The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[COChix]

I think if you put old bedding over seedlings trying to grow, you will burn them with the nitrogen.  That kind of thing should be mixed into the soil in the fall or composted before putting on anything growing.  Or if your stuff is down to dust, a light sprinkling might be ok.

How about regular white dutch clover?  They'll love it.

Sorry I should have made my statement more clear, we have a compost pile been sitting out since last summer that is nothing but old straw and poop. We have been spraying with LAB and turning, should be good for spring soon.

Thanks for the clover idea, will read up on white clover.

 

[Kikiriki]

I have been compiling things I find in research. Not all the links go to full articles, but will show only abstracts. I do try to find supporting info, and I don't track the ones for plants that are going to be impossible to find. I list by the problem, followed by the link to the research, followed by the common name of the plant. Then if any supporting documents apply, those links come next, followed by a brief description.

 

Thank you thank you.

That was copied and placed into my arsenal.  I'll check out everything on there a little later.

Thank you thank you.

That was copied and placed into my arsenal.  I'll check out everything on there a little later.

X2

Just found this, which has a nice chart and includes things we are all likely to have on hand, like cinnamon, clove...
http://www.researchgate.net/profile...NIMAL_FEED/links/548920650cf268d28f09034e.pdf

 

[COChix]

I have been adding whole wheat to feed: what they have not eaten is now sprouting...my chickens have wheat grass! Wheat only takes a couple of days to sprout, too: just add water!

The green is just sprouted wheat. Annie Oakleaf wanted to be in the picture! They already ate much of since this morning...

I have a bunch of wheat grass seeds, thanks for the suggestion. I was gonna sprout and feed to the gang. I was wondering if it would just be wise to toss some in my ferment buckets and then mix with feed?

 

[COChix]

Just found this, which has a nice chart and includes things we are all likely to have on hand, like cinnamon, clove...
http://www.researchgate.net/profile...NIMAL_FEED/links/548920650cf268d28f09034e.pdf

Thank you, love these types of articles. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Kikiriki]

I have been adding whole wheat to feed: what they have not eaten is now sprouting...my chickens have wheat grass! Wheat only takes a couple of days to sprout, too: just add water!
The green is just sprouted wheat. Annie Oakleaf wanted to be in the picture! They already ate much of since this morning...

I have a bunch of wheat grass seeds, thanks for the suggestion. I was gonna sprout and feed to the gang. I was wondering if it would just be wise to toss some in my ferment buckets and then mix with feed?

Is there any reason you can't do some of both?

One plant should produce 122 seeds... I want to try to let some grow to the finish, though with Florida I never know what will be successful or not...we are prone to mildews and fungal problems due to the humidity, and it has already been really hot and humid. Even my mustard plant is already going to seed...it lasted all summer last year.

PS I bought a 20 lb bag for less than $1 a lb at the feed store. It may not have been grown organically, but I grow organic...

 

[Lacy Blues]

I have a bunch of wheat grass seeds, thanks for the suggestion. I was gonna sprout and feed to the gang. I was wondering if it would just be wise to toss some in my ferment buckets and then mix with feed?

I do. I sprout 4 or 5 different seeds for sprouts and mix them into the fermented feed right before serving. They love them!

 

[Kassaundra]

I have a brinsea, the octo 20. Love the ease of turning by turning the whole bator, the temps are rock solid. I have a horrible shrink wrap problem w/ mine, but others on the brinsea thread don't seem to.

 

[COChix]

Is there any reason you can't do some of both?

One plant should produce 122 seeds... I want to try to let some grow to the finish, though with Florida I never know what will be successful or not...we are prone to mildews and fungal problems due to the humidity, and it has already been really hot and humid. Even my mustard plant is already going to seed...it lasted all summer last year.

PS I bought a 20 lb bag for less than $1 a lb at the feed store. It may not have been grown organically, but I grow organic...

wow that is a lot of seeds. We will have to see what we can figure out.

I do.  I sprout 4 or 5 different seeds for sprouts and mix them into the fermented feed right before serving.  They love them!

nice, what types of seeds are you sprouting? I have some mung beans, wheat grss, alfalfa sprouts, peas and I don't remember what else. I am going to try this.

So I attempted candling all 42 eggs and it is hard to tell how I am doing since this is my first attempt at incubation and hatching. Pretty amazing, I saw movement in a couple while I was candling. Most of the EE eggs are hard to see much if at all. Some air cells look larger than others for this stage of the game, there are some clears and I left everything in the bator until candling this next week.

Of course now that I would like a broody none of the girls are cooperating.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I sprout BOSS, wheat, milo, barley and sometimes oats, if I can get them to do their thing... they're difficult.

 

[COChix]

Yep I do BOSS and Barley...Barley is hard to get to sprout and BOSS as well. It takes a few days to get it going.