The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Quote: wow..he is very pretty..nice stuff..

close up

Nice production reds..they look healthy

 

[aoxa]

They look pretty happy and healthy from your photos!!!

He's the best lines Jamie knows about in our area. He tried to convince me to get white rocks instead (because they do so much better in shows), but I would have none of it. I love my barred plymouth rocks!

 

[moomoodiddy]

has anybody noticed that when feefing ff their birds eat more?

 

[delisha]

has anybody noticed that when feefing ff their birds eat more?

Yes..FF gives the birds so many more nutrients the birds need and they over load at first. As soon as they get what they need, they will taper off.

 

[Leahs Mom]

has anybody noticed that when feefing ff their birds eat more?

Well....I had an interesting experience w/ff when I first started it.

The first couple weeks consumption went down. Then the next month THEY ATE TWICE AS MUCH!

Now, I was beginning to panic a little thinking these kids were going to eat me out of house and home. Everyone else was saying their birds ate LESS and mine literally DOUBLED.

But...the next month, it tapered off again and they actually began eating about 2/3 of what they normally were eating.

I have a couple of theories but not sure either is correct.
-The month they doubled was October and it was beginning to get colder and outside pickin's were a little slimmer so I wondered if they were compensating for the cold coming on.
-The other thought I had was that perhaps they were getting some nutrient that they were short on and needed to replenish it.

Like I said, not sure if either was correct, but it did slow way down after that month and has remained steady since.

What is everyone elses experience?


ETA: Wrote at the same time as del.

 

[Ashdoes]

Thanks guys! I reall didn't want to cull, my self blue is so good with the girls and my black is very colorful. So, I will see what hubby can whip together to keep the boys separate a little.

When you first start FF they eat like PIGS, then they slow down.

 

[kian]

Well....I had an interesting experience w/ff when I first started it.

The first couple weeks consumption went down. Then the next month THEY ATE TWICE AS MUCH!

Now, I was beginning to panic a little thinking these kids were going to eat me out of house and home. Everyone else was saying their birds ate LESS and mine literally DOUBLED.

But...the next month, it tapered off again and they actually began eating about 2/3 of what they normally were eating.

I have a couple of theories but not sure either is correct.
-The month they doubled was October and it was beginning to get colder and outside pickin's were a little slimmer so I wondered if they were compensating for the cold coming on.
-The other thought I had was that perhaps they were getting some nutrient that they were short on and needed to replenish it.

Like I said, not sure if either was correct, but it did slow way down after that month and has remained steady since.

What is everyone elses experience?


ETA: Wrote at the same time as del.

At first I had to replenish it later in the day. Then recently they went through a spell of not eating it at *all*. Now, they're cleaning it out again and then going off to forage around.

 

[kian]

Yes those aren't dark at all! My Pennies laid darker eggs :/ Bummer...

I don't particularly like the look of the CMs. I find their barring distracting.. I like nice lined up barring.

Did I mention someone the breeder of these guys is GIVING me a trio of these guys?


He had a barn fire 20 years ago and knows how we feel. So nice of him.

I'll be quarantining in my garage in May, though word of mouth (Jamie and a few others) is that he has very healthy and sound birds. I am really stoked!

I'm not particularly crazy about the looks of the CMs either. I had never heard of them when I got them and mine are really muddled so it throws me. I grew up with Barred Rocks so I keep wanting mine to look like them! Of course right now my SLWs look alot like my CMs (hey, guess where I got them? ). Overall, while I do like my particular CMs I wouldn't go out of my way to get more. They are really good layers though, I get 5 or 6 a week each.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Well my new adoptees got it for lunch and loved it. Since then they absolutely tore up a romaine lettuce core and some sunflower hearts.
Weren't as energetic with the layer dry... picked out what they wanted. One of them (she said is now the dominate) is making different noises that the other two. I am wondering if it is a crooning or if she is breathing funny. She isn't doing it all the time. Just an awful lot. I am hoping it is a purr or something normal and not respiratory.

I think they can't wait to get out and free range. Should have seen the necks stretching and the talking/yelling as they looked toward the field!!!

look at all that space to play here!!!! But if I open one end the watch me, but if hand goes in they clear it through the opening to other side... (barn side or caged side). Think I will let them settle for tonight and check the feet, etc tomorrow. Then go get supplies for better shed construction and a run for them.

I AM HOOKED!!! Now for them to get hooked to me and their new home so they will return to it when I need them to.

 

[countrygirl74]

Well....I had an interesting experience w/ff when I first started it.

The first couple weeks consumption went down.  Then the next month THEY ATE TWICE AS MUCH!  

Now, I was beginning to panic a little thinking these kids were going to eat me out of house and home.  Everyone else was saying their birds ate LESS and mine literally DOUBLED.

But...the next month, it tapered off again and they actually began eating about 2/3 of what they normally were eating.

I have a couple of theories but not sure either is correct. 
-The month they doubled was October and it was beginning to get colder and outside pickin's were a little slimmer so I wondered if they were compensating for the cold coming on.
-The other thought I had was that perhaps they were getting some nutrient that they were short on and needed to replenish it.

Like I said, not sure if either was correct, but it did slow way down after that month and has remained steady since.

What is everyone elses experience?


ETA:  Wrote at the same time as del.

Mine have kind of been all over the place - sometimes they will go a couple days and I won't have to add food and others they are little piggies and they run out. I've been doing ff for months now and they still just go through these weird stages. I'm sure a lot depends on how much scraps they get, how much supervised free-ranging they get to do, etc. One thing is for sure though!! - all in all, they have definitely cut down on the feed and my feed bill. I don't have to order near as much as I did before I started ff.