Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Beekissed]

Here's a funny video, "chicken police". Y'all with rabbits will appreciate this. LOL

Loved this vid! So cute! The rabbits fell right in line,didn't they?

 

[Triple Willow]

Loved this vid!  So cute!  The rabbits fell right in line,didn't they? 

The chickens look like they have done that before by the way one went to each rabbit. Perdy funny! lol Yep the rabbits look like, "well okaaay!" LOL

 

[RoseMarie1]

yeah I was laughing and thought that was a cute one to. Had to share it with some folks. They got em in line. Just too cute!!



BEE would it hurt to toss some meal worms in the DL under the roost?

 

[Beekissed]

Sure wouldn't. Or even some BOSS if you want them to toss that area real well for you. I don't put any feed items directly on fecal matter and such but have, in the past, thrown BOSS into areas that need some troweling through in a big way and the birds will accommodate me on it. The end result is nicely plowed up bedding that has dispersed damp areas into the dry areas and dry into damp, making for an even dispersal of both.

 

[Triple Willow]

My chickens have been doing some major excavating in the coop. If I don't remember to take the rake down there and fix it, well you know what's gonna happen. I'm gonna fall and be chicken food! lol Hmm... I bet that's what they are planning!

 

[RoseMarie1]

OK thanx Bee. I had read on here where someone bought some meal worms so I thought I'll just buy a container of them and put some in there and some in the run. Really get em to rootin'. I think my post must have had some termites in them because they have pulled the pine straw back and have worked on those posts. Told hubby we might need to replace a couple of them. There are some of them that really hustle free ranging. I'm going to buy another roll of the welded wire so we can get their run more secure. Got the hardware cloth on those grazing boxes to. Need to get them in place in the run. I plan on growing some crimson alfalfa in the garden area as a cover crop for it and for them to eat as well. ONLY thing I JUST thought of, hubby feeds the deer and I bet they will be attracted to it as well and that will draw deer ticks and fleas to my garden. hmmmmm hubby says the clover wont grow through that hardware cloth though. I would think it would since the balls of the clover is on a long stem and at the top of the stem. ???? I was going to just put it in the grazing frames until he said that.

 

[RoseMarie1]

My chickens have been doing some major excavating in the coop. If I don't remember to take the rake down there and fix it, well you know what's gonna happen. I'm gonna fall and be chicken food! lol Hmm... I bet that's what they are planning!

lol yeah that's about right, you starving yours to?

 

[Beekissed]

My chickens have been doing some major excavating in the coop. If I don't remember to take the rake down there and fix it, well you know what's gonna happen. I'm gonna fall and be chicken food! lol Hmm... I bet that's what they are planning!

Yes...it's good that you can spot their diabolical plans and head them off. Chickens just play at being stupid so that we will grow lax and unaware, only to fall into their clever traps.

OK thanx Bee. I had read on here where someone bought some meal worms so I thought I'll just buy a container of them and put some in there and some in the run. Really get em to rootin'. I think my post must have had some termites in them because they have pulled the pine straw back and have worked on those posts. Told hubby we might need to replace a couple of them. There are some of them that really hustle free ranging. I'm going to buy another roll of the welded wire so we can get their run more secure. Got the hardware cloth on those grazing boxes to. Need to get them in place in the run. I plan on growing some crimson alfalfa in the garden area as a cover crop for it and for them to eat as well. ONLY thing I JUST thought of, hubby feeds the deer and I bet they will be attracted to it as well and that will draw deer ticks and fleas to my garden. hmmmmm hubby says the clover wont grow through that hardware cloth though. I would think it would since the balls of the clover is on a long stem and at the top of the stem. ???? I was going to just put it in the grazing frames until he said that.

The deer love our White Dutch clover cover crop in the garden but I haven't noticed any ticks or fleas from that...I'm sure the birds eat any ticks that are crawlin' around.

If the grow frames are short enough, it could be that the stalks of the alfalfa will clear the frame before getting too many leaves on them. Another good fall/winter thing to plant would be winter wheat and it will definitely go through the wire, it's cheap and it will keep growing all winter...and the birds love it!

Other cold hardy crops to grow there would be kale, beets, spinach, etc. These are pick and come again type things that will be fine with the birds clipping off pieces of their greens and will continue to grow anyway.

 

[Triple Willow]

lol yeah that's about right, you starving yours to?

Yep and they are either trying to tunnel their way out or dig all the way to China! ...or digging a trap for me! lol I don't know how they dig like they do with those little dinosaur feets!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Check your local laws, but here in Arizona, we are fully allowed to kill any animals in the protection of our livestock, property or lives. From the sounds of it, this is definitely one of those situations. Much of our laws would permit the predators to be kept and eaten, providing proper notification was given. Endangered animals would be different from the eating aspect, but our Game and Fish Department is very good with situations like this.

One of our biggest problems are with javelina destroying property. It has become such a big problem that if they are caught on your property, AzGFD fully encourages you to kill them. If you process it yourself, there is no tag required. But if you want to take it to a butcher, you can call them. They'll send out a Ranger to inspect it for foul play, and then issue you a hunting tag for it. Texas is having an even larger problem with their wild boars. It's full blown open season on those beasts. Trucks, helicopters, full auto weapons if you have access to them. I can't imagine hunting down a 600 to 900 pound pig, though! That's a whole lotta bacon! And they are mean, too.

I watched a documentary a year or so ago. Some fool down that way went to Russia and caught some of the wild Russian boars and brought them back to America and let the things go! Of course they've crossed with the native populations and have become huge and extremely aggressive. One person had one come into his house one night and attack him. So, yeah, the hunt is on!

Yes it would when I catch it. They are smart though, he knows my rounds even my night ones and stays out of my way. I haven't seen it yet, but I heard it once yesterday scrambling under the house. If they weren't pack animals I would just let it be as a little bit of corn each day doesn't bother me. My fear is it will bring friends and family and at some point go after the chickens, it's only a matter of time. I don't usually have a predator problem (in 30 years) so my coop has metal screen windows and a hook lock on it, very easy to get into.

Maybe you might consider getting some better locks? I like the hook locks that have a spring loaded slider on them that keeps them attached to the eye bolt, no amount of fiddling will get it open. You have to have two hands that know what they're doing.
I know coons are experts at getting into things but I just can't see one getting past one of these locks.

My chickens have been doing some major excavating in the coop. If I don't remember to take the rake down there and fix it, well you know what's gonna happen. I'm gonna fall and be chicken food! lol Hmm... I bet that's what they are planning!

I have some saboteurs in my coops too! I almost fell this afternoon when I went in there. I looked around at those silly birds and they just blinked at me! booowaaa ha hahah haah ! Little devils!