INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Mother2Hens]

RE: Chicken food scraps, raw potatoes: Green potato skins and "eyes" on potatoes contain toxins. There are lists online and in books of foods/plants,etc. that chickens should not eat. Don't give them anything moldy. I was worried last summer because we had eggplant and tomato plants, which are both toxic to chickens, but they seemed to know to stay away from plants/berries that they shouldn't eat. Crafty chick said that hers stayed away from orange peels, which is another toxic food. And avocados are very toxic. I mentioned "hardware death" before, and Leahs Mom brought up keeping an eye out for little pieces of glass, plastic, little nails, staples, etc. (Be especially careful about cleaning up hardware items when you are building a coop). While doing yard work with the chickens' help, I almost always run across remnants of my kids' childhoods-- little plastic beads, broken toy pieces, pieces of ribbon that the chickens might eat.

Since I only have five hens, for treats I give them cut up blueberries, grapes, shredded cheese, chopped nuts, sunflower kernels, and freeze dried mealworms. I've read that they should mostly eat chicken feed that has the appropriate amounts of nutrients they need, so they should not have too many treats. I figure that I want them to eat healthful things since we are eating their eggs. However, I realize that feeding five spoiled pets is different that feeding large flocks. They free range and I dig in the dirt so they can get worms and other insects for fun.

 

[bloonskiller911]

almost all of our table scraps go to the chickens. at least 90%, unless i am being lazy and throw it on the compost heap that is closer. i have a "chicken yard" that is almost 10,000 square feet that they stay in most of the time. for a treat i do let them free range in the fall and winter so my compost heap is free game. i keep them, i wouldn't say penned, rounded up during spring and summer because they destroy my garden and my wife's flower bed. i also rake all of my grass clippings and dump in their "yard" and i know there was a post about nothing overly sugar but the things my chickens will eat the fastest is a leftover cupcake. i joked to my wife after they had eaten some left over cupcakes that tomorrow when she gathered the eggs just to shake them and have ready made custard!!

 

[animallover2202]

how do you guys keep the chickens in the yard i wanna free range them again but they always to go my back neighbors corn feild and its hard to get them back and im scared a hawk will attcke them :/ so how do i keep them in the yard?

 

[bloonskiller911]

how do you guys keep the chickens in the yard i wanna free range them again but they always to go my back neighbors corn feild and its hard to get them back and im scared a hawk will attcke them :/ so how do i keep them in the yard?

FENCE! lol

 

[Crafty chick]

I will have to figure out something when our landlords son decides to plant the fields around us too animallover. They've been free ranging where ever so far.

 

[bradselig]

how do you guys keep the chickens in the yard i wanna free range them again but they always to go my back neighbors corn feild and its hard to get them back and im scared a hawk will attcke them :/ so how do i keep them in the yard?

Mine go t the field, church next door, field across the road, etc. however, on Sundays, do keep them penned up so they don't bother the church goers. One thing that helps with free ranging is to train them. I can go out and shake a can with scratch grains in it, or simply just yell hey chicky, chicky, chicky and they all come running.

Regarding hawks, I have lost a bantam to one as well as seen one swooping down after the chicks while I was right out with them. The chicks are smart and take cover. Yesterday I was out collecting eggs and all of a sudden heard a squawk and all the hens ran in the run and coop. I look up and there was a buzzard flying by. It's a risk letting hem free range, however I feel the benefit out ways the risk. Hey are so much happier free ranging.

 

[bradselig]

I will have to figure out something when our landlords son decides to plant the fields around us too animallover. They've been free ranging where ever so far.

I'm not sure what ill do once they plant the fields around my house. I will probably keep them in the run until the crops have sprouted and with stand the damage from the chickens? Then go back to free ranging

 

[Crafty chick]

I think this year is corn year for the ones around us. It'll be interesting trying to find them when it gets tall. Hope they don't wander too far. They are pretty good at waddling at full speed when I come out the back door, or when I call if I cant see them.

 

[bradselig]

I had corn behind my house last year and they loved it. I'm sure the armer was not happy as all the ears of corn 2' and under were eaten by the chickens. The soybeans were across the road last year and they really didnt go over there until after they were harvested. I'm kinda nervous as I've read they aren't supposed to eat raw soybeans? But I know they are eating some left in the field after harvest.

Ohh and hawks still attack chickens when they re in the corn fields. I would have thought it'd gve them enough cover, but it doesnt

 

[CluckAcres]

We have corn fields all around us and this next season is all beans. My flock loves the field they spend the first half of the morning out in it. Im thinking of putting one of my coops in with the cows and goats this spring. They will be fenced in plus can dig threw the manure. LOL