The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Kassaundra]

I have 4 buckets now "planted" in the chicken area loaded w/ dry plant matter and chicken poop. I am going to "plant" a few more, and I just got home from work today so I will go check on them after this big rain and see if they got drown or not. I am excited to see if this new way of growing BSFL will work for me and my chickens. It is still early in the season for us so I may not know for another month or so, but I will let you guys know if it works for growing them.


I am also incubating chicks and growing IMO I want to see if I can brood the chicks w/ heat off the IMO instead of a heat lamp, that is how they do it in KNF, but don't worry for my little chickies I will have a heat lamp at the ready and experiment w/ it w/ a thermometer before the little guys hatch.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I'm looking at buying an incubator, but I was wondering do they ever go on sale? Maybe there is a certain time of the year when they go on clearance like out of season shoes.

Also here is the update on my rooster that was easting a lot of oyster shell. I gave him some left over and slightly brown salad greens for a couple of days then I just made sure he was getting to the food. He still pecks at the oyster shell but not really eating it so much.
I read somewhere that during the spring the roosters can have extra calcium for the increased mating. We had been pulling our other roosters out from the hens so that they could free range and it is very likely that my oyster shell eating rooster had been mating all day. At the time he would have had his choice of just over 20 hens.

 

[Sally8]

I'm looking at buying an incubator, but I was wondering do they ever go on sale? Maybe there is a certain time of the year when they go on clearance like out of season shoes.

Also here is the update on my rooster that was easting a lot of oyster shell. I gave him some left over and slightly brown salad greens for a couple of days then I just made sure he was getting to the food. He still pecks at the oyster shell but not really eating it so much.
I read somewhere that during the spring the roosters can have extra calcium for the increased mating. We had been pulling our other roosters out from the hens so that they could free range and it is very likely that my oyster shell eating rooster had been mating all day. At the time he would have had his choice of just over 20 hens.

The Little Giant Styrofoam at Tractor Supply goes on sale either $5.00 or $10.00 off and last year it was at this time. It usually runs $44.99. Even though I have 2 and probably won't buy anything else, I would recommend a more reliable one if you can. These take a lot of tinkering with and outside temps play a huge part in both temps and humidity. I'm sure others will respond as they bought some of the nicer ones this spring. BEWARE! Hatching is very addicting. lol

 

[bbsnooks]

A Black Soldier Fly question for Kassaundra or anyone else that had tried it...

I'm thinking of trying to use a 5 gal bucket to do a mini version of the "fancy pants" one. I'd try to set it up with all the angles and a tray...just 5 gal instead of a 55 gal drum. Think it would work?
EDITED TO ADD: I've been doing some reading and it looks like they aren't native to my area. Best conditions are zone 7 - 10 and I'm in zone 5A. So...for us "northerners" it looks like it isn't an option. I don't want to start a colony with shipped larva as I don't want to introduce anything into the environment that isn't native here.

I dint think the non native thing.. would be an issue that you might introduce an invasive.. ( like taking a macaw to Alaska)
.. they have been.. taken by shipping all over the world and would be minimized by the cold winter temperatures.. < my 2 cents>

I'm just one zone down.. from you . and i have seen them here.. just didn't know what they were.
I'm going to get some for the house compost.. if they work as fast as. they say 1-6 lbs of compost / day..
then i think i can grow them inside .. till the watermelon can be planted.. < no frosty nights> then set up an out side.. colony..
-- the issue .. is how to keep the colony going . . thru winter..
i will try 2 options..
I've been looking at the homestead link posted here a wk or so ago.. ( i forgot what it was on. .but he has a book out.. and loads of good articles.. )
any how.. he had a green house.. with a small flock inside in the winter.. -- in the green house he grew worms.. in the soil.. and had rotating bins.
I think - I want to try and.. do similar.. only see if i can keep the BSF larvae.. growing there.. ( even if they go dormant.. for some of winter)
the green house plastic.. can get it warm enough.. to let them breed..
Option 2.. is to . get as much egg's.. from the summer time.. and just keep.. some to re boot.. the spring colony.. each year.
( this is a good at minimum to try .. because the pheromone produced by the grubs exudate in your compost
.. is what will attract the "native" colony to some and have sex at your house..
--------------------------
---------------------- ther you go LW ...... <did i get his initials right?>

