The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Of course! Welcome!

 

[Leahs Mom]

This weekend I burned some brush in the free-range area so that there would be ash piles right out there. It was an experiment.

I already put a LITTLE ash in the dust bath area but I wanted to see if they would use it straight right on the burn area. I've always been taught that you should only add a little ash to the dust bath (and I do) so I'll be interested to see how they interact with it - or if they just ignore it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yeah, I think I might be done with the FF thread. It was useful for a long time, but has changed in the information it's now providing. I'll stick with how I've been doing the FF, but will be trying out the buttermilk starter for the ducks.

I hadn't seen the fermented feed thread for a while, and I agree it has changed for the worse. Someone has been advising everyone to put yeast in their FF if it doesn't start fermenting, which is wrong. ACV, kefir, yogurt, and pickle juice are the most common aids. There were several people arguing on that thread lately, and we all know what happens to threads where that occurs.

 

[aoxa]

This weekend I burned some brush in the free-range area so that there would be ash piles right out there. It was an experiment.

I already put a LITTLE ash in the dust bath area but I wanted to see if they would use it straight right on the burn area. I've always been taught that you should only add a little ash to the dust bath (and I do) so I'll be interested to see how they interact with it - or if they just ignore it.

Mine never ignored our burn pile outside. They went nuts over it!

I just dump all our wood ash in a corner of the baby barn. I have started leaving the window open 24/7 right beside the pile because it can get quite dusty!

I like a mixture of black earth and wood ash. I find that is what they like the best. There is something about soil that just gets them going!

 

[ChickChickChicky]

That makes sense, getting trees that bloom at the same time. Wish they would list them better. I've gone to arborday.org and picked a few trees from there as well. The Pixie Crunch is a Gurney tree, so I have to go back and forth between the sites and find which ones to buy for each other.
Pozees, you know how bare it is out here. I'm going crazy, so am hoping to get at least ten trees planted this year and see how they do. My willow in the front seems to be doing well, but I'll know for sure in a couple of weeks. I like how the Arbor day website tells you which trees to get for the area.

Here's a an apple pollination chart that's easy to use, if you snoop around the website there are simalar charts for other fruits. http://www.grandpasorchard.com/_ccLib/attachments/pages/GOWeb-Pollination-Apple+(2013).pdf

 

[aoxa]

Here's a an apple pollination chart that's easy to use, if you snoop around the website there are simalar charts for other fruits. http://www.grandpasorchard.com/_ccLib/attachments/pages/GOWeb-Pollination-Apple+(2013).pdf

Thanks for that info

When it warms up here, I can't wait to get my fruit trees/vines. We'll be getting kiwi vines again as well as a few apple trees.

Is there certain apple trees that are faster producers than others?

My best friend actually grew an apple tree from a sprouted seed in an apple. That apple tree is in my parent's yard and is now 12 years old, and has still not produced any apples or even went into bloom. It's green, and healthy, and probably 15 feet tall now. Red Delicious I believe it's called. One of those apple trees that produce shiny red apples that the skin is quite tough. Not a fan of the apples themselves, but it would still be nice to see it bloom!

 

[Ashdoes]

Thanks for that info

When it warms up here, I can't wait to get my fruit trees/vines. We'll be getting kiwi vines again as well as a few apple trees. 

Is there certain apple trees that are faster producers than others? 

My best friend actually grew an apple tree from a sprouted seed in an apple. That apple tree is in my parent's yard and is now 12 years old, and has still not produced any apples or even went into bloom. It's green, and healthy, and probably 15 feet tall now. Red Delicious I believe it's called. One of those apple trees that produce shiny red apples that the skin is quite tough. Not a fan of the apples themselves, but it would still be nice to see it bloom!

From what I've read, because of all the messing they've done with tree mixing and genetic making of new fruit, the seeds will never do what the parent tree did. I was going to have my girls plant a cherry pit, but found in my research it's just not recommended.

 

[Ashdoes]

Here's a an apple pollination chart that's easy to use, if you snoop around the website there are simalar charts for other fruits.  [SUP]http://www.grandpasorchard.com/_ccLib/attachments/pages/GOWeb-Pollination-Apple+(2013).pdf[/SUP]

Thank you!

 

[aoxa]

From what I've read, because of all the messing they've done with tree mixing and genetic making of new fruit, the seeds will never do what the parent tree did. I was going to have my girls plant a cherry pit, but found in my research it's just not recommended.

Think that it was as bad 12 years ago as it is today?

There is only one apple tree in my parents yard -and it's that one. But wouldn't it need to bloom to even get fertilized to produce fruit? If it doesn't bloom, I wouldn't think it would get the chance to be fertilized.

Susan found a site last night on everything that has GMO crops in it. It's terrifying. :S

Every seed we bought this year (and we bought A LOT) is GMO free, and 90% of it is organic. The 10% that is not is flowers, but those are still heritage flowers. They just aren't certified organic.

We even bought GMO free heritage corn. I know it's going to be tough to grow, but I thought I'd give it a shot. Worth a try. I know corn does nothing for your body, but I am a sucker for corn on the cob in the summer.. especially on the fire pit.. Yum...

 

[kian]

I wanted to share this little present my in-laws gave me for Easter. Wouldn't it be nice if it was this easy IRL?