Organic Chicken Raising! Discussions here!
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big brown horse
Hoof In Mouth
Nope. Freemotion uses an ice chest and couch pillows! Others use their crock pot (might get too hot tho.) and even others use their ovens somehow.Gwen said:
I havn't made it in 15 years, so I'm no expert...but we have tons of experts here.
big brown horse
Hoof In Mouth
By the way Gwen, WELCOME to SS!!!!!
keljonma
Epicurean Goddess
Gwen, this is how I make yogurt. I usually double or triple the yogurt I am making, since I bake with it and we feed it to the flock.Gwen said:
Clean and rinse 4 - 6 quart-sized canning jars with hot water. (I use very hot tap or boiling.) Set aside to drain.
Heat the oven to warm. After it comes to temp, shut off the oven. Put clean jars into oven to stay warm. I also put into the oven 1 kitchen towel per quart jar and 2 extra. Keep the jars in the oven until ready to fill.
Put a clean metal spoon or whisk into a large bowl or pitcher and pour boiling water into the bowl. Dump the water. This helps warm the bowl or pitcher and the stirring implement.
Ingredients:
3 3/4 c very warm water (about 110F)
1 2/3 c dry milk powder
4 T plain yogurt with active cultures
Combine water and milk powder, stirring well. Let it sit a few minutes and stir again to ensure the powder is completely dissolved. Stir in the yogurt. Let it sit a few minutes and stir again to make sure the yogurt is incorporated too.
Take a jar out of the oven and pour the yogurt mixture in, then close the lid. Put the filled, capped jar back into the oven to stay warm while the rest of the jars are filled.
Then after filling the jars with the yogurt starter/milk mixture, I wrap them with the warm towels and put them into one of those hot/cold bags that you can get at your grocer's. (The kind that says it keeps food hot/cold for up to 3 hours.) I put one warm towel on the bottom of the bag, one around each quart jar, and one on top of the jars before I seal up the bag. The large hot/cold bag will hold 4 quart jars.
Then I leave it on my kitchen counter for about 6 to 8 hours, but sometimes, I leave it over night. Most recipes will tell you not to let it sit that long, because the yogurt can become too tart. Since the majority of our homemade yogurt gets used for baking or fed to the chickens, I'm not worried about how tart it gets.
Your homemade yogurt should be thick like store bought yogurt. If there is some whey, you can drain it off and feed it to the chickens. Or you can drain the yogurt and make yogurt cheese. Add herbs and spices for spreadable yumminess.
Some other ways to incubate the yogurt:
1. Set oven to warm and after it has reached temperature, shut the oven off. Place in oven for 6 to 8 hours. Overnight is good too.
2. Pour the yogurt mixture into heated quart-sized Thermos and set in non-drafty area for the incubation period.
3. Place the glass container filled with yogurt mixture in a picnic cooler. Add 2 or 3 jars filled with boiling water to the cooler and shut the cooler lid. After 4 hours, check to see if the boiling water needs replaced and do so if needed. Remove yogurt after 8 hours.
4. Set the glass container filled with yogurt mixture near the wood stove or radiator or hot water tank.
Yogurt will last refrigerated for about 2 weeks.
NOTE: Instead of water and dry milk powder, you can use any milk except an ultrapasturized milk. Warm the milk before adding the yogurt. You may still need to add some dry milk to help thicken the yogurt if not using only dry milk to make the yogurt.
I have a very small flock - 4 laying hens at present, as I lost my rooster and one other hen to the neighbour's dog earlier this year. I feed them organic pellets, at approx. $23 per 50 lbs. This is about twice what the Purina food is, but I just can't say that it is expensive. I mean, I figured this Spring, with 6 chickens, they were going through a 50lb sack every 6 weeks or so - less than $4 a week, 75 cents/week per chicken. And now, in the summer, they are eating even less of the commercial feed as they have so much to nibble on when I let them out to free range. They are allowed out to range every afternoon when I am home. They also get a handful of oatflakes with kefir every morning as a treat, and a scattering of black oil sunflower seeds and scratch grains when I call them back to the run in the evening - less scratch in the summer, more in the winter. They get ACV in their water, and vegetables when I have extra. One thng about the ACV - don't add this to the water in a metal waterer, as the acid can corrode the metal. I found a nice (though expensive) terra cotta waterer that gets a shot of ACV whenever it is filled, though I would have (unhappily) turned to plastic otherwise.
freemotion
Food Guru
Hey, y'all, and Puck-Puck, go ahead and feed that whole wheat.....whole! Whole wheat is a great chicken feed....we can't get it here unless I want to pay $20 for a bag of feed grade (not for human consumption, pretty bad, tiny gnarly grains and lots of discolored grains and rocks and debris!!!) as opposed to the $7.50 I pay for barley, oats, and corn.
