Arizona Chickens

[beehappy4ever]

Am in putting in a Mittleidler Garden, between the girls and the garden I am kept very busy, getting back as often as I can to check AZ Chickens. I am so behind.
Dose anyone ealse have family members like mine?
My sister is here on her monthly vist, one of the girls is hers, last night I found out she STRONLY believes that chickens are vegetarian. She will only eat vegetarian eggs. She eats only a little meat. Now, it is important to give some back ground: a few years ago she would not eat tofu, she told me it was bad for you because of fermentation. Now... She eats it because it is good for you. She reads, or hears something, with a PHD or a Dr associated with the name and it is gospel. She now has osteoporosis, she says it is old age, I say it is because she goes on a 4 week fast purging ritual, 1 wk no food, water, honey, a few drops of lemon juice. Week 2, boil vegiables drink the water (no salt) do not eat the vegitables. Week 3, eat the vegitables and drink the water, week 4 add small amount of brown rice.
Now she demand that her chicken must not be given meat orinsects...... It poisons the eggs. What am I to do????????? Family! Everyone in my family is colorful in some way except for my youngest daughter.
How am I going to convince her chickens are not and will never be vegetarian. I agree, that it is wrong to give cattle ground up meat in their feed, they are vegetarians. She clams monkeys and gorillas are vegetarians. It's on film.... In the wild they all will eat meat. Giving chickens meat that is questionable (animals that died from disease or rotting) is very wrong. My goodness, I believe that if you lay down in a chicken pen long enough without moving they will check you out for dinner.

Are you kidding, If I slow down in my pen they will check me out for dinner. What does she think chickens out foraging do, skip the bugs and stick with the seeds? Has she never heard the term "early bird catches the worm"? Maybe tell her it is not meat but rather protein....PS wouldnt that fast kill someone? A month without food seems more like an eating disorder than a fast or cleanse.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Both Mountain and Lowland Gorillas are almost exclusively vegetarian (a very small part of their diet is composed of insects, largely termites). Just sayin'

Most other non-gorilla primates are generally more omnivorous.


LadyKotaDoria, sometimes you just have to pick your battles with determined people like your sister, especially concerning food issues. It always seems tougher when it's family too, because you care about what they're doing to themselves. And yeah, what is a Mittleidler garden?

Sonoran Silkies, I share your concerns about the lack of animal protein in organic feeds. I wish there were more options for feed with organically grown grains and fish meal. I feed organic, but I think my birds get decent amounts of animal protein from free ranging, mealworms and fish carcasses. That maybe easier or more feasible for a smaller flock that can be free ranged.

Kev--did you take the chicks from the broody?

 

[Mahonri]

This has been a BUSY thread the past 24 hours.

BTW I am looking for a receptionist for my office with Dental Office experience... if y'all know of someone looking for work.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Well, insects, arachnids, and fish are animal protein when all is said and done. I didn't know about gorillas being almost vegetarian.

 

[squeakyballs]

Macaroni! Let me know when you need an RDH. Full time, benefits, and in Tucson. ;-)

As for the vegetarian chicken thing - what are you supposed to do, lock the chickens up inside? If they see a bug they'll eat it. They are definitely omnivores.

 

[pastrymama]

so last night's wind blew part of the roof off the silkie coop and into the basque run. shoot. not really an easy fix with no extra roofing and standing at 5'2" tall and the fireman in hazmat school. so i took this opportunity to clean out the baby silkie brooder which has some NEW BABY SILKIES in it of various colors. 24 babies make quite the mess for something that looks like a cottonball with legs. we vaccinated them last week and i don't think the fireman knew that i had so many in there because he made one of those comments like holy ****, how many of these things are in there? well, how many of which color? then he doesn't care anymore and loses interest.

now how to fix my coop.....best call in laree.

 

[AZKat]

Notinoz: I really need to post pics, there are two that are looking rooish to me, one that is looking pulletish and I can't tell with the other two at all. No fighting or chest bumping that I've seen, but their dad was pretty mellow, so who knows.

Sonoran Silkies: There is a local co-op that sets up group orders of organic feed that offers organic feed with fish meal. I really like the feed I've gotten from there.

 

[rufus]

I think all families have one or two nutty people in them. My experience was that no matter how much you try to reason with them, it just makes it worse. Learn to live with them. "Yeah, okay you do what you think is right." When you ignore them on one subject, they just go on to another. The problem comes when they try to dominated your life, diet or daily routine. Don't let that happen! Otherwise, they will tie you in knots with their nuttiness.

Sometime you just have to say "Get the you know what out of my face."

 

[Fuzzybird]

Quote: Yea the fun is in the trying. I would really love to have a real BLUE egg.

Is anyone going to be in the BYC NY Hatch-a-long?

 

[Mahonri]

First time I haven't participated in the large BYC Hatch a longs in many years...
.......and I started the largest two. NYD and Easter....