---- bottom line.. I think its worth a try.. I'm going to start mine under the sink in a wholy trash can.. with clear plant water catcher.. to catch liquid
. the trash/compost bucket will probably work. until i can take them out side.. and just like little growing chicks.. they'll be more equip ed for the temperatures.
-- small DIY that could work. ( last post made a good modification) http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=215
-- also.. here.. at byc.. good starter bucket https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/bsf-larvae-operation-under-5

- ( so.. are you thinkin... humm she was lurking and now that she started. posting. how do we shut her up??? ) It s ok.. wouldn't be the first time..
I wont take offence its a genetic thing ; ) I cant seem to help my self..
jump-in off the podium.. debra

 

[Leahs Mom]

- ( so.. are you thinkin... humm she was lurking and now that she started. posting. how do we shut her up??? ) It s ok.. wouldn't be the first time..
I wont take offence its a genetic thing ; ) I cant seem to help my self..
jump-in off the podium.. debra

Wasn't thinking that at all!

 

[Kassaundra]

That BSFL forum I think has a map they were working on "pinning" alll the locations around the world w/ real sightings. I haven't been on that forum in a loooong time though.

 

[loanwizard]

I'm looking at buying an incubator, but I was wondering do they ever go on sale? Maybe there is a certain time of the year when they go on clearance like out of season shoes.

Also here is the update on my rooster that was easting a lot of oyster shell. I gave him some left over and slightly brown salad greens for a couple of days then I just made sure he was getting to the food. He still pecks at the oyster shell but not really eating it so much.
I read somewhere that during the spring the roosters can have extra calcium for the increased mating. We had been pulling our other roosters out from the hens so that they could free range and it is very likely that my oyster shell eating rooster had been mating all day. At the time he would have had his choice of just over 20 hens.

I find mine on sale used.... and they STILL ain't cheap lol! I think I paid $50.00 FOR MINE WITH AN EGG TURNER...... Ooops! SORry, I accidentally hit the caps lock. Too lazy to go back and re type.....

 

[BlueMouse]

so, here's a couple pictures of my possibly underweight Buff Orpington rooster.





With his lady friend. I think he's such a pretty bird, although I don't know a whole lot about the SOP. As far as weighing him, that's going to be a bit of an issue. I, hem, don't seem to currently own a scale that goes over 10lbs, and I know he's more than that. By heft I would say he's over ten pounds, but not more than fifteen.... I can try to borrow my Mom's scale over the weekend and actually get a weight. If you shouldn't be able to "easily feel" his keel, then he's definitely at least a little underweight. I'll up their night time ration. I keep having people tell me how Orpingtons are such piggies and will get obese and not even look for their own food if you let them.... I may have erred more on the side of not wanting to over feed.

I was cutting up stew beef today, so everyone got raw meat, I got fifteen minutes of laughs out of watching the chicks chase each other all over the brooder with meat hanging out of their beaks. Because the piece your neighbor has is evidently ALWAYS tastier than the one you could get out of the dish yourself.

 

[Ashdoes]

Delisha, I got regular beef liver today, thats good for the ducks right? We're going to cut it up and freeze it in portions, so once a week k can give them a bit.

It's funny, I worry more about the chickens weight than my own. I swear they're too skinny, but their food dish is never empty, so obviously they have enough to eat. I'm just a worrier.

 

[Pozees]

I am also incubating chicks and growing IMO I want to see if I can brood the chicks w/ heat off the IMO instead of a heat lamp, that is how they do it in KNF, but don't worry for my little chickies I will have a heat lamp at the ready and experiment w/ it w/ a thermometer before the little guys hatch.

Sorry to sound ignorant, but what are IMO and KNF?