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

[galanie]

Interesting note on bowel flora. My avatar hen has bumblefoot and is in a dog crate since it's muddy and I dont' want her getting out in it. Her poos got to be nothing but water with stuff in it. Fed her a good helping of Kefir with raw oatmeal stirred in, and within a couple hours her poo was back to normal.

Next day, noticed them loosening up again, gave her another round, and nice perfect poo again. So I recon I'd better start making some more kefir and giving her a dose every day for at least a week. No idea how she got like that except perhaps too much pond water from the extreme heat.

What is kefir?  And oats for the hens.... what kind from the store can I use? I assume not the quick oats but are the old fashion kind ok?
Thank you

Kefir is type of cultured milk. It tastes similar to buttermilk but has more of that "flora" in it. For just a few hens I throw in the old fashioned oats from the store. It would get expensive if I did that all the time so I don't.

I suspect yogurt with the live culture would have similar results. I just don't know though. I make my own kefir so it doesn't cost me any more than a jug of milk does. You need the "grains" to get started and we have a natural dairy close by that is nice enough to share their kefir grains.

 

[Beekissed]

Yep..my flocks never did like whole oats either. Never tried rolled oats. Barley is cheaper, the birds seem to really like it, and it is higher in protein than is corn.

 

[loanwizard]

Every time I think I have a handle on things, something interesting comes up and I realize how little I actually know. Now I am in a ramblin' mood today so I am not sure how far this post will get off track, but by looking at the overall thread, it looks like we have some ramblin' minds too.

I have had chickens now for 3 years. I have had a coop and run and now have given them 2 old horse stalls in the barn in which the stall doors never close and they can fly out if I do close the doors. They free range the entire property as well as encroach some in the neighbors woods and public woods a little bit. With no fences, they have freedom. To date, I have had zero complaints from any of the neighbors which I have added because elsewhere I have gotten grief about my animal boundary issues. I also might add that neither myself nor my neighbors can see each others residences from their respective homes.

My experience comes from the chickens I have had and have, the hogs I have had and have and different acquaintances as well as here. I have 7 of my original 35 chickens, I have bought 10 layers, 50 pullets, hatched probably 100 or so and finally just this month have 1 broody that hatched 3 of 7 eggs this week, lost one, but guards the remaining two fluff balls viciously. I have another broody that should have hers any day now. I have also raised and sold maybe 500-600 freedom rangers this year.I just bought a 1502 off of Bruce that I think will hatch 270 at a time so chicken math gone berserk, here we come.

I have approximately 20 out of 23 3-4 week old chicks that jail broke out of the brooder and instead of staying in the coop with the elders, formed their own flock and hang outside with the hogs, refusing to roost inside at night. Apparently the electric fence and the hogs have kept the things that go boo in the night at bay. They huddle up next to the barn and haven't lost one yet.

Speaking of the hogs, when I had the poultry netting up the last time in a rocky area, there was a lot of interference so there was a rather large delay in the pulse in the hogs 2 wire system. Therefore 4 of my feeders have discovered that they can get through... if they time it just right. It is comical to watch them approach the fence with a steely eyed glare, then dart through and squeal as it snaps their backside. Last night when I unhooked the poultry fence, I heard some squeals as they discovered that the fence was a little faster now. This morning, I only had one out and she squealed before she followed the feed bucket, but follow the feed bucket she did.

Now, my problem is this. I bought pullets that were supposedly hatched in March. So I was guessing August or September is the time. I have been getting anywhere from 8-14 eggs per day. I figured because of my older birds, fall, molt, pullets etc.... that ok, the time is coming and indeed, in the last two days I have gotten 20 and 18 eggs each day. I have walked the property some and rarely find an odd laying place... the loft for instance. I have located most of the odd areas and just count them as boxes such as 3-4 daily in the garage from the old flock, 1-3 per day in the barn in an old horse feeder, but was wondering, without more building, as my carpentry skills are.... well they just suck.... Can I say that here? Anyhow, The newer eggs seem to be going in the right areas but should it be a concern for me? Should I put them in Pullet State College til they learn?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Won't deal with all the issues involved, but just say a word about carpentry skills. They are learned. We aren't born with them, LOL.

