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

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
Yup. But, it is public forum and there is no way to have it otherwise. Which is why, in the end, this thread has to be filtered and discerned for its value just as comments on every other thread must be.

 

[galanie]

I love it. 400 people say a hen goes broody when she darn well pleases and her hormones tell her to and no one bats an eye. Then suddenly we're discussing the possibility that 12 eggs can make them go broody. I think some wishful thinking goes on at times. Mine go broody on nothing at all. Guess the Chicken Goddess forgot to tell them they're only supposed to do that with a dozen eggs to sit on.

I collect them twice a day. Usually there are only eggs the first time but sometimes one decides to lay after 2pm so I check when the door gets shut for the night.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

We gather our eggs usually in the evenings. If extreem heat or freezing we gather hourly.

The key to get a hen to lay in a nest is make it inviting. Hens hide their nest most often in dark small places. This if their nest is dark they feel safe. We use nest eggs. Either wooden or plastic eggs to encourage them to lay in the nest. They see the nest eggs and think it is a safe place. Our bantam nests are about 8"x12". Our exhibition Orpington nests are 18"x18". Most ahtchery large fowl can have nests that are 12"x12".

Here is our backyard coops we build.

 

[jvls1942]

Fred's Hens :

Quote:
Yup. But, it is public forum and there is no way to have it otherwise. Which is why, in the end, this thread has to be filtered and discerned for its value just as comments on every other thread must be.

I understand that this is a public forum and all that jazz.. but I am still under the illusion that this thread was different.. It is not the same .. have you noticed that it as no different than any other thread on byc ? most of the OT's have quit posting. I am just about to give up, also..

I guess what I am saying is that the tone of the original thread is gone..

please don't throw freedom of speech at me .. I know all about that.. and I am all for it..​

 

[Gypsi]

Quote:
what does that mean?

I put my bees in the shade of the giant elm on the advice of a local beekeeper (who has tiny mesquite trees) last year. They were robbed out by wax moth and small hive beetles within a few months.

so if bees can't live there, and I sure can't garden there, might as well put a chicken coop and run there.

Beehives have to go in the sun, even in 100 degree weather in Texas. Very expensive little learning curve there. In the shade of tiny mesquite trees, the gal I bought them from was still losing 2 hives a year to wax moths. I learned THAT after I lost my hive. She gave me a couple of frames of bees in different boxes in exchange for her equipment, and told me to put them in the shade again. To which I replied yes maam then came home and put them in the sun. I was up to 7 frames of bees before I got robbed out.

 

[Tallulah Chicklet]

Question, OT's...I adopted a chicken from a friend. She said her entire 2 year old flock had stopped laying, then all her chickens but Eunice were killed by hawks. Is there any chance that Eunice will start laying again? She seems healthy and well-integrated with the flock.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
I for one try to explain a given process where experience and detailed observation is involved. If need be citations of scientific works will be applied to back up conclusions where possible.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Yup. But, it is public forum and there is no way to have it otherwise. Which is why, in the end, this thread has to be filtered and discerned for its value just as comments on every other thread must be.

I understand that this is a public forum and all that jazz.. but I am still under the illusion that this thread was different.. It is not the same .. have you noticed that it as no different than any other thread on byc ? most of the OT's have quit posting. I am just about to give up, also..

I guess what I am saying is that the tone of the original thread is gone..

please don't throw freedom of speech at me .. I know all about that.. and I am all for it..

I agree and have seen this too.

 

[fowlman01]

The intent of the thread..IMO...was to attract folks with some practical poultry experience with 20 years or more experience. Not all of us are experienced in all phases of poultry management/husbandry. A wise person would read the comments and use what the things that will help them. I always say "this is what works for me here with my management, food and environment...it may not work somewhere else.

I have met people who have raised poultry all their life who still had only a rudimentary grasp on the more complex parts of poultry raising and breeding. Breeding is a particularly difficult part of poultry raising. many say they are breeders, but most are propagators.

There is a lot of misinformation on this site and not all of it comes from newbies.

Those of us that might have something to offer need to keep our egos in check and make sure that this thread remains a positive tool to those who are learning. Anyone who says they know everything about poultry is a liar or just misinformed.

Walt

 

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
The way I look at it, this thread is a chance for people to ask questions and debate things and get more straightforward answers than you can give on some other threads.

We will all have different experiences and what does or does not work for me might or might not work for you. Different people learn different things from experience. One thing I've learned is that things don't always happen the same way each and every time. Sometimes I might be able to figure out what is different and sometimes I can't. Sonetimes that difference is just that it is a different chicken involved.

Yes, there has been some reverse snobbery on this thread. Yes, sometimes people post things on here that are just wrong. Hopefully enough of us will counter that so people reading it can learn. And yes, sometimes people just won't learn even if they are hit over the head a few times with a 2x4.

This is a public forum. I think I have lasted this long because I can ignore certain people and I do try to not take it personally. Sometimes that can be pretty hard.