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

[Clay Mudd]

Quote:
And that's what, IMHO, makes it so valuable. Most of the posts here do lean toward the hobby side -- and there's nothing wrong with that.

Not to say that utilitarian chicken raising isn't fun -- it's just a different emphasis.

 

[Duramaxgirl]

Great thread! I've had chickens since I joined BYC almost to the day. I love OT advice pretty much on anything in life.
So OTs:
Do you use hay/straw or shavings in your coop?
How offten do you clean out your coops? I do this when I smell the faintest ammonia.
I also use garlic/red hot pepper/onions and ACV for deworming. Since some of you are saying a small worm load is ok, is it ok to butcher and feed to my family birds that might contain worms? This has been bothering me lately.
What did you use for mites back 30+ years ago? Or did sevin dust exist back then? I've not had a mite problem but I like to use prevention methods.

So far I've loved all the advice on here!
Thanks for any help on my questions!

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Well...you must admit the tenor of your post sounded offended...using words like unfair and bashing, asking if what you were doing is wrong, etc. My very first and some subsequent posts urges the reader to read carefully before replying. What you read here doesn't necessarily imply that what YOU do is wrong, merely that the poster doesn't see merit in it with his husbandry style. Period.

Reading all kinds of unfairness or trying to justify your methods is for other posts...not this one. Warnings were given as to what type of thread this is and I think it was fairly comprehensive in explanation. Confrontational and huffy statements like "why am I wrong? Because I don't eat mine?" denote someone who cannot properly filter the information without personalizing it.

I won't sugar coat things so you won't unsub the topic.....it is, again, a take it or leave it type thread. Of course, we would love to have you stay and play, but we won't beg, plead or placate. Not our style.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
The American Indian did not die off from white man disease, majorly, they died off from the introduction of white man corn. Corn became their main staple, and what happened was they got poor nutrition, poor immune system due to poor nutrition, and all their teeth rotted from the sugar.

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

I am a 7 month newbee, and I relish the knowledge from the OT. I love learning from what long time chicken raisers have learned over the years. This does make me miss my Nana, she raised chickens, goats & rabbits for years (all before I was born).

Granted my chickens have names, my kids named them. My 4 year old is the "Chicken Whisper" she can catch and hold a chicken in minutes, that I would spend 3 times longer trying to catch.
I do scrape my roost every other day, to clear off the collection of poop. And........I Kiss My Chickens.

They do not have heat or light, they only free range when we are home, and I feed them the leftovers from dinner, cause our dog gets a tummy ache if he has any. Does not have the cast iron tummy my other dog did, dog food was her treat.

Mine roam in the rain, get their skirts blown up by the wind, and enjoy BOSS.

OT Keep Up The Great Advice! I am not a PC person, they work my last nerve. I like the open & honest approach. What is the reason for a chicken bra anyway?

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:

 

[Fred's Hens]

Old farmers might not clean out the coop all winter long. They were doing deep litter method before it ever had that name. The manure might be a foot thick and mostly decomposed by spring. It provided some warmth, the chickens dug through to pass the time. This stands in very stark contrast to some posts where the person states they are out there scooping poop 3 times a day to keep their sand clean. Huge difference in perspective there. It just is what it is. That was this contrast being pointed to earlier in someone's post.

Remember, that for ages, the primary flock keeper more likely would have been the woman of the farmstead. She might send her boys out to clean the winter's layer out on a decent spring day and spread it where she'd soon plant her garden. Don't even ask me how I know this.

My manure management system is much more frequently, but I am considering shifting to deep litter. I much prefer straw to anything else. It is much cheaper and decomposes quicker in the field. I'll use shavings once in awhile, if they are on deep discount sale or something.

 

[Beekissed]

What is the reason for a chicken bra anyway?

Torture devise for chickens who have been bad?

Not sure, but I can guess....

Someone decided there wasn't enough feathering, for one reason or another, to a chicken's body and worried about exposure to the elements, so proceeded to apply clothing to exposed areas.

I can honestly state that I've never, ever had a bird in my flocks that got their feathers picked off by another flockmate...of course, excluding the feathers lost at the back of the head during vigorous mating.​

 

[Duramaxgirl]

Ok thanks! Beekissed My blood pressure dropped when I read your answer on the worms. Nope I don't feed the guts to my family but my 8 year old loves to watch me butcher them and it seems to be a good biology lesson for her. 'This is the heart, gizzerd, lungs' or whatever.
Keep up the good advice!
I loved what somebody said about spring chickens laying the best! Now I have a reason to give my husband for ordering more chicks this spring! And I'll tell him its OT advice!

ETA:
Fred, I'm the primary chicken keeper by far, my husband packs the 80# feed bags now that I'm pregnant but other then that I do almost all the work. Maybe I worry to much about keeping it to clean.

 

[Beekissed]

They are also easier to brood in the spring, broodies are more prevalent in the spring to do it for you if you wish, and you won't have those puzzling questions about "can I put my 4 wk old chicks outside when the weather is 20 degrees?".

When in doubt, do as nature does....the natural cycles of animals have been keeping them on this Earth for a long, long time.