Any time a grain is processed, it begins to go rancid. It keeps quite well whole, though, if properly stored. It takes three weeks to switch to whole grains, though, because the birds need to develop crop strength to handle the whole seeds.
My birds battle for the whole feed corn first, then eat the other grains. Those kernels are HUGE! Even the guineas now eat them, although it took months for them, and they still can't handle the bigger grains.
I have six chicks that are now eating cracked corn and whole oats and barley, along with worms and bugs that they catch and I supplement with mashed meat and bones frozen from broth-making. They eat very little of the grain and are growing like weeds. BTW, I never bought chick starter for them. I coarsely ground a bit of the three grains, but they wouldn't touch it. I offered birdseed, a finch mix of mostly broken bits of sunflower seeds, millet, and thistle, and they would eat a little of that. Mama fed them worms and bugs. I fed Mama whole grains, she tried valiantly to get them to eat it, picking up and putting down giant pieces of corn (her favorite!) over and over and over. Now, without mama, they are catching bugs and scratching worms, preferring that to anything I offer. It has been amazing to watch.
For 21 adult birds (six are almost adult, over 3 months now) who free-range in a large area, vegetation needs mowing to give you an idea that they have LOTS of space.....I have been feeding about 1.5 lbs of whole grains per day, maybe 2 lbs if it is really chilly in the morning and the bugs aren't active, or if it is really raining all day. In winter, they will eat about 1/4 lb of grain per bird per day, so about 5 lbs per day. So the free-ranging really takes a chunk off my feed bill. I scatter the grain on the ground and watch them eat, and stop scattering handfuls when they start walking away, maybe toss a couple more for the shy gals who might not have gotten enough or for the youngsters who are still learning.
In my area, a sack of rolled oats from the feed store is basically oats that are slightly crushed, not the oatmeal that we think of as rolled oats. Crimped oats are really squished and steamed, too. But here, rolled oats look almost like whole oats, they are so barely rolled, and still have the husk.
I learned to relax about my feeding program and get very brave about whole grains....feed store employees still tell me I will kill my chickens if I insist on feeding whole grains!!! by reading this site: www.themodernhomestead.us Check out Harvey's article entitled something like "Turning the Grinder Off."
Any time a grain is processed, it begins to go rancid. It keeps quite well whole, though, if properly stored. It takes three weeks to switch to whole grains, though, because the birds need to develop crop strength to handle the whole seeds.
My birds battle for the whole feed corn first, then eat the other grains. Those kernels are HUGE! Even the guineas now eat them, although it took months for them, and they still can't handle the bigger grains.
I have six chicks that are now eating cracked corn and whole oats and barley, along with worms and bugs that they catch and I supplement with mashed meat and bones frozen from broth-making. They eat very little of the grain and are growing like weeds. BTW, I never bought chick starter for them. I coarsely ground a bit of the three grains, but they wouldn't touch it. I offered birdseed, a finch mix of mostly broken bits of sunflower seeds, millet, and thistle, and they would eat a little of that. Mama fed them worms and bugs. I fed Mama whole grains, she tried valiantly to get them to eat it, picking up and putting down giant pieces of corn (her favorite!) over and over and over. Now, without mama, they are catching bugs and scratching worms, preferring that to anything I offer. It has been amazing to watch.
For 21 adult birds (six are almost adult, over 3 months now) who free-range in a large area, vegetation needs mowing to give you an idea that they have LOTS of space.....I have been feeding about 1.5 lbs of whole grains per day, maybe 2 lbs if it is really chilly in the morning and the bugs aren't active, or if it is really raining all day. In winter, they will eat about 1/4 lb of grain per bird per day, so about 5 lbs per day. So the free-ranging really takes a chunk off my feed bill. I scatter the grain on the ground and watch them eat, and stop scattering handfuls when they start walking away, maybe toss a couple more for the shy gals who might not have gotten enough or for the youngsters who are still learning.
