Thank you for the response Chickielady. I have tried mixing oyster shell and other items with their feed but them ornery girls just throw anything they do not want onto the ground and leave it. It probably wouldn't be an issue in a non moving coop but in the chicken tractor design i am using i...
DaveOmak,
I decided to try that style of feeder for my six ladies. I love them. The only problem i can see would be that oyster shell can get bound up in the tight turns in the smaller diameter pipe. Mine are 4 inch pipe and the particular brand of shell does tend to bind up in the 45 degree...
Although we are new to this chicken thing we have been using the food grade DE from the beginning and have had zero bug issues. You can spread it in the bedding and in the nest boxes with no side effects to the birds. It works itself into all the dark little cracks and crevices that the bugs...
Thank you ninetreesmom. Yes it is exciting and means the four months worth of work growing the birds, building the coop etc. has paid off. These are our first ever chickens and the concerns of whether we are doing the right things is alleviated a bit.
Peace,
Cam-n-Sara
Well the happy day has arrived lol. We got our first egg last night. the ladies were just standing there staring at it like it was poisonous. Nobody would go into the nest box until i removed it. It is a beautiful brown perfect little nugget of yumminess. Not a huge egg but not any smaller...
Vicki,
When we move the arc we clean the poo, sticks, feathers, etc. out of the dust bath add a bit and stir it up to break the clumps. The girls toss the dirt out and all over the place so it gets low. We have only had chickens since march so we are learning as we go too. Have fun and enjoy...
The variables for a transplanted apple tree wilting are many and varied so i will just go with the obvious. If you planted both the same depth and did everything else the same then there should be no reason for one not thriving. That being said, are you fertilizing the tree? when you planted...
Vicki,
We decided to go with the cat box full of dirt and diotomaceous earth. It is easy to remove( and refill) when we move the arc and the chickens get to flap around in it (usually four or five at a time silly girls) The dirt is garden dirt and has sand some small stone (pea sized) and a...
Vicki,
We have a chicken arc which we move about every five days to prevent the girls (6) from tearing up the lawn too much. Seven days is really too long for the health of the grass and the chickens really. On the other hand the grass rebounds in a couple days due to the fertilizer left...
Starting is the key. Whether you have a multi-acre garden or a pot on your windowsill the value of doing for yourself is self-evident. The enjoyment is in the planting the nurturing and the harvesting. Nothing says "yum" like growing for yourself.
Glad to have you with us salt and pepper...
Although many people wont agree, I find the slightly bitter ribs of the thistle quite tasty. If you remove the whole leaf, and flip it over (rib side up), cut off the leaf sides leaving just the central rib with no thorns, it tastes similar to celery and can be used in a similar manner...
Despite the concern about your man card you did a good job . And i don't say that just because I have been contemplating doing this myself. I am a man as well but am the only one in the house who knows how to use a sewing machine and has the inclination to use it. There are many "unmanly"...
Sounds to me like you have an amendment issue. Soil needs to be "fluffy" and not hard packed. Good amendment of organic but not too much nitrogen (causes hairy carrots...not pretty). The more clay and stone in the soil the more you need to work it to get it fluffy. I use leaves in my beds to...
I agree they grow everywhere. They are great around the garden and marigolds are medicinal. Bruise the stems leaves or blossoms apply to bruises or small cuts and it helps keep infection away and speed healing.
-Cam-
Carrots are about the easiest darn thing to grow. At least here in the inland northwest, most likely different for other regions tho . Throw the seeds in the dirt, rake lightly, and water until september or october. If you have shallow beds use a "half-long" varietal. We do carrots every...
I agree, the persistence of "stuff" in everything is a concern for me as well. The process that the material goes through is pretty extensive tho so i am giving it a shot. I would think most of the chemical residue would be neutralized by the heat treatment and then several years of weather...