The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[SallyinIndiana]

Okay, here's a natural chicken keeping question....

I ran out of feed and won't have my new bags delivered until Monday. I can't get organic flock raiser mash here and I REALLY don't want to have to get a bag of Purina crumbles... which raises the question, what would I do if I ran out of feed and couldn't ever get any?
Where I live in AZ, at this time of year, it is just bare dirt... no leaves, no green or anything. However, I can supply some greens and I have leftover squash and pumpkin from the garden in storage. I also have some sprout seed and hard red winter wheat seed I can sprout, plus leftover scraps from our meals. Do you think my chickens and 4 ducks could survive on this until Monday or should I just pick up some of that feed until my good feed arrives? I hope to never run out again as I am trying to get an idea on how much they eat and how much I need to order at a time. If you think I can do it without the commercial feed in the middle of winter, what else would you suggest I try to add?

Just curious but where does one sign up to get the feed delivered or is it just a local thing?
I would love to have it delivered to my door.

 

[loanwizard]

I gave them a call..they want to know if they are supost to address you as Loinwizard or Chippendale

According to their files I am Mr. Pecker.

 

[loanwizard]

Just curious but where does one sign up to get the feed delivered or is it just a local thing?
I would love to have it delivered to my door.

We can have it delivered but we choose not to. However in our area I believe we have to buy a minimum of a 1/2 ton or ton. Where I buy it they don't deliver but I am still paying right around $340.00 a ton or $.17 lb.

How do you ferment a ton of feed?

That's why I am not on the FF bandwagon.

 

[delisha]

Quote: Depending on where you live..call your local feed store and they would be delighted to have your business..Many online feed stores also deliver.

 

[Leahs Mom]

How do you ferment a ton of feed?

A little at a time.

 

[loanwizard]

How do I even reply to that?

 

[Leahs Mom]

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO MARK A CHICKEN WITH SOMETHING I ALREADY HAVE LAYING AROUND? Without bands, please...I don't have any.

The 2 BRs are pretty much twins and I can't consistently tell them apart. One of them is seriously cranky and from as long as I can remember will just attack the others for no good reason at all...just because they exist. I'd like to mark her and really watch her for a few weeks but...

Right this minute she's looking like a nice bowl of soup to me. Atilla Soup.

Hate to lose the eggs, but I also hate watching her just stirring things up for no reason at all. And now w/the babies, she's a possible threat. We'll see...

 

[jendodd79]

Good afternoon everyone! Just finished catching up after a harried morning of work All of these chicks are still killing me.

So our town in December finally decided to adopt an urban chicken law. Yay! For 3 hens (it's a start).

I was asked by the Farmer's Institute to bring 3 hens to our local Seedy Saturday in March and run a table for beginners about urban chicken keeping. I'm going to put together a brochure, using some of this amazing information that I've found on here!

I just wanted to say thanks. I know I've only been at it since September, but I've gotten so much information from all of you!

 

[delisha]

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO MARK A CHICKEN WITH SOMETHING I ALREADY HAVE LAYING AROUND? Without bands, please...I don't have any.

The 2 BRs are pretty much twins and I can't consistently tell them apart. One of them is seriously cranky and from as long as I can remember will just attack the others for no good reason at all...just because they exist. I'd like to mark her and really watch her for a few weeks but...

Right this minute she's looking like a nice bowl of soup to me. Atilla Soup.

Hate to lose the eggs, but I also hate watching her just stirring things up for no reason at all. And now w/the babies, she's a possible threat. We'll see...

Use magic marker on one of her legs..it will be temporary and you will have to repeat it. Red would be nice.

 

[ocap]

We can have it delivered but we choose not to. However in our area I believe we have to buy a minimum of a 1/2 ton or ton. Where I buy it they don't deliver but I am still paying right around $340.00 a ton or $.17 lb.

How do you ferment a ton of feed?

That's why I am not on the FF bandwagon.

I am going to shop around, your feed cost is lower than mine