The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[countrygirl74]

Question: I don't give chicken bones to cats or dogs because they can get caught in their throats but can chickens eat the tiny bones from a cooked chicken without problems?

Another question: I'm doing the ff but it turns into such a mush

, I'm using grower crumbles & pellets & some scratch & boss, what can I do to make it not as mushy?

I did the grower crumbles too and hated it - my chickens didn't care for it as much and the ducks would hardly touch it. I only do this organic mash now that I get from here http://www.azurestandard.com/shop/product/1046/ and it drains so much better and they love it! I would think that any mash would work? The best way I can describe it when it's dry is that it looks like chopped up weeds, grains, and dried peas. You would think it would be worse but it actually holds together much better than the crumbles. I had to do the crumbles because it's all I had for a time and ended up giving dry because I (and the birds) didn't like it. Couldn't wait to get more of my mash. Now I will make sure to never run out!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Good point, Jack, on 2 separate fences. You DO have to connect adjoining fences together! Right now I'm using 2 lengths (200 ft. or the Plus net) connected together at center. When I spoke w/their customer service, they said the the energizer I got could easily handle more lengths (I think about 4) with no problem.

Jack - I don't remember how many ft. you have there?

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Ok just a few more questions (for now

).....lowes & home depot sells plastic step in fences with the metal post that goes into the ground. Can I use these with the electric net? Or what about the green metal posts that most people use around gardens to hold metal fencing? Does the charge electrify the posts as well?

Here is pics of what I am referring to:

 

[ocap]

Ok I have another question regarding the electric fence.....

I am trying to visualize how I am going to set up the fence in my yard & was wondering......

does the fence have to touch another side of fence in order for it to work. (I keep thinking closed circuit) If thats confusing ....do you have to make a circle or square with the fence so that all ends of the fence are touching another end?
I know for my electric underground fence fo the dogs the meet in order for their to be an electric current at the same time.

Or could I take two pieces of fence just run them horizontal to close off a part of my yard?

Thanks
Jenn

ther is another type of poultry net electric fence that has every other horizontal wire a positive and every other horizontal wire a ground wire,,, that is for areas that do not have enough moisture to have a ground rod driven into the soil be effective

 

[Alibabe]

Okay... please excuse the "mom thing" but....



Not too long ago one of the cities in the area passed an ordinance allowing chickens. My youngest daughter, who works at,band writes a blog for, one of the local newspapers interviewed me for a "why do you have chickens" post. Wanted to share a link for anyone who might be interested.

If you get a chance to take a look, leave a comment! It's encouraging to know folks are reading as it is a new blog... The blog is very new and they've finally just set up a "subscribe by email" option.

Thanks to everyone who went over and read the other post!


http://blogs.etruth.com/singinginthekitchen/2013/01/29/considering-backyard-chickens/

Very nicely written. I left a comment

 

[Leahs Mom]

Armor...not sure if you can see it very well in these photos (I'd take a better one but the fence is down right now)...


The electric net is green so it kind-of blends in. It is going around and is staked right up against the hen house at the left end of the house.



The other end is staked by the corner of the pole building back there.


The front part of that pole building has chain link fence which totally encloses them inside fencing - that part just isn't electric.

I also set the configuration several different ways but they always are "open ended" with a stake at the ends attached to an "already available" structure.

If I didn't do it that way, I'd have to purchase a couple more rolls of the fence to have the hen house completely enclosed like Jack does.

 

[JeffOeuf]

Ok just a few more questions (for now

).....lowes & home depot sells plastic step in fences with the metal post that goes into the ground. Can I use these with the electric net? Or what about the green metal posts that most people use around gardens to hold metal fencing? Does the charge electrify the posts as well?

Here is pics of what I am referring to:

Most of the netting on the market has its line posts built in, so you don't need posts. The plastic step in you pictured is for electric fence, but you can't use metal posts, it would just ground out the fence and game over... there would be no shock if you touched the fence anywhere.

 

[JackE]

Good point, Jack, on 2 separate fences. You DO have to connect adjoining fences together! Right now I'm using 2 lengths (200 ft. or the Plus net) connected together at center. When I spoke w/their customer service, they said the the energizer I got could easily handle more lengths (I think about 4) with no problem.

Jack - I don't remember how many ft. you have there?

I have 4 100' lengths, but I read on Premier's site, that the charger (115V AC) I have can handle 7. I'm going to buy a couple more lengths in the spring.
Jack

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: You can use the plastic ones but not the metal. The plastic are very similar to the ones Premier sells. When I got my fence, I ordered 9 extra posts to use for reinforcement where needed, but the ones at the farm store would work okay as long as they're the right height.

I do think they may be a little lighter weight. You might just try one or 2, then if you don't like the quality, you could always order some from Premier at a later time.

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote: Late chiming in, 50-75 posts behind as usual...

I don't withhold feed, and I'm always careful not to bust open the crops as I'm processing... as I am doing the processing I will actually cut the crops open and let my free rangers and Turkeys have the feed out of them (they also get tossed small bits of raw meat, skin, organs etc). As Aoxo says, they are vultures... and mine will hover while I am processing, but the hose is a very effective deterrent with my pesty/impatient clean up crew, lol.