The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

I'm curious what you do with your fermented feed when you go away for a few days? I'm not sure that I could get our normal chicken sitter to worry about replenishing the feed over a period of days. But at the same time, is it ok to just have a batch sit for 4-5 days without being eaten?

Depending on how much FF you use a day why not make an extra bucket of it, if you need to, so that they have the FF while you are gone?

I know mywhen I asked chicken sitter she had no problem feeding the FF & I always make sure there is enough to last while I am gone. If one bucket empties there should be enough to feed the Mother till you can replenish it.

 

[Mumsy]

Depending on how much FF you use a day why not make an extra bucket of it, if you need to, so that they have the FF while you are gone?

I know mywhen I asked chicken sitter she had no problem feeding the FF & I always make sure there is enough to last while I am gone. If one bucket empties there should be enough to feed the Mother till you can replenish it.

Good plan. Also, I would set out a bucket of the dry mix ready to go and the pre measured water. Instructions are as simple as: On this designated day add these two things to the double bucket. Stir well. Cover. Feed required amount. Not hard to do even for a nine year old. Pretty easy. Easier than leaving for four days and worrying the whole time.

 

[jendodd79]

Depending on how much FF you use a day why not make an extra bucket of it, if you need to, so that they have the FF while you are gone?

I know mywhen I asked chicken sitter she had no problem feeding the FF & I always make sure there is enough to last while I am gone. If one bucket empties there should be enough to feed the Mother till you can replenish it.

Good plan. Also, I would set out a bucket of the dry mix ready to go and the pre measured water. Instructions are as simple as: On this designated day add these two things to the double bucket. Stir well. Cover. Feed required amount. Not hard to do even for a nine year old. Pretty easy. Easier than leaving for four days and worrying the whole time.

Thanks! Good plan!

 

[delisha]

Quote:

I know nothing about it.
http://www.pasturepro.com/blog/2011/05/electrifying-woven-or-barbed-wire/
However I know a little about electricity and my answer is no, you can't use a charger on regular wire.

I'm going to read the link but could you elaborate. We use regular wire single and double strand to put electric fence up for cows and other animals.

single wire works because it is single. The curent just travels along one line. The welded wire will not work because it stops at every twist and turn and looses power at each juncture, twist and turn. When and not if it shorted out you would have to spend a year trying to figure out where the short was. It would short out often. A piece of grass, a blowing leaf, a feather. It is possible but the time needed for maintence and repair does not make it feasable. The fence would not be reliable, and the power needed to make the fence complete the circut would be enormous.

 

[zinia8]

  I had a broody super layer last year. A hatchery White Leghorn was one of my more than 25 broody's last year.

I had a one of my super layer tetra tints go broody twice last year even have video of her. Broke her easily the first time by just putting her of the nest. The second time I should of found her fertile eggs boy was she committed.

 

[jlynnet]

Are you kidding me BDM?  You really won't get any more? I think I have to move to Virginia....home of the great Secretariat!

.  one of my favorite pictures of him.. rarely seen, with Eddie,,, his devoted groom Barn10, in the back walking ring.. Belmont Park, NY

p.s.  Talk about Standard of Perfection, this is about as good as it gets.

I love this photograph! My all time favorite racehorse!

 

[Melabella]

I love this photograph! My all time favorite racehorse!

me 2! It's rarely seen, I'm glad I stumbled upon it! Its from March sometime, 73, as he started his spring campaign to the Derby!

 

[JeffOeuf]

Does anyone know why we can't just use regular chicken wire with a fence charger. Has anyone tried it?

This is my "theory" only, I've never tried it. I think it would have too much resistance. If you look at the electric poultry netting, only the horizontals are electric, the vertical material (think it is plastic) just creates the net. And even the bottom horizontal is not electric. With regular chicken wire, the entire fence would be electrified. I'm thinking it would take a huge charger to make it effective. It would also need very careful maintenance of the weeds, since it would be "hot" at ground level...any weed growth would short it out. And, then last on my list of why I wouldn't try it is laziness. Insulating it from the posts would be a PITA.

 

[loanwizard]

I have a 2 wire system and cannot imagine the nightmare with chicken wire, Insulating posts, keeping it off the ground especially since thin wire, nothing thinner than chicken wire, has a propensity to stretch, plus all the power necessary....

 

[Island Roo]

I have a 2 wire system and cannot imagine the nightmare with chicken wire, Insulating posts, keeping it off the ground especially since thin wire, nothing thinner than chicken wire, has a propensity to stretch, plus all the power necessary....

x2 on the installation and maintenance nightmare.

Woven wire will conduct effectively for short distances. I know from experience when my fence came in contact with the hardware cloth on one of my tractors. I just wish it wasn't my forehead that some same in contact with the hardware cloth while I was doing repairs.

I also have the ground from the charger connected directly to the woven wire around the chicken pen - with wire rope suspended a couple inches away. If anything tries to climb up the woven wire pen, they get the full force that the charger can deliver.