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

[Mountain Momma]

There is also alot to be said for the way we train our birds to accept what we feed them, they become accustom to how we feed them and welcome certain treats like animal fat and good solid animal protien. Train your flock to table scraps and you and your birds will be happy campers. I certainly am not one to say OOOHHH myyyy my birds don't like this or that............... shoot fire they get what they git and love every morsel, cause they ain't spoiled and know a good meal when they see one LOL. Some of Ya'll know exactly what I am talkin about.

As my son says, to his friends who come over for dinner..."you get what you get and you don't throw a fit!".

Although DH also doesnt like feeding birds birds. So I do it on the sly. I have the turkey carcas wrapped in the freezer cause I want to make soup from it before I sneek it to the chickens.
My chickens eat what I give them. Some things they like better than other things but they eat it all. Our trash is virtually paper only since the chickens came. Helps cut down on bears in and around it as well as other varmits too. I did give them the last piece of cheescake the other day and got 17 eggs the next day! Just sayin....

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:


Simply put Fred I plan to take a 20lbs of 28% game bird breeder crumbles, 20lbs of 20% Gamebird conditioneer feed and 5lbs of ground mixed whole fresh grains. I plan to make it into a fine dry mash then mix in my own finely ground up animal byproducts, such as bone, blood, feathers, organs and meat. I can grind that up and then run it through my big electric grinder with a metal disc I can make to fit, and then run it all through to make long stands of pellet diameter. Dry them in bulk for a while then cut into pellets and continue drying. this will then be fed daily as a supplement for far cheaper and better than I can buy, it will just cost me some time.

What do you think Fred ??.

Can't wait to hear how it works, Al!

Quote:
After Thanksgiving I saved a bunch of turkey scraps for the chickens. I also saved an intact drumstick and thigh for my boarder, who had been out of town. Told him there was a bag for him in the fridge with the drumstick and thigh. Last night I noticed him in the kitchen, carefully picking meat off a bunch of bones. It took him forever and I coudn't figure out why. It was a MEATY drumstick and thigh. It shouldn't have required all that fussing. This morning I went to grab a turkey wing from the scrap bag - and discovered my boarder had carefully eaten the whole bag of scraps and left that beautiful drumstick and thigh untouched.

The chickens were happy with their nice, juicy turkey thigh for breakfast.

Sarah

 

[RiddleMe]

Could you give an example of a flat lower chest (on a chicken)?  I think I know what you mean but I want to doublecheck. 

I am on my way to a show early Friday morning. I will try to remember to post an example when I return Sunday if I can get out of Reno Sunday. There is going to be a snowstorm up that way starting tomorrow through Sunday. Once you see it you will notice how many birds have this problem.

Walt

Just bumping this, I too think I know what you mean but a visual would be great. If I missed your reply I apologize in advance!

 

[Pozees]

So very well put, so I'll just say, 

x 2.

Heck. 

x 2,000,000.

"

 

[galanie]

Galanie, I like how you roll. 

I get invitations from churchfolks and co-workers, but I politely decline, preferring to be alone.  I savor the time being all by myself in this big 4-BR house after working and dealing with folks 7 days/week, and if I wanna spend my holidays alone snuggled on the couch, eating a sammich, sipping some brandy, and watching a good movie or reading a book, then that's my prerogative. And, don't even think about calling because I won't pick up the phone, and you definitely won't get in my door if you pop up unannounced.

Oh my, this is a chicken thread...I could snuggle with a few hens, but that won't be until Spring.  Well, not literally snuggle, but put a chair out in the run and observe them.  I truly believe their conversations would be more interesting and they'd probably appreciate a sounding board when you come home from work...of course, a few treats in hand scattered around wouldn't hurt, either. LOL.  You may not know exactly all that they're saying, but you could probably get the jist of how their day went.

I'd like to know what goes on in their little bean heads, other than just hunger and survival.  --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

You must be my long lost brother LOL! You sound very much like me. In fact, if you call any time at all and I don't know who it is, I'm not answering. And if you don't leave a message stating who you are and what you want, I'm not calling back. Don't leave a message saying "This is Sue, Call me" because I wont'. That kind of message is a red flag saying "Sue wants something and is unwilling to let me know what it is because if she does she knows I won't call"

 

[galanie]

No I don't think I will consider that, too much hassle. Besides I plan to get out of the chicken business shortly because of what happened this past month, I will keep a few layers for personal use, because I need to have a few birds around to maintain my sanity LOL. I plan to use all the extra space in the chicken condo for misc storage.

What you decide is your decision but it saddens me to think that you're wanting to just give it up now. No matter though, I hope you do stick around here!

 

[Miss Lydia]

As my son says, to his friends who come over for dinner..."you get what you get and you don't throw a fit!".

Although DH also doesnt like feeding birds birds. So I do it on the sly. I have the turkey carcas wrapped in the freezer cause I want to make soup from it before I sneek it to the chickens.
My chickens eat what I give them. Some things they like better than other things but they eat it all. Our trash is virtually paper only since the chickens came. Helps cut down on bears in and around it as well as other varmits too. I did give them the last piece of cheescake the other day and got 17 eggs the next day! Just sayin....

Cheese cake? don't you worry about them getting cavities?

 

[Ridgerunner]

You must be my long lost brother LOL! You sound very much like me. In fact, if you call any time at all and I don't know who it is, I'm not answering. And if you don't leave a message stating who you are and what you want, I'm not calling back. Don't leave a message saying "This is Sue, Call me" because I wont'. That kind of message is a red flag saying "Sue wants something and is unwilling to let me know what it is because if she does she knows I won't call"

Those phone calls are all about attitude. Back before the "no-call" thing, I'd regularly get phone calls at suppertime. Sometimes I'd answer and as soon as I figured out they were selling something I'd scream "I thought you were the DOCTOR calling back!!!" and slam the receiver down.

I have been known to strike up a conversation. If they said they lived in the area, I'd try to sell them some raffle tickets my kids were selling from school. Never did get a taker on that one.

I haven't figured out what to do with Heather and her robocall, but if it is a human, why not have fun. I know, I could get a new landline with that newfangled caller ID stuff and all that, but the old phone ain't broke yet.

 

[galanie]

People selling stuff: Simple. Tell them you aren't interested and DON'T EVER CALL AGAIN. If you say those magic words you will be removed from their call list. Sometimes it takes a while for everyone that does their calling to get the updated list so be persistent if the same company does call. I no longer even pick it up if I don't know who it is though. And I refuse to kill myself to get to the phone if it's ringing. Often I don't even bother.

 

[thedragonlady]

Vickie

Here it is, the end of November, and all we can think about is breeding season!!!

Eight weeks and counting down.

Fred,

I just finished my early hatches for the fall. 40- 100%, and 50% English Buff Orp babies out of the SOP girls . They are looking fantastic ! This should give me some nice pullets to show in the spring. The girls really have a work ethic too. They are still laying up a storm. Keeps the neighbors happy, and the "Chicken Police" away. There is an eleven bird limit here. I have 10 adults, including the 2 English Buff Orp. cockerels, but it's amazing what you can do with just a few good birds.

Similarity of type, and size is already there, this year I'm culling for the details in combs, and depth of color. Buff isn't an easy color to breed, as you know,but my, K, Monty, is really working wonders on eveness of color and combs.

One, or 2, spring hatches for fall birds, and I'm done. This cold weather has these juveniles eating me out of house and home, but they are huge. Herb Holtz told me years ago to raise 'em when it's cold, and he was right.