***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Kassaundra]

Thanks! Where did you buy your mix? I am going to the feed store at lunch possibly and see what they have. But those old guys there think I am insane everytime I go in. They thought I was nuts when I bought reclaimed oats to ferment for chickens, and when I bought Ivomec pour on for mites they told me they didn't think my birds would survive if I used it on them. So I can only imagine the response when I go in looking for Deer Plot for Chickens. I will be the crazy chicken lady for sure then! LOL

Same here w/ my feed store, they actually think I'm crazy for feeding my chickens, he says if his chickens can't find enough to eat then then don't. I got the seeds in a 2 lb bag at Tractor Supply, they had several kinds all ranging from 2 lb to about 10 or 15 lbs, I almost got one that said on the bag no till, but most of them if you read the labels were basically no till. They range in price from 10 ish to 20ish.

 

[BetsyOK]

You might consider what a friend of mine does for plots inside his pens. He makes enclosures I think 4' x 8' of 2 x 4s set on edge and covered with 1/2" mesh hardware cloth, and plants the seeds in this enclosure. This raises the mesh up nearly 4" and allows the birds to sit on it and "harvest" the growth again and again without destroying the plants. It lasts much longer than if you just turn them in to eat it. After awhile, he moves it over to let them eat it all. In the meantime, he has at least one other such plot sprouting. Of course, it is only for greens, as they wouldn't allow it to go to seed.

 

[Ksane]

My bugs are doing great, Kass lol! I usually feed the Dubia because the Hissers are so dang big. The girls in the layer's yard are about the only ones who eat the Hissers. I was thinking of feeding those big ones all off and sticking with just Dubia.

 

[Oakieridge]

You might consider what a friend of mine does for plots inside his pens. He makes enclosures I think 4' x 8' of 2 x 4s set on edge and covered with 1/2" mesh hardware cloth, and plants the seeds in this enclosure. This raises the mesh up nearly 4" and allows the birds to sit on it and "harvest" the growth again and again without destroying the plants. It lasts much longer than if you just turn them in to eat it. After awhile, he moves it over to let them eat it all. In the meantime, he has at least one other such plot sprouting. Of course, it is only for greens, as they wouldn't allow it to go to seed.

Thanks Kass and Betsy, I bet my husband could build a frame big enough to do that! That would save me from replanting all the time. Some of the chickens yards aren't that big so that would be good for them if I maybe had him make a planter I can move in and out of the yards as they sprout. hmmmmm I can see some honey do's coming up for the hubby, lol. I just want my girls to be healthy and be able to forage for some of their feed but at the same time cut my feed bill just a bit.

 

[Kassaundra]

My bugs are doing great, Kass lol! I usually feed the Dubia because the Hissers are so dang big. The girls in the layer's yard are about the only ones who eat the Hissers. I was thinking of feeding those big ones all off and sticking with just Dubia.

Either that or feed out your sub adult hissers.

 

[Kassaundra]

You might consider what a friend of mine does for plots inside his pens. He makes enclosures I think 4' x 8' of 2 x 4s set on edge and covered with 1/2" mesh hardware cloth, and plants the seeds in this enclosure. This raises the mesh up nearly 4" and allows the birds to sit on it and "harvest" the growth again and again without destroying the plants. It lasts much longer than if you just turn them in to eat it. After awhile, he moves it over to let them eat it all. In the meantime, he has at least one other such plot sprouting. Of course, it is only for greens, as they wouldn't allow it to go to seed.

That would be great especially for things that do not need to seed, just have a great root system like clover or maybe alfalfa.

 

[Elwood Lightfoot]

Ksane and Bill and anyone else growing insect colonies, how are your colonies doing? Making any preperations for winter?

My bugs are doing great, Kass lol! I usually feed the Dubia because the Hissers are so dang big. The girls in the layer's yard are about the only ones who eat the Hissers. I was thinking of feeding those big ones all off and sticking with just Dubia.

Mine are doing well, the Hissers are out producing the Dubias by quite a bit and not just because I feed off the Dubias, the Hissers are escape artists the smaller ones and sub adults get out all the time, I need to get some metal screen mesh they chewed holes in the vinyl screen and I even found them living among the Dubias where they got out and then got into their box, I have thrown several large males into my Savanna Monitors cage and thought he was eating them but discovered the other day they are all alive and well and found hiding places I guess it's a good thing the only ones I put in there were males, with the heat rocks the conditions are good for them, I should find a market for the Hissers since I have so many and my birds all seem to be afraid of them I guess due to size LOL I am thinking about getting some turkeys maybe they will eat them, I have 2 peafowl I haven't tried to offer them any but I bet they might go for them too, We need to get together and swap out some adults to keep the gene pool diverse

 

[jcatblum]

People give out strange looks when I mention going to a chicken swap. Can't imagine telling someone there was a bug swap!!!

Be careful on no till seed-- it's a lie.... I tried using a rake & covering wheat berries & rye in freshly turned over soil & none sprouted. I thought since the soil was loose a rake & pressing it in would be good enough but nope.

 

[Elwood Lightfoot]

Quote: I've done this before I planted some mixed grass seed only I had a taller cage around it and moved it a lot, at the same time I found a sheet of expanded metal that was flat and laid it flush with the soil, I planted Bermuda grass on it and after a while when the roots had grown to cover the whole sheet I was able to use a square blade shovel to cut sod chunks off the surface and sprig it around the yard till I had a full lawn, I haven't done that here cause I have no desire to become a slave to the lawn again I would rather have a dirt yard like my Grandmother had she wouldn't allow any grass or weeds to grow near the house LOL I'm not quite that bad really I do think it's better to zerascape and grow other plants that don't need mowing and use less water the trouble it finding things that the chickens and goats and other critters don't eat or kill out so far I've found they don't like the Morning glory, Vinca (periwinkle) or
4-O'clocks I'm hoping I can grow Castor bean plants next year and nothing eat them, I have a bunch of gourds to plant also but I'm guessing that the goats will eat those LOL

 

[Ksane]

Mine are doing well, the Hissers are out producing the Dubias by quite a bit and not just because I feed off the Dubias, the Hissers are escape artists the smaller ones and sub adults get out all the time, I need to get some metal screen mesh they chewed holes in the vinyl screen and I even found them living among the Dubias where they got out and then got into their box, I have thrown several large males into my Savanna Monitors cage and thought he was eating them but discovered the other day they are all alive and well and found hiding places I guess it's a good thing the only ones I put in there were males, with the heat rocks the conditions are good for them, I should find a market for the Hissers since I have so many and my birds all seem to be afraid of them I guess due to size LOL I am thinking about getting some turkeys maybe they will eat them, I have 2 peafowl I haven't tried to offer them any but I bet they might go for them too, We need to get together and swap out some adults to keep the gene pool diverse

Yea, the last thing we need are inbred cockroaches