The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[flagirl]

I agree with hens not eating what they instinctivly know not to eat. Mine spend hrs under my avocado tree and supposedly the skin and pit are toxic to them. when one falls, the only skin they may get is a little of it to get to the meat. the area has skin and pits laying around after they and the squirrels get what they want. If I do not get them first.
this morning the hens were making a racket-went out and saw either a coyote or bobcat trying to get in the coop. it is plenty secure, but not the run and the pop door to that was open, so luckily we scared it away. too far away to determine what it was.

 

[chikenscratch]

Ok, I'm going to completely disagree with the information stated above about naturally growing, healthy plants somehow being synthetic or unhealthy. Do we have an abundance if estrogens? Absolutely! Is our over exposure to estrogens related to plant material? Absolutely NOT! Should we be aware of providing a wide variety of plants to our chickens? Absolutely. Should we eliminate chemically processed foods in our lives and for our chickens? Yes.
My background is in science (chemistry and environmental science). With that said I can tell you that any organization (science/industry/pro-chemical agricilture or natural/organic) can release a scientific study and its data which was geared towards the result it wanted to get out anyway. So you must be very careful what sources of information you deem valid.
If you are buying organic heirloom/non-genetically motified seeds or plants you are fine to feed those to your chickens or family. If you buy seeds or plants that have pesticide coatings, hybrid you are eating poison.
The information above is an attempt to confuse the average Joe into not using healthy food by stating "chemical components" which are NATURALLY inside of natural Earth grown/GOD made and relating them to the synthetic/man made product with the same chemical make up. Unfortunately when we as humans discover a chemical name which is in a

 

[chikenscratch]

man made product and is also in a naturally made veggie we associate both as bad. When the natural source isn't bad at all.
I hope this has helped clear up a commonly made mistake. If anyone hasvany further questions, I'll do my best to clarify or answer pending questions.

 

[chikenscratch]

The sources of estrogen that are of the highest concern occur via prescription medications/chemical run-off making its way into our water supply and an increase added to CAFO animals to rapidly produce food for the supermarket.

 

[chikenscratch]

Darn double post

 

[Bulldogma]

This is all very good information. Yes - we should do what we can to make sure we are getting as much of the story as we can. Let me just say... I *think* LM was indicating that due to the amount of estrogen we are unwittingly consuming in our meat, in tap water and from other places, that she is working to avoid adding MORE estrogen to her and her flock's diets.

I agree that the plants which have naturally occurring estrogen are not "bad" in and of themselves... BUT... how is all that estrogen adding up when you factor in the other places you are exposed to it?

That said, I am not yet cutting these things from my diet. I have celiac, so my diet is quite limited anyway...

 

[armorfirelady]

Girls still roosted & I was pecked at when trying to see if one was warm. I got the hint & left them be lol

 

[pigeonguy]

Would some of you hard core incubators comment on if you wash your eggs before incubating.

 

[Bulldogma]

Would some of you hard core incubators comment on if you wash your eggs before incubating.

I don't wash the eggs. If I get an overly pooped-on egg, I may try to rub a bit of the yuck off with a dry paper towel, but nothing beyond that. And I DO hatch pooped-on eggs... many other people don't, but as yet, I have had no problem with them. (Only my Silkies poop on their eggs - everyone else seems to have much cleaner eggs! LOL!)

 

[jlynnet]

I remember reading that Mumsy gently rubs away lightly soiled spots, but never washes them.