NY chicken lover!!!!

[Lynzi777]

My splash girl wandering around the shed this morning while I was there feeding everyone...

 

[rancher hicks]

How does everyone cover their lawn things for the winter? I try to button down everything but still end up running out there to re-wrap things.

Looks like all the Christmas lights around the garden have decided to die just before the winter. Which is good I suppose. Does anyone know why only half a string dies ? Does anyone bother trying to fix them?

 

[Lynzi777]

How does everyone cover their lawn things for the winter?   I try to button down everything but still end up running out there to re-wrap things.    

Looks like all the Christmas lights around the garden have decided to die just before the winter. Which is good I suppose.   Does anyone know why only half a string dies ?  Does anyone bother trying to fix them? 

Christmas lights are so cheap now a days I don't bother trying to fix them. I always pick up extra boxes at Target, nothing fancy, just plain 'ol Christmas lights for $1.99. Maybe even cheaper if you catch them on sale.

What "lawn things" are you referring to that need covering up? I don't cover anything up, then again I don't have much in my yard.

 

[Glasshen]

Bread and lettuce...

 

[armorfirelady]

For those who do have the poultry netting, what do you do with it in the winter? Do you take it down and then stake in into the snow? Do you leave it alone? If so, does the snow weigh it down at all?

This is my first winter with the netting. I did takke one done and stored it away. I left one out so they can still walk the grass & compost area. We did get snow a week or so ago & it stayed up but others have said that heavy snows will take it down. I am just leaving it up as long as I can then will put it away also. They winter in the veggie garden

Quote: I pm'd you

 

[Breella]

Breella-- http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/p/fermented-feed.html has some helpful info on FF
"If I ever smell either yeasts/molds or alcohol in my feed I have used ACV to help quickly bring the pH level down (increase acid) which (in moderation) can help retard the growth of the yeasts and allow the Acetobacter bacteria that's contained in the ACV mother to digest any alcohol that may have been produced by naturally occurring yeasts. When used in small amounts, it can retard the growth of the yeasts just enough to allow the LABs enough time to re-establish a dominant colony that is able to keep the molds/yeasts in check. "

Thank you!

Fermenting creates lacto bacillus, adding vinegar hinders its development. Just add more water & see how it goes.

Even if it is ACV with The Mother?

How does everyone cover their lawn things for the winter? I try to button down everything but still end up running out there to re-wrap things.

Looks like all the Christmas lights around the garden have decided to die just before the winter. Which is good I suppose. Does anyone know why only half a string dies ? Does anyone bother trying to fix them?

The first light at the dead spot is the dead light. Change that bulb and the rest should come back on.

 

[Lynzi777]

This is my first winter with the netting. I did takke one done and stored it away. I left one out so they can still walk the grass & compost area. We did get snow a week or so ago & it stayed up but others have said that heavy snows will take it down. I am just leaving it up as long as I can then will put it away also. They winter in the veggie garden

Well thats what I was thinking - that a heavy a storm could take it down, which is why I did just take mine down when I was cleaning up the yard and getting prepared for winter. I think what I'm going to try to do, especially with my coop being up against the house now in the backyard, is try to line up the fencing along the back wall of the house so I can let the chickens out but keep them confined in an area this winter. And the back wall to my house would be perfect because it's mostly dirty/sand right now anyway. They wouldn't be ruining anything and come spring time I can move them back up to the hill and let grass grow in up against the back wall. Someone mentioned on here a while back what great fertilizer chicken poop is, they weren't kidding. When I moved the silkie coop/run off one of the spots in the yard, it was nothing but dirt. That spot had good sunshine for just a couple of days and was soon covered in grass again. I'm talking not even a week! I was shocked. I just want my kids to be able to enjoy the snow this winter without having to worry about rolling in chicken poop while they're playing the snow - thats IF my chickens venture out in to the snow. Then again, there are the ducks....lol

 

[rancher hicks]

Christmas lights are so cheap now a days I don't bother trying to fix them. I always pick up extra boxes at Target, nothing fancy, just plain 'ol Christmas lights for $1.99. Maybe even cheaper if you catch them on sale.

What "lawn things" are you referring to that need covering up? I don't cover anything up, then again I don't have much in my yard.

I got some last year after the holiday for $1.00 but didn't buy enough white ones. I will make sure to do so this year. I string them around my garden. They provide plenty of light for my nighttime walks to close up the chickens or I I can't sleep and make the trek to check on things.

I've no plans to try to fix anything. I've just been stringing new ones over the broken ones. Next year I'll take all of them down and restring some new ones. I also have some inside the chicken runs. Surprisingly enough it doesn't keep them out any longer and it sure doesn't affect their laying.

 

[marquisella]

Quote: Fermenting is different than "preserving or canning" with vinegar. I think, because one is an acidic and the other is not...not sure, but something like that. If you read about fermenting "naturally" they say don't put any vinegar in it. If your fermenting starts to turn into alcohol, then that is why she adds some vinegar, to stop that. I don't think that fermenting grains for chickens will actually turn alcoholic because you will be using it up so it shouldn't get to that stage. I set out 3 or more buckets and each day I rotate, so most of my fermenting is a 3 day batch. Chickens "LOVE" fermented grains, they line up & start squawking when they see me coming. I think they can smell it...even before I get to their pens.

 

[Breella]

Fermenting is different than "preserving or canning" with vinegar. I think, because one is an acidic and the other is not...not sure, but something like that. If you read about fermenting "naturally" they say don't put any vinegar in it. If your fermenting starts to turn into alcohol, then that is why she adds some vinegar, to stop that. I don't think that fermenting grains for chickens will actually turn alcoholic because you will be using it up so it shouldn't get to that stage. I set out 3 or more buckets and each day I rotate, so most of my fermenting is a 3 day batch. Chickens "LOVE" fermented grains, they line up & start squawking when they see me coming. I think they can smell it...even before I get to their pens.

OMG I am practically mauled when I bring my fermented feed in! I have started fermenting some scratch grains in addition to the Grower and they LOVE IT!