We all need mentoring in all of the things we've learned. Learning everything in the school of hard knocks is too expensive tuition. Find an old guy who'll help you. He won't do the work, he'll be too old, sore and tired, (ask me how I know this) but he'll point you in the right direction, every step of the way. When I built our chicken barn a few years back, I borrowed young man, around 15 or 16 for a few weeks. He was a worker bee and I taught him as we went along. Finished that barn in 3 weeks. He took what he learned and has expanded on it, applying it to many, many building projects. He's pretty fearless and he's adding to his knowledge base and experience all the time.

If one is serious about sustainable agriculture, farming, the rural life, self sufficient lifestyle, and husbandry, then barns, coops and facilities need to become reality. This is all hard enough without having some decent pens, barns, lofts, cages, transport boxes, runs, pastures, fences, coops and the like. I know it is hard not to get the cart before the horse, but I sorely limited my flock, at this place, until I got that chicken barn up.

Pet peeve, and not directed at anyone. But we try to help folks here at BYC, or at least some of us still try, now and then, on the other threads. But the hardest part of giving any kind of guidance is the realization that the facilities that so many backyarders have are just so sorely inadequate. Folks let their enthusiasm and obtaining of birds run far, far ahead of their planning and their erection of decent housing, pens and runs. OK, rant over.

Just sayin'. Time perhaps to slow down on the acquisition side of things until the construction side of things catches up, a bit? I dunno. Hey, I was younger once, and all full of p*$$ and vinegar too. Now, I take things a bit slower.

 

[thedragonlady]

Won't deal with all the issues involved, but just say a word about carpentry skills. They are learned. We aren't born with them, LOL.

We all need mentoring in all of the things we've learned. Learning everything in the school of hard knocks is too expensive tuition. Find an old guy who'll help you. He won't do the work, he'll be too old, sore and tired, (ask me how I know this) but he'll point you in the right direction, every step of the way. When I built our chicken barn a few years back, I borrowed young man, around 15 or 16 for a few weeks. He was a worker bee and I taught him as we went along. Finished that barn in 3 weeks. He took what he learned and has expanded on it, applying it to many, many building projects. He's pretty fearless and he's adding to his knowledge base and experience all the time.

If one is serious about sustainable agriculture, farming, the rural life, self sufficient lifestyle, and husbandry, then barns, coops and facilities need to become reality. This is all hard enough without having some decent pens, barns, lofts, cages, transport boxes, runs, pastures, fences, coops and the like. I know it is hard not to get the cart before the horse, but I sorely limited my flock, at this place, until I got that chicken barn up.

Pet peeve, and not directed at anyone. But we try to help folks here at BYC, or at least some of us still try, now and then, on the other threads. But the hardest part of giving any kind of guidance is the realization that the facilities that so many backyarders have are just so sorely inadequate. Folks let their enthusiasm and obtaining of birds run far, far ahead of their planning and their erection of decent housing, pens and runs. OK, rant over.

Just sayin'. Time perhaps to slow down on the acquisition side of things until the construction side of things catches up, a bit? I dunno. Hey, I was younger once, and all full of p*$$ and vinegar too. Now, I take things a bit slower.

Great post!!! So many birds suffering in filth in overcrowded pens. Pens and coops that are larger than you think you need; then birds.

 

[loanwizard]

Won't deal with all the issues involved, but just say a word about carpentry skills. They are learned. We aren't born with them, LOL.

We all need mentoring in all of the things we've learned. Learning everything in the school of hard knocks is too expensive tuition. Find an old guy who'll help you. He won't do the work, he'll be too old, sore and tired, (ask me how I know this) but he'll point you in the right direction, every step of the way. When I built our chicken barn a few years back, I borrowed young man, around 15 or 16 for a few weeks. He was a worker bee and I taught him as we went along. Finished that barn in 3 weeks. He took what he learned and has expanded on it, applying it to many, many building projects. He's pretty fearless and he's adding to his knowledge base and experience all the time.

If one is serious about sustainable agriculture, farming, the rural life, self sufficient lifestyle, and husbandry, then barns, coops and facilities need to become reality. This is all hard enough without having some decent pens, barns, lofts, cages, transport boxes, runs, pastures, fences, coops and the like. I know it is hard not to get the cart before the horse, but I sorely limited my flock, at this place, until I got that chicken barn up.

