The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[ki4got]

Quote: i'm a convert! LOL I started for the chicks and one new pullet that was not doing well. then my gimp roo decided he wanted it, and it's spread now so that i'm being mobbed even harder now by my free range bunch than I ever was just for pellets. LOL some of them haven't converted totally, but 6 out of 8 of the bowls i'm putting out are licked clean within minutes... which means I need bigger bowls, i'm sure. but they're also free rangers so they can forage too. LOL

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

So standard feeders, the gravity type, probably won't work with this feed?

Troughs or bowls work. But the feed needs to be put out fresh at least once per day, which will change the habits of your flock if you've been offering food free choice.

You don't want metal that can corrode, especially galvanized. Some people make it work with enamel painted metal. Others use rubber or plastic, others use wood, others use glass.

I'm planning on starting with DIY troughs made from PVC pipe. Maybe later I can nest glass bread pans in the troughs for a more food-safe surface. I have a lot of birds, so how many inches of troughs, placed where, is a question. Also I need to figure out how to ferment in big enough batches. I had thought wine barrel, but it must be stirred/scooped all the way to the bottom. I imagine myself getting stuck upside down in a big barrel while the flock cackles.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: multiple 5 gallon buckets, pour off the extra liquid into a new bucket then feed most of the drained food and add the water back along with any new grains or feed. You can even get a chain going so you know which buckets are older and which are newer if they are not all started on the dame day. Or different buckets could be different feed, starter, grower, meat bird...
As for space if you flock multiple feeders spaced out seems to work better than 1 long feeder for me. A rooster can block off a good 10 inch area of one trough but he had trouble guarding all 5 little troughs that are spaced out. My ducks will maintain a good foot of trough space between the two of them, so now they get their own feeding area. But we make troughs from pallet wood so it is cheap but not long lasting.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

multiple 5 gallon buckets, pour off the extra liquid into a new bucket then feed most of the drained food and add the water back along with any new grains or feed.  You can even get a chain going so you know which buckets are older and which are newer if they are not all started on the dame day.  Or different buckets could be different feed, starter, grower, meat bird...

As for space if you flock multiple feeders spaced out seems to work better than 1 long feeder for me.  A rooster can block off a good 10 inch area of one trough but he had trouble guarding all 5 little troughs that are spaced out.  My ducks will maintain a good foot of trough space between the two of them, so now they get their own feeding area.  But we make troughs from pallet wood so it is cheap but not long lasting.

I'm trying to avoid fermenting in plastic. I have one big glass barrel, and am hoping it will hold enough feed for a day or two, then I'd only need a few of those ...

 

[lalaland]

multiple 5 gallon buckets, pour off the extra liquid into a new bucket then feed most of the drained food and add the water back along with any new grains or feed. You can even get a chain going so you know which buckets are older and which are newer if they are not all started on the dame day. Or different buckets could be different feed, starter, grower, meat bird...
As for space if you flock multiple feeders spaced out seems to work better than 1 long feeder for me. A rooster can block off a good 10 inch area of one trough but he had trouble guarding all 5 little troughs that are spaced out. My ducks will maintain a good foot of trough space between the two of them, so now they get their own feeding area. But we make troughs from pallet wood so it is cheap but not long lasting.

sally, I might have missed it, but could you post a pic of your troughs? metal ones, both new and vintage didn't work for me.

 

[aoxa]

You guys don't even want to know how many buckets I have going... :|

Always a minimum of 6 of the 5 gallons are started, but usually more like 12. I go through at least two a day, usually 2 1/2 buckets.

The feed doesn't even last them 30 minutes each feeding, so I know I'm not over doing it.

The meat kings - they should have been butchered two weeks ago. It's my own fault. Stupid plucker keeps putting it off. The belt was too small, so we are hoping to do it tonight. PLEASE let everything go smoothly.

 

[armorfirelady]

Also I need to figure out how to ferment in big enough batches. I had thought wine barrel, but it must be stirred/scooped all the way to the bottom. I imagine myself getting stuck upside down in a big barrel while the flock cackles.

I know of a few people who use a paint stirrer on the end of their power drill to stir their food in large containers. I know of others who don't stir the big batches at all.

I had a batch outside in an insulated box that was only stirred when I needed to fill the crock inside once a week or so. It was fine

 

[aoxa]

I know of a few people who use a paint stirrer on the end of their power drill to stir their food in large containers. I know of others who don't stir the big batches at all.

I had a batch outside in an insulated box that was only stirred when I needed to fill the crock inside once a week or so. It was fine

Tip on that, be prepared to ruin your drill... The moisture ruined a brand new very expensive drill we purchased. It all rusted and we couldn't get the paint mixer off easily. Once we did, I can't get it back on no matter what I try. :| SO if you use a drill, you'll have to remove the paint mixer and clean it every day.

 

[ki4got]

a random thought just popped into my head. LOL

for those who don't want to keep the ff inside, put an ad on your local freecycle group asking for an old/dead/not working upright freezer or refrigerator. then just install a light bulb inside on a thermostat like an incubator would use (wafer style are inexpensive) and have it kick on/off at a certain temp. then you can leave it outside, open it up to get what you need, close it back up and it'll heat back up to whatever temp and stay there...

and they'd have plenty of room for multiple buckets or jars. you might need to beef up whatever shelves for the heavier buckets tho. but it's a thought.

 

[aoxa]

a random thought just popped into my head. LOL

for those who don't want to keep the ff inside, put an ad on your local freecycle group asking for an old/dead/not working upright freezer or refrigerator. then just install a light bulb inside on a thermostat like an incubator would use (wafer style are inexpensive) and have it kick on/off at a certain temp. then you can leave it outside, open it up to get what you need, close it back up and it'll heat back up to whatever temp and stay there...

and they'd have plenty of room for multiple buckets or jars. you might need to beef up whatever shelves for the heavier buckets tho. but it's a thought.

I want to do something like this to keep dry feed in. I wouldn't use electricity, just for storage. I think it would keep it nice and neat.