Minnesota!

[KlopKlop]

Does anybody around here keep Chanteclers? I was reading about them over lunch (yeah I am chicken obsessed) and the sound like a cool breed

 

[Cyrus83]

Does anybody around here keep Chanteclers? I was reading about them over lunch (yeah I am chicken obsessed) and the sound like a cool breed

They're chickens, of course they are cool!

 

[duluthralphie]

I have a partridge chanticleer, BUT the one to ask would be EJB, he is kind of an expert of them in my mind. I got mine from him.


I understand partridge chanticlers are different for a chanticler, but if they are at all the same they are fantastic. Ed ( my rooster) is my favorite bird now, even ahead of Bert Jr.

 

[KlopKlop]

I also read into a breed called bresse. How it has just been imported into the U.S. And how they are traditionally raised in France, finished on corn and dairy in confinement. Interesting stuff.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Does anybody know of the French originated breed that is coveted for their exceptional eggs? I read about it here on BYC somewhere that the eggs are so great and desired by chefs that makes the breed hard to come by or expensive. Now I can't find it. Was just intrigued to know more about it. I think it may have been a bird with grey....plumage...maybe, maybe....?
And maybe, of course, its just melarky.

Talked to Dad over Lunch about haylage and silage. He said one year he made haylage but all other years it was silage. The corn silage used to freeze on the outside border about a foot thick at times. And he did pick axe it out the center stayed thawed he said. "Haylage is fermented hay". Gosh the stuff he knows. I said, "Yep." Because now I know. Ha. I should really sit down with him more. He also suggested I use Clovite on my birds in the winter to make up the Vit A that gets reduced in the winter. Well thats interesting since I just paid $41 for a 1 gallon bucket for the labrador. (Our vet recommends it as a conditioner for hunting dogs-well any dog I suppose.) It used to be $26 a bucket when we were raising Jasmine 8 years ago. I do find my chickens on the front porch after Sadie is done eating finishing up the Clovite crumbles. Ha. I told him I was looking for cheap (aka free) ways to meet that nutritional demand and he's offered to mow his lawn in wind rows so I can collect grass piles from him. "I'll do it if you're going to come and pick it up." Haha...he knows me well. Time to make the time!
I may just section it off in the covered run with a couple of pallets. So excited about bringing in my lawn harvests! Thanks KlopKlop.

 

[KlopKlop]

Does anybody know of the French originated breed that is coveted for their exceptional eggs?  I read about it here on BYC somewhere that the eggs are so great and desired by chefs that makes the breed hard to come by or expensive.  Now I can't find it.  Was just intrigued to know more about it. I think it may have been a bird with grey....plumage...maybe, maybe....?
And maybe, of course, its just melarky.

Talked to Dad over Lunch about haylage and silage.  He said one year he made haylage but all other years it was silage.  The corn silage used to freeze on the outside border about a foot thick at times.  And he did pick axe it out the center stayed  thawed he said.  "Haylage is fermented hay".  Gosh the stuff he knows.  I said, "Yep."  Because now I know.  Ha.  I should really sit down with him more.  He also suggested I use Clovite on my birds in the winter to make up the Vit A that gets reduced in the winter.  Well thats interesting since I just paid $41 for a 1 gallon bucket for the labrador. (Our vet recommends it as a conditioner for hunting dogs-well any dog I suppose.)  It used to be $26 a bucket when we were raising Jasmine 8 years ago.  I do find my chickens on the front porch after Sadie is done eating finishing up the Clovite crumbles.  Ha.  I told him I was looking for cheap (aka free) ways to meet that nutritional demand and he's offered to mow his lawn in wind rows so I can collect grass piles from him.  "I'll do it if you're going to come and pick it up."  Haha...he knows me well.  Time to make the time! 
I may just section it off in the covered run with a couple of pallets. So excited about bringing in my lawn harvests!  Thanks KlopKlop.

I also enjoy listening to old farmers talk about their days working on the farm. You can really learn a lot and I have yet to meet one that doesn't enjoy 'talking farm'

You probably need to coordinate collecting his clippings the same day he mows. You don't want it to get too dry or start growing the bad stuff/composting.

I plan to test the following things myself, each case will get several 5 gallon 'bales' each

Case 1: alfalfa clipping baled quickly after mowing, with mixed corn/grain
Case 2: alfalfa clipping baled quickly after mowing, without mixed corn/grain
Case 3: alfalfa clipping allowed to wilt/dry after mowing, with mixed corn/grain
Case 4: alfalfa clipping allowed to wilt/dry after mowing, without mixed corn/grain

Each of the 4 cases will be done 2x with one group stored indoors (heated) and one stored outdoors. If the outdoor bales freeze solid (which I anticipate) I will bring them inside to thaw and see what impact that has on it

If that all goes quick and smooth and there is time then I will maybe try more variations such as shop vac vs just squeezing out as much air as possible and perhaps plain grass clippings vs alfalfa/grass mixed clippings

Currently I am planning to use 10 gallon garbage bags with a 6 gallon pail for a 'mold'
I figure 6 gallons should last several days for the chooks without the silage going bad

How is this for scientific

 

[holm25]

I also enjoy listening to old farmers talk about their days working on the farm. You can really learn a lot and I have yet to meet one that doesn't enjoy 'talking farm'

You probably need to coordinate collecting his clippings the same day he mows. You don't want it to get too dry or start growing the bad stuff/composting.

I plan to test the following things myself, each case will get several 5 gallon 'bales' each

Case 1: alfalfa clipping baled quickly after mowing, with mixed corn/grain
Case 2: alfalfa clipping baled quickly after mowing, without mixed corn/grain
Case 3: alfalfa clipping allowed to wilt/dry after mowing, with mixed corn/grain
Case 4: alfalfa clipping allowed to wilt/dry after mowing, without mixed corn/grain

Each of the 4 cases will be done 2x with one group stored indoors (heated) and one stored outdoors. If the outdoor bales freeze solid (which I anticipate) I will bring them inside to thaw and see what impact that has on it

If that all goes quick and smooth and there is time then I will maybe try more variations such as shop vac vs just squeezing out as much air as possible and perhaps plain grass clippings vs alfalfa/grass mixed clippings

Currently I am planning to use 10 gallon garbage bags with a 6 gallon pail for a 'mold'
I figure 6 gallons should last several days for the chooks without the silage going bad

How is this for scientific

Is this for cattle or for chickens??

 

[Coffee 1st]

I am going to try convince him to take two since he has so many hens and maybe a third since the other could be mean.

why don't you just eat them? isn't that what most people do with their extra roosters??/

 

[KlopKlop]

Is this for cattle or for chickens??

Chickens. This is my attempt to add diversity to their winter diet for their health, to keep up egg quality, and at least a little bit of entertainment value for them

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Sounds great. And we'll want a "Study Synopsis" when you are all done this spring. Hahaha.I think I may just keep fluffing and drying and doing the haystack thingy with most of it.. I may do one miniature"silo" just to see what I can do. Good idea on bringing into a warmer place some of it. What do you think of sprinkling some of it with ACV, then shop vaccing To get that lacto bacillus started? Or am I not thinking right bacteria here...do you think?