The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[JanetMarie]

Good article. You can tell how the chickens were raised by the color of the yolk. Certified organic eggs do nothing about all the male chicks killed at the hatcheries, and the organic hens are still inhumanly killed when they're all used up. Very correct that organic eggs are not really organic like people want to think, and should be labeled differently.

As long as it's labeled certified organic people think all is happy and well, and really, most people do not want to know the truth.

In Germany it's now illegal for hatcheries to kill male chicks, and there is technology to determine the sex of the embryo after a certain amount of incubation.

I think the article is wrong about the time and space needed on taking care of your own flock. I spend more than 10 minuets per day, and 10 square feet minimum doesn't take in consideration how much chickens dig up an area, then all the grass is gone.

Our six pullets have been laying for a few months now, and even though the eggs are small, they're packed with such yumminess!

 

[Bridebeliever]

I think the article is wrong about the time and space needed on taking care of your own flock. I spend more than 10 minuets per day, and 10 square feet minimum doesn't take in consideration how much chickens dig up an area, then all the grass is gone.

Got to agree with you on this. Between cleaning and feeding in the morning and feeding at night we spend 45 minutes to an hour with our chickens. BUT, we are SUPER clean with our coop, cleaning it spotless everyday. Ours free range, thankfully so we don't have to worry about any mud pits from them scratching away the grass.

Here's a weird thing that I can't figure out. Right now we only have one laying pullet (the other 10 are 17 weeks old). Her yolks seem really pale to me. Compared to the store bought hers are paler. The egg shell is strong (stronger than store bought). Is it something with her feed? Mine don't like human scraps. The only treat they like is BOSS. Any ideas.

Here's the other thing I wanted to mention. We buy our eggs commercially in 15 dozen size boxes. Since Washington had a big Avian Flu thing LOTS of commercial chickens were killed and we had an egg shortage for awhile. Never really noticed the shortage other than the the price of eggs was near double! Well, since that time our store eggs have been extra yellow in the yolks and even had some calcium deposit on the shells?! Weird! These are just your regular store bought, white, non organic eggs. Any ideas on this?

 

[tjo804]

I know if the chickens have access to Marigold plants they have more orangish looking yolks. that is why a lot of packaged feeds add them to the feed.

I am betting it is because of new stock they may be feeding too much calcium to new layers and with most of the flocks being younger birds now they have not had time to deplete all of the natural resources of the chickens body yet.

These are just guesses mind you I am no expert.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They may not have the luxury of sorting out slightly irregular eggs with the shortage, and corn can make yolks more yellow as well as greens.

 

[Bridebeliever]

So how should I "yellow" up my own pullets eggs? Maybe that's my problem. I have had her on an organic corn free soy free feed. And does color really have anything to do with nutrition?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I think color is more an indication of a varied diet, I don't know about nutrition, my eggs yolks get more pale in the winter, they are still orange but in summer some can almost look red, you could try corn, or even spinach to see what happens.

 

[Bridebeliever]

I think color is more an indication of a varied diet, I don't know about nutrition, my eggs yolks get more pale in the winter, they are still orange but in summer some can almost look red, you could try corn, or even spinach to see what happens.

Thanks!

 

[Molpet]

So how should I "yellow" up my own pullets eggs? Maybe that's my problem. I have had her on an organic corn free soy free feed. And does color really have anything to do with nutrition?

I add red pepper in the winter..here is an artcle that was interesting.... I didn't know there was a color chart for eggs lol
http://modernfarmer.com/2013/12/marketing-perfectly-colored-egg-yolk/

 

[Bridebeliever]

I add red pepper in the winter..here is an artcle that was interesting.... I didn't know there was a color chart for eggs lol
http://modernfarmer.com/2013/12/marketing-perfectly-colored-egg-yolk/

That was a great article and explains SO much! My chickens always free range, but it's winter now so vegetation and bugs are near nil. My chickens eggs were much brighter almost orangish in October, now in January they are pretty pale. If I was selling them I might go for the red pepper additive but since they are just for us, no worries!

 

[Molpet]

That was a great article and explains SO much! My chickens always free range, but it's winter now so vegetation and bugs are near nil. My chickens eggs were much brighter almost orangish in October, now in January they are pretty pale. If I was selling them I might go for the red pepper additive but since they are just for us, no worries!

the red pepper is supposed to help keep them warmer and help with frost bite too ... not sure if that is true though...this is my first year with chickens in the winter since I was a kid