Arizona Chickens

[DesertChic]

My birds flat out refuse to eat basil of any variety, rosemary, thyme....any herb really. They don't seem to appreciate pungent flavors. I put basil and mint in the coops sometimes in the hopes of minimizing bugs (basil for flies; mint for ants) and to improve the smell in there, but I'm still having a massive fly problem this year. I think it's the soaked feed. They love that wet, fermented feed.

I put mint along the doorways to my house to keep the ants out. Does it work? I'm not sure, but I haven't seen any ants in the house.

Marigolds are good to plant in the garden to ward off some damaging bugs, but unless they're densely planted you won't see a huge benefit. I do a lot of companion planting with various degrees of success. Right now I'm still having problems with invasive grasshoppers eating my produce plants. I've considered releasing my bantam hens into the garden but they'll probably ignore the grasshoppers and go straight for the melon plants. Everyone's trying to get to those melon plants.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

Most if not all our birds like basil, especially the Thai Basil, and rosemary. They pretty much went for any/all green herbs when they were fresh. Oregano and thyme also seemed to go over well wity them.
We added a Nubian milker amd her doeling to the area in March so this year we didn't do herbs

Awe.....I want a mini-goat. Been thinking Nigerian. I haven't tried fresh goat milk so I don't know if I'd like it. I've always wanted a pet goat. Seriously, ever since I had to work with a goat in 2 different plays in college. They were great.

Are your goats & chickens together? If so, do they get along?

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

We loved this idea BUT the wild birds can still get in them and eat away!! I tried the pail with the elbows and have found the birds have not yet found the way in to eat the food!! I have saved so dang much on feed since I put them in! You say but they are in the coop - doesn't matter the wild birds will find it. We got it from Backyard Chickens - just search for bucket feeder.

I've been wondering about a way to combine the treadle feeder with the pvc or bucket feeders. I'd love to be able to just put the whole bag in to a storage container & have that feed to the chicks. I'm curious how the buckets hold up in the heat...how long before they get brittle, or in a coop is that enough protection? Have you had an issue with rain getting the food wet or do you have completely out of the way of rain?

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

My birds flat out refuse to eat basil of any variety, rosemary, thyme....any herb really. They don't seem to appreciate pungent flavors. I put basil and mint in the coops sometimes in the hopes of minimizing bugs (basil for flies; mint for ants) and to improve the smell in there, but I'm still having a massive fly problem this year. I think it's the soaked feed. They love that wet, fermented feed.

I put mint along the doorways to my house to keep the ants out. Does it work? I'm not sure, but I haven't seen any ants in the house.

Marigolds are good to plant in the garden to ward off some damaging bugs, but unless they're densely planted you won't see a huge benefit. I do a lot of companion planting with various degrees of success. Right now I'm still having problems with invasive grasshoppers eating my produce plants. I've considered releasing my bantam hens into the garden but they'll probably ignore the grasshoppers and go straight for the melon plants. Everyone's trying to get to those melon plants.

Could you put nylons or similar over the melons themselves? Those must be really good melons!

I've got 2 black thumbs & 8 black fingers it seems...so I have to really be mindful when I try plants. Everything needs to be auto-watered or I forget to water/when I watered. I'm working towards that & doing the companion planting....I want to try planting potatoes in a huge tire I have. I can keep the chicks out with cage wire. I was thinking of blocking of parts of my yard & planting various herb seeds with a wire box over them that's a few inches or so above the ground. It'd be supported with pvc/wood frame. I saw a youtube video of someone who did that (I forget what plant & size of the wire) & the chicks could get at some of the plant, but not all of it so they didn't wipe it out. They were able to walk on the wire.

I think I read something about onions/garlic planting along borders can help keep some bugs away too.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

I was at Home Depot today looking to see what they might have for flow control. They do have some irrigation valves that have flow control. I looked up Hunter because the box for the one they had said about working with their micro stuff. Anyway....on their website they have a couple of valves that go down to .2 gpm I think it was gpm. Is that low enough for the water nipples?

I also had some google results pop for a pvc pressure/flow reducer valve that I think it said for chicken waterer. Under $20, but don't know about shipping, etc. I didn't look really close as I was at the store. Before I forgot wanted to let you all know.

It is possible to run the mister as another zone with the sprinkler/irrigation system or just tap in another line separate from the valves.

That will save me running about 30' of pipe as my valve box is a foot or so from the corner of my patio. Which means it's also possible to tap in for the chicken water, but I still have to either do the bucket or find a reducer. That will save running & burying pipe...huge YAY!

 

[FeatherPugs]

I've been wondering about a way to combine the treadle feeder with the pvc or bucket feeders. I'd love to be able to just put the whole bag in to a storage container & have that feed to the chicks. I'm curious how the buckets hold up in the heat...how long before they get brittle, or in a coop is that enough protection? Have you had an issue with rain getting the food wet or do you have completely out of the way of rain?

Our experience with a treadle feeder is that it takes 3 doves to stand on the treadle to open and they just take turns before flying off!! We just did the buckets this year so I don't know about the sun yet but I'm betting I'll get 3 plus years - they are heavy duty buckets. I haven't gotten water in them because they have lids and the elbows are down so very little would get in that hole. I also keep them under the shade as extra protection but if your coop is large enough it could go into the coop. We are very happy with the bucket feeders.

