BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[DesertChic]

Justin Rhodes at Abundant Permiculture has some really good ideas about raising chickens. He does market aggressively. I didn't sign up for anything but looked at some of his promotional videos and suddenly I was getting two advertisement e-mails a day from him. I unsubscribed and it stopped immediately, and my email address doesn't seem to have been sold. Overall I'd say my experience was neutral, and I got some good ideas about giving my chickens access to my compost.

My chickens always have access to my compost. They just seem to know when the time is right to jump in and get filthy, and when to just ignore it and let it ripen a bit longer.

 

[Beekissed]

I've bin trained my flock to deposit their droppings right in the compost bin..... saves me a lot of work.

 

[DesertChic]

I've bin trained my flock to deposit their droppings right in the compost bin..... saves me a lot of work.

Good chickens!

 

[AnthNDacula]

My chickens always have access to my compost. They just seem to know when the time is right to jump in and get filthy, and when to just ignore it and let it ripen a bit longer.

Now there's an idea that tickles my fancy.... Ripe Compost

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

This summer I'm going to look into raising black soldier flies. Seems pretty simple.

 

[islafarm]

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This summer I'm going to look into raising black soldier flies. Seems pretty simple.

It is and chickens love them. 45% protein, 5% calcium and a good amount of fat : excellent food source. I have a compost bin for them and I also use them to compost the chicken poop in a separate system. North west worms is a good source of info, and there are good websites on the bsf, even a couple of forums. There's a bsf thread on BYC too. The flies themselves are no problem to have around, I see maybe 1 or 2 a day, they are only attracted to strong smells (love coffee grounds) and don't eat.

 

[Beer can]

This summer I'm going to look into raising black soldier flies. Seems pretty simple.

I thought about maggot buckets, easier. The possibility of botulism though... probably better to feed them the meat protein direct, skip a step.
Some feed dubia roaches to their chickens. Easy to raise also. 36% protein, 7% fat.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I think I'll stick to the soldier flies- the maggots look bigger, and if I drop one it will be easy to catch and I only like roaches that hiss

 

[hellbender]

I think I'll stick to the soldier flies- the maggots look bigger, and if I drop one it will be easy to catch and I only like roaches that hiss

Maggots...you never have to touch 'em! They slither up about 3 or 4 inches and drop out the hole that's drilled...just for them and they drop down to the waiting gaping yaps of the chickens! The birds soon learn how to time them.

 

[DesertChic]

Maggots...you never have to touch 'em! They slither up about 3 or 4 inches and drop out the hole that's drilled...just for them and they drop down to the waiting gaping yaps of the chickens! The birds soon learn how to time them.

I know of a guy who collects road kill covered in maggots to feed to his chickens. That's a bit more dedicated than I'm prepared to be. I may give the BSF thing a try though.