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

[al6517]

I think the squirrel in the runs is a bad idea, sure they won't mess with the birds or anything but all the mites and lice they will bring in will have you be the one chasing your tail for many many months to come, and if your not good with the little crawly preditors your in for rude awakening. I hate to have to deal with them when wild barn swallows and such invade my feeders one winter. It took me some serious work to rid my birds of them, and now the pen's and runs are wired so tight nothings coming in no bigger than a spider. Don't say I didn't warn ya LOL.

 

[Nomibear]

"Hello, 911. what is your emergency?"

"My neighbor raises backyard chickens. I think she is growing weed to feed the chickens!"

Ok, total newbie question I'm sure. But how are Flax and Marijuana connected....?

 

[gardendufus]

I'm thinking someone mistook flax for hemp, which I believe if not MJ is in the same family. Somewhere I think I used to know for sure, but I have forgotten now.

 

[Marty1876]

Not related, both are long fibered plants, however, and both are made into cloth, but flax, which is used to make linen, is much finer.




from wiki ANSWERS.com


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[galanie]

Some bird seed does indeed contain hemp seeds. I can go down to my specialty bird store and buy hemp seeds by the pound. I've never tried germinating these seeds nor have even bought any but they're there, and they are available legally. It's possible that it's legal because they have been treated (maybe heated?) and can't be germinated? I don't know. What I do know though, is that hemp grown for making rope has almost none of the stuff in it that makes you high. I learned this from reading about an Indian on a reservation that was growing the "rope" type hemp and got raided but still grows it. "Smoke all you want, you'll never get high" he says.

 

[Marty1876]

Its true that hemp is used in many non-drug related ways. Birds adore the seeds, as they are large and full of oil. I know there are two grades of marijuana, and that almost anyone can get permission to grow the hemp grade. You have to get a permit. There is a real market for it in the natural clothes/materials sector of sales. Its considered very "green" (no pun intended) becasue it produces lots of fiber without needing loads of feed and water, and it can tolerate heat. I know nothing of the other uses of hemp.

 

[Nomibear]

Thanks guys, I know a lot of people who use flax or flax products for their health. I feel better now ~Naomi

 

[Marty1876]

What do you use to line your nest boxes? I'd used straw and mowed grass forever, but I got a half bag of wood pellets for a stove, and I'm thinking they'd make good nesting material too. They sure work wonders when I'm brooding ducks.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Softwood shavings used to be an affordable option. Just they aren't anymore. They also seem to take a bit longer to decompose. I buy a trailer full of straw bales, nice clean, yellow, wheat straw from a local farmer. I like it a lot and have always used it. For the price, it simply cannot be beat for our purposes.

 

[thedragonlady]

What do you use to line your nest boxes? I'd used straw and mowed grass forever, but I got a half bag of wood pellets for a stove, and I'm thinking they'd make good nesting material too. They sure work wonders when I'm brooding ducks.

A hen really is rather particular about how her nest and eggs are arranged under her. I can't think she'd be happy with everything rolling out of place whenever she moved, but it might work if you have nothing else. I use wheat straw with a piece of carpet under it for my big Orps. It's fun to see the difference in the nests that each hen makes too. Some are very meticulous, and some are rather sloppy.