The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[islandgirl82]

I mix raw eggs in my dog's food every day and that gives me a few extra shells to crush. If you don't have a dog...you could always treat your girls to some scrambled eggs to get those extra shells. I honestly don't buy oyster shell regularly because they get all their own shells back and they do well. I supplement when the the ratio of those laying is exceeded by the number of girls not laying.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I serve oyster shell free choice. I don't know the brand. It comes in a plain brown paper bag with the info printed on the outside.

I also serve eggs back to my birds. I cannot possibly keep up with their production. I hard boil them by the potful and chop everything up with my pizza cutter, mix into their ff ration for the day and serve.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

We use coastal from rural king. It works for us but it is not what is in your picture.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I was getting some from my feed mill too. When I ran out I ended up getting whatever TSC had on the shelf in a 50 lb bag.

Next time I'll probably order some more from the mill.

But...
Maybe it's not the calcium that's an issue...maybe it's just the time of year?

 

[vpatt]

I think mine is MannaPro. Isn't there calcium in layer feed, too.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I think mine is MannaPro. Isn't there calcium in layer feed, too.

there is lots of calcium in layer food. So much so that I won't use it in any pen that has a rooster. Now it makes great duck food and hen food. However too much calcium for males can be a problem for kidneys and hearts.

 

[lazy gardener]

Marigold/calendula is used to deter mice and has many other uses. Great for feeding to your flocks too.

I've found mouse poop on my calendula plants in the garden... so not all mice have read the book about what they like and don't like.

I don't believe in making exceptions, even for people. We're just another animal, after all. I say if God meant us to wear clothes, we'd be born with them.

Adam and Eve started without clothes, and look how they ended up.

I have been known, if I see or *hear* a hawk, to imitate a crow loudly. Within a few minutes usually the hawk leaves and/or a few crows answer the call and patrol the area. Many times they have come to the rescue to harass and chase off arial predators and even occasionally find themselves a mouse to carry off.

Have the men with the white suits come to visit you as well??? My neighbor stands at the end of his driveway and crows back at my rooster. Usually, he has his clothes on, unless it's a real hot day. Then, he's been known to be seen with just a coffee cup and his slippers.

 

[Bulldogma]

I have a few people to say "Thank You" to. You know who you are!

 

[Lacy Blues]

there is lots of calcium in layer food. So much so that I won't use it in any pen that has a rooster. Now it makes great duck food and hen food. However too much calcium for males can be a problem for kidneys and hearts.

I have wondered about that. Most layer rations have a note on the bag with the feeding instructions stating that you need to also supply free choice oyster shell along with the layer formulated ration. That being the case, I have deducted that layer feed is fine for roosters. If it's not enough for a hen, why would we need to also supply oyster shell? Males need calcium too for strong beaks, bones, claws and tendons.

 

[Leahs Mom]

When I had my feed formulated originally (I got it from a feed mill made without soy), I had them do an "all-flock" level of calcium as I had to purchase so much of it at a time that I couldn't justify getting different formulations 300 lbs at a time when I only had such a small flock. So from the beginning of my having chickens, I've always used the same formula from chick to adult.

The chicks and young birds get more protein by adding other items to their diet and there is always free choice calcium source which is usually just the oyster shell or calcarb in some form available. So far it has worked well.

Something that we often don't take into account is that if they are out foraging during the warmer months, the bugs and other items they get have calcium as well. Since we can't control those levels I still think it's good not to go so high on calcium in the "forced ration" that they can't have some control over whether they need more or not. Of course, that assumes that they really will seek out the free-choice source if they need it. If it's really true that they do, it seems like a good plan to let them control that rather than have it in the feed at such a high level that they can't avoid it if it was too much....