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

[Tracydr]

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In some areas of the country, they have the prettiest grass hay, Timothy, brome, blue grass. It will be very green and fresh smelling.
There is also orchard grass and prairie grass in various parts of the country which will be a mix and can vary wildly in quality depending on what state you're in.
Bermuda quality also varies tremendously, depending on if it's been fertilized and what stage it was cut. It can be a lovely nutritious hay or junk filler.

 

[bobbi-j]

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Al,I would say a lot of the folks on BYC don't know how to buy hay. I've had to explain the difference between straw and hay many, many times. Not to mention explaining what a "flake" is. So, how to buy quality hay is probably a skill that many folks here do not have.
Would probably be a very good discussion, since many here don't come from a general livestock background.
I've been helping with hay since I was about 5 years old and when I married my second husband ( a city boy) I was actually surprised to realize that people from the city aren't just born knowing this stuff. I dont remember ever not knowing about hay and other feedstuff. Like what a flake is, the difference between Bermuda and alfalfa, moldy vs fresh hay, square bale vs round bale, 1st, 2nd, 3rd cutting ( or 10th cutting here in AZ). Just trying to teach a city boy how to put up a fence or tarp a stack of hay can be " interesting". And, my husband is an engineer who actually has some common sense from being a mechanic first.
I never realized I spoke such a foreign language until I spent time with a city boy. Taking my husband to Gainesville, TX during horse breeding season was an education for him.

I'm a city girl married to a farmer. He shared your surprise that I didn't know hay from straw, how to drive a tractor or back a trailer.... That was almost 30 years ago. I've gotten better. Well, at everything but the trailer backing. And I'm mechanically impaired. But other than that, I'm fine now!

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

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I am in Northern Texas, and that was my biggest concern this summer. Got our chicks in mid May to the first week of June, then the heat hit. I was out at the run at least 4 times a day, misting them down, could not install a mister, because we were under water restriction.
So I just froze bottles of water each night, kept a fan going in their coop at night, and set the frozen water bottles in the water containers during the day. Knock wood, I did not lose a chicken to the heat, but I only have a small backyard flock, so I know that helped.

Now we just have to get through our first winter, and I will at least know what to expect for the next season. Now if I can only find a heat hearty lemon tree. I so want to have some fruit trees, but I need to work out the logistics of what will grow in my area, and what watering system will work for the tress I plant. Because I know we will have water restrictions again this summer, need to get a few more rain barrels, have two, want at least 4 more.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I am in Northern Texas, and that was my biggest concern this summer. Got our chicks in mid May to the first week of June, then the heat hit. I was out at the run at least 4 times a day, misting them down, could not install a mister, because we were under water restriction.
So I just froze bottles of water each night, kept a fan going in their coop at night, and set the frozen water bottles in the water containers during the day. Knock wood, I did not lose a chicken to the heat, but I only have a small backyard flock, so I know that helped.

Now we just have to get through our first winter, and I will at least know what to expect for the next season. Now if I can only find a heat hearty lemon tree. I so want to have some fruit trees, but I need to work out the logistics of what will grow in my area, and what watering system will work for the tress I plant. Because I know we will have water restrictions again this summer, need to get a few more rain barrels, have two, want at least 4 more.

Lemons are pretty danged hearty. Its the cold that is an issue with Citrus. Key to them all is NO GRASS under the drip line or plantings at all. They drink from the surface. Water deep once a week. Use a Citrus Avocado feed once a year and you have it. PM me if you have more questions. My last place I had Lemons, Tangerines, Grapefruit, Valencia, and Navels. Most Citrus is grafted to a lemon Root because of their heartiness.

I want to espalier some lemon and tangerine at my house to use them as a living fence. And if they have chicken wire placed over the ground above the roots the chickens would be able to use them for shade and roosting too.

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Thanks perchie.girl!

 

[BWKatz]

perchie.girl :

Quote:
I am in Northern Texas, and that was my biggest concern this summer. Got our chicks in mid May to the first week of June, then the heat hit. I was out at the run at least 4 times a day, misting them down, could not install a mister, because we were under water restriction.
So I just froze bottles of water each night, kept a fan going in their coop at night, and set the frozen water bottles in the water containers during the day. Knock wood, I did not lose a chicken to the heat, but I only have a small backyard flock, so I know that helped.

Now we just have to get through our first winter, and I will at least know what to expect for the next season. Now if I can only find a heat hearty lemon tree. I so want to have some fruit trees, but I need to work out the logistics of what will grow in my area, and what watering system will work for the tress I plant. Because I know we will have water restrictions again this summer, need to get a few more rain barrels, have two, want at least 4 more.

Lemons are pretty danged hearty. Its the cold that is an issue with Citrus. Key to them all is NO GRASS under the drip line or plantings at all. They drink from the surface. Water deep once a week. Use a Citrus Avocado feed once a year and you have it. PM me if you have more questions. My last place I had Lemons, Tangerines, Grapefruit, Valencia, and Navels. Most Citrus is grafted to a lemon Root because of their heartiness.

I want to espalier some lemon and tangerine at my house to use them as a living fence. And if they have chicken wire placed over the ground above the roots the chickens would be able to use them for shade and roosting too.​

Thanks for the info. I have a lemon tree started surounded by grass

I guess having it in a hollow in the yard over a septic drip line helped.

I wanted an orange tree but had not attempted so the info about grafting gives me hope.

Mommy to Wee ones- I also have my grandmothers wooden bowl and sifter that she used to make biscuits/bread. Still works.

 

[runsw/scissors]

x1000000000 lol! Love, LOVE, lovin this thread!

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[galanie]

Now you all have me thinking of planting a lemon tree! I have been puzzling over what I could plant that the squirrels were unlikely to eat before they were half sized, and that just might be it.

 

[Remo]

This may have already been asked, but How often do you OT's clean your water dish?

When I first got chickens I read on BYC and tried to learn everything I could about chicken care and what I needed to build for a coop and run. After I got everything built I went to my friend, a OTer to get my first 4 hens. Well, after looking at the way his coops and runs were done and how he cared for his chickens I felt as though I may have went a little overboard with my first coop. Since then I have went to a much bigger and simpler coop and many more chickens, and I worry a lot less about them , now I just let them be chickens. I guess what I am saying after much reading and listening is that you can make chickens a simple enjoyable thing or you can drive yourself crazy worrying about alot of things that probably won't happen. I do try to correct things if something goes wrong, but other then that I just feed, water, and collect eggs. Life is good on this Chicken Ranch!! Thanks to all the OTers for your advise.

 

[al6517]

Ok....................... So the heck with Chickens for one minute...................... I wanted to take a second to wish those us who know each other and share common beliefs in our chickens, and Ya'll know who you are, a very very Merry Christmas and a great holiday weekend. Give your family friends and children a big hug, and cherish the season the way you allways want. Enjoy, smile, and have a great time during this joyous time of year. Wake sleepy eyed with a full belly, fat and sassy and well rested, for we have work to do.
Because come Monday we have business to discuss

what we all have planned for the upcoming breeding season 2012, what we want to accomplish, what we hope to see in our flocks and the joy and satisfaction that comes with it.

from me and my Family to you and yours have a very Merry Christmas

AL