B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[ki4got]

Quote: well, mine free range, and have access to... well, as much as they want. i've got a wild climbing white rose that has taken over my brick pile (intended to be used for our patio that hasn't happenned yet), and stands about 10' + tall and about 15' in diameter, sharing one corner with a huge butterfly bush. the 'thicket' is large enough to be ID'd by satellite photo (south side of the house). LOL

the red circle is the approx. dorking range. the coops are sw of the sailboat, on the other side of the drive, and the horse trailer to the south (white rectangle).

 

[Kibi78704]

i just get the comet goldfish (they also call them feeder goldfish). they live year round as long as the water doesn't freeze solid. i've got a few that are probably 3-4 years old now. as for water quality, the fish bring with them bacteria that takes care of their byproducts, turning it into plantfood essentially. but i also include native aquatic plants in the bottom of the tubs. for shelter for the fish from predators and sunlight mostly. raccoons and herons LOVE goldfish. LOL you know the water's healthy, when you have to 'weed' it about twice a summer.

a friend did a similar setup but uses an in-ground concrete tank (probably 500 gallons) for his horses, with a submerged tank de-icer.

One of my close friends is planning an aquaponics system that sounds very similar to your setup in many ways. He's planning to use tilapia in hope of supplementing both his family's and his chickens' diets. He says the tilapia die if the water temp gets below 53 degrees (or something like that). I wonder if there is an edible fish that can take colder water temps?

 

[Kibi78704]

... I also have been feeding them re-hydrated Nettle. Free choice of course!! I have been making a Yarrow and calendula infusion (tea) that I steep for a few hours, this too is free choice. ...
I also have been putting a sliced up clove of garlic in their water. ... Nettle is very high in minerals and nourishing but it is also a diuretic and with the diarrhea caused by the cocci and the parasite cleanse I am using flushes their system so I have to monitor the nettle. ...

Lisa

Hi Lisa,
All those wonderful natural remedies and prayers! Lucky chickens!
The guy who ran the crew that built my coop is also one of my permaculture teachers, Kirby Fry. He was talking about planting an "herbal ley" for my chickens. The idea is a garden full of herbs, forbs, and other plants that would help a chicken heal and build up her reserves after brooding, or after an illness like yours have been through. He talked about all of the herbs you mentioned, plus many others, as well as nutritious forage. I've already planted a grapefruit tree (and pray that it won't die in winter). I'm still researching what to plant in my ley, but it sounds like a wonderful idea.
This URL kinda talks about the idea: http://kerrplunk.org/2011/02/shrubs-fo-livestock-forage-for-mixed-species-grazing/, but I don't plan on mixing species. There's also a book from about sixty years ago that goes into it it more. Fertility pastures and cover crops Based on nature's own balanced organic pasture feeds by Newman Turner that Kirby recommended to me.
Best wishes and may every one pull through this!

 

[Kibi78704]

What an awesome property!
You should see my "to do" list and unfinished projects.

 

[greenhorn]

well, mine free range, and have access to... well, as much as they want. i've got a wild climbing white rose that has taken over my brick pile (intended to be used for our patio that hasn't happenned yet), and stands about 10' + tall and about 15' in diameter, sharing one corner with a huge butterfly bush. the 'thicket' is large enough to be ID'd by satellite photo (south side of the house). LOL

the red circle is the approx. dorking range. the coops are sw of the sailboat, on the other side of the drive, and the horse trailer to the south (white rectangle).

Nice property. Our house is the last house on our drive too. Your chickens have an awesome area to roam around. Wish we could let ours free range like that. They would be lunch though, we have fox, hawks, coyotes and dogs dieing to taste that awesome Dorking meat.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: oh that's not a road, that IS my driveway... nearly 1/2 mile long from the road. we share deeded access to 1 house to the left of our property but the drives split down at the creek. the house gains about 200' rise in elevation from the creek to the house. we're on 26 acres and the neighbor (red circle crosses property line btw) is on 50. then there's a 200 acre pasture above my property, and another 185 to the right. yeah, i like my privacy. LOL so do the dorkings I think.

someone came up a few weeks ago, took the wrong fork and ended up at the neighbors. she asked 'is this where the chickens are?' and they responded that they didn't know anyone with chickens...

crow on boys. 8)

 

[greenhorn]

oh that's not a road, that IS my driveway... nearly 1/2 mile long from the road.

Nice, our driveway is about 1/4 mile long.

 

[ashandvine]

Quick question as I explore Dorkings... their comb concerns me regarding frost bite. How do handle this or do you not feel it is a problem. I haven't gotten very far in the thread but have to ask before I agree to take on birdies who might not like being here in Maine.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Quick question as I explore Dorkings... their comb concerns me regarding frost bite. How do handle this or do you not feel it is a problem.

I haven't dealt with this, myself, but I've heard that keeping Vaseline on the comb will help. Tori was raising SGDs in Alaska, so it can be done. The Whites might be a better choice since they don't have the single comb.

Kim

 

[ki4got]

Quick question as I explore Dorkings... their comb concerns me regarding frost bite. How do handle this or do you not feel it is a problem. I haven't gotten very far in the thread but have to ask before I agree to take on birdies who might not like being here in Maine.

the primary issue with frostbite isn't temperature, really, but keeping moisture in the coop to a minimum... moisture in the air settles out as frost on the combs and that is when the problems start. keeping a coop clean and dry will lessen any problems with that.

When i was at UMO, the chickens all shared the barn with my horses and i never had a problem with combs, even tho i can remember days that it hurt to breathe it was so cold...

god i love virginia...