The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

We are finally getting some good weather..the snow is all gone and I have a few blades of green poking threw. It is so nice to see green. They are calling for 50 degrees this weekend. Spring might actually come after all. I am cleaning coops and moving chickens. I took all the chicks out of the house. I know it is risky with still freezing weather at night .i just cant take the dust anymore.

 

[chikenscratch]

Del- how many chicks do you actually have hatched? Unhatched?

 

[subhanalah]

So...what would you consider the dividing line between acceptable GMO's and unacceptable GMO's when trying to keep chickens naturally. Every single chicken any one of us has is a genetically modified organism.
I'm not trying to be controversial, just looking for some opinions/conversation regarding GMO and backyard flocks. I also am against the Monsanto monster that has come to be, but I feel that the term "genetically modified organism" has received a critically bad wrap.
For instance, would all beef and chicken meat have to be labeled GMO if that becomes a stipulation by the FDA or the USDA?
I have a feeling all this talk about GMO'S is going to come back to bite us in the butt...not all GMOs are created equally. I believe we need to find a way to separate selective breeding and other more natural ways of genetic modification such as splicing plants from the alien laboratory monstrosities.
Sorry if this doesn't come out right, it's hard to follow a thought when you can't see your whole text box :/

 

[Sally8]

We are finally getting some good weather..the snow is all gone and I have a few blades of green poking threw. It is so nice to see green. They are calling for 50 degrees this weekend. Spring might actually come after all. I am cleaning coops and moving chickens. I took all the chicks out of the house. I know it is risky with still freezing weather at night .i just cant take the dust anymore.

I so know what you mean! A couple of days ago I moved the chicks out of the tub and into the brooder on the porch. The bunny was in the brooder so he went out to his pen by the garage. I still have a few in the bathroom. BUT, it got down into the teens last night so the chicks went back into the tub and the bunny on the porch. There is a light in the brooder but it's not terribly warm when it's colder outside. In a couple of hours, we'll do the relay again as it's supposed to get warmer again. At least I could clean some of the dust!!! I have a couple of doz eggs to go into the incubator today. I just don't know what to do with myself if I'm not looking at eggs.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Be aware that there is a Huge difference between GMO and hybrid. Might be good to read up a bit on that to understand the difference. GMO is actually taking genetic material from one organism and inserting it into the gene of an unlike organism.



One of the biggest issues for me is that with GMO crops, they are modified to allow them to withstand huge amounts of glyphosate and other very toxic herbicides and pesticides. This is taken into the plant and therefore not just on the surface of the plant. Anything that ingests those plants is getting those chemical compounds in very toxic amounts.

Just had a new article on glyphosate problems come in this morning. Here is the overview on this one that might be an interesting read:

Quote: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...gn=20140408Z1&et_cid=DM42377&et_rid=480525168
This is just the overview on one article on a relatively new concern being looked at. Reproductive system seems to be especially affected in humans and animals alike with exposure to glyphosate. Not to mention many other ways the body is affected which has been documented and continue to be documented with more time and exposure.

 

[RedRidge]

Ok... update from Red Ridge Farm.
Last hatch for the year is in lockdown. I've hatched several hundred but only about 30 RIR chicks, a dozen Rhodebars and a dozen F1 project Rhodebars are staying. Phew! Glad to turn the bator off for a few months.
I am rotating to different brooders and pens every Friday and am glad I don't have any more eggs set... I would be too crowded. And changing leg bands weekly on each and every F1 chick for documenting is becoming time consuming. But hatching is SO much fun. Lol

All of the RC RIR were spoken for before hatch. I suspect several folks will have some awesome RIR show birds and great starter flocks. I still have one or two trios of Rhodebars I need to sell - they are like Pringles... I tend to have too many. ;-) I always seem to have trouble parting with those but i know I need to find a good home for a few. Just haven't been able to being myself to advertising them and selling them to just anyone. Selfish I know.

The second the F1s begin laying (probably in Aug), I will fire up the bator again to get my F2s and BC1s on the ground before winter.

If I haven't mentioned it... I LOVE my heat plates. I have a small Brinsea and a large one with cover from Premier One. The cover is worth the money! And the premier one is easier and quicker to adjust height on than the brinsea. After chicken water nipples the heat plates would be my favorite poultry equipment. ;-)

 

[Leahs Mom]

If I haven't mentioned it... I LOVE my heat plates. I have a small Brinsea and a large one with cover from Premier One. The cover is worth the money! And the premier one is easier and quicker to adjust height on than the brinsea.

So...if you were starting all over, would you purchase the Premier over the Brinsea?

 

[RedRidge]

If I haven't mentioned it... I LOVE my heat plates. I have a small Brinsea and a large one with cover from Premier One. The cover is worth the money! And the premier one is easier and quicker to adjust height on than the brinsea.

So...if you were starting all over, would you purchase the Premier over the Brinsea?

Premier... No question about it!

 

[gevshiba]

Last of the chicks hatched last night. I had to sleep on the couch, they were making so much noise. Final count is 5 Silkies and 6 Lav Orps. Or is it? I had one questionable LO egg that I left in the incubator. I really didn't think it was good, but hadn't candled it since day 10. I checked it just now before tossing it. It has a large air cell and it appears to be breathing. I don't see an internal pip. I'm not sure if I heard a faint peep, it might have come from the other room, but I'm hearing some crackling noises. I put it back in. I guess I'll wait and see.

 

[ki4got]

So...what would you consider the dividing line between acceptable GMO's and unacceptable GMO's when trying to keep chickens naturally. Every single chicken any one of us has is a genetically modified organism.
I'm not trying to be controversial, just looking for some opinions/conversation regarding GMO and backyard flocks. I also am against the Monsanto monster that has come to be, but I feel that the term "genetically modified organism" has received a critically bad wrap.
For instance, would all beef and chicken meat have to be labeled GMO if that becomes a stipulation by the FDA or the USDA?
I have a feeling all this talk about GMO'S is going to come back to bite us in the butt...not all GMOs are created equally. I believe we need to find a way to separate selective breeding and other more natural ways of genetic modification such as splicing plants from the alien laboratory monstrosities.
Sorry if this doesn't come out right, it's hard to follow a thought when you can't see your whole text box

GMO refers to using DNA from another species to 'improve' that species... it does not mean selective breeding to change the color, type or size...

so no, livestock animals are NOT GMO... they are just selectively bred for their individual traits. there's a huge difference between the two.