The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[kian]

BOSS is black oil sunflower seeds

 

[Mumsy]

Alright guys. I'm getting ready to make a small container(Only have two chicks) of FF for when I get the chicks. What kind of grains can I mix in with the chick starter? non anacronymed please just to be sure I don't mistake anything. Like I have NO idea what BOSS is

I know what you mean. The anacronymed stuff trips me up too. BOSS is Black Oil Sunflower Seed. My chicks leave the whole stuff in the bottom of the bowl. I use Shell-less bird seed in my chick fermented feed. They gobble those down. I use unmedicated chick starter crumble. I fine grind dried pumpkins seed in my old blender and add a couple handfuls to the ferment as well as a couple shakes of dried crushed Oregano. I'm feeding seven chicks. Four Silkies and three Bantam Rhode Island Red. I keep a three gallon bucket nested into a four gallon bucket. There is no more than a gallon or two of fermented feed going for them at any time because they are only four weeks old and not eating a great deal yet.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Alright guys. I'm getting ready to make a small container(Only have two chicks) of FF for when I get the chicks. What kind of grains can I mix in with the chick starter? non anacronymed please just to be sure I don't mistake anything. Like I have NO idea what BOSS is

BOSS is Black Oil Sunflower Seed!

I just do a small batch too - in a glass pyrex right on my countertop so it's nearby and easy to tend. Just take some out every day and stir some more back in. I'll post a photo of it later. It's the "truffle bowl" and instead of pyrex it's Anchor. (I guess I use the term "pyrex" like I use the term "kleenex"...a generic term that means a glass container

 

[camilleathome]

I know what you mean. The anacronymed stuff trips me up too. BOSS is Black Oil Sunflower Seed. My chicks leave the whole stuff in the bottom of the bowl. I use Shell-less bird seed in my chick fermented feed. They gobble those down. I use unmedicated chick starter crumble. I fine grind dried pumpkins seed in my old blender and add a couple handfuls to the ferment as well as a couple shakes of dried crushed Oregano. I'm feeding seven chicks. Four Silkies and three "Bantam Rhode Island Red. I keep a three gallon bucket nested into a four gallon bucket. There is no more than a gallon or two of fermented feed going for them at any time because they are only four weeks old and not eating a great deal yet.

So for how much water its just enough to cover right? Just making sure I have things right. Ill start the mix tonight and add some stuff tomorrow when I go shopping. I have flax and garlic here and oregano so I can start with that with the chick starter. Suggestions on things to buy to add to it welcome.

 

[holderh]

Ok so after reading this thread I think I want to start fermenting some feed. All I need to do is to put in enough feed for a few days..a glug or two of Asv...stir couple times a day. Can this sit outside? What I usually give mine is layer crumbles, mixed in is stratch, oyster shell. They seem to enjoy it, ive been thinking about giving them some night crawlers, cricket's, some extra protein. They do get out in a covered run when the weather allows.

It seems like to worm farm is easy to do. I would love to learn about being able to feed my chickens all natural goodies and be able to do it myself, feed bill is killing me!!!!!!! Any suggestions would be great

I know! i started the fermenting process today and have talked with dh about worm farming LOL....hes all for it of course as it will save us a lot of money fishing too!

 

[Leahs Mom]

PS: By now I think you KNOW what BOSS is!

 

[Mumsy]

I put together an experiment glass waterer yesterday. It works for me.
Using an old glass pie plate and a gallon pickle jar. Gravity does the rest. The tricky part is flipping the whole thing that first time while full. I spilled a lot. I sat it on a shallow upturned bonsai pot. All I have to do to refill it is nudge the jar once a day until the water goes, "Glug glug". So far it works.

 

[camilleathome]

BOSS is Black Oil Sunflower Seed!

I just do a small batch too - in a glass pyrex right on my countertop so it's nearby and easy to tend. Just take some out every day and stir some more back in. I'll post a photo of it later. It's the "truffle bowl" and instead of pyrex it's Anchor. (I guess I use the term "pyrex" like I use the term "kleenex"...a generic term that means a glass container

Id love to see a photo

 

[holderh]

Just wanted to share some pics of my flock enjoying their ff on this cold rainy day in Cali....

They are beautiful!

 

[JeffOeuf]

I put together an experiment glass waterer yesterday. It works for me.
Using an old glass pie plate and a gallon pickle jar. Gravity does the rest. The tricky part is flipping the whole thing that first time while full. I spilled a lot. I sat it on a shallow upturned bonsai pot. All I have to do to refill it is nudge the jar once a day until the water goes, "Glug glug". So far it works.

Mumsy,

Take a diamond file to the rim of that pickle jar and cut a little notch in it, and it will work just like the commercial ones.