The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Mumsy]

First thought, ew. Second thought, why? Who looked at an egg and said, if only it was square.

Hah! That's exactly what I thought!

 

[Mumsy]

@Leahs mom: I couldn't figure out sex with your chick pic's. Sorry. I've never raised that kind and have no clue.

About bumping humidity in incubators. Sponges are the easiest way I've found. Cut up different sizes. Warm distilled water in the micro wave and just dip those a bit before setting in the bator for lock down.
I really messed up my last hatch with too high humidity. Doing the dry hatch this time. In nine days the humidity in my LG hasn't dropped below 33%. Stoopid Pacific North West rain.

 

[delisha]

Could someone send me the link on how to make your own ACV from apple juice and Braggs ACV? I know I read it somewhere back a few hundred posts ago but can't seem to find it. I've gotten the Braggs UP/ACV but am going through it at a very rapid pace! I definitely need to start making some of my own....

My little babies are really gobbling the FF now - my Rhodebars seem to go through it faster than any of the other breeds - not sure why. Waiting on the batch of feed for my outside birds to ferment. It is taking longer - maybe because it is a bigger batch - not sure...? Another question - I give my guineas and chickens some millet in the evenings. Do I need to ferment the millet as well?

Thanks so much!
Angela

Angela,

It is pretty easy..purchase a gallon container of acv. Pour in some UPAACV. Put it in a dark place for a week or two. You will see clouding when it is ready.

To make it from scratch..next time you make a pie.. save all the cores and peelings. Stuff them in a qt jar so that the lip holds them down. Boil 1 qt of water with 1/8 c sugar and pour over the apples. Weigh down the apples and lightly cover. I stick an old coffee cup on top.Set it on the counter for a week. Dump it threw a strainer and catch all the juice. Push as much pulp as you can out of the cores and peelings. Put it back in the jar, wipe off the lid and seal it with the correct cap. Put it in a dark place for two months.

 

[delisha]

Quote: I feed foods with out fermenting. Like I feed raw meats and some fresh vegetables and herbs with out fermenting.

 

[delisha]

Does everyone boil and cool the water before adding to incubators?..I have never added water in incubator wells. The thought of water sitting in a hot environment for 24 days with live embryos with porus shells sitting on top marinaing in who knows what kind of possible germs did not make sense to me. I think that was why I made the decision to dry hatch.

 

[galefrances]

I have a question regarding making your own ACV. I saved all the core and skin from about 3 lbs of apples. Placed them in a large pottery bowl and covered them with water. I covered the bowl with a plate and placed it in a darkened room for one week. This morning I removed the plate so I could strain the apples and found mold growing on the top. What did I do wrong?

Edited to add: The liquid is cloudy, bubbling, and smells yeasty. I removed the top mold. Can I still use it, or start over?

 

[Leahs Mom]

A question for those of you that are hatching eggs from sq and heritage lines:

I'm interested to hear what you will do with multiple roosters.

From this batch of Swedes I have, I would only keep 1 rooster. I know what I'd do with them if they were other more common breeds

But...when you you have roosters from great breeders/great lines, or a more rare breed like the SFH, do you handle that differently? I'm just curious to hear your practice - not saying any one way is right, just want to hear your perspective on this!

 

[cubalaya]

we eat the extra roosters. thats one of the benefits of keeping chickens. the other is free breakfast. (eggs)

 

[atmaclean]

A question for those of you that are hatching eggs from sq and heritage lines:

I'm interested to hear what you will do with multiple roosters.

From this batch of Swedes I have, I would only keep 1 rooster. I know what I'd do with them if they were other more common breeds

But...when you you have roosters from great breeders/great lines, or a more rare breed like the SFH, do you handle that differently? I'm just curious to hear your practice - not saying any one way is right, just want to hear your perspective on this!

That happened to me and I have been selling them to people who want a breeder - or just a lovely roo. I don't eat my chickens so that wasn't an option for me. I do keep them housed separately from the hens and let them out for a few hours early in the morning before the hens go out. They are about 10 months old now. The only one I have left to sell is a big, gorgeous Lemon Cuckoo Orphington rooster. I don't really advertise them, but if I did, I could probably get rid of them faster. Just word of mouth or if I see an ad for someone looking, I will contact them. I sold 9 Lavender Orphingtons I hatched last year and 3 of the Lemon Cuckoo Orphingtons. My postal delivery lady just bought one of my Lemon Cuckoo roosters after seeing him out and about. She just thought he was so pretty and wanted a rooster for her hens. The roosters have a large, covered pen to go in where they can stay safe, warm and dry. It might not be ideal (I'd like to let them free-range all day), but they seem to be very happy with their set-up. In that group I have one Swedish Flower Roo, the 2 Lemon Cuckoo Orphingtons, a Lavender Orphinton and my Araucana roo. I let only one rooster run with my hens - Desi, the Cream Legbar. He is extremely sweet with the hens and thus far, has proven to be infertile! He tries though....

Angela

 

[atmaclean]

Angela,

It is pretty easy..purchase a gallon container of acv. Pour in some UPAACV. Put it in a dark place for a week or two. You will see clouding when it is ready.

To make it from scratch..next time you make a pie.. save all the cores and peelings. Stuff them in a qt jar so that the lip holds them down. Boil 1 qt of water with 1/8 c sugar and pour over the apples. Weigh down the apples and lightly cover. I stick an old coffee cup on top.Set it on the counter for a week. Dump it threw a strainer and catch all the juice. Push as much pulp as you can out of the cores and peelings. Put it back in the jar, wipe off the lid and seal it with the correct cap. Put it in a dark place for two months.

Thank you SO much!!! That is easier than what I thought. I had purchased apple juice and added some UP/ACV to it and figured I wait a month or so. This will be MUCH easier and faster. I went to two different Wal Marts yesterday to buy some ACV with "the Mother" and both were totally out! I ended up having to go to the Whole Foods Market which is a lot farther away. Maybe there is a local run on ACV with "the Mother"! LOL!
Thanks again, delisha!
Angela