DUCKWEED PROVIDED FREE-CHOICE WITH WATER

[centrarchid]

I have a couple cockerel confined singly in pens for purpose of taming for later handling. They have been provided a free-choice access to a complete feed mix for all but about 2 hours each morning and the night time. The trough I use to collect and store rainwater is nearly covered in the stuff so I have been taking it out in major hand fulls and putting it in the waterers. The cockerels are eating it in a big way. By volume it is mostly water yet they seem really partial to it. I am having a hard time keeping the duckweed present owing to how fast they eat it.

 

[Leihamarie]

I find that duckweed is like chicken crack to my flock, lol! they can't get enough of it! I have to keep a couple bus trays of it growing out of beak reach in order to keep up with the demand.

 

[centrarchid]

This something that is relatively easy to do. This production season we are going to ramp it up to catch all water coming off barn to fill culture tanks. Duck will help shade water and fish will be added to control mosquitoes and tree frog tadpoles. The water will also be used to provide at least a portion of the chickens needs. Three tanks are already in place. Four more will be installed.

Last year did a couple experiments using chicken manure as fertilizer and that worked really well. Will try to put together those results in coming days.

Experiment part this production season will look at fertilizers that do not conflict with human culinary uses. Ideally the sources are easy to get and do not need to be purchased in bulk.

 

[Deb ekholm]

I find that duckweed is like chicken crack to my flock, lol! they can't get enough of it! I have to keep a couple bus trays of it growing out of beak reach in order to keep up with the demand.

Thanx. Always looking for new treats

 

[centrarchid]

Thanx. Always looking for new treats

Look it as a supplement, not a treat. Treat is a misused term in the poultry world these days.