The Old Folks Home

[chickisoup]

Couldn't you just keep them in pots and bring them in for the winter?

I need multiples as mine are all grown in my certified organic garden. I process herbs both in my dehydrators and freezings, mostly for my own and family members and sell fresh herbs locally in summer. I need to start enough cuttings in fall to have the number of new plants I need in spring. I'm a bit of an amateur botanist so some of my plants are ones I developed myself many years ago to grow basically where they are not supposed to such as my French Tarragon.

The problem I also have with just digging up and bringing in mature plants into the house is our climate which makes it difficult to maintain proper growing conditions inside the house (short daylight, dry air, etc.) I've always dreamed of having a "sunroom" connected to the house where I could set up proper lighting and environmental controls but, sigh.

 

[microchick]

@getaclue, I really need to pick up either a bag of feather fixer or manna pro for the standards. My one bantam cockerel that molted is really having an easy molt but those BO and Wellys really know how to get it done fast.

I've been feeding extra protein, scrambled egg etc. This morning they got a few handfuls of cat kibble thrown in with their morning 'treat' of BOSS, scratch and a little extra cracked corn. I'm trying to keep things balanced out with them so the BOs do not get too fat. It's like setting out an all you can eat chocolate buffet at a weight watchers meeting for them though. So they get regular crumbles and mash mixed with with their morning treat. They know when they see me in the morning that there's going to be three cups of 'motivation' in their treat feeder and once that is gone they are on their own and only get their game bird finisher to eat for the rest of the day.

Maybe the extra protein I've been giving them has kicked in with her.

As for cracked corn. I only feed it in the winter. Very low amounts. never as an Only diet. That makes me shudder. My dad always told me (he was a member of the US Army Equestrian Show Team back pre WWII) to feed a little corn to my horses in the winter to help them 'keep warm' but not to over do it. He had no scientific background to his advice. He just did what they did in the army and my horses were healthy and never stressed over the winter months.

I think it's a matter of personal preference and experience when it comes to what and how we feed our birds. What works one won't necessarily work for another. There is no black and white but lots of grey shades when it comes to feeding flocks.

 

[chickisoup]

@getaclue, I really need to pick up either a bag of feather fixer or manna pro for the standards. My one bantam cockerel that molted is really having an easy molt but those BO and Wellys really know how to get it done fast.

I've been feeding extra protein, scrambled egg etc. This morning they got a few handfuls of cat kibble thrown in with their morning 'treat' of BOSS, scratch and a little extra cracked corn. I'm trying to keep things balanced out with them so the BOs do not get too fat. It's like setting out an all you can eat chocolate buffet at a weight watchers meeting for them though. So they get regular crumbles and mash mixed with with their morning treat. They know when they see me in the morning that there's going to be three cups of 'motivation' in their treat feeder and once that is gone they are on their own and only get their game bird finisher to eat for the rest of the day.

Maybe the extra protein I've been giving them has kicked in with her.

As for cracked corn. I only feed it in the winter. Very low amounts. never as an Only diet. That makes me shudder. My dad always told me (he was a member of the US Army Equestrian Show Team back pre WWII) to feed a little corn to my horses in the winter to help them 'keep warm' but not to over do it. He had no scientific background to his advice. He just did what they did in the army and my horses were healthy and never stressed over the winter months.

I think it's a matter of personal preference and experience when it comes to what and how we feed our birds. What works one won't necessarily work for another. There is no black and white but lots of grey shades when it comes to feeding flocks.

Completely agree on there not being a "one size fits all" when it comes everyone's flocks. What I need to feed in winter up here would never work for what someone in Florida needs for winter for their birds and vice versa. Region, breeds, bantam or standard, runs or free range, a little of each, all effect what dictates the nutritional needs. I wish more of backyard poultry keeping books written for newbies (and those FB blogs) would emphasize that more instead of so much "you must do it this way" to folks that are just starting out. It would save so much heartbreak for the keepers and better lives for the birds.

 

[Alaskan]

Guess what isn't fixed

Good grief!

View attachment 1180962

super funny

We are having great weather. The chickens are loving it. Not too hot, and it cools down at night.

View attachment 1181055

oooooooh, central Florida huh???

I, um...never got anything started OR planted outside this year.
It was my intent...but my fairies and gnomes went on strike.

That has frustrated me no end!!! I keep leaving things out for the cleaning fairies to take care of, and yet they NEVER show up! !

 

[Alaskan]

oh weather. .. we are now in the 20s...debating on if we should start up heat.

 

[CapricornFarm]

There would be no debate on that here! Fire it up!

 

[microchick]

oh weather. .. we are now in the 20s...debating on if we should start up heat.

Huh? Really? Whow!

It's 44 degrees here today. Brisk wind. Just raw feeling outside. Inside it's toasty 77 degrees with a small fire burning in the wood stove.

I need to venture out with buckets in hand and wrangle up some sand. I have 5 nest boxes in the bantam coop. Naturally they only use one or two of them regularly. I have the sudden flash and decided to empty out one of the boxes and fill it with sand so the little ones had a place to get a good dust bath over the winter months.

Hope they appreciate me humping sand up from the ravine behind the house.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Being chickens they might enjoy it but probably not appreciate it. What a good chicken keeper! I dumped some ash in the corner of the run, need to add sand too.

 

[microchick]

Thanx @CapricornFarm. I've got plenty of ash, LOL. I need to dump a cup in with the sand or 7 dust one of the two.

 

[Alaskan]

There would be no debate on that here! Fire it up!

I was asking the kids to vote if we should start heating or not. The votes were split, some for and some against.

We might just wait until there is risk of pipes bursting. So much less work...and then the wood we have might last all winter....

Being chickens they might enjoy it but probably not appreciate it. What a good chicken keeper! I dumped some ash in the corner of the run, need to add sand too.

make sure you dump the ash where it will not get wet. Ash is great, but needs to stay dry.