The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Haha...I didn't know @RedRidge was posting at the same time I was

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I am all non-gmo and no soy. I no longer pay attention to the word "organic" because I have discovered the requirements do not mean much (as in... most of it really isn't). Non-gmo grains that you know the source of is a much safer and healthier way to go imo.
I have no problem with corn because we "KNOW" ours is non-gmo.

The other thing I would highly recommend you add to your list is "animal protein".
Poultry need animal protein! Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise.
Most commercial feeds use soybean meal as their source of high protein - UGH!
Not only is it bad for poultry, but it's not "animal protein".
In organic feeds fish meal is a common animal protein ingredient... but note... if all the animal protein a laying needed came from fish meal then you would get fishy eggs. So... fish meal is great for "some" of your animal protein, but other animal protein is needed also.
You might consider raising BSF, meal worms, and/or grinding raw liver - the first two are free... so that's handy.

Fishy tasting eggs? Really? OK, Scratch and Peck is off the list then. Mine will free range and get treats, but I won't risk fishy tasting eggs.

I've been told that Bryant has a feed that is almost organic. If I remember right it's non-gmo. I'll have to look again.

 

[RedRidge]

Quote:
No, no worries if it's a commercial feed. They are limited on the amount of fish meal they can add for that very reason. My comment was concerning amounts if you are balancing your own ration.
With commercial feeds they NEVER have enough animal protein imo.
But if you have to go that route, simply find out what animal proteins are in it.
I suspect it will be fish meal, but they will have to add another high protein ingredient to get the ration up to where you want it... most use soybean meal... some organic formulas use field peas.
You are fine with less animal protein in your feed in the summer if they are free ranging and getting their own bugs. It's winter confinement time where most poultry does not get enough animal protein.
That's why I don't feed my chickens BSF in the summer.
I raise them in the summer and then freeze them... then I feed them when the chickens have no bugs in the winter.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

No, no worries if it's a commercial feed. They are limited on the amount of fish meal they can add for that very reason. My comment was concerning amounts if you are balancing your own ration.
With commercial feeds they NEVER have enough animal protein imo.
But if you have to go that route, simply find out what animal proteins are in it.
I suspect it will be fish meal, but they will have to add another high protein ingredient to get the ration up to where you want it... most use soybean meal... some organic formulas use field peas.
You are fine with less animal protein in your feed in the summer if they are free ranging and getting their own bugs. It's winter confinement time where most poultry does not get enough animal protein.
That's why I don't feed my chickens BSF in the summer.
I raise them in the summer and then freeze them... then I feed them when the chickens have no bugs in the winter.

oh, ok.

Good idea on freezing bugs. I've got other weird things in my freezer (dog treats, paint rollers), why not add bugs. lol!

What are BSF?

 

[Jewelwing]

I found a store here that sells Coyote Creek Farms organic feed. I've not heard anything about that one.

I wanted to get my feed from Scratch and Peck but it is pricey. I can get on drop ship from Azure, but I don't know what shipping will be with them yet. You can only order large size bags from them too, and only once per month. I won't have that many birds so not sure I need huge bags of feed sitting around. I'd rather do smaller and fresher. I'm also unsure just how much feed I will go through in a month right now.

How many chickens are you going to get? I don't know anything about Coyote Creek Farms, but if you can avoid shipping costs, that would be worth a lot!! Do know who makes it? Is the company called Coyote Creek Farms, or are they a subsidiary of a larger company? I wonder if I could talk someone near me into stocking it...

There are no feed mills around me that do anything organic. Around here, we grow almost exclusively corn & soybeans, and all GMO, I'm sure. So mixing my own or having a feed mill mix it would be pointless.

I started with 10 day-old chicks (but one died after a week), and I bit the bullet and used Scratch and Peck Chick Starter. I loved it! It looks good, smells good, and the chicks loved it. I fermented it from the get-go (started a batch a couple of days before I got the chicks).

