How to become self-sufficient (kinda) with chickens.

[ChooksChick]

For all of you fabulous like-minded folks out there (I didn't read all of the posts, but need to mention my 5 lb. Reservoir of Knowledge in case no one else did):

I highly recommend the book Encyclopedia of Country Living, 10th edition, which is a 922 page goldmine of info about everything you could possible ever need to know about homesteading. It's available at Costco for $18 and is worth ten times that.

It even gives instructions on how to make bread, from growing your own wheat on up! Giving birth by yourself, every form of animal husbandry, beekeeping, preservation, herbs and relationships between plants, oddments, and all type of home-keeping...more info than anyone should be able to hold in their head.

The author (Carla Emery) spent 32 years researching, collating, practicing, publishing, and re-publishing...now it's a Sasquatch Books release, but it started out a subscription book...all while raising a family of 9...amazing stuff.

 

[The Zoo]

Ok - I'm sold on comfrey - especially if it's hardy but where do I find it? Do nurseries sell it? I'd love to plant some!

Duh just saw the link

Thanks!!

 

[ChooksChick]

Just thought I'd toss out a linky to the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-...5535/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248362836&sr=8-1

read the Publisher's Weekly review...that says a lot of it!

 

[rileysgranny]

tasymo-thanks for the link to richters. I've already gone there and ordered comfrey, red clover and lemongrass seed. It should be here in about a week. I've been looking for red clover locally, but everything I've found had regular grass seed in it too. My chickens and I thank you.

 

[The Zoo]

Awesome book! I wonder if my library has it....

My great aunt lived next door to Mennonites in a *very* small town in Missouri. Whenever I visited I admired the way they lived so much and then went back to my city job....now at least I'm doing some of that. Chickens, pick wild blackberries, trying to grow all our own veg...slowly but surely....

Things really do come full circle.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

Quote:
A couple of people recommended that book here. One, kimbobim, knew the author and family personally. This is the third recommendation, and you say it's available at Costco? I'm going to have to look for it. Now I have two summer reads. I'd better get busy!

 

[TACEYPERKINS]

I absolutely love this thread!

This topic is right up my alley too. I have also been trying to do my part for the earth and for our family. I started a large garden this year, we started composting and we got our chickens. I had chickens before, but we just started with them again. I just started them on whole grains, they were not doing very good on the soy based feed that they were on. So, I have them on oats (carbs), fish meal (protein), and alfalfa meal ( greens & protein). Of course it will be a while before they start showing results. But, Im hoping for the best. I have several types of chickens, but one of the types is great for homesteading. They are Javas. They are the perfect foraging chicken, scavenging for up to 50% of its daily diet. I tell you they are alot different then my cochins! I love my Javas they really are a neat breed. They are a great multi-purpose breed. Good egg layers and meat birds too!

I would like to become more self suffient as time goes by. I am also wanting to help teach what I learn to todays youth. Eventually I would like to have a learning farm. I figure I cant go wrong teaching these things to my neighbors and community. That way if anything were to happen we would all be better off. And maybe alot less negative actions in time of emergancy.

I think I will get one of those books, they sound great. Thanks again for the wonderful thread, and all the great info! I have a link that has recipe for a whole grain diet for the chickens. It can give you an idea of the break down of ingredients, and then maybe you could substitute to what you have more readily available. I will post it if anyone is interested~ Tacey
http://www.sterlingcenterfarm.com/Feeding/Wholegraindiet.htm

 

[OrpingtonManor]

I'm going to have to order both books online. Neither was available at Costco here. I guess my area isn't *country* enough.

 

[stacym]

Depending on where you live, calcium would be the least of your worries if something were to happen. After reading a book called," One Second After" I discovered that I hadn't thought about our water supply. No Electric-no water pumped to our towns water tower. We have a place were we could go if we had enough warning. The windmills would pump, it's way off the beaten path and could be defended if needed.
I grew up learning how to make laundry soap, butcher everything that moves, gardening, canning,smoking meat, And making all our own livestock feed. But man.....I'm so glad that we made the trip into town for TOILET PAPER. I'm glad that I have these skills and am passing them on to my children,but I have found around here I am a freak! And that's because I have five chickens, a huge garden and (gasp) I hang laundry on my line.
My folks use to feed sour milk to the hens in small amounts for calcium.(note the small amounts) they love it and will actually sort of explode if left to eat all they want. Soybeans make good protein but must be cooked first.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

I ordered both of those books today from Amazon. Gotta love the internet.

I know for me, this isn't so much about preparing for a terrible doomsday, but to be gentler to the planet, and more intelligent about how my daily needs and wants impact others, and vice versa. I like barter. I like cooperation. I like a working water treatment plant.

I want to know more and do more for myself. We really can't get along without cooperating with others, but we have made it so that we are so specific/ limited in what we are willing to produce ourselves that we are really helpless. I want to become more self-sufficient and self-sustaining, but do it in a way that trusts and includes the people around me, not just my family, but my neighbors and co-workers.

I wonder if I can grow Comfrey with deer around...