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

[jvls1942]

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LOL, my Granny used the same design. Been using one myself all my life. Like you, I just recently saw one offered commercially. Couldn`t believe it.

Hey, here`s one for ya`ll. I had a Puerto Rican cocker keeping his roosters at my house before I moved from FL to GA about 6 years ago. When he transported his birds, he merely put them in an old pillow case and tied the end. The birds didn`t seem to mind as they couldn`t see anything. They were calm and well at the end of the ride. I tried it myself and adopted the method for short rides. Just thought I`d throw that one out........Pop

Sure.................. I keep a few big onion sac's just for that purpose, they do work very well in a pinch and allot folks still do that.

sacks are OK for short trips as long as you do not put too many birds in each sack.. I made that mistake ONCE and had some suffocate on just a 15 mile trip.. I use cages now,

 

[m.kitchengirl]

Can we start a petition to keep Fred's hens posting here?
I want to hear more about his two flock system & how he facilitates that. I have 4 chickens, but want to keep my egg quantities up. I planned to do this by adding 2/3 chickens each spring, so they would be new layers around Oct/Nov, but want to hear more about this two flock idea.

Thanks again you all. I just LOVE this thread. STICKY IT! STICKY IT!

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Bee, just had to share a picture with you of my oldest daughter holding one of the Butt Wipers

And yes, she is reading it a story.

Just had to share the weird things that happen at my house.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Yep, a wealth of knowledge on this thread. A great combination of old and new views, tried and true. Give it a try and see what works for you. Raising chickens in my book should be fun and not break the bank, possibly a small profit. It is not rocket science unless you talk to the gene experts, no disrespect intended, but WOW!!! Fresh air, sunshine, plenty of room to move around in, enough room to roost, and a good rounded diet, plenty of fresh water, and your golden.

 

[J's Orpingtons]

Yes, Chickens are amazing

 

[Beekissed]

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That is adorable!!! And tells me my gals have it right when they say the silky hens are the softest TP....

 

[Beekissed]

Fred's Hens :

Worming:

(This will be my final post here, because I think the original purpose of the thread has about run its course and will soon risks becoming awkwardly long.)

For chemical worming, Dawg53 is the expert. You can PM him and get all the answers you'd ever need.

Organic farmers, such as myself, use curcurbits and Black Walnut tea and those natural remedies are effective on some kinds of worms. No antibiotics, drugs or chemical wormers are allowed, ever. But then, my grandma had no drugs or chemicals either and did just fine.

This has been fun. Hope it's been enjoyable to others as well. This forum is packed with junior high and high school kids, young, urban people. People so very far removed from the rural lifestyle of the late 1800's, which we touched directly through our grandparents. "Long ago" for the average BYCer was the 1980s. They are who they are. There are more threads on jokes, rants, "get 2000 posts before...", random ramblings, that so clog the screen under "Recent Posts" that is sometimes hard to even see real posts and harder to surmise that this is supposed to be a chicken forum. It just is what it is.

Fred, your contribution to this thread has been invaluable and I sure hope you stick around and tell us more....people are thirsting for what you are telling us and it is something that is really needed here. I know the thread is getting long and bulky but I think that is the reflection of just how many people are surprised and pleased to find that kind of info all in one place.

Please consider answering questions for these folks when you can? Pretty please?

 

[Beekissed]

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No kidding.

From a sociological point of view, BYC is pretty darn fascinating.

On the one hand, you've got people dressing chickens up in little outfits and worrying about their self esteem, and, on the other hand, you've got people boasting about feeding their animals garbage "just like grandma used to do." There are folks posting pictures of coops so filthy you could practically get typhoid just looking at the photo, and other folks expecting kudos for killing hundreds of perfectly serviceable birds because their feet are the wrong color.

Wow.

I used to think horse forums were weird, but those are nothing compared to BYC.

Originally, I was going to be just a lurker on here.. But,,,,
I suggest to anyone who finds this thread offensive, go back and read the first post.. It is not for people like you.. go back to all the other threads that cater to your point of view..

don't try to impose your goodie two shoes attitude on me..

don't judge everybody by your standards..

I do not cull birds.. I KILL them.. come on, just try to say it: kill..
and when I am done, they do not "go to a better place" etc, they are dead...

and do not humanize animals.. they do not have the same emotions.. they are not human, treat them like animals, treat them kindly and kill them quickly when necessary..

........jiminwisc.......
all of my birds and animals are pets until I butcher them...

Now, folks...go easy so this thread won't be shut down. I urge you to please completely ignore the trolls and don't feed them...they are like stray dogs. If you feed them they want to hang around and poop in the yard.

If you must reply to them, just direct them to the first post and be done with it...

Let's keep this thread going, shall we?

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Thanks Bee!

My youngest was a hit in the school office, the office manager said they have had a lots of different animals come into the school, but they had never had a Silkie.

My 4 year old was in her glory, showing off our roo Cynder. Everyone liked the TP feel.

Because they are so docile, I plan to take them to my oldest daughter's class in the spring, as part of their science lesson, so the other kids can experience live TP.

Saw a posting today on the Chicken Behaviors & Egg Laying, "How Do You Know If Your Chicken Is Happy Or Sad?" I nearly fell out of my seat with laughter.

To all the OT

, Keep the great advice & knowledge coming!

Knowledge is Power!

 

[oshun55555]

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Catching a chicken with the hook is easy if you do it like my Grandma and I do it. You don't use it causally or all the time, only for Sunday dinner or cull purposes, the chickens will learn what the hook does if you use it too much. What you do is toss a little scratch down and come up behind the chicken you want and catch it's leg---quick and easy.

That is exactly how you use the Fowler's Hook