The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Alibabe]

May I present - Gunnar's Last Chick (I totally need a better name - LOL!)

awww congrats, so cute.

 

[BrownEggsnHam]

browneggsandham, Welcome to the thread!

feel a little silly asking, but being in sweden, does this mean you have what we call swedish flower hens? Or do you have other breeds?

Thanks for the welcome lalaland....

Not a silly question at all.... but no I don't have any Swedish Flower Hens which is basically what we call them as well except the words are Swedish. That breed of hen does actually come from this southernmost province/county (Skåne) in which I live in, but actually here they are referred to as "Skånsk Blommehöna" which would translate as "Skåne's Flower Hens."

Myself, I have Buff Orpingtons, though I have a neighbor that has the SFH breed.

 

[4Hgirl]

A friend just caught a wild quail and now wants to have Me put it with my 7 week old chickens to learn to eat. Worried about wild diseases. What do you all think?

 

[BrownEggsnHam]

Don't think I can truthfully answer that Kassaundra that would give you much to calculate with... as there could be too many variables, but here are some direct answers.

I started with about 50 or so worms and about 100-150 worm eggs, that I had diligently gleaned from our outdoor compost pile during late Spring last year. So there was quite a bit of time when the worms were hatching out and growing to maturity rather than beginning with an actual measurable amount (ounces or pounds). I did keep the vermiculture tub in the utility room where it stays a constant 70 degrees F. so there was no slowdown of growth. I've only harvested the compost twice since beginning with about 19 gallons of prime 'black gold' worm castings, thus far.

Regardig worm harvesting to feed the chickens, I haven't really done that much because we've only had the chickens since mid April. I have doled out several small handfuls of worms for them on occasion as treats, but I feel like I want to do more rearing of the worm population prior to next Winter. I still count many new eggs in among the leaves and food scraps so the population is still on the grow. I have noticed that I seem to have millions (possibly exaggerated) of very small baby worms as well.

So I guess I'm still trying to play it by ear.... Good luck with your vermiculture!

 

[mlowen]

Ask browneggsnham about his/her "new" nest box!

 

[annewandering]

A friend just caught a wild quail and now wants to have Me put it with my 7 week old chickens to learn to eat. Worried about wild diseases. What do you all think?

I think you should put it back where it was found. If you want a quail they are available to buy.

 

[BrownEggsnHam]

Yes - a number of us here would be interested to hear what you know about Blommehöns - known as Swedish Flower Hens here in the US. I have a growing flock of these wonderful birds that were imported here in 2010.


Sorry Bulldogma... being an Oregon transplant in Sweden (not to be confused with an "organ transplant"...

) ... and just a few months new in the chicken raising hobby, I really don't know much beyond the vague history that's posted almost everywhere on the internet from the Google searches and them being called 'Skånsk Blommehöns' (Skåne Flower Hens) here.

I have a neighbor that has had some for years, but to him they just seem to be chickens from whence eggs and meat come from. Myself, I have Buff Orpingtons!

 

[BrownEggsnHam]

Ask browneggsnham about his/her "new" nest box!

This would be his (actually his girl's) 'new' nest box...... if anyone else inquires...

 

[jingle]

I wanted to know if anyone has ever used diatematascias earth to worm their chickens. I heard about this on a homestead blog and am curious about whether or not to use it.

 

[lalaland]

BD, congrats on the new chick from gunnar

This would be his (actually his girl's) 'new' nest box...... if anyone else inquires...

it is beautiful! did you carve the eggs? those are gorgeous too.