California - Northern

[EZFarms]

I fed my chickens the leftover plants in fall and they loved them just cut the roots off

 

[EZFarms]

Also i think im gonna get rid of my twp EE roosters but either they can go to someone on here or they are gonna be dinner. anyone here in chester or susanville want one or both? They are nice boys and gorgeous just thry are too loud to have here. if u want em tell me and ill get pics for you

 

[lizanne]

Well that's how it's supposed to work when friends get together for a visit!

I have a question...tomatoes ....are the leaves ok for chickens or no...found two websites that said two different things! Trying to plan my raised beds for the garden and some are in chicken territory.

Mine love tomatoes. They don't really eat the plants much (even at the end of the summer when I let them into the garden), but they love tomatoes.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Well that's how it's supposed to work when friends get together for a visit!

I have a question...tomatoes ....are the leaves ok for chickens or no...found two websites that said two different things! Trying to plan my raised beds for the garden and some are in chicken territory.

Technically, they are part of the nightshade family (with potatoes, bell peppers, and hot peppers) and are poisonous. I don't think small quantities would hurt them, but if you had a lot of tomato plants it could.

 

[EZFarms]

Happy chooks when i gave myy chickens the plants in the fall we only had like 3-4 plants

 

[lizanne]

Hi Dianna! I have a bit of advice for you that you can take or leave but it is what I have learned/figured out over the last two years.

For this situation:

If you have the ability to build or buy a second simple tractor type coop it will make this and your whole chicken keeping life easier. It will make it so that you can keep birds separated for whatever reason including illness, brooding, quarantine and in this case integration.

I learned on BYC that integeration is easier if you do it when the younger birds are about 6 months old but I have done it sooner (9-10 weeks or so) and successfully by following these steps.
*Making sure both groups can see each other but not get to each other for several days
*Ranging them all together in the wide open for several days
*slipping the chicks into the coop after dark on Integration Day
* Throwing out scratch and providing extra feeding/watering stations when you let them all out of the coop...I did this for months. This makes it so that potential bullies will be more interested in the scratch than being mean. And it makes it so that the little can get to food and water when they need to
*Monitor them...chasing and pecking is normal but if they draw blood separate and try again in a few weeks. If you only have 1 bully separate her for a few days this reworks the pecking order and often makes her stop
*Make sure the chicks have someplace and enough space to run to to get away.

ETA wanted to make sure you knew I meant that the smaller coop should be a second coop. Your primary coop should be as big as you can make it.

. I have a separate area that is attached to my coop, it's just a run with access to a small separate area of the coop. I put the chicks in it (when they are old enough) for about a week, so they can get used to the older girls, and the older girls get familiar with them. After the week I have a little door that I open (where the chicks can get back in, but the older girls are too big to fit). I let them out for a couple hours a day (when I can be close enough to hear/see if they get into trouble), and make sure they know how to get in and out of the little door. I leave extra food and water in the run for them, so if for some reason they get bullied away from the regular food/water they'll be okay. I leave that run open for them until they go into the "big girl" coop at night to roost and hang out with my older ones. I've never had a problem with integration.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

I also wish hatching luck to all! I am getting duck eggs today. It is a first time shipper so I am nervous.

I have been getting egg referals and am getting tired of cutting bubble wrap. Im debating between the pouches and going back to home depot for pipe insulation. Do I remember something bad from the great egg shipping experiment about the pouches? I am also saving up for after eadter plastic eggs for serema and silkie eggs. My best hatches were from those.

I always use 3x7 bubble wrap pouches for the eggs and larger bubble for the rest of the box. top bottom and sides

Have you heard about this place in Redding?

http://www.awesomearaucana.com/

no but need to

Hey everyone! It's that time again!

Come join us for the Easter Hatch-a-long!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/857062/the-5th-annual-byc-easter-hatch-a-long/0_50#post_12872939

ok ok. I am hatching tonight and next friday too so will be setting this Sunday or Monday and next too

Mine love tomatoes. They don't really eat the plants much (even at the end of the summer when I let them into the garden), but they love tomatoes.

Yes they probably won't eat the plants but yes The Foliage is toxic in large amounts. very bitter though

 

[ronott1]

Well that's how it's supposed to work when friends get together for a visit!

I have a question...tomatoes ....are the leaves ok for chickens or no...found two websites that said two different things! Trying to plan my raised beds for the garden and some are in chicken territory.

Mine did not eat tomato leaves but loved the tomatoes!

Tomatoes are in the Night Shade family so the leaves are slightly toxic.

Don't worry about it!

 

[ronott1]

Quote:

no but need to

Yes!

My UofA Blues lay so many nice eggs!

 

[chiqita]

Probably Super Blue Egg Layers.

They are usually Blue Egg Layers crossed with Leghorns and lay a lot of eggs. The UofA blues that I have are like that.

I have seen it used to refer to Cream Leg bars crossed with Araucana based breeds--The Blue egg shell gene is different on the two breeds, so you will get chicks with two types of blue egg shell genes, which will make two colors of blue and hopefully a brighter blue color.

I want to see those egg though to see if it is true!

I call Vonnie and Orlando offspring umee. Ultra mega ees. So there is less confusion.

Just thought id share a cute pic of princess my white cresred polish chicken watching tv with me

She has an adorable hat!