people with house chickens

[Reinsaway]

Hey guys, I just bought 40# of Purina Layena Plus+, and I have WAY more that my little Radbird will eat..

I was wondering if any of you would be interested? It would be $6.10 for a 5# bag shipped priority flat rate (Just for the shipping, I won't charge for the feed itself) And I will have a few to spare. I figured maybe somebody would wanna try some

 

[Sylvester017]

Hey guys, I just bought 40# of Purina Layena Plus+, and I have WAY more that my little Radbird will eat..

I was wondering if any of you would be interested? It would be $6.10 for a 5# bag shipped priority flat rate (Just for the shipping, I won't charge for the feed itself) And I will have a few to spare. I figured maybe somebody would wanna try some

If you don't find takers, refrigerate the feed in airtight containers or resealer bags that take most of the air out. It should stay tasty fresh if you can seal out most of the air and keep it cool. For things I put in the freezer I use zip plastic bags that I use a small straw to suck the air out of the almost closed bag and after the air sucks out close the seal while pulling out the straw quickly -- something I learned on a cooking channel about freezer-storing garden stewed tomatoes! We only have 3 chickens at the moment and even 5-lb of organic layer feed/seed is a lot for us to keep on hand which is the smallest size we can get at the feed store. Storing half in the fridge keeps the seeds from hatching worms or weavils -- I add 3 to 5 whole dry bay leaves to dry things like my flour, oat groats, whole dry oatmeal flakes, pancake mixes, dry rice, chicken feed, etc to discourage insects hatching and keep the items in the fridge to stay tasting fresh. I keep my old fridge in the garage rather than giving it away whenever I buy a new fridge so I have plenty of extra cold storage. I need more fridge space than freezer space so keeping the old fridge is handy. Wish my kitchen was big to accommodate the monstrous 28-30 cu ft fridge models but I don't so keeping the extra fridge in the garage is my 2nd best option.

 

[Reinsaway]

If you don't find takers, refrigerate the feed in airtight containers or resealer bags that take most of the air out.  It should stay tasty fresh if you can seal out most of the air and keep it cool.  For things I put in the freezer I use zip plastic bags that I use a small straw to suck the air out of the almost closed bag and after the air sucks out close the seal while pulling out the straw quickly -- something I learned on a cooking channel about freezer-storing garden stewed tomatoes! We only have 3 chickens at the moment and even 5-lb of organic layer feed/seed is a lot for us to keep on hand which is the smallest size we can get at the feed store.  Storing half in the fridge keeps the seeds from hatching worms or weavils -- I add 3 to 5 whole dry bay leaves to dry things like my flour, oat groats, whole dry oatmeal flakes, pancake mixes, dry rice, chicken feed, etc to discourage insects hatching and keep the items in the fridge to stay tasting fresh.  I keep my old fridge in the garage rather than giving it away whenever I buy a new fridge so I have plenty of extra cold storage.  I need more fridge space than freezer space so keeping the old fridge is handy.  Wish my kitchen was big to accommodate the monstrous 28-30 cu ft fridge models but I don't so keeping the extra fridge in the garage is my 2nd best option. 

I have it in the freezer right now, but unfortunately as a large family the space it takes up is space we can't really spare, I'm lucky my mom puts up with her the way she does now, but I could very easily trigger her to change her mind.. She lets her inside after watching me hand-sew some diapers commenting "well I have never seen you so dedicated to something your entire life so whatever works"

 

[RAnst4038]

Mini finally got around to laying inside after taking off her diaper.
But Ross started crowing at a level that hurts.

 

[Sylvester017]

Mini finally got around to laying inside after taking off her diaper.
But Ross started crowing at a level that hurts.

Mini is so cute in her box.

Indoors we use a lidded Homz Kidz Modular Storage plastic box. Chickens love the privacy of the lid. Homz Kidz run about $60 for a set of 6 on Walmart's website and the smooth-edge entrance is already on the side so one doesn't need to cut out a rough-edge entrance hole like has to be done to a tote storage container. Walmart always seems to be out of Homz Kidz stacking storage but it might be worth trying to find them elsewhere: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Homz-Kidz-Modular-Storage-System-Turquoise/19224757

Sounds like a good opportunity to experiment with a No-Crow Rooster Collar on Ross. It muffles the sound of the crow if you'd like to try it.

 

[Ponyfeather]

Sadly we had to say goodbye this morning to Pancake. We don't know what happened but we found her dead in her inside coup.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

I am sorry

 

[DaisyDo39]

The chicken diapers look uncomfortable, knowing that they wrap around the wing. Does it hurt them or cause any damage to the feathers? I really want to try one on my daisy, but im afraid it will hurt her. Any help?

 

[Sylvester017]

Sadly we had to say goodbye this morning to Pancake. We don't know what happened but we found her dead in her inside coup.

Oh how sad! There are just so many chicken maladies/diseases that can suddently take a chicken in an instant and there's no way to know without a necropsy. And chickens like all animals are so good at hiding their pain or illness that you don't even know they were sick!

How old was Pancake. Seems like she wasn't that old?

 

[Sylvester017]

The chicken diapers look uncomfortable, knowing that they wrap around the wing. Does it hurt them or cause any damage to the feathers? I really want to try one on my daisy, but im afraid it will hurt her. Any help?

It doesn't hurt them if they fit ok. The straps that go over the wings are fastened together on top of the chicken's back and the straps don't really hit the wing joints. The only problem I ever had was velcro closures over Silkie fur. The fur is very soft and gets stuck in the velcro but we didn't have that problem with the hard-feathered breeds. For the Silkies I made my own diapers without velcro and used chickenmom's pattern on youtube.