The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Every spring I toss in clover, kale, spinach, and now I will add oregano seeds. I already have the clover and have tossed some in under the first snow and freeze. I like to do that because they fall into the cracks as it thaws before the chickens can eat them. The other seeds need a little nicer weather to take hold.

That's what I was thinking but, never having done it before it's better to ask! I think I'm going to throw a few seeds out myself.

 

[jlynnet]

z

where did you get them?

Www.eggboxes.com. I didn't get my name on them. I will either buy a stamp or make address type labels. I have my customers return them.

 

[delisha]

delisha, aoxa, anyone...do you factor in the eggs you eat or give away? Is all that in the 'sold' catagory?
I barter a lot and I factor that in to my costs/profit. Where I am at I sell my eggs (organic, pasture raised, no soy or corn, fed fermented feed) for $5 a dozen. People who aren't organic or pasture, or 'free ranged' get $3.50 or $4.00 a dozen.
We eat about a dozen a week(so, I factor in $5, because I would be buying eggs if I didn't have them) and I trade for beef and lamb, beer, spent grain from the brew pub for feed for my girls, granola for me. I probably 'sell' 4 or 5 dozen a week but I barter about that much. Does anyone else do that? I very often get the better end of the deal when bartering because my eggs are organic, clean, and I think the fermented food makes for a much nicer egg in general; big yolk, firm, hard shell, beautiful bloom.

Factor in everything.
I factor in butchered out birds that we eat, eggs, etc.

 

[aoxa]

Unfortunately it does cost a dollar to purchase egg cartons. I am presently looking into finding another route on the net. I have not found any that are much cheaper with the shipping costs.

What egg cartons do you use?

Mine are .33 cents each. I thought that was a lot.

 

[aoxa]

delisha, aoxa, anyone...do you factor in the eggs you eat or give away? Is all that in the 'sold' catagory?
I barter a lot and I factor that in to my costs/profit. Where I am at I sell my eggs (organic, pasture raised, no soy or corn, fed fermented feed) for $5 a dozen. People who aren't organic or pasture, or 'free ranged' get $3.50 or $4.00 a dozen.
We eat about a dozen a week(so, I factor in $5, because I would be buying eggs if I didn't have them) and I trade for beef and lamb, beer, spent grain from the brew pub for feed for my girls, granola for me. I probably 'sell' 4 or 5 dozen a week but I barter about that much. Does anyone else do that? I very often get the better end of the deal when bartering because my eggs are organic, clean, and I think the fermented food makes for a much nicer egg in general; big yolk, firm, hard shell, beautiful bloom.

I barter as well. I factor that in. I barter for help processing. A friend is coming over to help us. He's been there from the get-go, so he's nothing new in their scenery. I'll be giving him some eggs and a processed chicken.

little chicks at a few days old are pretty agile. I doubt they will have problems getting back in. That lip will help to keep new hatchlings from falling out when the hen is not ready to take them out. I would leave it alone. If after she takes them out and youu find a few who can't get back in, you might want to consider taking it down. But, I doubt you will need to.

Most little chicks are. Not silkies though.

I've seen 1.5 week old chicks climb a latter and roost with the big chickens (mom taught them young!)

 

[midway]

Hello all, I have been lurking on this thread since it began and the OT and road threads before, and really appreciate all of the helpful advice.

Delisha, You can get egg cartons from McMurray Hatchery. 100 paper cartons for 40.15 including shipping (.40 each) or 250 cartons for 70.28 including shipping (.28 each). Go to their website and click on the catalog option. It shows more choices than the website. Also TSC sells them for .48 each where I live in Iowa.

Thaks again for all the great advice everyone.

 

[kian]

On the topic of Natural Chicken keeping:

Would you all be willing to name the top 5 (or more) things that you do (or want to do) that have been the most valuable to you in raising chickens naturally? Have you changed things to go more natural? What makes you want to go the more natural route? What tips do you have for others along those lines? If you're willing, let us know how long you've had chickens - from mere months to decades.

