Peeps in Europe!

[Applesandlemons]

Oh bless you - I'm doing a similar life change here in SW France but with hubby - couldn't do it on my own - total respect to you ! So be fair - if you go grab some shells one day (and honestly good for your mental health to have a wander on the beach and forget the rest!) and crush them up with a hammer it is probably a once in a year or 6 months job - they don't eat much of it!

Welcome to our Europe thread too - glad you joined us

I eventually found a supplier who had to special order it.. a week later it arrived and we have oyster shells!

Any kind of supplements is tricky. The attitude toward livestock here is quite basic. They don't tend to 'fuss' as much as we do in the UK. It's more laissez-faire definitely!

 

[Perris]

Anyone who wants to come visit and sort shells is most welcome

sign me up!
sorry to have vanished from this chat - we lost power after 70+ mph winds last night, and it's only just come back on.

I'm in a pretty neglected 'fattoria piccola": (little farm) Pretty much starting from scratch..

Respect! what are you growing? Olives? Lemons? love all those delicious Mediterranean foods... and chickens, what sort of chickens do you have?

I did try to collect shells on the beach but the ones I find here are too hard and chickens didn't even try them. waste of time.

I had a similar experience first time I tried it, but found nibbling the edges with pliers works better than a hammer to break it up (and gives a better particle size) and my birds wolfed it down on first offering this year.

it is probably a once in a year or 6 months job - they don't eat much of it!

that is indeed what I've found.

 

[Applesandlemons]

Respect! what are you growing? Olives? Lemons? love all those delicious Mediterranean foods... and chickens, what sort of chickens do you have?

We have about 30 olive trees, almonds, peaches ,lemons, apricots and figs. We had a plum tree but sadly it was so infected I cut it down.

I have a right mixed bunch of poultry at the moment... I'll add the link to my intro below

How' s everything after your gale force winds? No damage I hope?

 

[Perris]

sounds idyllic

How' s everything after your take force winds? No damage I hope?

I don't know yet - it's just getting light; fingers crossed we haven't lost another tree...(one came down earlier in the winter)

 

[Applesandlemons]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hello-from-sicily.1294354/

My intro

 

[Perris]

thanks Donna - small world! where in Wales were you? I'm in the Gower

 

[Spudsnsalsa]

Hmmmm....have not even tried to source calcium as I have yet to get my first clucker but thinking a trip to a beach to find shells sounds like a good excuse to escape the endless drainage ditch digging! Hubby would be an easy sell as he is all for free but for the labor ideas. Now off to research just what an oyster shell looks like....

 

[chickengr]

I did look for oyster shells but mostly found mussels...

Salamina sounds lovely... How are you finding it?

I bought land about 50 km north of athens and hope to finish the house and move soon. salamina is too hot for chickens and there is a limit of 40 chickens/backyard.

isn't it funny how chickens can change our life? I am a city girl and have never thought of living in the country with poultry. I am very happy about my decision and can't wait to go. I will grow vegetables, corn, etc. as well and already talked to someone to exchange eggs for milk. later I will exchange my extra cockerels for meat (sheep, goat and wild boar). goodbye GMO, chemicals, etc.

 

[chickengr]

We have about 30 olive trees, almonds, peaches ,lemons, apricots and figs. We had a plum tree but sadly it was so infected I cut it down.

I have a right mixed bunch of poultry at the moment... I'll add the link to my intro below

How' s everything after your gale force winds? No damage I hope?

I am going to plant different fruit trees: citruses, peaches, apricots, alminds, figs, cherries, plums, persimmons, pomegranates, walnuts, chestnuts, olives, etc. my idea is to have fruits all year around. I will not make money out of them but they will reduce my expenses. I will eat fresh, non treated fruits and feed my poultry as well, especially ducks, geese, guinea fowl and peafowl.

I plan to use '3 sisters' system: plant corn, beans and pumpkins together. after I harvest them I will let my ducks and geese on a rainy day to plow and weed. after that I will put chicken manure and let the chickens scratch and spread it. they are going to be my little working army. I already tried it in my small vegetable garden here. back to eden garden works indeed. no need for tractor or paying someone, my babies work for free and enjoy it.

 

[Perris]

I once knew someone who had a farm in Achaia and he even made his own salt! (by evaporating sea water) His produce was fantastic, using largely very ancient (and therefore natural organic) practices to grow and make - and preserve! - it. (It's amazing how much you can dry/bottle/pickle to great effect.) Good luck @chickengr !