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

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Bee - Thanks for the explanation on the Chicken Bra, just thought it was weird.

I also wanted to ask you, what is your thoughts on Silkies (not to open a can of worms). I don't consider them real chickens, I have two. My hubby calls them Fuglies

. To me they are like a stuffed animal that moves.

So because they are not real chickens, I can have them in a cute painted house, take them for rides in the car, give them a bath using L'Oreal kids shampoo & blow them dry on the counter in the bathroom.

All because they don't count as real chickens.

Again, thanks for all the wonderful chicken knowledge.

 

[southerndesert]

I think this thread will survive as there is need for a place to get a matter of fact answer without some of us having to struggle to avoid offending someone unintentionally. I have actually avoided answering some questions for this very reason when I may have been able to help a little.

Sometimes answer don't come easy when someone asks for help and you have to point out a possible mistake.

Good on ya Beekissed for starting this thread as I think it will perhaps offer a point of view from those of us that have been around chickens in one form or another for most of our lives that like many of the old time ways is not being passed on.

I also have learned allot here at this forum and have seen new breeds of chickens I never knew existed out there....

I have also been able to look into the hearts and minds of others keeping chickens for a mind boggling array of reasons and in ways I never dreamed of. The computer is an amazing place to visit.....

 

[darkmatter]

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Neither, I use whatever my lawnmower picks up or what I rake up.--Grass clippings, pine needles/cones, leaves.

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Once a year whether I need it or not. There never has been the ammonia smell in a proper aerobic composting deep litter, ammonia comes from anaerobic reactions.

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You're not eating sushi or the intestines are you? Why do you think they recommend cooking pork to well done.

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Mites, never had them with my method, some old-timers would dip the chicken's legs in used motor oil for scaly mites.


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[Beekissed]

I find that foo-foo breeds definitely have a place in this world. Read on....

For my opinion on silky breeds I can best express by quoting on of my big, fat, White Rock gals: "They make the softest toilet tissue! Bring more, we wore out the last one!"

They also make great decoys for the hawks while my real chickens drag their big behinds to safety and they also keep my eggs cleaner when I tack one down to the floor in front of my nesting box in order for my gals to wipe their feet before entering.

Yeah...I lika da silkies!

On a serious note, I find no place for ornamental breeds in a working flock. But my granny kept a few funny looking chickens like that around just for the pleasure of saying she had 'em and to show them off to city folk. She was a little quirky that way...but I loved it!

 

[kuntrygirl]

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X2

Well said.

 

[speckledhen]

Lots of no-nonsense advice here. I have had my own chickens for six years, but have been around them on my grandfather's farm since I was a small child (I just turned 55). If someone wants chickens as pets, I don't fault them for it and don't want them put off by the gruffness of some OTs. Hopefully, they can take what they need from this thread and let the rest slide off their backs.

Mine do get names for ease of ID ("DH, go get Ida" is easier than "go get the BR with the solid black feather on her chest") and most of them do become treasured pets. No, no diapers here. No contagious disease will be treated, either, no matter how attached I am. Tough stance, sure, but can't get caught up in treating stuff like that. No breeds that need pampering can be here. They either are overall healthy or they aren't.

Some OTs do have odd ideas, no matter how many years they've kept chickens. My own 90 yr old dad is one and he was raised on the aforementioned farm. He still tells me that hens are "happier" with roosters and will lay better.

By the way, a crop bra is for pendulous crop, not for bare chests getting cold-it has a medical use to prevent crop stasis in birds prone to crop issues. I just lost another blue Orp hen to that, so wondered if that could have saved her. Probably wouldn't have done it anyway. It's one reason I will not be raising the BBS Orps any longer.

I don't worm regularly, never have. I have done it a few times since I have multiple groups who don't get to free range each and every day. I want to go back to the one big group who can get out all day, most every day again, though. Penned birds need it much more than free rangers.

 

[Beekissed]

Speckled! Glad to have your input! See? I just learned something today....

it has a medical use to prevent crop stasis in birds prone to crop issues.

I've never experienced any chickens with crop stasis, so this is not in my realm of experience. Like Speckled here, I would more than likely cull a bird with "issues" and just not have that breed anymore if it is prone to this malady.

This makes husbandry much simpler if one just eliminates the problems before having to live with or deal with them. Some problems are just going to happen and cannot be predicted, but a lot of the things I read about on this forum could have been prevented if the person would just cull for good genetics, purchase naturally hardy breeds, or practice preventative health measures.​

 

[Beekissed]

I don't worm regularly, never have. I have done it a few times since I have multiple groups who don't get to free range each and every day. I want to go back to the one big group who can get out all day, most every day again, though. Penned birds need it much more than free rangers.

I agree with this and I think an important point to make. Biosecurity~which is a term I never heard back in the day~has been the watchword for the commercial growers and the advice issued by the USDuh to homegrown flocks as well. Some of the information I see states that free ranged flocks are more prone to parasite loads and disease transmission from wild birds...and this simply isn't true. At least...not IME.

 

[Marthab1953]

Even though I have raised chickens and other poultry, for over 50 years I still learn from Backyard Chickens. Love this site!

 

[Beekissed]

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Now, here's someone who reads and learns....

I see you have your years of experience clearly listed in your display!

Maybe it will catch on? I hope so!

So...any pearls of wisdom you'd like to give to us?