In my area, a sack of rolled oats from the feed store is basically oats that are slightly crushed, not the oatmeal that we think of as rolled oats. Crimped oats are really squished and steamed, too. But here, rolled oats look almost like whole oats, they are so barely rolled, and still have the husk.
I learned to relax about my feeding program and get very brave about whole grains....feed store employees still tell me I will kill my chickens if I insist on feeding whole grains!!! by reading this site: www.themodernhomestead.us Check out Harvey's article entitled something like "Turning the Grinder Off."
FarmerDenise
Out to pasture
We don't feed our chickens organic, but try our best to do what we can. We can get organic corn, but I don't like to feed my chickens just corn.
We grow broom corn and millet, which we feed to the critters: rabbit, parakeets and the chickens.
We grow sunflowers to sell the flowers, but many go to seed. We save the best for planting next year, but much of it goes to the chickens and some to the rabbit for an occasional treat. We save and dry the seed heads to save them for the winter wonths. I cut grasses in the winter to have on hand in the summer, when we sometimes run low on greens for the chickens and the rabit. I also save mustard, the chickens like the seeds.
The chickens get kitchen scraps, weeds, overgrown vegies and fruit. They get to free range for a good part of the year.
When I clean up the front yard, the leaves and weeds along with the bugs, get fed to the chickens.
Every year we try to do just a little bit more.
I have fed my chickens acorns, but found that I needed to grind them up for them. They could not eat them whole, but they did eat them unprocessed.
Every year I collect the acorn seeds that fall from the neighbors tree into my front yard. The acorns also get maggots, which the chickens like to eat. So when I dump a bucket for them, even if they don't eat the acorns they get some good protein and I get a funny show.
We grow broom corn and millet, which we feed to the critters: rabbit, parakeets and the chickens.
We grow sunflowers to sell the flowers, but many go to seed. We save the best for planting next year, but much of it goes to the chickens and some to the rabbit for an occasional treat. We save and dry the seed heads to save them for the winter wonths. I cut grasses in the winter to have on hand in the summer, when we sometimes run low on greens for the chickens and the rabit. I also save mustard, the chickens like the seeds.
The chickens get kitchen scraps, weeds, overgrown vegies and fruit. They get to free range for a good part of the year.
When I clean up the front yard, the leaves and weeds along with the bugs, get fed to the chickens.
Every year we try to do just a little bit more.
I have fed my chickens acorns, but found that I needed to grind them up for them. They could not eat them whole, but they did eat them unprocessed.
Every year I collect the acorn seeds that fall from the neighbors tree into my front yard. The acorns also get maggots, which the chickens like to eat. So when I dump a bucket for them, even if they don't eat the acorns they get some good protein and I get a funny show.
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
I don't do organic either, for costs reasons and availability. I'm not as interested in organic as I am as doing things as naturally as possible. I've come to believe that its hard to find any food source that hasn't been tainted with chemicals in some form. Even our own gardens, if we live within 100 yds of a highway....the pollution alone is enough to seep chemicals into our foods.
I feed layer mash, as its cheap and the chickens clean it up better than anything else....I can get 100# for $23 and its from corn and other grains grown locally. Of course, I free range all year and the birds don't get free choice anymore. I feed in the evening to encourage more foraging during the day. I am currently trying to improve on my forage the natural way....by adding grazing stock to encourage better soils and grasses. I have a mixed flock of dual-purpose heavy breeds, mostly heritage breeds.
I don't use any meds or vaccines in my flock or other animals. I use a good dollop of ACV in everyone's water and sometimes I throw in the Basic H. I've never seen worms in my chicken's feces.....actually, it hadn't even occured to me that they could get worms until I read it on the BYC. Our flocks just never had any, so it didn't cross my mind. Of course, every creature has its parasites but I had never heard of chickens with worms in all my life until I joined BYC!
I don't use chemicals on my gardens or orchards either.
My chickens seem to get a pretty varied diet here with the greens, bugs, apples, cow manure and every now and again I'll throw BOSS, crimped oats or cracked corn into their feed. Especially in the winter when their natural variety isn't available.
So, I guess, organic isn't even in my regimen but it would be nice to have a source of organically grown grains. I'm just not into paying more for my chickens to eat than I would pay for myself.
