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

[Beekissed]

As always. And when the drought is gone and everything goes back to normal, the feed prices do not consequently drop, do they? Same thing happened when the gas prices went up a few years back.

We are at their mercy unless we can grow our own and most cannot do that.

 

[armorfirelady]

Bee I took your advice & when I got home from work I grabbed one of the girls quick and put her beak to the nipple & and had the water drip onto her beak. After a few tries her eyes got wide & when I set her down she was pecking away at the nipple & her sisters came running to join her. I had to leave for fireball standby but I was confident they were drinking their fill when I left. Going to check the water level when I get home. My next project with the nipples is to try the PVC pipe as a waterer

 

[Mskayladog]

Is boss black sunflower seed? And do you use it shelled or unshelled. And for what reason do you feed it?

 

[Beekissed]

Bee I took your advice & when I got home from work I grabbed one of the girls quick and put her beak to the nipple & and had the water drip onto her beak. After a few tries her eyes got wide & when I set her down she was pecking away at the nipple & her sisters came running to join her. I had to leave for fireball standby but I was confident they were drinking their fill when I left. Going to check the water level when I get home. My next project with the nipples is to try the PVC pipe as a waterer

Good news!!!

If they can teach a chicken to play piano, we can teach them to use the nipples, can't we?


Quote:
Yes. Ordinarily it is used with the hulls on. Some feed it as an extra source of protein and selenium. I use a handful now and again for new chicks with broody so she can have a little fun teaching them to hunt the "black bugs" in the bedding or for something for my flock to do in the winter when the snow is deep. When it's like that outside I'll throw a couple of handfuls in the deep litter to encourage them to aerate the bedding and give them something to do besides stare at one another.

At times I'll use some~not much, as it's expensive~ in my winter feed mix to provide that selenium and protein, as well as to give some variety to the whole grain mix.

 

[unkadan]

would someone explain their "fermenting" formula?

 

[stonykill]

search the forum, there is an entire thread on it

 

[Beekissed]

Here's that thread link:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

 

[Gramma Chick]

I made some "rain hoops" for the chickens ..Can you explain these ? We have a added some tarps to the top of the runs ..But it is always needing adjustment after it rains ..a total irritation ..

 

[rosewolf22002]

A small hole in your tarp should fix that. If you don't want to trash the tarp they sell grommet kits at the big chain stores(home depot, ect) or a well placed knife works.

 

[galefrances]

I have a question regarding ACV. It seems most everyone recommends Bragg's ACV. I've also seen advertisments for pure mother of vinegar. Which should I be using? And is the ratio of 1 T. to 1 gal. of water for the mother or the Bragg's? And does the mother need to be diluted first? Oh, and I probably read this, but my memory isn't what it used to be....how often do you put this in their water?