Texas

[jajeanpierre]

I have heard, on a different note, that chickens should never be fed avocados. Correct? Or is it one specific part of it.

That's correct. I've read that some avocados don't produce the toxic component (and I mean it will kill birds), but most have it in all parts of the avocado.

 

[LBejaran]

I took macro shots of them on the fennel. Inches from them and they didn't care one bit. They were too busy gathering pollen.

When I was in high school, I learned to love bees. I grew up with a generalized fear of them because my sister was fatally allergic to them (and I had been stung once, but I think the hoopla was more troubling than the sting itself). Well, in high school, I befriended someone who was vegan and I doubt she could have killed an ant. Well, bees were always drawn to her and by watching the interaction, I fell in love with the way they moved about, collecting sugar from her organic juice box (she was a bit of a hippie). Now, I really want to have bees! The only reason I'm not getting them is because my Dad still worries that having bees around is dangerous, but I'm fairly certain I will be getting them once I have my own homestead. For now, I'm just working on getting plenty of plants to feed the bees nearby. I want my garden to flourish and I need them to know that my place has the best nectar, hehe!

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Plant bronze fennel then. You have have a lot of bees buzzing around. I think I had the whole neighborhood's bees in my yard on my fennel and in my garden. I've been told there is a bee hive in one of the trees in the park near my house.

 

[lovingmyhens]

That's correct.  I've read that some avocados don't produce the toxic component (and I mean it will kill birds), but most have it in all parts of the avocado.

That being said, I fed my chickens an entire avocado and guacamole before I heard they weren't supposed to have it and there were no adverse reactions. So, I don't know

 

[LBejaran]

That being said, I fed my chickens an entire avocado and guacamole before I heard they weren't supposed to have it and there were no adverse reactions. So, I don't know

I've done the same thing. I normally don't give them avocado (it only happens if they are too soft to use). However, Dad has been raising chickens longer than I have and he has fed them avocados loads of times without issue. I'm gonna be more aware now, but I don't think I'll be so cautious that I ban avocados from my outdoor barbeques. There are worse things that these chickens can get into, I think.

 

[granthamkk]

No eggs again today, but both girls came out of the run into the yard on their own. I love coming home and having them literally eat out of the palm of my hand. It is so relaxing to watch them scratch for food.

 

[showbarnmom]

Is the coop in deep shade?  I thought maybe they haven't been exposed to the extra minutes of sunlight since time change....

Do they have calcium (oyster shell) free choice?   ...or do you crumble up their dried egg shells to feed back to them?  

I'm stumped after that. 

We are in the hill country so lots of oak trees. But their coop is about half covered by a tree.

I do leave free choice oyster shells, but I don't think they have ever eaten them lol.

I did get two eggs today though! Maybe they got the hint

 

[LightningTFarm]

I bought the book "Square Foot Gardening", which is wonderful and often available at places like Half Price Books. But, you can just got to squarefootgardening.com and get lots of information. I have used this method for the last few years and it works great for stuff like tomatoes, peppers, onions, squash, zuchinni, etc. You may get a little smaller yield per plant, but you will get a larger yield per square foot of your garden. And, it tells you how to garden nearly year round, how to plant in rotation, add compost each time you replant a square, etc. It's a great system.

Also, you don't have to plant food plants only in a separate garden plot - put some in your flower beds!

 

[jajeanpierre]

That being said, I fed my chickens an entire avocado and guacamole before I heard they weren't supposed to have it and there were no adverse reactions. So, I don't know

Feed your chickens what you want, but I'm just telling you what my avian vet told me. He's written several text books on avian medicine.

 

[RachaelS]

From my understanding, in avocados, it is the “persin” that can cause cardiac problems in birds. Sometimes, it is just a mild irritation but sometime can cause death. The persin is found in the skin and pit, however it can seep through the skin or pit into the “flesh”. So, it could be one of those things that for years you feed, with no issues, but then the one time it “seeps” it kills. It is also dangerous to cats, dogs, horses and rabbits.

Just what I have heard, not an expert. I have NEVER feed my chickens, dogs or cats avocados, CUZ I LOVE THEM and wont share

, now I just have a better excuse

Nope, you can't eat this because I love you to much, all mine, "My precious"!!!