The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Whoops...forgot to add...

At this point there aren't any "hoops" to jump through when growing non-GMO grains. Just have to have receipts that you purchased non-GMO (conventional) seed rather than GMO.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@lalaland

Bee update!!!!

Going to populate a top bar hive and found a guy that has the best, treatment-free bees in our area that I'm going to get a split from to populate a horizontal Langstroth hive. The nuc he does will be some of the best bees in our area. He doesn't feed sugar/syrup, etc., leaves honey for his hives to over-winter, etc. I started purchasing his honey a few months ago and the first time I tasted it I realized that I had probably never had real honey before (from bees not feed junk food and not had any chemical input in the hives).

Anyhow, husband if going to build the long langstroth hive from the plans here with a few variations http://horizontalhive.com/how-to-build/long-langstroth-plans.shtml

If you're interested in learning about horizontal hives, I'd highly recommend his book. It was the best education and understanding I've gotten so far on the subject. After I read it I felt like I understood the management of horizontal better than ever. Very practical reading, though I'm not going to do double deep frames. I like the idea of the long Lang because I can use standard frames. My intention is to use them with no foundation (like the top bar) but it will be easier to handle/work with and will be able to use standard sized equipment purchase nucs, etc.

 

[Jewelwing]

Some of the non-gmo is sprayed I am sure...however why would you grow non-gmo's then spray it ....it takes years of jumping through legal hoops and not spraying to become organic certified. In the mean time they sell it as non-gmo... also the Amish and Mennonites do not bother with certification and grow non-gmo
congrats on the babies!

I'm sure you're right that some "non-GMO" labeled food is just organic waiting for the years it takes to be certified as organic, but the vast majority is just conventional and staying away from GMO because of public perception that genetically modified foods are bad for you for some other reason than the amount of herbicide that can be dumped on them.

Since there's no way to tell which non-GMO producers are on their way to becoming certified organic and which ones are just capitalizing on the public's fear of GMOs, it's the safest bet to assume that it's all conventionally raised and treat it like it's been sprayed with tons of chemical pesticides and herbicides with not thought to being organic. So, yes, better than a feed that's not labeled non-GMO, but not ideal by any means.

I bet you're totally right about the Amish and Mennonites. I've thought for a couple of years that I should go ask around for some chicken feed from them. I just haven't gotten around to it, partly because I'm not sure where to start asking. I wonder about their formulations, too, since I don't really want to hassle with mixing my own feed. But you remind me that I should at least look into it.

 

[Molpet]

Whoops...forgot to add...

At this point there aren't any "hoops" to jump through when growing non-GMO grains. Just have to have receipts that you purchased non-GMO (conventional) seed rather than GMO.

correct.. it is the organic certification that a lot of small farmers do not want to jump through hoops.
How Do I Get Certified Organic?

To become certified, you must apply to a USDA-accredited certifying agent (link to ACA page). They will ask you for information, including:

• A detailed description of the operation to be certified.
• A history of substances applied to land during the previous three years.
• The organic products grown, raised, or processed.
• A written Organic System Plan describing the practices and substances to be used.

Organic Certification Process:

• Producer or handler adopts organic practices; submits application and fees to certifying agent
• Certifying agent reviews applications to verify that practices comply with USDA organic regulations
• Inspector conducts an on-site inspection of the applicant’s operation
• Certifying agent reviews the application and the inspector’s report to determine if the applicant complies with the USDA organic regulations
• Certifying agent issues organic certificate

Annual Recertification Process:

• Producer or handler provides annual update to certifying agent
• Inspector conducts an on-site inspection of the applicant’s operation
• Certifying agent reviews the application and the inspector’s report to determine if the applicant still complies with the USDA organic regulations
• Certifying agent issues organic certificate
• https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/organic-certification/faq-becoming-certified

 

[Leahs Mom]

This is why I purchase organic

 

[All Ball]

Thanks for all the thoughts on the broody.  Y'all have me almost convinced to try cochins or bantam cochins

Hi Leah's Mom and others, I am a lurker on this wonderful thread and am way behind - but just wanted to put in a good word for BCMs as broodies. My girl has only one feather per ankle that she wears off through foraging. I can generally make her go broody by letting eggs pile up. She did a fantastic job this past summer sitting on a dozen fertile eggs I bought and raising and free ranging the resulting 9 chicks.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thank you @All Ball !

 

[slordaz]

Barred rocks so far have been the best outta my mixed flock but the buff orpingtons aren't far behind. Once the barred went broody though everyone decided that was the thing to do and it's crazy even the leghorns are thinking about it

 

[galefrances]

Hi everyone. I've been a lurker on and off for years and it's nice to see some familiar faces still here. Well, it seems I've run into a few problems I was hoping you could all help me with.

1. The above pictures are of one of my older hen egg.. She's 4 yrs old now and still lays regular although she stopped laying through the winter this past year. I've never seen an egg like this. Seems she struggled by the looks of the outside shell. The inside had what looked like a blood spot near the top end, but I rinsed that out when I cleaned the shell. I think that little wormlike piece is in fact a piece of tissue, at least that's what I'm hoping. Can anyone identify this?

2. This is the first year I have a rooster. After a cull leaving me with 4 hens, I added 6 chicks, mixed breeds from a hatchery. I had to cull one. I brooded them without a problem and integrated them into my original flock of 4. I thought things went well. Then I realized I had a cockerel, that my DH insisted on keeping. He's turned out to be a good roo, respectful and polite with his girls. The problem: the roo will have nothing to do with the older hens and he will chase them away if they happen to get too close. I have essentially two separate flocks. The young hens are with the roo, the older hens keep to themselves. They have plenty of room in their coop and run and I now free range so no problem there. What concerns me is the roo only has 4 hens to service and I notice that the one has lost the feathers on her back. She's a smaller hen compared to the others and he's a big boy. He tends to have a problem keeping his balance on her. So what do I do? Should I add more girls for him to even out the ratio? Or just leave well enough alone?

I'm sorry I'm a bit long winded. BTW I really loved seeing the pics of your set ups. Maybe I can convince my DH to redesign our coop. Thanks for listening and any help you can give, I'd really appreciate.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's a normal messy egg from an older hen. The chunks are just tissue from the lining, the inconsistent shell color is probably from a shell gland that old, she's just like the rest of us, the older you get the leases things work right, most of my hens quit laying around 5-6 years old. But that's all just my thoughts.

In my multi-generational flock groups stick together, those raised together bond. I have never seen any roosters mate my oldest birds though they all respect them and get out of the way. My oldest hens are 8 and my oldest rooster is 5.

A couple of us shared our set ups a couple pages back, so have a look.