they're about out of that...
Grateful for the thread and the links. Did you find that the neem worked? I really do not want to use Sevin. Everyone talks about it being safe, but many years ago dear hubby and I took hort courses, and we learned then that while Sevin is considered safe, it is one of the pesticides that is...
Envy for your location! Appreciate this thread. I and another in the house have celiac disease, another gluten-intolerant. We have a totally gluten-free home. Too risky for me to feed regular commercial chicken feed because of all the wheat & barley in it. My first ever chicks are now 3 weeks...