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  1. EmeraldSkye

    Outdoor run material

    This mutual conversation is exactly what a good forum is for!
  2. EmeraldSkye

    Outdoor run material

    I am in San Jose, in the San Francisco Bay Area. The rice is grown in the California central valley, I believe, and it's nice to have rice products. It doesn't rain from May - October (roughly) so we have many dry months where mold wouldn't be a problem. But I'll sure watch out for it during the...
  3. EmeraldSkye

    Outdoor run material

    All of that was very useful. I didn't know about the tendency for hay to mold. I use rice hulls in the coop because I can (and do, every morning) sift the poop out with a kitty litter scoop. I use pine shavings in the predator-proof section of the run because it has a roof over the top and the...
  4. EmeraldSkye

    Outdoor run material

    We have a coop, an enclosable predator-proof run, and a larger outdoor run area. In the coop I use rice hulls. In the smaller predator-proof run I use pine shavings. In the larger outdoor run area I've been putting down straw. I was wondering which is actually better in this large (@ 900 square...
  5. EmeraldSkye

    Nipple water bucket-how do you keep it clean

    I have to say that once I cleaned my system I changed the water hose to a shorter one I had laying around (I rinsed it well) and also added ACV. The water got gross. So I took it apart and cleaned it again, this time filling the hose with the cleaning solution as well and letting it all sit...
  6. EmeraldSkye

    Nipple water bucket-how do you keep it clean

    I have the Chicken Fountain waterer. http://chickenfountain.com/ I noticed some cloudy murky water with "fluffy stuff" floating in it and I followed his instruction for cleaning it: Quote: I realize you don't have the Chicken Fountain but I'm sure the same cleaning instructions should help...
  7. EmeraldSkye

    Thin eggshells, Calcium bumps on eggs, Pale comb

    My vet is an avian vet.
  8. EmeraldSkye

    Thin eggshells, Calcium bumps on eggs, Pale comb

    OK, here's the latest on Lucille: The vet found no mites or lice on her. I also went outside at night with a flashlight to look for the coop-dwelling night-time blood-suckers and found none. The vet did a fecal test and it was negative for parasites. The vet drew blood. She is "profoundly...
  9. EmeraldSkye

    FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

    Is your tap water chlorinated? If so then you need to let it sit out for a day before using for the chlorine to dissipate. Otherwise it kills off the good bacteria you are trying to cultivate. Other options are to use distilled water or to use (as we do) RO (reverse osmosis) water. We have a tap...
  10. EmeraldSkye

    Thin eggshells, Calcium bumps on eggs, Pale comb

    Yes, what I'm afraid of most is that she could break one inside of her and cause bigger problems. The pale comb is also a sign that there's something not quite right. I gave them all some kefir today and they loved it. I also put ACV in the water. As for worming, they haven't had that yet...
  11. EmeraldSkye

    Thin eggshells, Calcium bumps on eggs, Pale comb

    They do have oyster shell. Their layer feed has 3% calcium, plus I added more (1 pound oyster shell for 20 pounds of feed as directed on the label) and there is oyster shell in a hopper in the run for the taking. It seems as I've added calcium the shells have been getting weaker. Just on her...
  12. EmeraldSkye

    Thin eggshells, Calcium bumps on eggs, Pale comb

    We are certainly following the vet's advice, but I was wondering if anyone else has heard of an infection as a possible cause of thin-shelled eggs? I haven't read this as a cause anywhere.
  13. EmeraldSkye

    Thin eggshells, Calcium bumps on eggs, Pale comb

    Greetings, We have a 9-month old Easter Egger named Lucille. From the beginning her eggshells have been thin and her eggs usually have the bumpy calcium deposits on them. The shells seem to be getting thinner as time goes by, so much that the eggs are usually broken either when she lays them...
  14. EmeraldSkye

    FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

    Not entirely true. Glass will explode if it's sealed up tight. If it's loose and allowed to breathe then it won't. I use a glass crock and I have no explosions. I agree it doesn't have to be covered with water once it's going but for my first batch I did cover with water. Once I have the...
  15. EmeraldSkye

    FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

    Yes, it's the quickest, most thorough place to look for all of the information and answers! I started my first batch following the first link of the three but then am maintaining it like Tikktoc does, more dry, and adding more feed and water when it's almost to the bottom rather than putting...
  16. EmeraldSkye

    FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

    Here are the sources I found most helpful: http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/p/fermented-feed.html http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/02/07/im-using/ And her follow-up FAQ blog: http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/ I use one crock-style glass jar that I...
  17. EmeraldSkye

    Grazing Frames

    We made these for our chickens on a raised bed that we already had: The wire is actually cage wire which is a thicker gauge than hardware fabric. We used the 1/2" x 1" found at Tractor Supply: http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/cage-wire-30-x-10-ft-1-2-x-1-in There are 1" x1" and 1" x...
  18. EmeraldSkye

    egg shells and chickens

    Don't "switch" to oyster shell. Keep giving grit and add oyster shell. They are two different things and each has its own purpose. One is for digestion (grit) and one is for calcium for the egg shell (oyster shell). Grit does not dissolve. Oyster shell does. Unless you are talking about...
  19. EmeraldSkye

    FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

    I use this method with Scratch and Peck feed, which is a whole-grain based feed. The reason I started this is because Scratch and Peck feed has a lot of "powder" which is all of the added nutrients and supplements. Since they aren't grinding it all together and extruding it into pellets, the...
  20. EmeraldSkye

    FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

    Mine smells sour, like sauerkraut. I'm sure the drier FF will ferment new feed OK. See this: http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/ She keeps hers on the dry side. I found these FAQs very useful.
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