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

[Gypsi]

I don't think some of this stuff COULD be invented. Used to be I only got on BYC when I had a problem, and I had exhausted all my efforts and ideas, or I was afraid the chickens were ill or something. I'd tried hijacking other threads to ask questions, often didn't get answers, post a question and subscribe, still often didn't get answers.

Can't count the times I've been told that oyster shell calcium would cure soft shell eggs, it hasn't, but it's out there. The hens finishing molting will probably cure my egg situation. I had gotten to a point when I just take a good healthy guess and I joined another forum that wasn't just chickens. I did learn to search for answers (an aha moment) But I also learned that not all questions have good answers.

Experience is gained from making choices and experiencing the results, And wisdom comes from all kinds of experience, good and not so good.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
I think there are allot of folks that feel exactly as you do, I know I am in your camp on this thinking. The fact is Sympathy seems to win out over common sense and that attitude is certainly fostered here, I to have been chastized for giving a real answer instead of saying I am sorry for your loss

LOL I have been on some real chicken forums where that term is never used but responses are posted like "why don't you do this in the future" or try this and it is welcomed advise and encouraged. I think it's refreshing to have a thread like this here and there have been several posters who have written that they feel better to now have "come out of the closet" so to speak when they have found a place to get real answers to real questions. It's not so much about Old timers but folks who have the same attitudes towards raising livestock flocks, And they seem truley gratefull to have a place to search and learn.

Anyway I hope the powers that be let us have a sanctuary to share our version of Raising good healthy flocks realistically, in the hopes that some of the Pet folks can actually get advice they can use.

AL

 

[Wynette]

This thread is being returned after much Staff discussion, and quite a bit of time editing posts.

I have to say that I'm disappointed in some of what I've seen here. I have seen more "newbie bashing" than posting useful information to share with others. Did you all start off knowing everything there is to know about chickens? Is it so difficult to answer a newbie's question, and share your knowledge, or is said knowledge only deemed useful for folks you each feel are "serious" about their poultry? Have you given thought to just HOW folks become more engaged in chicken keeping? It's certainly not from being made fun of.

I personally see nothing wrong whatsoever with folks who have chickens for pets. Why you feel that is so wrong is beyond me. Whether folks keep pets, rais them for meat or eggs, show and breed them, or simply enjoy them as yard ornaments - we ALL have chickens as a common denominator.

If it bothers you so much to see the newbie questions, and the hand-holding and coddling of folks with issues, then move along rather than throwing salt on an open wound when someone is feeling down.

If this thread gets out of hand again, it may not be returned to the forum.

 

[aoxa]

Quote:
Thanks Wynette - I know all that editing must have been tiresome.

Some newbs (like myself) really do know more than some people give us credit for. Some of the advise here is wonderful. I am glad it's back and I hope it stays around.

 

[loanwizard]

Quote:
First, I would personally like to thank the staff for returning this thread to us, your members. That's my olive branch.

I apologize if I ever made fun of anyone, except in jest.

I love the ability of various threads being able to address a variety of people who have chickens for different reasons.

This thread gets rid of the fufuness that I see in the "pet" threads. The fufu reference refers to body work on vehicles. A real body man uses the right equipment to repair the body on a car. A backyard body man buys a fufu can of spray paint at auto zone. Both are acceptable, yet the body man wouldn't see things from the same perspective as the person who buys the fufu can.

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with someone raising chickens as pets. That said, some of us that raise them as livestock, might well raise our eyebrows at those that name, buy saddles for, make leashes for their chickens. I know I raise my eyebrows at the LA set that carry their little dogs with painted toenails and sunglasses down Rodeo Drive.

I consider myself a tweener in chickens. 2 years is not a lot, but NOBODY has laughed at me.... unless I was too dumb to get the joke.

Hopefully we won't get out of hand, and hopefully the pet chicken folk won't get upset at the livestock aspect of one of my favorite foods.

 

[critterrun]

THANK YOU FOR RETURNING THIS LISTING !!!!

I found alot of good info here

I dont agree with all of it
the stuff I dont agree with I just keep going

you can learn something from EVERYBODY
either What to do or WHAY NOT to do

'
just keep learning

again Thanks again
a NEWBIE

 

[Gypsi]

Thank you to the staff - that had to be a rough edit.

I spent 12 hours in my computer chair working on my website, I cannot imagine the volume of this 120 page thread - but I suspect you weren't using Wordpad - which had to be a plus, or it would have taken 6 months.

Now, I am going to have to take the time to copy off the best bits and save them in a file on my computer, just in case things get out of hand. My dogs are giving me a dirty look because they didn't get a walk yesterday.....

Situation could deteriorate. They may not get a walk til I scoop out the chicken facts!

Gypsi

 

[aceschix]

Thanks! Now back to the real chicken info!

How do the OT manage their coop litter in Cold climates? Deep litter or other?

 

[loanwizard]

Odd question with 1 OBVIOUS answer, but wondered if anyone has any experience with it.

I free range my chickens. I have 3 goats, 1 Apline, 2 pygmy. I built a nice fenced area for the goats. They escaped. I put them in the prison area..... 6 hog panels, a shelter, and electric top and bottom. They turned it to mud in less than a week.

So.... I let them go where they please. Where they please is into the coop to eat the chicken feed, into the garage to eat the cat food, etc...

Is there a size door that a Golden Comet or a light Brahma can get out but a Pygmy Goat can't get in?

I can deal with it until spring when I can secure the area I will keep the goats, but was just wondering.

Anyone interested in goats? I have 3 for sale lol!

 

[speckledhen]

I am putting in my ten dollars (inflation, you know) before we get too far into the thread again. Wynette worked her behind off cleaning up this thread. I don't think some here have a clue what all that entails and how much time and thought it took out of her day.

Just because someone has kept chickens a long time does NOT mean that everything they think they know is right. It's like medical knowledge-things change as more knowledge becomes available through research. If doctors don't keep up with new developments, they lag behind and spout off misinformation and cannot be as effective. Same with old chicken keepers like my 90 year old father who still thinks hens are "happier" with a rooster. I still hear old farmers say that corn heats up chickens. So, c'mon, let's not let snobbery get the best of you, please, the "My chickens are just livestock so that makes me somehow smarter and better than you" attitude. It's not attractive and it puts off new folks who want to learn.

I sincerely hope this thread doesn't degenerate again as it does contain some good information. Carry on and remember the time when you didn't know everything about chickens, either.

Let's just be kind.