What did you have to learn the hard way? (management stuff)

[Year of the Rooster]

Never underestimate your chickens.... No matter how dumb they may seem at times.

My little SebrightxBA mixed chick actually stood up to my EE hen

Hackles flared and everything! Such a cocky little fella.. definitely has Sebright blood in him

Luckily mom stepped in before things got worse, though I don't think the EE would've hurt him. Just chase him to show who's the boss lol

 

[toletiquesbysam]

Quote:
What do you mean? I bake potatoes for my cheekens all the time..I don't give them the peel, though. Can potatoes hurt them? They go crazy when I bring out a cold baked tater.

I give mine the peels?? Never have a problem??

 

[OutInTheStiks]

I have learned that if I see a flashy breed that I really like the look of, it is most likely flighty, anti-social, a poor layer and non-setter.

Chicken poop will not fall through 1/4" x 1/4" hardwire cloth.

 

[foweler]

I learned that even a patron saint has her breaking point last Saturday when my wife discovered all of her new plants either eaten or dug up and tossed aside.

 

[wing it]

just how patient my girlfriend really is

 

[Capone]

i should have went with a sand run instead of top soil. it rained 9 inches in july and what a stinky mess it was. im now digging out 12 inches of stinky top soil to make room for gravel and sand.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Quote:
What do you mean? I bake potatoes for my cheekens all the time..I don't give them the peel, though. Can potatoes hurt them? They go crazy when I bring out a cold baked tater.

I give mine the peels?? Never have a problem??

I have definitely read that raw potatoes are toxic to chickens so I avoid raw but not cooked. That being said, they dug up and ate a few in my garden a few weeks ago and they seem just fine. I'm going to continue to try hard to keep them out of there however because it's my understanding, and this initial story would support, that it's not a good idea.....

 

[crazyhen]

The irish potato skins can turn green. When this happens a poison is formed. the poison is sort of like cyanide. No potato skins.!! If they dug them in the garden then they were probably covered with soil and had not yet turned from light hitting them. The foliage is also poison. Gloria Jean

 

[Feathered Wings]

Through the years i have learned.

Hawks love chickens

Owls love chickens

Snakes can climb trees

"Quarantine" new comers

Learn what you need for a certain breed of bird or fowl before you buy them

Always have medical supplies and medicines handy

Never buy or hatch more than you have room for or can afford to feed

You can never have to much coop space

Learn all you can and even then keep reading and learning because something new is always being discovered.

No matter what advice you give sometimes people just want to hear what they want to hear.

 

[kathyinmo]

Keep chickens out of the compost pile, spoiled or wet feed/water, mud puddles or standing water or a pond, decaying vegetation including lawn clippings in water, kitchen scraps (rotted), any toxin run off - (toxins used, lawn watered, water drunk), canned goods, soured grains, under pens where manure is, maggots (even near flower pots), anything at all decaying, mildew, fungus of any kind
because they can get botulism there! (As in this thread....)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=219553