Sorry But I've Seen Something And It Really Bothers Me

[Wildsky]

Quote:
One year my dad planted a garden and we pulled carrots out of the ground and ate them without washing them! The Aztecs ate grasshoppers in their tacos...

OT - I lived in NE for 14 years, Wildsky - longer than I lived anywhere else. (We've been in Wisconsin for 5 years). I loved Omaha; lived there 9 years and in Lincoln for 5.

Katherine

We've only lived here just over 2 years, its a fantastic place to grow kids!

 

[Lunachick]

Quote:
Why did we make all those mud pies when we were young? I knew then they weren't appealing, but we took that bite, didn't we? I think as kids, that were allowed to play in the dirt and play pretend in the woods, that we somehow inherited some ancient wisdom. Eat some dirt, nibble on some plants ( I did that too, and was told everything I nibbled on was poisonous-I'm here now, duh) I remember foraging as a kid and nibbled on stuff on instinct. I wasn't one for going under the kitchen sink and going after the bleach and rat poison. (the skull & crossbones was a good hint!)

And let me tell you - I made some AWESOME mud pies. I even decorated them with pretty rocks and leaves and stuff...

Its the reason I dragged my kids out into the country, so they can get dirty and be kids! I hope at least they'll try some mud before they're too old to know better!

Me too! You just took a good bite and spit out the pebble or rock or whatever! Then you were IN!

Plus you got your dose of earth vitamins.

 

[crtrlovr]

Quote:
Actually, if I remember correctly, that was Angie (MissPrissy) who had made that statement something along the lines of about taking a sip from their waterer, and if you/he/she/I wouldn't want to drink from it, then neither would the chickens. I'm sure Cynthia / Speckled Hen was in agreement.

 

[Feathered Wings]

Quote:
me too!
as far as algae in the water . . . mine regularly drink out of dirty puddles, algae filled ponds, old buckets, old tires, puddles in the compost pile . . . they pull worms straight out of manure like candy

Yep thats a chicken and ducks are even worse

 

[feathersnuggles]

Quote:
Seems like we in the "developed" world are waking up to the long-term health benefits of dirt/bacteria/viruses/worms:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html

 

[BorderKelpie]

I have two waterers for the birds in my big coop. One in the coop itself and one in the run. The 'outside' waterer is the one with a chronic algea issue. That is also the waterer the chickens go to first. They seem to prefer it seasoned a bit.
Although, the rule in my house is, if you won't eat/drink it, don't expect my animals to. I have threatened my kids that if they don't keep their pets' bowls clean, I will make them eat/drink from them. Seems to work. (and, no, I haven't made them do that - yet)

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Be a nice mom and dont have them make pies with the SOFT mud from the chicken pen or horse coral.

 

[chickenpluckeroo7]

With regards to ACV, I have read numerous articles stating that a tablespoon in waterers will help chickens absorb calcium into their systems. Chickenplucker

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
Actually, if I remember correctly, that was Angie (MissPrissy) who had made that statement something along the lines of about taking a sip from their waterer, and if you/he/she/I wouldn't want to drink from it, then neither would the chickens. I'm sure Cynthia / Speckled Hen was in agreement.

Nope, that was me, in the Ten Commandments of Good Flock Management.

Speckledhen's Ten Commandments of Good Flock Management

1) Keep a clean, dry environment...change bedding as needed, watch out for leaky waterers/windows/roofs, etc.

2) Fresh air/ventilation is essential..poop and respiration add moisture in the air. Ventilation overhead, not at roost or floor level.

3) Provide fresh water, daily. Would you take a sip out of the waterer? If not, clean it.

4) Give fresh, nutritious food, formulated for the age/function of the birds

5) Provide a safe, predator-proofed, uncrowded coop and run...they depend on you for protection

6) Periodically, check over each bird in the flock for lice, mites, wounds, etc.

7) Practice good biosecurity..disinfect shoes before and after visting the feedstore and shows, quarantine new birds, etc Under no circumstances, sell, trade, or give away a bird that shows sign of infection or has contacted another bird who shows signs of infection, or comes from a flock that has shown signs of infection, now or in the past.

8) At the first sign of respiratory illness, i.e., discharges from nose or eyes or bad smell, cull, cull, cull...birds don't get colds, per se; they contract diseases, many of which make them carriers for their lifetime. That means they are able to infect others even if they seem to recover themselves. See Rule #7.

9) Do not medicate unnecessarily, including wormers and antibiotics

10) DO YOUR RESEARCH! There are numerous books and articles profiling poultry management and poultry disease. Read, study
and then formulate a plan of action, should the worst happen, before it happens.​

 

[AHappychick]

my raising an organic flock manual says the same thing. If you are willing to drink the water then it is good for them. That has stuck with me through out my whole time chook raising. each weekend I was all waterers with hot water and soap. Many of the small ones fit in my dishwasher so after rinsing any yuck off of them I put them in on the "Instant wash" cycle The largers ones that dont fiot get hand washed. But you would be amazed on what I can cram in my dishwaher

.

i also have a lot of extras so mid week if a waterer needs cleaning I just replace it and put the dirty one in my weekend wash pile.

I run all of my 220 voltage appliences on weekends only or after 10 pm on weeknights as I am on a time of usage plan with my electric company and it costs me a lot less living that way.

ETA I too have seen some pics of birds where i wondered why on earth the waterer is that filthy and why they allowed it in the pic. When I do buy chooks I always look carefully in the backround of the sellers coops and living areas to see how clean things look.