The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[camilleathome]

On a different note, has anyone ever fermented their own mead (honey wine) naturally aka without added yeast or sugar?
I really want to try it (fermenting is addictive!) and apparently 4 cups of honey will make a gallon of mead so it is pretty cost effective.
Any tips?

I havent but inquiring minds want to know!

 

[Kassaundra]

Yeah, round-up is my neighbor's go-to chemical as well! That and Sevin dust! He then gives me produce from his garden that I really appreciate, except I know he just dusted with Sevin a few days ago!
The field behind our house belongs to this same neighbor and he rents it out to a nearby farmer. Every year this farmer plants round-up ready soybeans. In my back yard! I just have to hope my chickens aren't interested!

Oh I forgot, the neighbor also uses chemical fertilizer and once a year applies manure/dead chickens from the chicken torture warehouses down the road. It reeks for DAYS and is so depressing to see skeletal remains of chickens in a field of GMO soybeans being sprayed with all manner of chemicals right behind my house.

I'm glad you guys mentioned grass clippings for nesting material! With all the rain, the grass has grown faster than they can eat it so I had to mow it for the first time this year. I raked as many piles of grass as I could this morning and put it in the nest box and run.

Don't put fresh mowed grass in the nest boxes it gets waaaaaaay hot, and moldy. Dry it first for a couple of days in the sun, then put the dried stuff in.

 

[Kassaundra]

On a different note, has anyone ever fermented their own mead (honey wine) naturally aka without added yeast or sugar?
I really want to try it (fermenting is addictive!) and apparently 4 cups of honey will make a gallon of mead so it is pretty cost effective.
Any tips?

I have been researching fruit wine making especially but I think the principles apply to mead, you have to have yeast to ferment, and when making wine if you choose the yeast (rather then wild what's in the air) you can make more certain the outcome to a time intensive process. Also from what I read you really do need nutrient to feed the yeast w/ most fruits and w/ mead. I may not fully understand the process since I am just starting, but that is what I have gleaned from trying to prepair to make fruit wine myself.

 

[wlhtx]

Add me to the list of newbies joining your ranks. I stumbled across the gnarly bunch thread, the ff for meaties thread, and the OT thread a couple weeks ago and have been voraciously reading them. What an eye opener! Now, I've just found this one. Oh goodness, it's a good thing I love to read - though I doubt I will ever catch up on all of it! I'll be a frequent lurker..

Love your conversations. Very entertaining and super informative!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Kassaundra beat me to it - but I concur. I NEVER use grass that hasn't dried first. If you have a cement drive, you can just rake it on there and let it dry. Only takes a few hours.

You can even rake it out on the grass to dry but be sure to turn it over from time to time to be sure it isn't staying wet below.

Dry grass = good. Wet/fresh grass usually = mold.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Good to have the new folks ...welcome all!

Don't be afraid to ask questions and chime in! I remember when I first started "back reading" a "zillion post" thread...it was daunting! So I just kept up with the new posts and read the old stuff when I had time until I caught up.

Someone asked for tips.. That's a very general question... if you have some more specific questions, that would be helpful! Don't worry that we've already covered those topics in the past. Just ask away

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Update for my rooster: He was looking much better yesterday with one of his legs almost back to normal. But this morning, when I went out to the coop he was till in his sleeping position. He must have passed during the night. I'm thinking it was most likely a weak heart and it was his time to go. The layer food might have speed up the process a little but he had eaten it for months and this problem was quite recent.

 

[uglychickens]

Tip #1 I'm a newbie too, texas heat can really suck the moisture rite out of anything and everything including you! That being said be sure to supply extra water and nutrients for your birds!!
Tip #2 keep starches and breads to a minimum if feeding table scraps. This includes pasta( which they love )
Tip #3 ask questions here! Everyone is more then helpful and knowledgable!! And nice and supportive!! List goes on :-D

 

[midnightroo]

Hello everyone! I've not been on in a long time because I've been busy with my oldest daughter, getting ready to graduate from high school. Exciting times!! Graduation is today at 3, and a big party on Saturday to celebrate. So I've been getting the gardens ready and power washing deck and house. Phew! It's been busy around here!

My baby chicks have really grown up! They are now 13 weeks old. Soon enough, we'll be getting eggs from them. I have a question about one of my Speckled Sussex chicks. She has been eating up a lot of sand from the sand roost. Her crop seems full, always. And she makes these frequent jerky motions. I've been massaging her crop area. Should I be concerned that something's wrong? Should I be doing something else to help her? She eats, drinks, runs about, and acts fine. Thanks for your advise in advance.

It appears to be impacted. She gets up in the morning with a full, firm crop. Is there anything I need to do to assist her? Or will it work it's self out on its own?

Congrats on your daughters graduation.

Sorry to hear about your hen. I have a hen with sour crop issues. I have been feeding her food soaked over night with garlic grated on top just before I give it to them, she reeks of garlic, but everyday her crop is easier to massage down. Is yours pooping? Mine is and is acting normal and giving us eggs up to a few day ago, but as others have mentioned, tons of rain here. I think i am going to seperate her again and see if I can get it down once and for all. If you look on the thing you will find advise for sour crop. If she has compacted crop there is something yu can buy at the drug store, type of laxative, you could give her to help her pass the blockage. Let me know and I will find the name and post it for you.

Kassaundra beat me to it - but I concur.  I NEVER use grass that hasn't dried first.  If you have a cement drive, you can just rake it on there and let it dry.  Only takes a few hours.

You can even rake it out on the grass to dry but be sure to turn it over from time to time to be sure it isn't staying wet below.

Dry grass = good.  Wet/fresh grass usually = mold.

Awesome! Thanks I tried this, but the weather isn't cooperate. I was going to try the driveway next. Dh thinks I am crazy, but he should've figured that out long ago.

Stony so glad your duck made it through the night.

Aoxa, happy early birthday and your barred rocks are gorgeous. Will try to play the video again, wouldn't load for me on the thing earlier.

I think that is all. Lots to do and I have a sick kiddo I need to occupy.

 

[aoxa]

Update for my rooster: He was looking much better yesterday with one of his legs almost back to normal. But this morning, when I went out to the coop he was till in his sleeping position. He must have passed during the night. I'm thinking it was most likely a weak heart and it was his time to go. The layer food might have speed up the process a little but he had eaten it for months and this problem was quite recent.

Sorry to hear Sally...