Do you have chickens?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dancing Creek Farm on October 24, 2008 at 10:30am

hey did you read the thread? I think I posted something.

It takes about 6-8 months. Most of it depends on breed, time of year, etc. there was a discussion that light is a factor when days are shorter. Try putting a light and timer. As for feed.... chicks need chick start. Hens need laying mash. They all need grit so unless they are on dirt to scratch then they need girt. You can feed the, veggies bit if you ever decide to let them loose they will rob your garden and make a mess. I have some loose and just get use to it. But yes, they love all of that. I give them cheap canned pink salmon and sardines I get from the dollar store. I do this every week. I give them parsley and herbs from my garden. Starting sept I give the dogs, pigs and chickens mashed pumpkin with garlic and cod liver oil. In fact I give this to my dogs year around. I heavily dose them with herbs and garlic to help build their immune system. You can give them top grade dog food for protein however I find that salmon and sardines helps the eggs taste better.

You'll get spending under control. They do eat a lot.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Marya on November 29, 2008 at 6:27pm

I used to take my little red wagon down to the veggie market and load it up with all the "trimmings" that markets throw away--squishy tomatoes, outer leaves from lettuce and cabbages, and best of all, buggy vegetables. They were happy to let me take it away. You can put all those veggie trimmings into a wire mesh basket in the run so it doesn't draggle in the dirt and the girls can jump for the goodies. They still need some high-protein food when laying, cracked grain or laying mash, but you can supplement it quite a bit with past-pull-date veggies.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by tara on October 24, 2008 at 11:55am

I have 'girls" ......was wondering if anyone out there has experience mixing rabbits and chickens?
Thanks

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Penelope on October 24, 2008 at 12:41pm

I always kept them separate. Rabbits in small cages up off the ground. Chickens roaming free in daytime, shut up at night while roosting to keep varmints at bay. rabbits can eat a garden up fast if let loose and are inviting prey for dogs, coyotes and other predators.

Also, it's been recommended not to raise other fowl, like turkeys, in the same area as chickens because of different tolerances to diseases. This is hearsay, advice handed down by the ancients . . .

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Clarence on October 26, 2008 at 5:54am

"if anyone out there has experience mixing rabbits and chickens?"....



I have kept a loose rabbit or two in a hen yard....
Domestic rabbits, if allowed the opportunity to dig will create great tunnels. They will spread the dirt around so you will not even know they are digging... reminds me of inmates digging their way out of sing-sing.

I had one rabbit dig a tunnel that was over 20 feet long and tall enough that my hens could walk through it without having to duck their heads much. It took a long time for me to find the tunnel's entrance in the hen yard, which turned out to be about 6 feet back from the fence, under a rabbit hutch... ~:>

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Stuart Millar on January 13, 2009 at 9:17pm

You got a lot of responses to your question Chris, but did you get the chickens??

Considering how popular this discussion was does anyone have any interest in having a group for those who either keep, or have an interest in keeping chickens? Although it's not directly kitchen gardening, keeping chickens is something a lot of us seem to do. If it's all about eating what you produce yourself, you can't get fresher or more local for eggs than your own back yard! Keeping chickens has a lot of tie ins with kitchen gardening: they help your composting, your bug control and are great for feeding excess or damaged veggies to.

I am in the process of putting an addition on to our coop - we have 10 chickens at the moment but 25 more on the way.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dancing Creek Farm on January 14, 2009 at 5:49am

I meant to come by and post this. I started a blog for farming and more. I just posted an article on raising. just go to farmgoddess.com you'll see it right there. please register and post me some comments or questions. I will be posting more video and updates

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chris Bocchino on January 18, 2009 at 5:18pm

Well she finally caved in. After months of convincing my old lady finally caved. I am going to be constructing my chicken coop once I return home from denver in Feb. Going to start out with a small flock of 4 girls. I am going to get 2 Buff Orpingtons for their prolific egg production and 2 Buff Cochins because I think they are the cutest of all the chickens, they don't lay very well but make great "pets" and will add to my compost, plus I think they will be the best for my little one to be around for his first chickens. Hope all is well with everyone and lets hope that groundhog doesn't see his stinking shadow because I am ready to garden...........Chris

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Clarence on January 19, 2009 at 5:28am

"Considering how popular this discussion was does anyone have any interest in having a group for those who either keep, or have an interest in keeping chickens? "

Stuart,

I'll join.

~:>

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chris Bocchino on January 19, 2009 at 6:41am

I'm sure I would frequent it as well as most people here that have them. Prob not a bad idea.............Chris

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Clarence on January 19, 2009 at 7:04am

Chris,

What do we have to do to start a goup?

What should we call it?

"Scratch'n in the dirt"
"chicks in the garden" (naw, this might draw some flak from the wives!)
"coop corner"

I'll have to scour my photos to find a photo to use...

Have you been to feathersite.com or backyardchickens web sites?

~:>clarence

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Penelope on January 19, 2009 at 9:19am

Man! all this chicken talk is giving me episodes of desire and anxiety . . .I simply must push it back . . .

or must I?????

▶ Reply to This

• First
• Previous
• Next
• Last