But it was too expensive to keep that up, so I switched to Countryside Organics after a couple bags of Scratch and Peck. Both of them use fish meal and field peas for protein, and there's no fishy smell or taste at all to my eggs. I don't think Countryside Organics smells as good (the chickens don't seem to care), and it seems to have more powdery stuff, but it comes in 50 lb bags, which I go through in 3-4 weeks in the winter. Once the chickens can free-range again, I expect to use a LOT less bagged feed. I also feed a lot of kitchen scraps, so they get a lot of fresh veggies and animal protein on the side. Their favorite is my daughter's half-eaten sandwiches - bread, cheese slice, and sliced turkey!

Oh, BSF is Black Soldier Fly.

 

[Jewelwing]

oh, ok.

Good idea on freezing bugs. I've got other weird things in my freezer (dog treats, paint rollers), why not add bugs. lol!

I have paint rollers too! As well as bugs and the occasional window-kill bird (not chickens - but I did once get a young wild turkey!!). We give them to the biology dept at the local university to stuff & use as specimens in their classes if they want.

I have two refrigerators, though, so I can keep our food frozen separately...

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I just added up what I am planning on getting, which may or may not happen depending on availability, and it is 9 birds. Three are silkies though. I have 3 BCM coming in 3 weeks-I only wanted one, but 1 doesn't ship so well. lol! I really only wanted 5. Chicken math!

I think I will be using Texas Naturals. It's non gmo and no soy, but not organic.


I have a question, I am planning on getting 3 silkies, but probably only should get 2. I've always liked odd numbers of things.... Would just 2 silkies be alright in a mixed flock of full sized hens?

 

[armorfirelady]

45 here and sunny. Girls are tearing up the veggie garden looking for goodies. Happy chickens today. They are predicting 2 ft of snow for us tomorrow & blizzard conditions. Guess I will need to cover everything back up tonight but for now it's all uncovered and melting. I even opened up the coop door to air it out. I don't think the girls will be happy tomorrow when they wake up nor wil I

Must have for new owners: a coop with lots of ventilation but no drafts, stock up on leaves, grass, whatever natural matter you have to use over the winter for DL. A couple heated dog bowls for winter (no heat is needed for hens for winter) plant an herb garden for the hens, and watch lots of chicken tv.

And I have fish meal as a protein in my girls food, no fishy eggs. I only have 8 hens but I still buy in bulk and just store it well. I bought all my grains last fall and still haven enough for a month at least thanks to fermenting it

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I found this coop on here and I am making a version of it. I'll be adding bigger and more windows and something that won't turn the coop into a green house for the roof. I need to get going on that. My first chicks arrive in 3 weeks! I need help though and the person helping me is getting ready for their son's wedding the end of April. I should have it done by the end of May. I hope.

I bought a book called Free Range Chicken Gardens so I can landscape my back yard (which happens to conveniently be void of landscaping right now) to be chicken friendly, yet nice to look at. Herbs should be going on sale here soon.

Guess I shouldn't mention that the high is 80* here today. We have a front coming through tomorrow. 40mph wind gusts and only 59* for the high.

 

[Phoenixxx]

I found this coop on here and I am making a version of it.  I'll be adding bigger and more windows and something that won't turn the coop into a green house for the roof. I need to get going on that. My first chicks arrive in 3 weeks!  I need help though and the person helping me is getting ready for their son's wedding the end of April.  I should have it done by the end of May. I hope. 

I bought a book called Free Range Chicken Gardens so I can landscape my back yard (which happens to conveniently be void of landscaping right now) to be chicken friendly, yet nice to look at.  Herbs should be going on sale here soon.

Guess I shouldn't mention that the high is 80* here today.  We have a front coming through tomorrow.  40mph wind gusts and only 59* for the high.  

I built my 6'w x 8'd x 8'h coop by myself. I used standard 2x4 and plywood construction, built each wall seperately, then hauled them up the hill on my back one at a time. Propped up one wall, lined up the second, attached them and so on for the remaining walls. I built the roof that way, too (I originally designed it to be easily taken apart because I'm renting where I live) but it was too heavy for me to get up over the walls and in place so I had to borrow my husband for a minute for that part.