Getting the flock out of here - a diary of a crazy chicken man

[Cpolanco3]

or a boy scout den that might be interested in earning a badge or two by planting some trees and what nots for you. mmhmmm... they do that.

Claudia

 

[maryhysong]

actually we dont have any seaweed and even when SCUBA diving I have not seen any in the tropics that I can recall. Most kelp grows in cool water like off the pacific in Cali. I know there are seaweed farms in the Philippines but I have yet to see it in the wild.

Next time I am home I will ask a few local saw mils - resawhans (places that re-saw lumber) for a few trailer loads of sawdust to compost. I have seen it just piled up in mountains so they may give it away - as the rice mills do with rice husks. Rce husks take years to break down but make the best litter for chicken coops.

Now I am going to have to look into it......

ah, that is too bad about the seaweed. I knew they say the best quality is from cold northern waters, just didn't realize there wouldn't be any in the tropic zone.

I have often used 2" layers of sawdust on bare dirt as a starter in my coops, tossing straw on top. Works very well absorbing any extra moisture. Just hard to come by around here.

 

[Phage]

Quote:
And I would not rely on the notion that you able-bodied teen will actually help when the time comes. I can barley get mine to pick up after themselves, let alone dig a hole!

 

[Tomtommom]

And I would not rely on the notion that you able-bodied teen will actually help when the time comes. I can barley get mine to pick up after themselves, let alone dig a hole!

We'll see. *laugh*

I don't mind doing the digging and whatnot by myself, honestly. But they will cut the grass. If there is one thing I can't stand it's that.

I'm hoping they'll learn about the joys of hard work. So far, so good.

 

[ozexpat]

21 chicks hatched from the 23 eggs that seemed viable. I am happy with that.



More in 4 days.



We lost a quail yesterday. It had stiff legs. It may be a vitamin issue so I upped the vitamins and electrolytes. There are no issues with any other bird after 24 hours so its looking ok.



Bernie started separating guineas to hear for the "butt crack" call of the females.



We have 10 cubic meters of mud press coming this weekend and another sugar cane truck full the following weekend. It is biowaste from the sugar cane mills. It needs to be composted for 30 days before we turn it into a soil ammendment. Worms love it and so do free ranging chickens. This will go along way to soild building in the gardens.



Hopfully I can get 40 cubic meters before the season ends in july. I just pay for delivery gas and unloading labor.

 

[ozexpat]

Based on butt crack calls, we have 9 female and 7 male guineas. As they are penned and to yet start laying, I am tempted to reduce the number of males to 4 as most books say 2-3 females per male is ok but i will keep them as they are based on advice here.


Waiting for birds to lay is exasperating. Apart from the seasonal Guineas and Chukar that have yet to start, I have been gettin frustrated with the now 27 week old RIR and Barred Rocks who have yet to earn their keep. Today a pullet egg showed up in the Blue/Black/Splash Orps egg box. I guess thats something. Our first "purebred" egg!

 

[Bulldogma]

Hang in there, Oz. The heritage breeds can take a LOT longer to start laying, but the payoff is that they can lay for years more than the production / non-heritage breeds. They'll be worth it in the long run.

Do you already count Production Reds or Leghorns amongst your chicken ranks? If not, you might want to ad a pen or two of those just for megga-egg production and earlier lay age (though they generally quit laying well at 18 months... but they make a decent soup after that).

 

[ozexpat]

Hang in there, Oz. The heritage breeds can take a LOT longer to start laying, but the payoff is that they can lay for years more than the production / non-heritage breeds. They'll be worth it in the long run.

Do you already count Production Reds or Leghorns amongst your chicken ranks? If not, you might want to ad a pen or two of those just for megga-egg production and earlier lay age (though they generally quit laying well at 18 months... but they make a decent soup after that).

I new that if I brought it up, the chickens may be listening. The buff orps have laid one egg since i poste as well. Now the others need to follow suit.

My numbers need beefing up. Its 28 days till i head over again and based on if they are laying, I will focus on different breeds.

I have a couple of leghorn teenagers to get the egg coop established.

This is a very slow process. I understand that. Its around a year to eighteen months to get each breed established. I hatched 8 rhode islands. 5 roos 3 hens. 1 hen dropped dead this week- no symptoms. From 24 eggs i hatch 8 now i have to pray i can get 1 pullet laying eggs. I have to also now get more HRIR pullets so HRIR eggs have just been added to my list

 

[LFchixranch]

We have 10 cubic meters of mud press coming this weekend and another sugar cane truck full the following weekend. It is biowaste from the sugar cane mills. It needs to be composted for 30 days before we turn it into a soil ammendment. Worms love it and so do free ranging chickens. This will go along way to soild building in the gardens.

So what are the regs for importing worms? Do you have a large supply of resident worms? I happen to have a few thousand meal worms (honestly I think its closer to millions) in a plastic tote. Although SallySunshine has told me that they have the possibilities of carrying Merecks, which I find hard to believe since they are farm raised and have never had any outside contact except for the Oatmeal I use as bedding for them. Maybe I could just send you the dust on the bottom. Its great for fertilizer and I am sure there might be just a few eggs in there

...lol

 

[ozexpat]

So what are the regs for importing worms? Do you have a large supply of resident worms? I happen to have a few thousand meal worms (honestly I think its closer to millions) in a plastic tote. Although SallySunshine has told me that they have the possibilities of carrying Merecks, which I find hard to believe since they are farm raised and have never had any outside contact except for the Oatmeal I use as bedding for them. Maybe I could just send you the dust on the bottom. Its great for fertilizer and I am sure there might be just a few eggs in there

...lol

I would be very cautious importing insects. Australia has had several bad experiences with non-native stuff going wild and overtaking the native fauna and flora. I am sure I could never get a permit to bring them in. I may have to research meal worms there.

In saying that, I have seen meal worms for sale by the 40 foot container from China.

AT this stage, I cant really add new projects. I have to let the guys settle into the projects we have going.