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

[Beekissed]

Another great score! Much kudos to folks living in the burbs for snatching opportunities that occur. We don't get those kind of opportunities out here in the sticks....20 mi. from the closest town.

 

[chickachee]

love things like that. A few weeks ago a county contractor was trimming trees on the road across from us, filling a truck with the chips. I went to the supervisor, asked if he'd like to dump the truck load at my place, save him sending his truck all the way back to their facility to dump it. His reply was just to ask where I wanted it, and how many loads I wanted. (one load was quite sufficient, it's probably 6 or 7 cubic yards of free mulch).

Don't know if it's in the same league as getting free firewood (good score!), but a week or so ago, the Hwy. Dept. was cutting the long weeds/grasses/cattails, etc. along our highway. I went out and raked a bunch of it and am going to use it for bedding in the coop and run this winter. My hubby sometimes thinks I'm nuts (I am), but he helped me put it on the trailer and hauled it home. I don't like to see things going to waste - especially if I can use them...

 

[Beekissed]

I know folks who rake that and store it to feed to sheep and goats. I think it's a great way to repurpose something that would ordinarily go to waste. I think women are more comfortable scavenging great finds than guys sometimes because we are used to seeing the potential in scraps, leftovers, and other things that usually a guy would toss, we would save. Some guys have that instinct but I see it more in women.

 

[bruceh]

I bought a Pumpkin at Walmart probably going on 3 weeks now they are still working on it, they are eating it from the inside out, rind too.

walmart this time of year has the on sale pumpkins.$1.00. i bought 3 of them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

walmart this time of year has the on sale pumpkins.$1.00. i bought 3 of them.

good deal.

 

[Pozees]

For anyone who lives anywhere near a landfill, I have a suggestion if you are looking for scrap wood and tree trimmings. If the local landfill doesn't have a composting operation on site or with which they have an arrangement, they just bury all that useful stuff with the trash, and while it is part of the revenue stream it isn't much. Well, not here anyway, back East and in the NW it might be more.

Anyway, having worked at landfills for the last 12 years I can tell you the staff fields calls pretty regularly from people with nothing but scrap wood and tree trimmings to dispose of, especially in spring and fall; and not only do the customers hate putting it in the landfill and paying to do so, the staff often dislikes it too, but for the most part it violates company rules and sometimes laws if they try and remove it from the waste stream once it arrives at the site. My suggestion is, call them, give them your phone number, and tell them if they get calls about these materials, you are willing to accept it. Keep in mind, you should insist on calls, do not give your address or people will show up at your house uninvited. You may not get many calls, as most people, given the alternative, are shorter on time than cash and will pay to dump it anyway. If you get calls, be VERY CLEAR that you will accept only wood, and be there to help unload to ensure you don't wind up with their trash.

Alternatively, you can post on Craigslist, the local Freecycle, or the local whatever-yours-is-called-nowadays that used to be the Penny Saver or Thrifty Nickel. Use a leader that gets the attention of your target - "Free Wood Recycling" or some such thing. You can even put a sign out at the end of your driveway if you are home enough to monitor visitors. Even if you don't have neighbors that have wood to give you, they may know people who do.

If it gets you one or two loads a year, it's that much less you have to go find. Locally we had a developer buy a large piece of land with several dead trees on it, and they just posted a sign that said, "Free Fire Wood" - it got cleaned up and didn't cost the developer anything but the sign

 

[bruceh]

if anyone lives near md or pa. i got a dumpster full of large weeds and some trees. free.

 

[unkadan]

Fred I admit it,,,,

,,,, I have "tractor envy"

 

[galefrances]

I'm just wondering: since hens slow down or stop laying altogether when the fall/winter hours bring reduced daylight ...does that delay the onset of the first lay with pullets? Mine are 21 wks. and of course I am anxiously waiting for my first egg.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Sure can. You can continue as is, natural, or you can light 'em up and get 'em goin'. It is entirely up to you.