The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Mumsy]

Good for you Mumsy..

I have never purchased from a store..I am always so stressed about who handled them and if they are healthy. Even if they do not allow customers to handle them you know the employees do. Who can resist new chicks?

The last time I purchased chicks from a store was 1983. I don't remember any of those being very thrifty or long term layers except for one Australorp that stands out in my memory as a good layer for a number of years. Our feed store has a big "Don't Touch" sign over the pens. But even a person that is purchasing chicks there, you know they pick them up one at a time to examine them. I can't imagine how many people pick up and handle those chicks on a busy Saturday.

 

[Pozees]

Mumsy, do you attach roosts to your pegboard sided breeding pens? If so, how did you attach them? I borrowed your idea and we built 4 4x6 pens on 2x4 frames in the new coop, other than making them a little smaller for more flexible use in the building we have so far I like them for ventilation, but have yet to figure out which way I think I should attach roosts. Bought a selection of things intended for use in pegboard that we will experiment with, but if you already know the best way I would be very happy to save the experimentation time

 

[Arkansas81]

I'm so behind in my daily-minute/hourly fix of my byc addiction

....but I know someone asked me about my set up for the soda bottle watering system....go to tsc and go to the "bunny" isle where they have the food and supplies..the conversion kit is in that isle. It is a water bottle nozzle, washer, hangers, I think they cost about $3-something. Then all you need is liter soda bottles...install where you like.

Now I will say this...they will leak a little till they seal. But it won't last long...just make sure you completely fill the bottle and you put the spring-hanger on before you put your bottle in it. It's a really tight fit and I found it easier to put the hanger on first then pull the hanger over the bottle to side of the coop. My bigger flock had never drank from a watering system like this but they took to it in minutes. The water dripping showed them where the new water was at-I suppose.

Now baby picture time...this is Fru Fru the littlest-sweet Creole polish baby we bought a week ago. She(hoping for a hen) is my daughter's favorite...ENJOY

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Ok ANY rap-ore (sp?) I may have had with them just got destroyed! I climbed over my "connector" between pen/coop and kennel yard with Bag balm and camera in my pocket. Camera I didn't get to use but FINALLY caught baldy and got bag balm rubbed on neck and crest and checked her quills under wings etc and checked her feet...but then after got it on one leg and went to turn up the other she got loose from me and ran into the coop.

Another came back out but could not catch it. Ha

At least no signs of vent, under wing (like it appeared in the photo) or bumble foot on her! And she is the worst looking of the three.

So unless I am just too much a beginner I think it was all dirt/ash from the rolling/kicking it up fun they had..

But soon as she got away she dropped a "pile" on my leg in protest

 

[Bulldogma]

But soon as she got away she dropped a "pile" on my leg in protest

Guess you scared the pile out of her! LOL!

 

[Leahs Mom]

We are seriously considering mixing our own feed. I am nervous though.. How do I ensure I am not missing any vital nutrients? If free ranged, would they pick up what I miss?

I am so tired of all this corn and soy in our feeds, and even the organic stuff here is soy protein instead of animal protein.

Comments? Ideas? Anyone know of a recipe without those products?

Take a look at Harvey Ussery's formulas. May help....you can see them here:

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Feeding-Rebuttal.html


http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Making-Poultry-Feeds-1.html

(3 pages to this - links are at the TOP of the article instead of the bottom)

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Soy-Alternatives.html

The whole list of articles is at the BOTTOM of this page:
http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Poultry.html

 

[aoxa]

Take a look at Harvey Ussery's formulas. May help....you can see them here:

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Feeding-Rebuttal.html

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Making-Poultry-Feeds-1.html (3 pages to this - links are at the TOP of the article instead of the bottom)

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Soy-Alternatives.html

The whole list of articles is at the BOTTOM of this page:
http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Poultry.html

I'm wondering.. how would you add 50 lbs of vegetable oil and 10 pounds of calcium? What products would you use to add the calcium? Would I have to grind it, or could I feed it in whole grain form?

I know a lot of questions.

Second link didn't work

ETA: The third link answered my questions - nevermind!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Aoxa - I'm also going to re-post this from earlier. This is why you have a hard time finding meat meal in feeds. My feed has the highest amount of fish meal it can without causing a "taste" in the eggs. I asked my formulator for meat meal and he just couldn't get it.

Interesting article on "vegetarian chickens"....

Here's a quote from the article:

Quote: from:
http://pasture2plate.blogspot.com/2013/03/chickens-are-not-vegetarians.html

 

[Leahs Mom]

Reposted the second link but here it is:

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Making-Poultry-Feeds-1.html



Part 3 has sample formulations:

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Making-Poultry-Feeds-3.html


I also don't use flax seed.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I don't have the vegetable oil in my feed.