The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

From what I have read on this thread, others please correct me if I am wrong, is feeding pumpkin seeds for natural worm prevention. I made sure the wild bird feed I just got had them in it and that has gone into the FF.

You are right Trav.

I didn't know you could get them in bird feed. What is the brand? Wonder if I can get it here.. I am all out of pumpkins.

 

[lalaland]

I don't know. Costco here pays their workers better than anywhere else in retail, and they all get benefits. That's the only box store we really shop at. I purchased my regular prescriptions at a mom and pop type pharmacy and paid $135. I pay $45 at Costco. Yep. Never going back. Plus I get great customer service there

Costco is great, for the reasons you mentioned - they are good to their workers, and I would be fine shopping there. Just don't have access to one. And it would be an really hard decision to pay 135 instead of 45 for the prescriptions. Thats a big difference compared to paying a couple bucks more. Wallyworld, on the other hand, don't get me started. Let's just say it is cheaper for them to continue to screw their emiployees out of overtime, etc because the fines they pay are less than the $ they save. And when you need a job, you need a job.

Wish it was an easy world out there. Very hard in the states with the corporations having individual rights just like people.

 

[lalaland]

I wrote this on another thread and then thought why not put it here because it is about natural keeping.


In the old days great grandma would put between 2 and 4 inches of flour in the bottom of a very large crock .......

So how do you all store your eggs for long periods of time.

glad you posted that here! I've heard eggs will keep with the bloom on 4-5 months at room temp or cooler. Never tried it myself - but have had them for maybe 4 weeks with no problem.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote:
Nature's Nuts Deluxe Bird Lover's Blend. I found it in the wild bird section of the farm store I shop at(assuming you do not have a Wilco in Canada) and there are bags of pumpkin seeds in the squirrel food area.

 

[aoxa]

Costco is great, for the reasons you mentioned - they are good to their workers, and I would be fine shopping there. Just don't have access to one. And it would be an really hard decision to pay 135 instead of 45 for the prescriptions. Thats a big difference compared to paying a couple bucks more. Wallyworld, on the other hand, don't get me started. Let's just say it is cheaper for them to continue to screw their emiployees out of overtime, etc because the fines they pay are less than the $ they save. And when you need a job, you need a job.

Wish it was an easy world out there. Very hard in the states with the corporations having individual rights just like people.

Walmart here does not have fresh produce and meats like you guys get in the US or even in Ontario. Costco is where we get almost everything we don't produce ourselves.

Maybe that's why the Wal-Mart employees aren't so friendly.. because they are treated poorly. But what retail employees are treated any differently? I worked at Winners and hated how they treated employees (That's a sister store to TJ Max.)

Oh and my fiance has the worst employers I have ever heard of, and we deal with a lot of businesses (being in accounting). They won't give her stat holidays, overtime and are just plain terrible people. Just really don't like them.. I keep trying to get her to call the labour board, but she's too uneasy about it. :/

 

[SandBsmom]

Hi Everyone!
Just found this group so want to add a post so I can go back and read all the awesomeness you have already shared. I am a strong believer in trying to keep life as natural as I possibly can. Use organic GMO free grain for example. Have had trouble finding natural ways to do worming. I am using DE, ACV and water kefir for other aids. Just set up a new paddock and want to learn how to grow and rotate grain crops or other plants chickens would benefit from eating, etc. So just a few thoughts to let you know a little about my goals, etc. I just have one very awesome Barr Rock hen now but will be getting chicks soon so am starting over. I want to raise them to be friendly and healthy as much as possible. Our local farm store receives chicks from Privett Hatchery. Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about this hatchery? Not sure if I can get Black Australorp chicks from a breeder. They seem to be somewhat rare & also shipping worries me for such a small number. I only need about 3-4. Well, off to read now.
~Dee~

Welcome to the thread! I got most of my chicks from a feed store in Monroe that gets chicks from Privett. My chickens are all really healthy, have great personalities and are good layers. None are show quality obviously, but a couple of them are quite nice. Our bantam cochin in particular seems to follow the SOP quite closely. I don't know anything about the hatchery itself as my chicks were really impulse buys but after learning more about chickens and seeing other people's I am happy with the ones I have.

 

[aoxa]

Nature's Nuts Deluxe Bird Lover's Blend. I found it in the wild bird section of the farm store I shop at(assuming you do not have a Wilco in Canada) and there are bags of pumpkin seeds in the squirrel food area.

 

[lalaland]

My recipe for Hot and Spicy Pickled Eggs: 24 hard cooked eggs Four Tablespoons pickling salt Seven small hot peppers I also like Banana peppers added sliced Three cups Cider vinegar One cup water Two Tablespoons minced fresh Ginger Two Tablespoons Mustard seed Two Tablespoons crushed whole Black Pepper Four rough chopped Garlic cloves

Peirce the eggs with a fork through the white to the yolk.Put the eggs in the sterilized glass gallon jar. In a stainless steel non reactive pot bring all the rest of the ingredients and bring to boil then cover with a lid and simmer twenty five minutes. Pull off the heat and let the liquid cool. Pour the cooled liquid over the eggs and fold up some plastic wrap and cap the jar over that so that brine doesn't come in contact with the metal lid. Put that gallon jar of eggs in the frig. In about a week those eggs will be spicy hot and ready to eat.

These will keep a couple weeks in the refrigerator. They go fast because I like them in sandwiches, salads, and just right out of the jar.

these sound soo good! come spring when I have eggs galore, I'm going to try this. Maybe BDM can put it in that thing.

 

[delisha]

Hi Everyone!
Just found this group so want to add a post so I can go back and read all the awesomeness you have already shared. I am a strong believer in trying to keep life as natural as I possibly can. Use organic GMO free grain for example. Have had trouble finding natural ways to do worming. I am using DE, ACV and water kefir for other aids. Just set up a new paddock and want to learn how to grow and rotate grain crops or other plants chickens would benefit from eating, etc. So just a few thoughts to let you know a little about my goals, etc. I just have one very awesome Barr Rock hen now but will be getting chicks soon so am starting over. I want to raise them to be friendly and healthy as much as possible. Our local farm store receives chicks from Privett Hatchery. Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about this hatchery? Not sure if I can get Black Australorp chicks from a breeder. They seem to be somewhat rare & also shipping worries me for such a small number. I only need about 3-4. Well, off to read now.
~Dee~

Hello Dee,

Wonderful to see new faces!

Depending on where you live, we probably can hook you up with what you are looking for...possibly going to a chicken/poultry show? Or people on here..or even shipped eggs?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Nature's Nuts Deluxe Bird Lover's Blend. I found it in the wild bird section of the farm store I shop at(assuming you do not have a Wilco in Canada) and there are bags of pumpkin seeds in the squirrel food area.

Are the seeds raw or roasted in that mix?