The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Ashdoes]

Maidenwolfx80 just this morning hubby picked the name Maiden for our great Dane puppy. It took two weeks..of endless suggestions. Thank goodness he found such a pretty name.

AW that would so fit a great dane too!!

I thought so too. She's a Harlequin, so a unique name for a unique dog. I'm pretty excited.

 

[Bulldogma]

Sorry. Learning how to work this reply thing. Regarding worms: I use red worms for composing my kitchen waste. (No chickens, yet) and will probably keep using them and feed some to chickens as "treat" when I get them. They make the best compost for my garden! Just a small, 18 gal. Rubber made bin. In my bathroom closet.

Love all this talk about homegrown worms! I can just see my youngest upending my worm farm on the living room carpet. "Run! Be free, little worms!" LOL. I'd like to try a worm farm but I'll have to find a super safe place to keep them! The one safe area I have will soon be taken up with the incubator that will be a family Christmas present.

I'll have to put some thought into this.

 

[delisha]

Quote: Some birds lack certain vitamins when they are contained and not allowed free range. Many times raw meats are used on chicks if they have spraddle leg or are kept indoors. Baby chicks in the wild eat what the hen eats. A hen would be delighted to run across something like raw meats to feed her clutch.

 

[Bulldogma]

Night all - I'm off to bed. Driving to NC tomorrow to pick up a Silkie hen or two for my 9-year-old.

 

[Ashdoes]

The great thing is the bucket or system for the worms doesn't have to be wide, just deep. And actually I think you could go for a three inch deep bin, and any width you have room for. Although you make a good point about worms being freed in the living room, I can actually see that happening. Take pics! Lol.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I like the idea....IF they are recipes that the person has USED and knows works. Not just random recipes found on the web. But tried and true recipes. Anything short of that would not be helpful and if anything can do damage. I see it on all of the really popular FB chicken sites. They are always posting bad information on those sites. We do not want to be like that

AGREED. One thing I appreciate is some longevity in experience with chickens and seeing what has worked for years - proven real stuff. I'm leery of what Stony is saying above and right now it seems like there may be a lot of good theories but not time-tested tried and true remedies.

I can read about lots of things and theories, but what is really helpful is hearing from those with real experience.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Some birds lack certain vitamins when they are contained and not allowed free range. Many times raw meats are used on chicks if they have spraddle leg or are kept indoors. Baby chicks in the wild eat what the hen eats. A hen would be delighted to run across something like raw meats to feed her clutch.

That is true, but a raw meat unless it is pureed would be too tough for them to eat I would think. I do not dismiss this at all, I feed mine meat they need it.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

AGREED. One thing I appreciate is some longevity in experience with chickens and seeing what has worked for years - proven real stuff. I'm leery of what Stony is saying above and right now it seems like there may be a lot of good theories but not time-tested tried and true remedies.

I can read about lots of things and theories, but what is really helpful is hearing from those with real experience.

I have lots of tried and true recipes regarding herbal remedies. I have been mixing and testing for years.

 

[Bulldogma]

I have lots of tried and true recipes regarding herbal remedies. I have been mixing and testing for years.

I think that is really great and I am glad we have you on this and the Natural Remedies thread, Maidenwolf. It will be important for a lot of us to know who is posting the recipes. Having a bit of background information on your experience is a real positive.

OK... now I'm off to bed! LOL.

 

[delisha]

Quote: I have never pureed/cooked/fried/ boiled meats/grains/legumes for the birds ever and to my knowledge my hens have not done it for the chicks either. (I am trying to be funny in a smart *** way do not be offended)However I have steamed wild rice for them. I honestly have tried to let chickens be chickens and try to duplicate what a hen would do for her chicks. Worms are huge. A brand new chick will look at a worm like it is a monster until one brave chick grabs it or pokes it, then the whole crew plays keep away. They honestly eat raw meat extremely well. I do not know anyone who is going to puree worms and..that is raw.