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

[galefrances]

Nope, they didn't. I picked umpteen pints of pickled peppers this summer, none of which were chicken pecked. And just so you know, all those pints of unpecked pickled peppers are put away in the pine pantry.

 

[Beekissed]

Y'all want to see a comparison pic of store bought eggs vs. Free range, fermented feeds backyard chicken eggs? The yolks on the left are large, Grade A from the store. The egg on the right is from a small egg, New Hampshire hen, who has been on fermented feed for the past 3 wks. I can attest that she has never had yolks this big in her life! Notice too the clarity of the white on the backyard egg compared to the store bought eggs.

 

[galefrances]

Y'all want to see a comparison pic of store bought eggs vs. Free range, fermented feeds backyard chicken eggs? The yolks on the left are large, Grade A from the store. The egg on the right is from a small egg, New Hampshire hen, who has been on fermented feed for the past 3 wks. I can attest that she has never had yolks this big in her life! Notice too the clarity of the white on the backyard egg compared to the store bought eggs.

Now that's what I'd call "large for gestational age". WOW!

 

[Nomibear]

I have just caught up on the 35 pages i was behind on. Wow, what a ride. Thank you Bee for deciding to leave it open. I agree that it should become a sticky. And yes, everyone should be required to read the full thread before starting to ask Q's about the things we don't remember.

I count myself as one of the lurkers. When I found this thread I went back to read it from the beginning. Because of you OT's I understand the benefits of ACV, and use it for my animals. I also saw your recommendations about the Fermented Feed for meat birds thread, read the whole thing, and have been feeding it for the last 2 1/2 months. I have modified my original coop to include more/better roosting, and have plans set for a roomier one to come. Thank you Bee for sharing your experience with the Gnarly Bunch You have explained and shown pics of things I never knew about. Things that I now know how to Avoid! All your effort are not in vain. All the wisdom you OT's are sharing is a benefit to my chickens. Thank you!! ~Naomi

 

[Zanna]

I would love to get a discussion going about showing chickens, any ots that currently show or used to. Here are a few of my million questions:

1. What is the youngest suitable age for showing pullets/cockerals?
2. Would like some basic info on awards and deciphering of Show Cage Cards. For example "Best of Breed", are the cocks, cockerals, pullets, hens all grouped together for this award?
3. Do you really need to bathe chickens before taking to a show and if so, with what other than water and do you really need to dry them with a hair dryer?
4. How else do you prepare them to take to a show?

I would be happy to start a new thread about this. I am wanting to show chickens for the purpose of helping to promote the Delaware and Black Copper Marans breeds and I am very much no fuss as this OT group. Can I be no fuss, show chickens (especially white ones) and be competitive if my stock is quality???

 

[Beekissed]

There is already an excellent thread about just such things and with the info that you are wanting on the forum:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/400344/heritage-large-fowl-thread


That's where all the breeders and show folks hang out and are great at answering your questions...you even have a poultry judge over there. Good people to know if you wanna show!

 

[Beekissed]

Now that's what I'd call "large for gestational age". WOW!

I'm hoping to get my old Bertha to go broody this spring so I can try out a theory...just think of the chicks that would come out of eggs with THAT much nutrition. I've been at this a long time but have never seen this many huge yolks in my life~every single egg I'm getting, regardless of egg size, has these huge yolks since starting this laying flock on fermented feeds. Others on the FF thread are reporting the same. I had read the studies about the FF improving overall health and especially reproductive health of layers and they also showed increase in egg wts but hadn't put two and two together on the increased egg wts. Now I know why....gigantor yolks!

 

[bruceh]

damg i see you don't sleep either

 

[Zanna]

There is already an excellent thread about just such things and with the info that you are wanting on the forum:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/400344/heritage-large-fowl-thread


That's where all the breeders and show folks hang out and are great at answering your questions...you even have a poultry judge over there. Good people to know if you wanna show!

Thanks Bee! I know that is a huge thread but I will start reading it from the beginning...........

 

[aussie pete]

chicken experience 18 mths (newbie) I have 2 breeds that i run separately - light sussex & australorps .currently18 mth old trio of LS with 11-10wk olds , 18 mth old pair of BA (lost two hens )+ 9 -10 wk olds.
the one BA hen is very quiet, good mum, super layer hadn't missed a day during winter
.now we r into spring, the rooster is keeping others away from food/water (multiple feeder /waterers )to save it for this hen & is so persistent with her that she has stopped laying & remains on roost to avoid him if i let everyone out to free range .if let flock out except him the flock is fine.
the problem then arises that the LS rooster will leave his flock & run up& back on the dividing fence like a stallion trying to get to this BA hen

so question is do i
1-just keep letting things go as is- keep BA rooster in run while the flock free range & hope things resolve when rest of flock mature or put BA rooster in a tractor x himself till then
2- let the entire 2 flocks out to free range together & just separate individual hens /rooster as required if i want purebred chics

any suggestions/both roosters have good manners otherwise no problems with ppl /chics etc

asked this question 30 posts back,guess it got loss ,would some one offers some suggestions please