Maine

[CoopChick719]

Nice looking tractor, and birds by the way!

Thank you...I wish I could take credit for the tractor but it's my sister's. And I'm dreading giving it back to her!!

I better fertilize that chicken tractor seed I planted w/DH!!

We split the order of meaties and she CAN'T wait to get them out of her basement. She doesn't think they are sweet birds at all!

 

[buckabucka]

I found this online.
www.livestockconservancy.org/index.php/.../conservation-priority-list
Just wondering how accurate you guys think this is. I've decided that it want to start breeding one or two rare breeds and this is a very interesting list. I like that it shows ones that are threatened as well as some that are recovering.

The link isn't working for me...

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

The link isn't working for me...

Sorry. The site is called The Livestock Conservancy I found it when I googled rare breeds of chickens. It was one of the sites that popped up.

 

[lazy gardener]

Coop chick, I forget where Mr. Smarty-pants said to put the salt... just in the coop, or in the run too. IMO, a bit of salt would not be too harmful in the coop, but, again, just my opinion, I think that measure would just be tincture of placebo. In other words, you'd need to use an awful lot for it to be effective, and then, if you used that much, it would not be an environmentally sound practice. Salt in the run, NO way. I have the same opinion when folks say to sprinkle it on slugs, or to lay a band of it around the garden as a slug deterrent. Though it does eventually leach out, it is toxic to plants. So much so, that I am thinking of mixing up a mixture of salt, hot water, vinegar and liquid soap as a foliar spray for my poison ivy this spring. I really don't want to use any more glyphosphates or other toxins after the reading I've done.

 

[Jazor]

... I really don't want to use any more glyphosphates or other toxins after the reading I've done.

Goats are chemical free herbicide

 

[IZZYBELLA]

Ok... non-chicken related, but do any of you have experience with poison ivy? I didn't think the leaves were jagged, but someone told me this weekend that the plant in the photo below is PI. Anyone think it is? There is just one little plant of it growing in my front walk.

 

[CoopChick719]

Coop chick, I forget where Mr. Smarty-pants said to put the salt... just in the coop, or in the run too. IMO, a bit of salt would not be too harmful in the coop, but, again, just my opinion, I think that measure would just be tincture of placebo. In other words, you'd need to use an awful lot for it to be effective, and then, if you used that much, it would not be an environmentally sound practice. Salt in the run, NO way. I have the same opinion when folks say to sprinkle it on slugs, or to lay a band of it around the garden as a slug deterrent. Though it does eventually leach out, it is toxic to plants. So much so, that I am thinking of mixing up a mixture of salt, hot water, vinegar and liquid soap as a foliar spray for my poison ivy this spring. I really don't want to use any more glyphosphates or other toxins after the reading I've done.

I think he used it in both coop & run. If this is so then I would think wood ash, DE, and lime would do the same thing. I don't like using DE in the run because it's harmful to bees.

Ok... non-chicken related, but do any of you have experience with poison ivy? I didn't think the leaves were jagged, but someone told me this weekend that the plant in the photo below is PI. Anyone think it is? There is just one little plant of it growing in my front walk.

I'm not an expert but leaves of 3 let it be.

 

[Jazor]

Doesn't really look quite like poison ivy, but I'm not an expert. Best to steer clear, if you can, but even comparing to native Maine Poison Ivy...it doesn't really look like it.

 

[IZZYBELLA]

Thanks, guys... I yanked it and washed my hands with Technu.

 

[sparrowsnest]

Been enjoying reading this thread. Just moved to Aroostook County a few months ago. We spent years in military housing, so no chance of chickens there! I personally had a bad experience as a child and swore I would never own chickens! Fast forward to our move north and having a small hobby farm. One trip to Tractor Supply had me hooked! Three trips later to dh's delight and surprise, I came home with eight black Austrolorps! We've had them over two weeks and they're starting to get big! Our kids (all seven of them!) are loving it and really getting into taking care of them. Our barn was converted into a garage, but there are side rooms and we are going to turn one into a coop for them. The plan is to put a 10x20 dog kennel reinforced with chicken wire outside for a run. We have a nesting pair of eagles right across the road, so I'm not comfortable letting them free range. Question now is, they're getting pretty big for the brood box we have them in. Is it ok to let them out into the coop area with the heat lamp on now? We don't have any others to bother them. We still have to cut out an exit door and put up roosts/nesting boxes(would love any ideas on placement of those!), but otherwise they would have the room(about 10x15) to themselves. Thanks!