The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[heartsizedfarm]

Bugs in organic feed?  Acceptable or no?  

Don't get me wrong, my chickens free range and eat plenty of bugs. I'm But I don't think bugs should be in the feed eating up the good stuff potentially leaving the feed unbalanced in nutrients.  

I had my husband return a bag of organic feed because there were bugs throughout it.  It was also a little more green tinged than I expected and the date had been torn off the label tag.  They tried to tell him it was boll weevil season and we wouldn't be able to find feed without bugs if no pesticides had been used.

I called BS and he got our money back.  I doubt if I buy from there again.  My regular source was out.

The bugs didn't even look like the boll weevil pictures I've found online.  We bought organic feed all last summer without bugs.  

I agree with you. Absolutely unacceptable. If you see bugs moving around then you'll also have bug eggs and bug excrement.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I got a bag of whole corn last year from the mill that was full of bugs. Very frustrating. Thankfully I've never had it before or again as I always buy my feed grain there.

If I had gotten it in a bag I would have taken it back like you did. And If I was close to the mill I would have returned this one. In the end I just froze it to kill them and keep from further damage and then ground them right with the grain.

 

[subhanalah]

Bugs in organic feed?  Acceptable or no?  

Don't get me wrong, my chickens free range and eat plenty of bugs. I'm But I don't think bugs should be in the feed eating up the good stuff potentially leaving the feed unbalanced in nutrients.  

I had my husband return a bag of organic feed because there were bugs throughout it.  It was also a little more green tinged than I expected and the date had been torn off the label tag.  They tried to tell him it was boll weevil season and we wouldn't be able to find feed without bugs if no pesticides had been used.

I called BS and he got our money back.  I doubt if I buy from there again.  My regular source was out.

The bugs didn't even look like the boll weevil pictures I've found online.  We bought organic feed all last summer without bugs.  

that feed had spoiled. So glad you didn't feed it to your birds. They poop in it and cause it to mold. I don't know about you, but I don't think bug poop makes a very good chicken feed...though, I'm sure some big industry has tried it!

 

[lazy gardener]

That is beyond deplorable, especially since the company tried to pass it off as normal. The feed was clearly contaminated, and moldy. Moldy feed can kill a chicken very quickly.

 

[ki4got]

well, one less raccoon in the world. fortunately he hadn't got anyone yet. coops were still open as I just got home, much later than planned.

tomorrow's plan is to dispose of the body in a shallow unmarked ditch, and call it road kill.

then I need to re-do the horse trailer-coop. cleaned it out good, all the deep litter is gone (the floor is getting damaged by the moisture) and the nest boxes are all moving up within easier reach for me. I still need to add another cross-perch for the smaller birds to use to get up to the top roosts. I took out the lower ones that never got used and didn't think about the flightless ones (cochins and a silkie) using them as steps to the top.

then I need to figure out how to get the broody mommas to move their youngsters into the trailer so I can have my breeding pens back. they're all free ranging daily and go to bed each night. I just need to teach them where bed is going to be from now on.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@ki4got

I don't think we've ever seen your trailer coop. Could you post a photo or 2?

 

[flagirl]

have had my EE who went broody for only 2 days confined in raised crate for a week now(within the coop). Do you think this is long enough? Last year I tried for over month to break her using other methods and kept her in crate finally for 2 weeks. Because I caught her early this time, was wondering if 1 week was enough-feel sorry for her! But do not want to have to put her back in cage again and start over.

 

[lalaland]

@ki4got

I don't think we've ever seen your trailer coop. Could you post a photo or 2?

x2!

and btw, hay bales work for me as a step up to the roosts for the little icelandic hen I have with the mishappen wings - she is flightless. Bale takes less room than a roost and others use it too now.

 

[ki4got]

@ki4got

I don't think we've ever seen your trailer coop. Could you post a photo or 2?

the trailer itself is a 1976 trail-it with the feed shelf at the front and a tack room in front of the horse section. it's ugly at best, the roof leaks slightly when it rains. I just added a couple roosts and a shelf that was over the nests (on the floor) but I'm moving the nest boxes up to the top of that shelf with a poop board on top. the end I ripped off the rotted ramp, closed it in with a composite board and added a door. nothing fancy.

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
not sure a hay bale would work. there's only roughly 5x6' of floor space to begin with because of the feed shelf at the front.