The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[hoosiercheetah]

my chickens liked it last fall.

I cut all the flowering ends with some leaves this afternoon, and shred it up in the coop. I also threw a couple leaves in each nest box. We'll see how that goes!

 

[chicbaby]

well this is probably really late but the first time i am seeing this but this is what you could try;
you could look at buying organic non gmo grains in bulk instead of feed already made and because non gmo is becoming more popular, if you go online you may find someone or a company closer than you thought or a buying club or even the grocery store. we are fermenting our feed and adding different things in these ways.

 

[Leahs Mom]

well this is probably really late but the first time i am seeing this but this is what you could try;
you could look at buying organic non gmo grains in bulk instead of feed already made and because non gmo is becoming more popular, if you go online you may find someone or a company closer than you thought or a buying club or even the grocery store. we are fermenting our feed and adding different things in these ways.

Could you let us know who you are responding to...that is helpful

 

[chicbaby]

i didnt realize this thread had so many pages! i was respondng to someone who wanted to know some options for non gmo organic feeds without the pricey shipping costs.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

i didnt realize this thread had so many pages! i was respondng to someone who wanted to know some options for non gmo organic feeds without the pricey shipping costs.

You can use the "quote" button at the bottom of any post, and the post to which you are responding will appear at the top of your response.

Like this!

 

[lalaland]

No blood under the roost this morning!

great news!

 

[Leahs Mom]

@lalaland
How's that little one?

 

[lalaland]

well, the little cream legbar chick didn't make it. She just quit eating. Different from any other ill chicken I've had because she had fairly ok droppings right up to the last 12 hours or so, and then it was no droppings. She was at that critical 8-10 week age when I think congenital issues seem to peak. I wasn't able to do a necropsy - I wanted to see if I could decipher anything from her organs.

Less than a mile from me, wolves took a calf and the feds were called in. Trappers got 9 wolves, the biggest at 96 pounds. Also got two coyotes, and a silver fox. The fox was released, the others euthanized. I understand totally but am saddened anyway. Wolf howls are one of the perks of living out here.

Tomorrow I will terrorize the youngest of the flock by mowing INSIDE the run. There's gonna be some squawking and panicing and flying, but it has to be done at least a few times during the summer. I'm a little worried because the two remaining cream legbar chicks have so far refused to venture out of the run and I would prefer they were well out of the way. I've been trying to coax them out of the run for the past week but have been unsucessful, they won't even venture out into the grassy area - probably just too open.

 

[misbhaven]

Are they from your own garden?

I used to do 3-4 bushels of tomatoes, green beans, peaches, applesauce every year but haven't since my kids are gone. I would go to the farmer's market and purchase the fruit and then other local growers for the other items. Never had enough in the garden to do a whole lot from there unfortunately.

I've started dehydrating tomatoes instead of canning or freezing. I actually love eating them dried plain they are so good that way! Haven't done much dehydrating from the garden this year, however. Our tomatoes are mostly still green. Only getting an occasional roma and a few cherrys. Lots on the vines, though.

I have a 45x 50 garden...and well my MIL does the older lady thing plants lots of tomatoes and she eats like 10 a week and gives a couple away, planted like 20 plants..I got 3 walmart bags full to the top this afternoon from hers (i picked them) left her like 20 big ones, and took her 9 green peppers..but I have 40 or so plants of my own all kinds grape, fuzzy yellow ones, purple, striped, Roma's and plain red all heirloom...the beans were all mine still have tons growing, corn I buy for $3 a dozen or almost two dozen for $5 so not worth the space for me to grow..

 

[armorfirelady]

well, the little cream legbar chick didn't make it.  She just quit eating.  Different from any other ill chicken I've had because she had fairly ok droppings right up to the last 12 hours or so, and then it was no droppings.  She was at that critical 8-10 week age when I think congenital issues seem to peak.  I wasn't able to do a necropsy - I wanted to see if I could decipher anything from her organs.  

Less than a mile from me, wolves took a calf and the feds were called in. Trappers got 9 wolves, the biggest at 96 pounds.  Also got two coyotes, and a silver fox.  The fox was released, the others euthanized.  I understand totally but am saddened anyway.  Wolf howls are one of the perks of living out here.

Tomorrow I will terrorize the  youngest of the flock by mowing INSIDE the run.  There's gonna be some squawking and panicing and flying, but it has to be done at least a few times during the summer.  I'm a little worried because the two remaining cream legbar chicks have so far refused to venture out of the run and I would prefer they were well out of the way.  I've been trying to coax them out of the run for the past week but have been unsucessful, they won't even venture out into the grassy area - probably just too open.

I've found with my chicks they just go opposite of me when I mow their area. The big girls follow me a distance. They've learned mowing means bugs. The babies follow them. Of course that's when they are not in the veggie garden. Little stinkers have found a way to fly into the garden and most days I find them in there. They don't know what tomatoes are yet so my ripening ones are safe. They prefer to scratch for bugs and dust bathe under the cuke and pumpkin plants. Big girls just stare at them complaining little stinkers are lucky they are so cute