I've only had chickens for almost three months (Jan. 6th will be three months). So, my knowledge could fit in a thimble but here goes:

1. Read. Read everything you can find about coops, runs, bedding, feed, types of breeds, your weather, the time needed, everything. Read books, magazines, internet.

2. Ask questions. Ask anyone you can who has ever raised chickens successfully how they did it. What would they recommend? What would they not do? Ask the people you get your chickens from, ask anyone and everyone.

3. Have your coop and run ready well before you get your chicks. We had ours up, bedding down, everything ready to go when we went and bought our birds. We chose to get 7 week old chicks that had already been living outside and they transistioned without a hitch.

4. After you get your chickens, repeat steps 1 and 2. A lot. In fact, don't stop.

5. After you've done all that, separate the wheat from the chaff (so to speak) and do what works for you and your birds.


I've started my chickens on FF and they love it. I think we're at a week. I toss a lot of greens into the run for them (when it's nice I let them out to free range, but we seriously only have dirt so there is very little green for them to munch, though they have definitely found what *is* there.

I have put ACV into the water from day one, yesterday I bought UPACV for the feed and that will be going into the water next. I have sparrows that converge on the run, even though the chickens chase them. I figure they'll be the healthiest wild birds around drinking and eating from here!

I add garlic to the water or feed and after seeing the oregano story on the news last night, I have added dried oregano on the top of their food. (Organically grown, dried myself. I crush the leaves up over the feed. My hands smell soooooooo good afterward!

 

[aoxa]

Can I ask a question to get the run down from newbies and OTs alike?

Give me a walk through on your morning, and nightly routine.

• How much time does it take you to complete each task?
• Do you have shortcuts to make chores go by quicker?
• How much more time does it take you in the winter VS the summer?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Can I ask a question to get the run down from newbies and OTs alike?

Give me a walk through on your morning, and nightly routine.

• How much time does it take you to complete each task?
• Do you have shortcuts to make chores go by quicker?
• How much more time does it take you in the winter VS the summer?

Well...I think I'm the LAZIEST morning routine person ever!

-I have ff on the counter in the kitchen. Scoop up what I need for the morning feed.
-Put more dry feed and water in ff bowl.
-Go to coop. Check to be sure waterer isn't frozen.
-Count birds (to be sure we're all there!)
-Put the ff in the bowl.
-Small scoop of dry feed in another bowl.
-Leave.

That's all before the sun is up so I don't do much at that hour. Then...around 12:30 in the afternoon when I get home, I go out and do everything else.

-Check waterers again.
-Sometimes rake the bedding.
-Gather Eggs
-Hang out time permitting
-Add feed as needed
-Possibly throw out some sprouts or put out a Johnny Cake

etc.

 

[loanwizard]

Can I ask a question to get the run down from newbies and OTs alike?

Give me a walk through on your morning, and nightly routine.

• How much time does it take you to complete each task?
• Do you have shortcuts to make chores go by quicker?
• How much more time does it take you in the winter VS the summer?

I have 80 birds currently, 8 hogs, 8 dogs, and 15 +/- cats that I feed daily. I work full time in town, so all my farm work is done before 8:30 am or after 6pm, on Wednesdays or Weekends. I take Wednesday's off for farm or auto auctions and work 1/2 day on Saturdays.

6am alarm goes off. 6 am-6:30 am hit snooze every 5 minutes. 630 am rise and shine. 630- 7am- Make sure kids are ready for school and gf is ready for work. 7am, boots on, outside.

1 scoop of catfood for the outside cats, 1/2 for inside. 2 scoops dogfood for outside dogs, 2 for inside.

Walk 300 yards to barn. 2 scoops feed for chickens, 3 in winter. Feed hogs (Easier now as I just bought hog feeder that will hold a ton of feed).

Walk 300 yards back to house, change boots to shoes, grab dog, take to car lot.

Night time, walk to barn, add hay as necessary, collect eggs, walk to house.

Total time needed in am.... 30 minutes, pm.... 10 minutes.

Winter time is always tougher. When the pond freezes over I have to haul water and plug in the water heaters. Pain in the tukus!