The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

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?

Welcome to the thread!!!!



Never use galvanized..if you think plastic is bad..that is hard on the chickens and might cause illness to both.

I made wood feeders and use glass bread pans also. I collect them at rummage sales. I just picked one up today for a quarter.

RIP Cibolo

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

After daily use with FF for an entire year, there is no visible deterioration of the mud pans. I am using two dozen that I've had in the garage for over twenty years. I used to use them for dry feed back in the late 1980's. A year ago I drilled holes in all of them and use them in every pen. The fermented feed I give my flock doesn't last more than a half hour before it's licked clean. None sits in the pans. I found the glass gets a build up of residue that is hard to clean off with out a thourough scrubbing. I don't have time for that. Sometimes I use a long handled brush and give the mud pans a once over but not often. The hose is all I need a couple times a week. I use the black rubber pans for water. I don't disinfect anything except my incubators and brooder in the house. My flock has built up a good tolerance for microbes. I don't vaccinate or medicate for anything. I cull sick birds. My breeding flocks and chicks are very healthy on this routine. I lose a very small percentage.

I miss you..

 

[rowerjen]

your feeding chickens not the Queen of England, glass containers and enameled metal can be found cheap at goodwill, thrift stores and garage sales.

Jockey - so sorry for you loss. My first cat was part Maine coon and there will never be another like him.

 

[Eggcessive]

Jockey, sorry about your maine coon--we have a brother/sister duo, and we really love them. They are more like dogs in many ways.

Justine, congratulations on your big day.

 

[jlynnet]

Jockey, sorry for the loss of your cat. I too lost my 15 yr old cat 2 weeks ago.

I would be afraid glass dishes would break. I'll stick to the black rubber pans.

 

[jockeyeba]

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.

Thank you We got him as a half grown kitten from a shelter after my 14 yr. old cat died,never knew he was going to get that big

 

[jockeyeba]

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

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

Thank you

 

[jockeyeba]

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!

Great ideas! Here's a picture of a wooden trough we had-I put a 2x4 through the middle

 

[jockeyeba]

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

I'm so sorry. I've always wanted a Maine Coon. They are amazing creatures.

Thank you We got him as a half grown kitten, had no idea he'd get so huge

 

[jockeyeba]

Quote:

RIP Cibolo

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

Also wanted to say how sorry for your loss.  Hard to lose a family member. 

Thanks esp. when you've had them for that long

 

[jockeyeba]

I am a skimmer, so hopefully I am not restating something already said, but Chaos, your feeding chickens not the Queen of England, glass containers and enameled metal can be found cheap at goodwill, thrift stores and garage sales.

jockey, sorry for your loss, loosing a pet is always difficult.

Thank you & Goodwill,thrift stores, etc. is where I got most of mine at too + most of my clothes