 

[desertrocks]

Seriously???? I'll have to go buy some. I've instant polenta, but I think it's a bit different than grits from what I remember. Will have to try that. I've done some different things before hitting the ant bait stuff...hate using it. I hate using any chemicals I don't have to. I'm working my way out of non-natural cleaning products, etc. & trying to just use natural stuff that either I make or buy cause I can't make it. Much prefer environmentally friendly options, but there are some that I still have to careful with the critters. Right now I'm searching for a remedy for thrips...seems my birds aren't quite doing their job where those little buggers are concerned. I've read about neem oil having some effect for keeping them off, but that spinosad is much better. I haven't read about any plants that would help to repel for companion planting.

For any who manage fruit trees/garden with the chicks what do you for the harmful bugs they don't eat? I'm going to try to grow a bunch of various basil varieties to help repel flies. Friend told me the don't like basil. I'm also curious if my chicks would like rosemary...if not I could have a natural barrier....I'm curious cause my dogs don't like the rosemary plants in front of my Dad's house. I think it's the ornamental & not culinary variety. Still smells. I do know about marigolds or is it mums? That's the plant basis for most bug control products. Also, do you grow anything for the birds?

Awe.....I want a mini-goat. Been thinking Nigerian. I haven't tried fresh goat milk so I don't know if I'd like it. I've always wanted a pet goat. Seriously, ever since I had to work with a goat in 2 different plays in college. They were great. 

Are your goats & chickens together? If so, do they get along?

The chickens are all in covered pens and the goats have the run of most of the rest. Too many loose dogs around us to let chickens run loose.
We are considering adding Nigerian dwarfs because for a couple of reasons. 1 is size.
Our 2yr old Nubian is around 140# and her 7 month doeling is about 80# or so whereas the NDs are only about 45#. This does translate to far less milk with the tradeoff being a 30-50% higher butterfat(cream) content.
We are currently getting right at 1/2 gallon per day which is a bit low for her as opposed to maybe a quart a day from the dwarf breed. I don't drink the milk but my better 1/2 does and I do use it for baking, cooking etc. We make fresh cheese using fresh lemon juice and heat to produce curds. It makes a lovely white, soft cheese.
We want the extra cream content to make butter with.
I have seen that the dwarfs appear to be better around little people(children) and with 1 grandson and another on the way, we are thinking that may be the way to introduce them to livestock and all the wonders that are entailed in watching nature at work.
No intention of giving up the Nubians, in fact we plan on getting both bred in the fall to add a couple more milkers over the next couple years.
More complex cheeses, goat soap, ice cream and yogurts are all being researched.
I love science.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

Our experience with a treadle feeder is that it takes 3 doves to stand on the treadle to open and they just take turns before flying off!! We just did the buckets this year so I don't know about the sun yet but I'm betting I'll get 3 plus years - they are heavy duty buckets. I haven't gotten water in them because they have lids and the elbows are down so very little would get in that hole. I also keep them under the shade as extra protection but if your coop is large enough it could go into the coop. We are very happy with the bucket feeders.

Thank you! Good to know. I've got the doves among the wild birds here....though the juveniles seem to be chasing them out of the yard.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

The chickens are all in covered pens and the goats have the run of most of the rest. Too many loose dogs around us to let chickens run loose.
We are considering adding Nigerian dwarfs because for a couple of reasons. 1 is size.
Our 2yr old Nubian is around 140# and her 7 month doeling is about 80# or so whereas the NDs are only about 45#. This does translate to far less milk with the tradeoff being a 30-50% higher butterfat(cream) content.
We are currently getting right at 1/2 gallon per day which is a bit low for her as opposed to maybe a quart a day from the dwarf breed. I don't drink the milk but my better 1/2 does and I do use it for baking, cooking etc. We make fresh cheese using fresh lemon juice and heat to produce curds. It makes a lovely white, soft cheese.
We want the extra cream content to make butter with.
I have seen that the dwarfs appear to be better around little people(children) and with 1 grandson and another on the way, we are thinking that may be the way to introduce them to livestock and all the wonders that are entailed in watching nature at work.
No intention of giving up the Nubians, in fact we plan on getting both bred in the fall to add a couple more milkers over the next couple years.
More complex cheeses, goat soap, ice cream and yogurts are all being researched.
I love science.

Awesome. I'd be in heaven if I could manage to make Feta & Brie. I know when I was in France there were many cheeses from goat....usually they had a stronger/tarter flavor profile. I'd imagine that would have something to do with the fat, feed, etc.

I got hooked on fresh ice cream, cheese, & yogurt when I was in college at Michigan State University...they have a dairy store & use the milk from their dairy herd to make the various products. At the time it was just cow's milk...don't know if they've extended to goat or even sheep. I do know they would offer various workshops & information thru the extension. Quite a site to cross to the agriculture lands....beef & dairy cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, horses, etc. As well as the grow fields. lol..close enough that you knew they were around during clean out/fertilize/wind changes.

I dabbled in soap making years ago...it's an interesting & fun thing to do.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

I found this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chicken-Pre...b48cca2&pid=100033&rk=1&rkt=5&sd=371318562768 for a water pressure reducer. Suppose to take it to 5psi which is what I'm finding on the various sites that sell the nipples, etc. What do you guys think? See it on amazon, etc. too with nipples, cups, full kits type of things. I'm thinking for $4 worth a shot to try.

Haven't ordered yet...still checking on the psi...5 seems to be a pretty common reference.