Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[jvls1942]

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I get wood chips from the company who clears branches from the telephone and electric power lines..

they are always looking for a place close by to empty their trucks .. I have enough space for about 100 truck loads.. I only got 3 loads this fall, though..

 

[Clay Mudd]

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I get wood chips from the company who clears branches from the telephone and electric power lines..

they are always looking for a place close by to empty their trucks .. I have enough space for about 100 truck loads.. I only got 3 loads this fall, though..

I got a load of that this year. Originally, I was just going to use it in the garden, but this month I've been throwing it into the covered runs, too. Working out great so far.

 

[Gypsi]

I just use straw for the dog houses and nest boxes because it is cheaper than hay, and it seems to hold up a bit better as far as moisture. Not a big deal in the nest boxes. Big deal in the dog houses when they get in and are all wet. Mold is not a good thing.
I use sand in my runs, and since my wood chip pile was quite moldy, kept it out of the coop.

My chickens eat whatever they feel like eating, I fed layena crumbles, right now game bird layer mix, but they eat grass and rye and lantana and lantana berries and bugs, and the wax moth larva from the beehive caused so much excitement they each laid an egg a day, and one laid twice a day, for about 3 days.

I never SEE any henbit in my yard where they can graze anymore. I did take away the toad that was in the wading pool. The toad was quite grateful I'm sure, when I pitched him over the fence.

I've reserved feeding scratch for winter only because our summer temps are so high, and the rumor of anything that increases body temp is enough to deter me from it. They didn't seem to like it in the summer either.

Gypsi

 

[TinyChickenLady]

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This is exactly the type of thing us old timers want to avoid.. It is NOT gospel that hay is bad for chickens.

This poor person is very new to chickens and she believes without a doubt that hay is bad..

I have used hay as a substitute for straw since 1966.. Never had an impacted crop.. You are not going to convince me that I have been extremely lucky.. I say if you had impacted crop, there were probably other problems that helped cause it.. You were extremely unlucky..

I give my chickens hay as a treat several times a month.. the only reason I do not use it for deep litter bedding is because it mats down and is too hard to clean in the spring... No, I do not clean out my coops every day.. I never clean them at all from fall until spring..

You have experienced different things than I have, and many, many others on BYC - if you search, you will see pictures of impacted crops - clogged with hay. If you've had good luck using hay - then good for you, carry on - we all do what works best for us. However, it's good to know the POSSIBILITIES. It's not just a random person who has had the issue - as I said, do a search, not only here, but on the 'net - ask avian vets, your chicken mentor, whoever you respect.

I have personally taken a hen to an avian vet for disgnosis - crop stasis due to impacted crop from HAY. She flushed it out; hen died anyway, due to crop statis, brough on by the hay impaction. I'm not making it up. Anyone can do whatever they like - I am only stating my personal experience, but folks - please research it before using hay. JMO.

Good options for nest boxes: shredded newspapers, though they can be messy. I believe wood shavings are best. I put a square of indoor/outdoor carpet in the bottoms of my nest boxes, and then shavings on top. Many folks use straw or hay - it that's what flicks your Bic, then do so. Just know that you have choices.

First of all, thank you jvls1942 for sharing your experiences with me. I understand that the hay rule isn't a sticky. That some chickens fare well with it and others don't. But that's why I asked. I want to know of other peoples' experiences because I don't have any. So far, my flock is very healthy and very happy from what I can tell.

Wynette - Thanks for your advice as well. I like the rug and shavings idea. I never thought of using rug but I bet it would save me a lot of hassle and would actually make cleaning easier.

I think after reading both of your responses, I'm going to start with the rug and alternate between the shavings and hay to see which one the chickens handle better. Afterall, they are the ones with the final say LoL because I'll be honest, I spoil them horribly.

 

[jvls1942]

All I am saying is that it is not nice to scare someone just starting out with statements that one thing is soooo wrong or bad..
I never said that it does not happen.. I am saying it is extremely rare. so rare that I do't even consider it a hazard.. and I have raised thousands of fowl in my years.. of course you can produce photographs.. that doesn't prove how epidemic it is..
I would be more interested in what percentage of chickens are accurately diagnosed..

 

[scottcaddy]

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LOL!! I would not want any of them store bought eggs myself!

 

[toofarout]

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I sympathize with you on this one! Could you possibly frame out (with 2x4's) a 1ft. by 1ft. opening for the chickens (and keep the other door closed)? Maybe the Pygmy's can't make it through that?
I have *full* sized dairy goats and found out they can squeeze through the duck/geese door. Goats are escape artists for sure, if they want to go through over around or under something they will contort and squeeze until they either do get through or get hopelessly stuck!
Good luck in finding a solution!

Oh sorry, I'm posting advise but I'm a newbie chicken owner. Am I allowed to offer any advise in this? If not, let me know and I won't do it again.

 

[tiki244]

Hi

I have had chickens for five years and seem to *know* less *for certain* the longer I have them. I consider myself a newbie to the chicken world. I will be reading this thread from the start and try to learn from the tried and true old timers. It is nice to have a thread that is just good ole no nonsense chicken talk.

 

[Wynette]

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I wasn't trying to scare anyone (my apologies to anyone who I frightened) - but I thought this thread was for no-nonsense replies.

TCL, I am in total agreement - try it - if it works, you like it, they like it, then go for it!

I've never been one to not try something that seemed to make sense, even if it came with caution warnings - good to know as much as you can going in. I'm sure your chickens are happy & healthy - you'll be able to know if there is a problem early on, I suspect.

 

[QualityPolish]

Okay you guys who use nipple waterers, I have a question for you. I really want to get them just because it will reduce the hassle of having to clean out the waterer everyday but, I'm worried about leakage. Does anyone have problems with that?
Thank you in advance,
QP