FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[lynnehd]

Thanks but the bird feeder will stay. There are wild birds all over my yard and it is what it is.

They share water etc and I can't stop that without locking my chickens in their coop. Not going to do that.

I believe in nature taking it's course and all things in moderation.

If the chickens are healthy then they should be fine.

We have a lot of wild birds in our back yard. There are hedges and lots of food sources.
My chickens have always been lice and parasite free. They may get one or the other eventually, but that happens to many of us, wild birds or no.

 

[igorsMistress]

We have a lot of wild birds in our back yard. There are hedges and lots of food sources.
My chickens have always been lice and parasite free. They may get one or the other eventually, but that happens to many of us, wild birds or no.

Thanks lynnhd. I don't know how I would keep them away from wild birds lol.

 

[igorsMistress]

Feeding wild birds is not 'natural'.
Not only does it congregate avian pests and illnesses that could affect your chickens, it also draws hawks.

Maybe feeding them isn't natural but I enjoy watching them. I grow extra sunflower seeds to share each year.

Wait, how did chicken keeping start? Is that natural? To lock them in a cage and never let them roam?

There are hawks, and owls, and crows and these horrible grackle things here regardless.

Many of my neighbors feed the birds year round even if we feed only in winter so they're all around anyway. What should I do? Put the chickens in little bubbles with their own oxygen and sterile dirt?

 

[FlyWheel]

Quote: Well if you want to go selectively choosing nits, chickens are not natural, At least not the kind we keep. In fact NO domesticated animal or plant is; they have all been artificially modified by that ancient form of genetic engineering known as selective breeding to meet our needs.

 

[igorsMistress]

Well if you want to go selectively choosing nits, chickens are not natural, At least not the kind we keep. In fact NO domesticated animal or plant is; they have all been artificially modified by that ancient form of genetic engineering known as selective breeding to meet our needs.

I wasn't picking nits just responding to a nit picker...

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Maybe feeding them isn't natural but I enjoy watching them. I grow extra sunflower seeds to share each year.

Wait, how did chicken keeping start? Is that natural? To lock them in a cage and never let them roam?

There are hawks, and owls, and crows and these horrible grackle things here regardless.

Many of my neighbors feed the birds year round even if we feed only in winter so they're all around anyway. What should I do? Put the chickens in little bubbles with their own oxygen and sterile dirt?

It was my original thought that feeding the wild birds wasn't "letting nature take its course"... but I see many have already hit that. Which is what you said you were doing.

I was suggesting you move the feeder to the front yard or somewhere that the chickens weren't standing right under the feeder in an area that could be receiving extra wild bird poos for them to pick the seed up off of. I also enjoy seeing the wild birds!

I absolutely love nature and worked really hard to move where I could be surrounded by it.

Of course putting chickens in a bubble would take the joy out of keeping them.

I only made a recommendation based on the information I have... but we all have to do what works for us even if it doesn't make sense to others.

In my gardening... I do plant extra stuff for the birds. But that's only to keep my heart right instead of them getting everything and me being frustrated.

Anyways, no hard feelings... just info sharing.

Well if you want to go selectively choosing nits, chickens are not natural, At least not the kind we keep. In fact NO domesticated animal or plant is; they have all been artificially modified by that ancient form of genetic engineering known as selective breeding to meet our needs.

I have Swedish Flower Hens... they were not selectively bred.

I have plenty other that were though.

 

[igorsMistress]

Ok thank you

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I heard that BOSS was good for the chickens. Can you put it in the FF or do you give it separately?

Oh and I think BOSS is high protein so consider that in your nutrition totals...if you're mixing your own feed or adding it to a complete feed you'll need totally different amounts

Don't forget to consider the fat content of BOSS is quite high... So while it's good and enjoyable, I probably wouldn't make it a main ingredient.

 

[Kiki]

What is BOSS?

black oiled sunflower seeds?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

What is BOSS?

black oiled sunflower seeds?

Correct.