The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

I should also add I never have to buy shavings. I make my living as a woodworker. Always planer shavings to clean up and put in a pen.

One of the places I sell eggs resells them in NYC. He pays me $3 a dozen. That is what he pays wholesale for fresh eggs. Then brings them down to his market and resells them for a large profit. Many times when a customer comes here to pick up furniture they will buy eggs and all of them tell me $3 a dozen isn't enough. But they are usually from NYC. $3 is the limit here. In NYC I bet they pay $6 to $7 a dozen for real farm fresh eggs.

Jealous about that first part. Shavings are not cheap.

In Toronto it's the same thing. My friends that live there think my egg prices are ridiculously cheap. They pay a good $8 for organic eggs. Not even free ranged organic. Just organic.

 

[stonykill]

Jealous about that first part. Shavings are not cheap.

In Toronto it's the same thing. My friends that live there think my egg prices are ridiculously cheap. They pay a good $8 for organic eggs. Not even free ranged organic. Just organic.

once a year or 2 I'll do a big clean out of all of the coops. I can go to my local saw mill and fill the back of my flatbed truck with shavings. The bed of the truck is 8 feet long x 5 feet wide x 3 feet high. $25 to fill the truck with shavings. So if you have a way to transport it, check out local saw mills.

 

[Leahs Mom]

once a year or 2 I'll do a big clean out of all of the coops. I can go to my local saw mill and fill the back of my flatbed truck with shavings. The bed of the truck is 8 feet long x 5 feet wide x 3 feet high. $25 to fill the truck with shavings. So if you have a way to transport it, check out local saw mills.

I love that idea but I have one reservation. I am concerned about getting any treated lumber shavings mixed in there. Is there a way to be sure you're not getting treated in the mix?

 

[aoxa]

once a year or 2 I'll do a big clean out of all of the coops. I can go to my local saw mill and fill the back of my flatbed truck with shavings. The bed of the truck is 8 feet long x 5 feet wide x 3 feet high. $25 to fill the truck with shavings. So if you have a way to transport it, check out local saw mills.

One mill charges $3 a bag (any size you have), but my birds had a terrible reaction to whatever wood he had in it. They were sneezing and wheezing (brooder chicks). Once I changed it to klin dried pine, all symptoms disappeared.

I don't know what was going on there. I'd like to get cheap shavings, but am a little nervous after my first bad experience.

I wonder if it was cedar? Maybe I can find someone who doesn't have a high concentration of cedar in the shavings. It had a lot of different types of hardwood and softwood.

 

[aoxa]

I love that idea but I have one reservation. I am concerned about getting any treated lumber shavings mixed in there. Is there a way to be sure you're not getting treated in the mix?

We posted the same fear at the same time We seem to do that a lot.

 

[Leahs Mom]

We posted the same fear at the same time We seem to do that a lot.

Must be great minds..... (with a single thought)....

 

[Bulldogma]

Jagger will not eat any treats I throw out at all. He gives every single tidbit away. I've seen other roosters call for a minute, and if no one comes, they eat it. Not Jagger. He will call until someone comes. They always do. Jagger's a hot commodity.

I love all the stories about Jagger! Loved the photos you posted a week or so ago with him feeding the chick. I'm stealing that roo if I ever get up that way.

Also - neat idea about calling the news folks about BIG eggs

 

[cubalaya]

so did this thread take the place of the 2 that were lockeddown by beekissed?

 

[stonykill]

I love that idea but I have one reservation. I am concerned about getting any treated lumber shavings mixed in there. Is there a way to be sure you're not getting treated in the mix?

lumber is pressure treated after it is planed. As for sneezing etc..... could be a few things. A high concentration of saw dust in the shavings. That is bad especially for ducks. The lumber yard I speak of only does pine. But in my shop I add shavings from oak and birch often mixed in with the pine without issue.

As the yard what they mill or what they just milled. Whatever they just milled will be at the top of the pile. If they just planed cedar...move on. If they just milled pine buy some up!

 

[aoxa]

I love all the stories about Jagger! Loved the photos you posted a week or so ago with him feeding the chick. I'm stealing that roo if I ever get up that way.

Also - neat idea about calling the news folks about BIG eggs

He's a real character. I often approach him on the roost and jiggle his wattles. He looks at me like a statue. Can't get close enough to him during the day to do that.



Chick magnet that Jagger.