California - Northern

[CackleJoy]

Thank you for the tip about no roost. I did separate him last night. This morning I went out to let all the birds loose (we do free range except for our breeders). I have a sleep deprivation fog going on (I'm mom to an infant) and opened his door. He took off. I forgot to even watch him run. He's now out beating the bushes for bugs. We shall see if he does more damage to himself today. If so, I guess he'll stay in a pen for a while longer. Hopefully he isn't badly damaged!

 

[CackleJoy]

The poop shoes are cracking me up! I have 4 children, 3 of whom run around outside BAREFOOT all the time. I'm forever hollering at them to put on shoes! I've seen them scrape their feet off with a stick and keep going. I'M the ONE grossing out now! PULEEASE wear shoes! That's all I ask. SHOES. Not socks, just SHOES. Our chickens are free range and they like to look in our windows. We have to spray off the sidewalks before company comes! I just can't understand people that get all wound up about a little pooh. Laughing! We have 22 chicks in a broody box on our hearth right now. I suppose that is unsanitary as well

I figure we handle them more if they are inside. We end up with really nice birds when we brood them in our house. The batches we've done outside are all shy. I may change my mind when the 5 month old starts mobilizing!

 

[PetRock]

The poop shoes are cracking me up! I have 4 children, 3 of whom run around outside BAREFOOT all the time. I'm forever hollering at them to put on shoes! I've seen them scrape their feet off with a stick and keep going. I'M the ONE grossing out now! PULEEASE wear shoes! That's all I ask. SHOES. Not socks, just SHOES. Our chickens are free range and they like to look in our windows. We have to spray off the sidewalks before company comes! I just can't understand people that get all wound up about a little pooh. Laughing! We have 22 chicks in a broody box on our hearth right now. I suppose that is unsanitary as well

I figure we handle them more if they are inside. We end up with really nice birds when we brood them in our house. The batches we've done outside are all shy. I may change my mind when the 5 month old starts mobilizing!

My farm friend's six kids run barefoot all over their 10 acres. They have all kinds of livestock roaming and lots of other things that could be dangerous for feet. I don't worry about the poo that washes off but I do worry about nails, sharp weeds, sticks, pieces of metal, etc. I am amazed that her kids don't get hurt more often. They have tough feet! I used to go barefoot all summer when I was a kid growing up in a small town in Iowa. But out here in CA, I was the mean mom who didn't ever let her kids go barefoot in the park. In our own yard, fine but not in public parks with broken glass, etc. in the sand.

 

[tommysgirl]

growing up you could never get shoes on me if I was home and the temps were over 80. "Summer Feet" were a badge of honor. I did barn chores barefoot in spite of my mom telling me I was going to get tetnus. Now my feet look way older than the rest of me but I don't care. I still kick off my shoes the minute I get home...sometimes right inside the door sometime right outside.

 

[PetRock]

I have a question this morning. Does anyone have on hand a link for a study that compares the amount of food eaten by a fast growing meatie chicken over the course of its short life to the amount of food eaten by a heritage breed or a slightly faster growing breed such as Bresse? I am wondering if it takes a certain amount of food to produce a certain body weight, if the cost isn't close on the two even though the heritage breeds live longer. I know that the Cornish X are not as active especially towards the end of their lives when they are so heavy but the heritage breeds do forage if allowed to and get some of their nutrition that way.

 

[ronott1]

growing up you could never get shoes on me if I was home and the temps were over 80. "Summer Feet" were a badge of honor. I did barn chores barefoot in spite of my mom telling me I was going to get tetnus. Now my feet look way older than the rest of me but I don't care. I still kick off my shoes the minute I get home...sometimes right inside the door sometime right outside.

We were the same way growing up. It is amazing how tough your feet can get.

We had a patch of puncture vines back by the slough--we had to wear shoes there but star thistles were no obstacle for us....

 

[ronott1]

I have a question this morning. Does anyone have on hand a link for a study that compares the amount of food eaten by a fast growing meatie chicken over the course of its short life to the amount of food eaten by a heritage breed or a slightly faster growing breed such as Bresse? I am wondering if it takes a certain amount of food to produce a certain body weight, if the cost isn't close on the two even though the heritage breeds live longer. I know that the Cornish X are not as active especially towards the end of their lives when they are so heavy but the heritage breeds do forage if allowed to and get some of their nutrition that way.

I have seen things like that and yes, Meaties eat a lot of feed in a short time. They are huge feed to poo factories....

Send a pm to one of the Heritage guys, like @YellowHouseFarm

 

[MossyoakLane]

My farm friend's six kids run barefoot all over their 10 acres. They have all kinds of livestock roaming and lots of other things that could be dangerous for feet. I don't worry about the poo that washes off but I do worry about nails, sharp weeds, sticks, pieces of metal, etc. I am amazed that her kids don't get hurt more often. They have tough feet! I used to go barefoot all summer when I was a kid growing up in a small town in Iowa. But out here in CA, I was the mean mom who didn't ever let her kids go barefoot in the park. In our own yard, fine but not in public parks with broken glass, etc. in the sand.

My daughter is a barefoot girl too. I have to admit, after growing up on a ranch as a child, nothing bothers me. However, last year our friends daughter fell and cut her knee on a goat stanchion. A few stitches, no big deal. 2 days later she is being flown to Oakland with a horrible flesh eating infection. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20120706/articles/207061081
Missy lost the main muscle in her thigh as well as most of the skin on her calf. Thankfully she is doing great (even playing softball!)

I tend to be a little more cautious now.

 

[ronott1]

My daughter is a barefoot girl too. I have to admit, after growing up on a ranch as a child, nothing bothers me. However, last year our friends daughter fell and cut her knee on a goat stanchion. A few stitches, no big deal. 2 days later she is being flown to Oakland with a horrible flesh eating infection. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20120706/articles/207061081
Missy lost the main muscle in her thigh as well as most of the skin on her calf. Thankfully she is doing great (even playing softball!)

I tend to be a little more cautious now.

Wow!

I used to only worry about tetanus...Things have changed right?

 

[MossyoakLane]

Wow!

I used to only worry about tetanus...Things have changed right?

Tetanus doesn't even bother me, unless there has been livestock on the property and even then tetanus needs an oxygen free environment to live. So as long as it's a free bleeding wound (and not a puncture) that was made my something that has not been around livestock your good!

All these morphing bacteria kind of freak me out. It's horrible what we have created by overusing medicines meant to be life saving.