Arizona Chickens

[City farm]

 
Hi there! I am just a newbie too and got my first chicks, Rhode Island Reds on Monday, 4 of them. They were 2 weeks old. Welcome to the AZ thread! Everyone here is so friendly and helpful! So for everyone else out there, what is fermented feed?

The Natural Chicken Keeping blog is where that previous link got her information and it's a better reference than the one posted.  The process is extremely simple and is great for your flock.  I've been doing mine for coming up on a year now and could not be happier.  Unlike the dry feed, they will "act" hungry at all times.  For some reason, it's like chicken crack.  You think they go crazy of scratch?  It does nothing compared to fermented feed.  So just a warning, many of us start referring to them as little velociraptors the way they act.

Yes, it will reduce your feed costs because the feed expands to about 2 1/2 times it's original size and the nutrients are more readily available.  Just take a bunch of feed, throw it in a five gallon bucket, cover it generously with water and stir it every day.  Make sure there is ample air circulation (no closed lids) or you can start developing a mold problem.  Once it starts bubbling or forming a "film" on top, you'll know it's fermenting and going well.  Top off the feed and water daily with non-chlorinated water and you're done.  Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar is not necessary at all, nor is any other starter culture.

You guys have totally inspired me to do this.. You make it sound so easy,
that is what I am all about.. We even have the perfect food grade 5 gallon
with a broken lid.. Happy, happy, happy.. Thank you

 

[Mikey D]

Hello there arizonians... or arizonans... anyways I just purchased 5 welsummer and 5 cuckoo maran birds 5 or so months old. I am also bringing in broilers in just under 2 weeks. I am trying my hand atffermented feed also. Just introducing myself as im in mesa az. East mesa area

Welcome Wannabee!

 

[City farm]

Hello there arizonians... or arizonans... anyways I just purchased 5 welsummer and 5 cuckoo maran birds 5 or so months old. I am also bringing in broilers in just under 2 weeks. I am trying my hand atffermented feed also. Just introducing myself as im in mesa az. East mesa area

Love east Mesa.. We have a room for rent out that way.. Just dropped off a
chicken coop a few days ago.. We only allows chickens there.. HA!

So glad you joined.. Love your name..

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

Hi folks...so sad. I had to cull my first chicken tonight. It was the crossed beak chick I have been posting about. She was not getting any better & appeared weak tonight, so I did it. I hope its easier to do full grown birds. That **** near broke my heart!! I also vow to buy special tools (not my husband well used items) and have them ready for this awful part of chicken raising. RIP...Aunt Chilada

I know, I have to do the same thing today. It is not easy when something is helpless. Your normal

 

[Mikey D]

OK folks - sad days.

I've decided to get rid of my big gals.

Here is the Craigs list ad.

Please note as it says in the ad, my gals have been exposed to Mycoplasma. I know you all care and that's why I'm plainly disclosing it. I sure don't want these gals to wind up in a crock pot.

Have a good one.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I do not have cable, I have Netflex and HBOGO. But I'm a Dr. Who fan for over 20 yrs, and Ruby the Galtic GumShoe.

You're in luck! All th Doctor Who is streaming on Netflix, old and new versions. That's where we watch it.

 

[City farm]

We call ours that too, or Lil' Phil. Here's a few pics to show how she turned out. This was 1 month ago And today She's still small but she looks like an honest to goodness hen now. e

Wow - she does look "more mature"

On the 2nd photo. The hen in the middle with a black tail & lighter feathers for her hackel, what breed is she?

 

[City farm]

Hey everyone!
Brewing a hefeweizen right now after a long day at work.
The girls are all over the yard.
Classic rock mix kicking on the garage stereo.
Modus Hoperandi IPA in my glass.

Hope everyone is good!

HUH! Well! Not as good as you!!
I so wish you guys were our neighbors!

Someday maybe? I have decided to not attempt to do a brew.
I want to get more educated first, visit someone like you with experience..
On my listof things to do..
Still have not caught up on the Fourm. Boy it is moving fast with all the new
chicken lovers... Hope you posted about your birthday hike...

 

[Twinklin]

On the 2nd photo. The hen in the middle with a black tail & lighter feathers for her
hackel, what breed is she?

That's Tea my Welsummer. I think she's just gorgeous. But the stubborn witch won't lay me an egg. She's only 22 weeks but I thought she'd be first because she started getting a red comb before the others but then it stopped growing and Onyxia ended up being first, then Tea squatted once and I thought she'd be second to lay but within 2 days of Tea's squat Phillie started laying. Tea hasn't squatted for me since, I think the first time she may just have been startled or something and fooled me into thinking she was close.







In other news Lil' Phillie laid her second egg today. She skipped yesterday but she was already in the box when I went out in the morning to feed them around 8am. She got out to eat and then went back in and gave me an egg by 8:30. We had our first weekend breakfast of home grown eggs. I have eaten a few during the last week since we got our first one but on the weekends I always make pancakes or eggs or something for both my boyfriend and I. We waited until today to do it so we'd have enough eggs. I actually had the pan heating up while Ony was in the box poppin' one out at 10am to finish off the meal. We had 7 pullet eggs made into scramblers with some left over tater tots. I was so proud.

 

[Twinklin]

Oh yeah

P.S. Onyxia is now 9 for 9. She's an egg MACHINE!