"Humane Slaughter" is Food Industry code for electrocution ... something not possible outside the industry. People can get super worked up over "Humane Slaughter." It seems like industry is manipulating people a lot on this detail. I was at a Salatin lecture, and people were protesting on-farm poultry processing as inhumane compared to factory electrocution.
The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!
- Thread starter Bulldogma
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"Humane Slaughter" is Food Industry code for electrocution ... something not possible outside the industry. People can get super worked up over "Humane Slaughter." It seems like industry is manipulating people a lot on this detail. I was at a Salatin lecture, and people were protesting on-farm poultry processing as inhumane compared to factory electrocution.
I'm lucky to have an old-fashioned feed mill in my area. On Monday I picked up:
50 lb bag Organic Field peas: $30.53
50 lb. bag Organic Whole Corn: $15.96
50 lb. bag Organic Oats: $14.75
Last time I got organic barley I think it was $11 or so.
I priced wheat this week - over $40/bag for organic.
I try to call them from time to time to find out what's going for the best price.
50 lb bag Organic Field peas: $30.53
50 lb. bag Organic Whole Corn: $15.96
50 lb. bag Organic Oats: $14.75
Last time I got organic barley I think it was $11 or so.
I priced wheat this week - over $40/bag for organic.
I try to call them from time to time to find out what's going for the best price.
Yes, my Black Copper Marans are very broody, very loud, and not too bright. But they do reliably (when not broody) lay large deep-chocolate colored eggs, which is the ONLY reason I keep them.
Yikes. Did not know that.
Points even more to the survey being industry types trying to find out how to best to use their codewords on the egg crates to fool people into thinking they're doing the right thing.
I wanted to add one more link with lots of ideas for feed. May help get out "thinking out of the box". 
http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Feeding+from+Home+Resources.html
This same website has a whole section on feed ideas.
http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Feeding+from+Home+Resources.html
This same website has a whole section on feed ideas.
New here to this thread! I've been naturally raising my chickens since I got them four years ago.
We feed our birds a mix of whole oats, barley, and BOSS, mixed to a 17% protein. We are avoiding GMOs, and soy sensitivities. They happily free range over a 3 acre area with both grassy open and wooded areas. Once a week we give them a handful of oyster shell (which they usually ignore), a dose of water soluble vitamins, and apple cider vinegar. They also get all of our kitchen scraps and unwanted leftovers except some meat/chicken products that the dog gets. In our cold snowy Wisconsin winter we will sometimes add some organic corn, and grit. This web site is my goto site for mixing feeds http://www.lionsgrip.com/protein.html.
We raise our bids for both eggs and meat, letting our broody mama hens do most of the work for us. Once a year I will purchase a bag of chick starter to feed little baby chicks and to give broody mamas a boost. Our dual purpose hens usually start to lay early spring when they are about 8 - 9 months old, and any birds going to freezer camp are usually big enough at 5 - 6 months.
We have never had any health issues- unless you count injuries from a stray dog or the nasty gander we had, except some bad frostbite the first wet spring, and a case of sour crop. No lice, no respiratory issues. We haven't had them tested for any chicken diseases, but never had any signs or symptoms, plus we have a closed flock. Our 4 year old hens still lay 3 or 4 eggs a week!
We feed our birds a mix of whole oats, barley, and BOSS, mixed to a 17% protein. We are avoiding GMOs, and soy sensitivities. They happily free range over a 3 acre area with both grassy open and wooded areas. Once a week we give them a handful of oyster shell (which they usually ignore), a dose of water soluble vitamins, and apple cider vinegar. They also get all of our kitchen scraps and unwanted leftovers except some meat/chicken products that the dog gets. In our cold snowy Wisconsin winter we will sometimes add some organic corn, and grit. This web site is my goto site for mixing feeds http://www.lionsgrip.com/protein.html.
We raise our bids for both eggs and meat, letting our broody mama hens do most of the work for us. Once a year I will purchase a bag of chick starter to feed little baby chicks and to give broody mamas a boost. Our dual purpose hens usually start to lay early spring when they are about 8 - 9 months old, and any birds going to freezer camp are usually big enough at 5 - 6 months.
We have never had any health issues- unless you count injuries from a stray dog or the nasty gander we had, except some bad frostbite the first wet spring, and a case of sour crop. No lice, no respiratory issues. We haven't had them tested for any chicken diseases, but never had any signs or symptoms, plus we have a closed flock. Our 4 year old hens still lay 3 or 4 eggs a week!
Paganrose - Good to "meet" you! And thank you for that post.
Queston: Do you use ANY legume protein or are you just using the sunflower seeds to bring the protein levels up?
Queston: Do you use ANY legume protein or are you just using the sunflower seeds to bring the protein levels up?
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Just looking for a little reassurance/advice? One white leghorn began laying last Saturday. The first two were in a little "wallow" underneath the nest box. The last 3 (yep, 5 eggs in 5 days!) have been on the litter in front of the nest box. I have not done anything but pick them up...don't want to discourage her in any way. But this weekend, I'm thinking I'll block off underneath and add some 6 inch boards to the sides to make the next box area more enclosed & "safe" feeling. I'm using dried grass clippings and shavings with the lonely little golf ball. (It's the only one I have.) They seem to be throwing the nesting materials out of the box. Also, second white leghorn squatted for me, today.
Do you have kids?
I also use the old wooden fruit toys from her kitchen set (she doesnt play with that anymore)-- anything roundish-- we have a wooden lemon, tomato, and orange -- and one "Annoying Orange" plastic toy-- in our nest boxes.
May add alittle fluffy straw in the nest boxes to make them super cozy and inviting....
I also use the old wooden fruit toys from her kitchen set (she doesnt play with that anymore)-- anything roundish-- we have a wooden lemon, tomato, and orange -- and one "Annoying Orange" plastic toy-- in our nest boxes.
May add alittle fluffy straw in the nest boxes to make them super cozy and inviting....
It's hard for me to get a good feel for your nest box from the photo. Can you post a few more from farther back?Just looking for a little reassurance/advice? One white leghorn began laying last Saturday. The first two were in a little "wallow" underneath the nest box. The last 3 (yep, 5 eggs in 5 days!) have been on the litter in front of the nest box. I have not done anything but pick them up...don't want to discourage her in any way. But this weekend, I'm thinking I'll block off underneath and add some 6 inch boards to the sides to make the next box area more enclosed & "safe" feeling. I'm using dried grass clippings and shavings with the lonely little golf ball. (It's the only one I have.) They seem to be throwing the nesting materials out of the box. Also, second white leghorn squatted for me, today.
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