The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Sally8]

RIP Cibolo

Our 30+ lb. Maine Coon died last night at 11 years old

I'm so sorry. We lost ours last spring and our neighbors lost theirs a few weeks ago. What wonderful cats they are.

 

[camilleathome]

Just wanted to pop in and Wish Justine and Susan an AMAZING Wedding day!!! I Wish you guys nothing for the best and Im so happy for you. You both deserve the world and Are blessed to have found happiness in each other. Im looking forward to seeing you both tomorrow at the reception. Sadly my hubby cant make it as mom has to drive me(If one goes the other one has to work! XD) But he sends his love and well wishes also. Look forward to seeing you both tomorrow and wanted to add my well wishes to the others on this thread! .

 

[TipihlowLadies]

I just saw this thread, and it's right up my ally. I didn't read all 2000 pages of it, though, so maybe my question has been discussed already - if so, sorry!

I've been fermenting organic feed (wow, is that expensive!) for my 9 little chicks (7-1/2 weeks old now). I've been giving it to them in a plastic trough, but I really don't like the idea of using plastic. We use very little plastic in our kitchen, and I worry that the acidity of the fermented food will increase the leaching of endocrine disrupters and/or other chemicals into the food. It probably doesn't pose much of a problem to the chickens, with their short life spans, but I worry about us eating the eggs.

So I was looking into glass or stainless steel containers, but it seems ridiculous to spend over $50 on a food trough for chickens! I worry about galvanized or coated metals, too.

I haven't figured out a solution. What do you guys do if you feed fermented food?

Use glass ' plastic or high quality stainless I use plastic mud pans remove the steel edge its hard plastic

 

[Wynette]

Chaos, is that a Great Dane puppy in your avatar?

Jockey - very sorry to hear about Cibolo; beautiful cat.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I just saw this thread, and it's right up my ally. I didn't read all 2000 pages of it, though, so maybe my question has been discussed already - if so, sorry!

I've been fermenting organic feed (wow, is that expensive!) for my 9 little chicks (7-1/2 weeks old now). I've been giving it to them in a plastic trough, but I really don't like the idea of using plastic. We use very little plastic in our kitchen, and I worry that the acidity of the fermented food will increase the leaching of endocrine disrupters and/or other chemicals into the food. It probably doesn't pose much of a problem to the chickens, with their short life spans, but I worry about us eating the eggs.

So I was looking into glass or stainless steel containers, but it seems ridiculous to spend over $50 on a food trough for chickens! I worry about galvanized or coated metals, too.

I haven't figured out a solution. What do you guys do if you feed fermented food?

I'm sure everyone here is tired of me talking about this very issue

I HATE using plastic also. I've finally decided to use mostly pyrex for feeding. I had used ss too, but it is so light weight that it always gets tipped over.

When I have chicks I use a pyrex pie plate. It's shallow and they can get to the feed easily.

I have started using pyrex bread pans for the bigger girls. I just recently discovered that a wooden planter box that I purchased (and never got around to planting in) was just the perfect size to hold 2 of them side x side.



You don't have to have them in a holder. They can just go right on the ground.

I've also just thrown the ff on the ground for them. They LOVE to scratch around to find it!

PS: A nice effect of this is that if you quit using for the chickens, you still have some nice baking pans

 

[TipihlowLadies]

THis is how I feed my FF .

 

[Leahs Mom]

I was also able to purchase some old fashioned glass bases for quart canning jar chick waterers on ebay.

The bases look like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-Vintage...565?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4612a7ec1d

Just fill a quart jar with water, put the glass base on top and turn it over (like those plastic ones...except glass!)

For the older girls, I put pyrex baking pans of water out during the summer for them to drink from and stand in to cool down if they like.

 

[Wynette]

I'm sure everyone here is tired of me talking about this very issue

I HATE using plastic also. I've finally decided to use mostly pyrex for feeding. I had used ss too, but it is so light weight that it always gets tipped over.

When I have chicks I use a pyrex pie plate. It's shallow and they can get to the feed easily.

I have started using pyrex bread pans for the bigger girls. I just recently discovered that a wooden planter box that I purchased (and never got around to planting in) was just the perfect size to hold 2 of them side x side.



You don't have to have them in a holder. They can just go right on the ground.

I've also just thrown the ff on the ground for them. They LOVE to scratch around to find it!

PS: A nice effect of this is that if you quit using for the chickens, you still have some nice baking pans

I LOVE this idea! I also really like that you can easily disinfect the Pyrex on occasion. And my word, that planter box is the exact right height for your hens! Awesome. Added to my list of "To Do" before winter!

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: I knew Leahs Mom would answer this

I purchased a few more glass bowls today at the dollar store for the heated water dishes. I saw some glass loaf pans at Goodwill but I was to cheap tto pay $3 for them. I will continue to use my drywall pans. They are a harder plastic so maybe they dont leach as much? And I have to say I love my rubber food bowls I got from the feed store. They are perfect for me who tends to be clutzy and break things

 

[MumsyII]

My husband and I made our mud pan feeders and stand a year ago. I've shared them many times. Here they are again.


I can hose out the remains easily. Most often I let the flock pick them clean.

I drilled holes in the bottom of all of them. Excess liquid drains out easily. Since I feed outdoors, rain water that collects drains out too.