Pet peeve, and not directed at anyone. But we try to help folks here at BYC, or at least some of us still try, now and then, on the other threads. But the hardest part of giving any kind of guidance is the realization that the facilities that so many backyarders have are just so sorely inadequate. Folks let their enthusiasm and obtaining of birds run far, far ahead of their planning and their erection of decent housing, pens and runs. OK, rant over.

Just sayin'. Time perhaps to slow down on the acquisition side of things until the construction side of things catches up, a bit? I dunno. Hey, I was younger once, and all full of p*$$ and vinegar too. Now, I take things a bit slower.

Well now I feel properly chastised . At 46 I thought I WAS slowing down lol! I have had 2 coops, didn't like the placement and so gave them the barn. What types of pens do I need or should have? Do I need to keep the young'ns separate? I thought here of all places chickens were chickens and made their own way or died. Do the pullets need to be penned until they learn where to lay?

I have enjoyed them having the freedom because then I can be lazy. Each pen that I put together means another place to carry feed and water. Free ranging they have the pond, puddles and swampy areas.

I have bought and hatched, not for a desire to have or acquire, but due to my own stubborness in thinking that everything be for profit, marketing and then have demand outstrip supply.

Let me ask you and others, on the farm, how many pens do YOU have and the specific purpose for each, even knowing that some can be used for multiple purposes?

For example, I have a utility trailer that I have put sides on. I use it to brood, and to transport chickens and hogs. Speaking of transport cages, 2 days ago I lost 12 rangers because of transporting them in too small a trailer for the number of birds. Thankfully I butchered them as they all bled out when cut.

 

[loanwizard]

Great post!!! So many birds suffering in filth in overcrowded pens. Pens and coops that are larger than you think you need; then birds.

Hold on a second.... my pens aren't filthy and they are not overcrowded. They have a 60' barn. The stalls are just feeding areas and roosting areas. Free ranged, they hardly suffer.

 

[loanwizard]

Maybe I confused everyone with the ramble. I have 100 birds total, a combo of layers, pullets and chicks. Is that too many to roost in 2 10x15 horse stalls? They have the freedom to roost anywhere yet most choose the 1st stall. Do I need to reconfigure again?

 

[Beekissed]

I agree with all points! Management of any livestock is exponentially improved if one first plans for even having them, investigates what livestock they will be needing/wanting and then builds that plan by starting with housing and fencing for the livestock. So much easier to do it that way than the other way around.

I too see this as epidemic on this and other forums...someone gets the want-me's in regards to animals and they bring it home with them that day! This always leaves me scratching my head. Even when someone conceives a child out of a whim, they at least have 9 mo. in order to prepare a room, crib, feeding implements, waste containment, etc. for it.

LW, it sounds like you already have an existing barn, so half your battle is won. The horse stalls you have can be modified to suit your flock or your flock reduced to fit the size of what you currently have. Lean-tos added to barns are also very easy to erect with minimal effort or materials...and even a woman like myself can build such things, carpentry skills or not.

I'd reinforce your stalls to make them into secure coops and then I'd start feeding inside the coop/stalls and only once a day, in the evening. All those youngin's will eventually be traipsing into the coop for eats and can be effectively penned into the coop and trained to the nesting boxes. It's better to have a good solid coop and not really need one, than to need one and not really have one.

 

[Beekissed]

Maybe I confused everyone with the ramble. I have 100 birds total, a combo of layers, pullets and chicks. Is that too many to roost in 2 10x15 horse stalls? They have the freedom to roost anywhere yet most choose the 1st stall. Do I need to reconfigure again?

I kept 30 in a 10x 15 and didn't really feel it was large enough if they had to be contained for any period of time, even with different levels of roosting/being areas. Plus I had a separate area for brooding. I also had similar sized 3 sided sheds right next to the coop for additional lounging on raining or snowy days...but I still felt that 30 was capacity for that particular coop.

One time I had additional 20 meaties in that space and it was definitely only because they would soon be gone...but it was still too crowded, even though my flock free ranged at all times. That main coop had one whole wall of open windows and another wall with a large window to allow for cross breezes, but even with all that good airflow, I'd never pack any more birds in it than had I kept. The 20 meaties were really pushing it and I never repeated that experiment.

But..that's just me. Others may be more successful with a different stocking rate in a coop of a similar size.