I feed layer mash, as its cheap and the chickens clean it up better than anything else....I can get 100# for $23 and its from corn and other grains grown locally. Of course, I free range all year and the birds don't get free choice anymore. I feed in the evening to encourage more foraging during the day. I am currently trying to improve on my forage the natural way....by adding grazing stock to encourage better soils and grasses. I have a mixed flock of dual-purpose heavy breeds, mostly heritage breeds.
I don't use any meds or vaccines in my flock or other animals. I use a good dollop of ACV in everyone's water and sometimes I throw in the Basic H. I've never seen worms in my chicken's feces.....actually, it hadn't even occured to me that they could get worms until I read it on the BYC. Our flocks just never had any, so it didn't cross my mind. Of course, every creature has its parasites but I had never heard of chickens with worms in all my life until I joined BYC!
I don't use chemicals on my gardens or orchards either.
My chickens seem to get a pretty varied diet here with the greens, bugs, apples, cow manure and every now and again I'll throw BOSS, crimped oats or cracked corn into their feed. Especially in the winter when their natural variety isn't available.
So, I guess, organic isn't even in my regimen but it would be nice to have a source of organically grown grains. I'm just not into paying more for my chickens to eat than I would pay for myself.
keljonma
Epicurean Goddess
This article about adding ACV to your flock's water is good. I personally use white vinegar for cleaning the waterers, not acv. The raw vinegar is better if you are using it for improved health or as a preventative. I don't use the acv in the water every day, more like one week a month.Dace said:
Steamed rolled oats, originally organic, as 1/3 of their total feed. They eat less of the feed/oats/sunflower seeds when they are able to forage. It is fed uncooked. If winter is really bad, I mix some warmed buttermilk or yogurt into the feed mix - so warmed, but not cooked.Dace said:
Louis Pasteur examined garlic's use as an antibacterial back in the 19th century and showed how it killed bacteria under laboratory conditions. Numerous modern studies confirm that garlic has definite antibiotic properties and is effective against many bacteria, fungi and viruses. According to research done at Wright State University, garlic is approximately 1% as potent an antibiotic as penicillin. One significant advantage of garlic is that the body does not seem to build up a resistance to it as it does to many modern antibiotics.Dace said:
We grow our own garlic since we use it as a culinary and medicinal herb.
Sometimes I add garlic powder to the feed. In 1998, Clemson University fed 3% garlic added to chicken feed and found it helped reduce the amount of cholesterol in the egg and masked the odor of fresh manure. (They were testing very large flocks.)
Some research shows that garlic added to the diet may have helped prevent parasites and worms. Crush 7 oz garlic cloves and put them into a stocking or net bag. Leave the stocking to hang in 1 gallon of water for 1 week. This should be the flock's only drinking water during this time. Remove, clean the waterers and refill with fresh water. After 1 week of fresh water, repeat the garlic water treatment for 1 week with fresh garlic. Remove, clean the waterers and refill with fresh water. Wait 3 months before repeating the treatment.
Two cloves of garlic per bird is given as a natural wormer. I feed it crushed in homemade plain yogurt to provide beneficial bacteria. Our flock also loves it in low-fat low-sodium cottage cheese. I used to do this once a week. More recently, it is more like once or twice a month.
I have not had any of these problems with our flock, so haven't tested any of the following, but maybe I didn't have these problems because I was already feeding garlic to the flock.
Garlic is beneficial, but is an intermittent-use type herb. Moderation is the key. Do not give your flock crushed garlic plus powdered garlic plus garlic in the waterers all at the same time. Do not continue to use garlic on a daily basis for an extended period of time. Garlic is not recommended for animals with pre-existing anemic conditions.
We use our flock's eggs. We also sell the eggs and currently have 5 regular customers (14 hens). In 3 years, we have never had any complaint of the eggs tasting like garlic.
This was maybe more than you wanted, Dace!
Lady Henevere
Lovin' The Homestead
Hi, all. I'm also here from BYC. Any suggestions on chickens' favorite garden plants? Mine seem to love to nibble straight from the garden when they are out of their run (squash leaves are a big favorite), but when I pick something and toss it into the run they have no interest. If anyone has suggestions about what greens chickens like to eat after they have been picked, it would be appreciated. Thanks!
