The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Kassaundra]

The hoop coop is a little more secure with the hardware cloth I scored cheap at my neighbors estate sale. (they had another chunk I didnt buy. I am hoping they put it out for trash day)

This side doesn't have the benefit of the electric netting. It was a 5 ft x 2 ft piece so I was able to cut it down to fit in the lower areas and wrap it around to the sides. I am going to keep looking at garage sales so I can put it on the one side that also doesn't have electric netting. I did find some small pieces in the garage to. I tend to keep things with no reason why but sometimes it turns out I can use them

I also tried making LAB again. This is the whey I got off the top today. Does anyone know if it looks right?

This stuff didn't smell but the liquid did. I put the liquid in a bottle in the fridge & gave this to the girls. They LOVED it. They looked like they had ice cream mustaches lol

I plan to use the LAB to spray on their DL. Does anyone have any other suggestions for it use? Does it help deter bugs & disease from veggie plants maybe?

It is supose to be good for powder mildew on plants, we have had bad droughts for a couple of years so I haven't got a chance to test that out. It is supose to outcompete w/ the powder mildew but not be bad for the plants. Sprayed on the soil in and around plantings is increases good soil microbes and biology.

 

[armorfirelady]

It is supose to be good for powder mildew on plants, we have had bad droughts for a couple of years so I haven't got a chance to test that out. It is supose to outcompete w/ the powder mildew but not be bad for the plants. Sprayed on the soil in and around plantings is increases good soil microbes and biology.

Ooohhh I will have to try spraying some around the veggie plants. I put in DL from all winter & a ton of compost & some peat moss in it before rototilling hoping it would help the soil since its in the newly expanded area that was grass last year.

Thanks !

 

[lalaland]

second, my dratted guineas keep knocking over their water dish. It's up on a block (3 inches) I don't want to glue/screw it to the block because that would make it hard to change (it's the quart jar style with the red bottom) I was thinking maybe a weight? but I can't figure out what to put in it that wouldn't keep it from working.... I think they're either trying to jump up on top of it, or just flying acroos the pen and careening off of it. They just moved into an 8 foot by 2 1/2 foot grow out pen, which gives them more room until they hit six weeks and can go outside, and their favorite thing to do is to fly across it.

bungee cords to stabilize the water jar - if it is somewhere you can fasten the bungee to - and funnels for the top. Newspaper funnels work too, just make a cone and tape it to the jar.

 

[Quailsong]

Shan30 thanks for the detailed reply. Sounds like your rescue dogs are just wonderful & I hope they get through their issues okay.

I'm sad to hear the neighbours lost their dog. I assume due to the bears then. Hopefully you do find that last troublemaker bear.

Best of luck w/ the FF. I've read older chickens can sometimes take a few days/weeks to get used to it, but here's hoping they switch with only positive outcomes.

--

Also, pardon my insistence, I didn't see a reply to my earlier question about DL & cement flooring. If any of you OT's have some tips for shavings, strategies, etc I'm totally all ears. Just wondering what works for you, if you've done cement w/ DL. That's all.^^

 

[aaggjg]

Note: pressing garlic for 2 5 gallon buckets is hard work!

Pressing garlic???? Like through a garlic press??? I put mine in the food processor skin and all takes no time and the girls eat it all up!

 

[aaggjg]

I am definitely not, no matter what, coming home with more than 18.

Good luck with that

 

[aaggjg]

I also tried making LAB again. This is the whey I got off the top today. Does anyone know if it looks right?

This stuff didn't smell but the liquid did. I put the liquid in a bottle in the fridge & gave this to the girls. They LOVED it. They looked like they had ice cream mustaches lol

I plan to use the LAB to spray on their DL. Does anyone have any other suggestions for it use? Does it help deter bugs & disease from veggie plants maybe?

Yes that looks right!! My girls love it too! Foliar feeding your plants with the liquid diluted 1 to 20 is supposed to be great for them and help fight off mildew, disease etc etc .... I just sprayed mine a couple a weeks ago.... I also sprayed the run & DL ... It is supposed to help keep fly population under control and smell down ....only time will tell

 

[loanwizard]

I don't see where the base being wood or cement makes any difference in Deep Litter. I just know I am lazy and the more hay, leaves, sawdust I put on at different intervals, the less work I have to do. If it starts to smell, add more brown.

Seems to me cement would just be easy to spray off when you're done.

That said, I am not a DL pro, but if I am seriously in error, someone will happen along and tell me how bad my answer was and give you the technically correct one.

Either way, you WIN!

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Thank you for the info. I have one of those sprayers people use to spray trees & I thought putting it in there to spray all the veggies would work great

 

[aoxa]

Pressing garlic???? Like through a garlic press??? I put mine in the food processor skin and all takes no time and the girls eat it all up!

Would a magic bullet work?! Yes with a tiny little garlic press.. it took way too long and my hands were cramping!

I don't see where the base being wood or cement makes any difference in Deep Litter. I just know I am lazy and the more hay, leaves, sawdust I put on at different intervals, the less work I have to do. If it starts to smell, add more brown.

Seems to me cement would just be easy to spray off when you're done.

That said, I am not a DL pro, but if I am seriously in error, someone will happen along and tell me how bad my answer was and give you the technically correct one.

Either way, you WIN!

Wood is porous and will start to rot under compost eventually.

I like dirt with DL.