The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[RedRidge]

Wow. .. Can't believe no one has mentioned Rhode Island Reds or hatchery Reds.

I've had a lot of different breeds over the years and now have only RIR and Rhodebars. Yoy simply can't beat them for laying and carcass.

My Barred Rocks outlay the RIRs I've had in the past. Also carcass was quite similar.

I found the Reds more bossy. 

I haven't had Production Reds, so can't comment on them.

Oh see, now mine are just the opposite. .. I haven't found anything that will outlay the Reds but more importantly i have never found any chickens as sweet as my Heritage Rhode Islands. The hens are so sweet and calm and the roos are just big babies. .. I never have to worry about turning my back on them. Now the production (hatchery) Rhode Island roos I've had... Now that's a different story - they are mean!

 

[Shan30]

I was discussing this with my husband last night and a few posts on here reminded me of it.

I am wondering if anyone has a good idea about what could be planted to feed chickens as their staple diet combined with foraging. Something that could be grown without any grow lights, hydroponics, etc. either out side or in a greenhouse and that could be grown in sufficient quantities to feed through the winter.

Any ideas? Not about to do this by the way, just wondered if it was possible!

 

[NikonD2xer]

Oh see, now mine are just the opposite. .. I haven't found anything that will outlay the Reds but more importantly i have never found any chickens as sweet as my Heritage Rhode Islands. The hens are so sweet and calm and the roos are just big babies. .. I never have to worry about turning my back on them. Now the production (hatchery) Rhode Island roos I've had... Now that's a different story - they are mean!

I second that on the Heritage RIR. Mine are so gentle. There is not one of mine that can't be walked up to and picked and held, including the roosters. My 2 1/2 nephew feeds them out of his hand and holds the big rooster when ever he can. My hatchery birds are gone the day after they quit laying. I will never buy from a hatchery again.

 

[lalaland]

I was discussing this with my husband last night and a few posts on here reminded me of it.

I am wondering if anyone has a good idea about what could be planted to feed chickens as their staple diet combined with foraging. Something that could be grown without any grow lights, hydroponics, etc. either out side or in a greenhouse and that could be grown in sufficient quantities to feed through the winter.

Any ideas? Not about to do this by the way, just wondered if it was possible!

Shan, I'm trying seed sprouting/fodder - seems so simple. Leahs Mom and Kassundra do it a little more large scale than me - but just sprouting seeds and giving them to the flock is simple and easy. Lots of stuff out there, and you can search on this thread for more info. Best thing, you can do it in the winter when there isn't a lot to forage (or nothing if you live on a frozen tundra)

 

[Leahs Mom]

Wow - lots of good posts today!

On the ground predators, I want to add that if you have your birds locked inside at night in a secure coop you don't really need to worry about them much. Even though mine are locked inside, I keep traps set for meat-eating predators all the time. Raccoons, possums, etc. The first year I caught 15 raccoons, 3 raccoon children, and 4 possums within 2 months time. That kind-of cleared things out for awhile and now I only catch one now and then.

For occasions that I'm gone and one of the kiddos might miss the door, I like to have things as thinned out as possible.


For me, I'm most concerned about DAY PREDITORS - neighborhood dogs and hawks. The electronet works wonders for the dogs and hawks...well that's the worst dilemma in my opinion.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
And if you have covered green house you can raise worms year-round. I love this idea:


Quote:

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I was discussing this with my husband last night and a few posts on here reminded me of it.

I am wondering if anyone has a good idea about what could be planted to feed chickens as their staple diet combined with foraging. Something that could be grown without any grow lights, hydroponics, etc. either out side or in a greenhouse and that could be grown in sufficient quantities to feed through the winter.

Any ideas? Not about to do this by the way, just wondered if it was possible!

A couple of us have a thread going about growing stuff that covers a lot of this ... the thread title is: Developing the grass in your yard for increasing free ranging nutrition ... It starts with grass but discusses other plants and "enrichments."

 

[Shan30]

A couple of us have a thread going about growing stuff that covers a lot of this ... the thread title is: Developing the grass in your yard for increasing free ranging nutrition ... It starts with grass but discusses other plants and "enrichments."

Thank you, I'll take a look!

Leahs Mom, really interesting idea with the worms. My greenhouse is small but I might be able to get something going. I've always wanted to try fodder but because it requires electrical to run the pumps, it won't work for me. I think I may try something similar but in shallow trays of dirt to retain the moisture and insulate the seeds from temperature fluctuations.

 

[lazy gardener]

Sprouting is easier than fodder. Pumps are not required for fodder unless you're growing a huge amount. How many chickens are you feeding? I grow my sprouts in a 1 qt canning jar with a screen cut to fit inside the jar ring. Soak the seeds for a few hours, then rinse twice a day. It can't get any easier than that! And they love them. I grow a mix of BOSS, lentils, wheat, and barley. It takes 3 - 5 days, depending on how big you want the sprouts to get.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I'm using Kassaundra's burlap bag method. Easy, Easy, Easy

Of course, this isn't foraging...Wish I lived in a warm year-round climate where they could go get their own!