Been ...
a while... busy...meaning to do this...
This has been a true learning experience! The frypan special has been a deal- Learned a lot- got to try out a bunch of different breeds- some good - some not so good for what we're trying to do-
Wyandottes and White Rocks seem to be the best...
Count 103
We moved them this evening - They're now in the garden area in a "Tractor" at night and cruise during the day.
We are spending $11.00 per week feeding the 103 broilers, 3 layers, 25 pullets and 6 roosters- That includes ~20 lbs of layer pellets per week
This is about half what we...
Weird Treat---
I let them "stay up late" -
After dark, I stand cinderblocks on end in a circle-
Attach a clamp-on light to the center partition of one- Aim it more or less vertically-
The birds stand on the tops and eat the bugs as they fly by...
As far as munchies- They like the big okra...
Don't raise anything exotic- We live in the boonies- just invite the bugs and they show up
I raise maggots- gave instructions in "Cheap Cheeps"
A couple days ago my zucchini fell down- pulled back the mulch and there were these nasty little white bugs. I threw out some scratch- the girls dug...
Zip Ties are VERY handy!
I have some with a loop on the "lock-end" that we use on "the boys" as collars. We attach a leash- ~10 ft of parachute cord. They are staked out close enough to share waterers. They can wander around- do rooster things but not kill each other- or compromise the...
The health consequences of swallowing a microchip are on par with worrying about the risk of infection from a firing squad
The "Premise Registration" which most states are trying to foist off as voluntary - legally gives the state an easement onto your property for purposes of "compliance...
Whew! Thanks for posting the pics-
Most people think I'm kiddin' when I tell them about our critters getting along- The only cat we have that is a bit of a problem is our Bengal-she loves to chase chickens- But that stops when the chicken figures out if she doesn't run the cat ignores her-
As...
Pretty much like making compost- except you'll be wanting to make a sponge-
Mix stinky meat scraps- fish "cleanings" work very well-
Add fresh horse manure good for "texture"
We add old bread garbage ( burgers, rolls, bread, old oatmeal) from a diner- make sure it is NOT MOLDY -
I also add...
6/28/07
Count 103
We've expanded the pen to 100' of 3' chickenwire-I run it around the round bale feeder, around trees, drive some fence posts and use fiberglass electric fence rods- The thing moves amoeba-like accross the yard- keeping them in clean grass. I move their "house" ( the round bale...
For a Hav-a-hart trap- bait the trap with sardines, catfood etc... stnky is good
I'd haul the little blighter out into the boonies- you can call the conservation dept in your state and they'll usually come get them to relocate- If you feel justice must be served-(understandable) drop the...
I keep it simple- Don't need to reinvent the wheel-
Chick starter, pasture & bugs for the chicks
Layer pellets & free range- for the girls-
Gamebird grower , pasture & extra bugs- for the meat birds
Gamebird and bugs for the roosters
Treats- wild bird seed , garden trimmings and maggots
Our hens have run the dog out of his plastic house- handy for us- eggs on the back porch. They "free range" the general area- and chose the doghouse... and one of my nail bins in the tool shed and a bag of peat moss in the garden shed ... and...
As for winter- we stacked straw bales around and...
Sat Morn- Count- 103
Temp's been in the 80's in the afternoons and 60's at night.
We're moving their pen daily now will move them into larger tractor in a couple of weeks- they're living in 50 ft2 and will soon need more room.
I have noticed aggressive behavior amongst the little...
We use zip ties with an eye as shackles for our crazy roosters. (We tie them out in the yard out of reach of each other)
Don't have issues with chaffing as they are loose- you could write or color code the bands with different colored paint sticks- or use little tags
Why do you want to mark...
Lawn sprinklers work nicely- both for keepng cats from using your flowerbeds and running off predators- the word for "bad" in cat talk is the same as "wet feet"
I saw a motion detector controlled squirter for the garden in some catalog- Is that just wonderfully evil or what???
Saturday Nite- Time for some excitement
The current count is 103 lost 4 over the past 9 days.
They were 2 breeds -
I lost 2 "black sex-linked" and two yellow/white -
They were pretty smashed up by the time we found them-+
I blame the fact we just now got them out onto grass
WoodlandWoman...
Wow $8.50 a bale for straw!
We had a no hay last year in Western MO and were feeding livestock grain and straw for roughage. Even so straw is about $2.50-$3.00.
The problem I have with the deep litter method is I need the mulch...
I run a batch of straw under the girls for about a week then...
make a "mash" wet the starter down with milk, water etc.
I usually toss some spinich, wheat grass, and what ever veggie scraps I have into the blender add enough water, milk , whey - the clear stuff off yogurt
Zoom it to the green slime state mix in starter spoon that into the feeder and watch...
I'd try feeding the cat and letting them hang out- Our cats (6 adults including a bengal) have yet to kill a chicken. We don't let them play with the peeps but from about 6 weeks on they're around each other in the yard, garden and woods. The cats love to stalk and chase the chickens but, lose...