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

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

For awesome flock health, there is one itty bitty secret, inside information thing that I will share. Normally, I keep these special secrets to myself, but on this rare occasion, I will let this one slip.

I have water buckets outside, strategically positioned so the hens can drink conveniently. These are the free pails that ice cream comes in. One gallon size.

Anyway, when you re-fill these pails, always pour in around two gallons, causing an over flooding of fresh, clean, sparkling well water in the pail for the hens to drink. The birds come running whenever they hear the sound of pouring water. Straight to the fresh, clean, bucket, you ask? Heaven's no! They rush to get there in order to drink the over-flow of water making puddles on the dirt. They want to drink that puddle water before it soaks in. THAT water is very, very special and will always be chosen first by discerning hens. Trust me.

There's your OT insider tip of the day.

Oh, yes. That is a good one. My chickens love to drink spilt water. No clue why, but I spill some water just for them every time. Anyone know why the puddle water is so special?

 

[galanie]

I've no idea, Erin, but one thing that observation has taught is that the nastier the water, the more they like it.

I figure it helps their immunities and go on my way w/out worrying about where they drink. So long as they easily can, where they are, and do.

 

[Beekissed]

I've found that most animals prefer rainwater runoff to fresh well water or even spring water....must be the extra minerals and nutrients in rain that they desire. They also seem to like it better when it's been sitting out in the sun for days...what I would call "old" water, they seem to really like.

 

[loanwizard]

Well, I appreciate that tip.

I have been using that unbeknownst to me that it was a good thing. My meat birds used to have a bucket pvc nipple contraption, but when my carpentry skills caused the tripod to um... fail, I gave them various asundry "containers" that I fill daily with the hose. They come a running and yes, the do love the muddy runoff.

I don't water my layers at all anymore until winter. We have a pond and through various posts some may remember that we have many springs and our drainage isn't the best although a tractor and box blade have done wonders.... anyhow, I have various puddles/drainage ditches that they love. I think that they love the dust, but love the mudholes equally especially in the heat.

I guess there is something to be said about observing your birds.

 

[donrae]

I've thought it was trace minerals, also. We flood the kiddie pool for the ducks and the entire flock is lined up down the little "creek" in makes the length of the run. They always have water, but when we flood this you'd think they hadn't drank for a week they're so excited.

Oh, and puddles with horse poo in them are bonus, apparently.

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

It's "water with body", my mother always says. Dogs and chickens appreciate water that has been sitting.

I can't be classified as an OT yet, but I'm loving reading what the rest of you have to say. And Walt has chicken groupies. Who knew? (Had 12 pages to catch up this morning.)

 

[normanack]

I thought some of you might enjoy this old-fashioned children's story by Clara Dillingham Pierson. It is dated 1904.
Of course the point of it is to teach children little lessons in how to behave, but there is a surprising amount of sensible information on chickenkeeping, as well. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's called Tales of a Poultry Farm.

I'm not sure how to link directly to it. Search the author's name or the title and it should pop up.

http://www.hathitrust.org/home

 

[marty8587]

Hello folks! i've been reading this thread since it began and have enjoyed it. I have six chickens I keep for really expensive eggs! I read about Calf Mana and purchased a bag to supplement layer pellets as I have a couple chickens starting to moult and would like to make it done sooner than later. I thought the extra protien and minerals might help. Will they? The directions say 5 to 10% of the ration and I have been mixing it with the layer pellets. Is this the proper way to feed this stuff?

Thanks,
Marty

 

[thedragonlady]

Hello folks! i've been reading this thread since it began and have enjoyed it. I have six chickens I keep for really expensive eggs! I read about Calf Mana and purchased a bag to supplement layer pellets as I have a couple chickens starting to moult and would like to make it done sooner than later. I thought the extra protien and minerals might help. Will they? The directions say 5 to 10% of the ration and I have been mixing it with the layer pellets. Is this the proper way to feed this stuff?

Thanks,
Marty

Marty,

You want to give 6 birds about a big handful of CM a day. It is good stuff. I feed it year round, as I do black sunflower seeds.CM and sunflower seeds ( the little black ones) will put beautiful feathers on your birds, and boost your fertility, if you want to hatch eggs.

 

[marty8587]

Thanks for the quick reply! I have been doing the boss for a long time. Some people were cleaning out thier Mom's house and I got a 25# bag from a free pile and later read about it here and stuck with it. The large handfull will simplify things. Do you feed it like scatch or mix in the feed?

Thanks again,

Marty