Keeping Roosters Quiet Several times each month I receive letters, emails and phone calls from concerned chicken owners asking how they can keep their roosters quiet. More times than not, they are keeping chickens in urban areas. Many cities around the country ban roosters to prevent nuisance complaints from their citizens, even though there are several ways to keep roosters in urban areas quietly and responsibly. In my opinion, roosters have two main purposes, which they do very well: protect and fertilize. There are many great reasons why people choose to keep backyard chickens in urban areas, but breeding is rarely one of them, so keeping a rooster is not necessary in most cases. On the rare occasions when I did have a rooster or two, I would keep them quietly and responsibly. Overall, I think roosters get a bad rap, but I understand that they are not for everyone.
Meanwhile, in the Gravity Chicken Run… The Gravity Chicken Run is now entering its second winter as one of the gravity-powered (and chicken powered) composting experiments at Milkwood Farm. We’ve made some modifications since last winter, and things are looking good. As with all on-farm experiments, we’re learning as we go. But egg production is good and, as we continue to tweak things, all-round chicken happiness is high. Gravity Chicken Run in Winter 2011… going well, but could use some terracing logs and heaps more mulch. The run in Winter 2012 – log terraces in place to slow the progress of materials and deep litter at about 20cm average depth that is constantly being renewed… The Rawbale Chicken House is working well – keeping the chickens warm and snug while allowing for good airflow. The idea with this chicken run (or straw yard, as it’s become known) is that weekly we dump a wheelbarrow full of straw in at the very top of the run, which over time the chickens scratch down the hill. Here come the chooks to help out…
Clicker Training Chickens When my 10 chicks were a week old, I knew I wanted them to be trained to come to me. Food was the motivator, I knew. I did not want to be calling “chick, chick” all the time or clicking “chk, chk” all the time. I would say in a high, drawn out tone, “dee-lie-laah” each time I brought food. Now, three years later, they still come when I call. When they are obviously full and wary of being locked up when I need to leave in the middle of the day, refusing to step foot in the pen, I have another ploy after they respond to my call and just don’t want to be locked up. Hens just cannot resist the sight of a sprinkle of oats or corn falling, obviously. Only feed them in the pen, even if you are not locking them up. When I got my hens, I read and watched all the clicker training information I could find–fascinating! Another thing–I used a yellow, half cup, tupperware container for their oats.
10 tips to train your hen to lay eggs in her nest box Are you pissed at your cute chubby hens because of their annoying habits? Relax, that is normal for the poultry dwellers. My 10 years experience has lead me to conclude, you may not agree with it but my opinion remains the same – hens love laying eggs everywhere except for the place where they should. When I bought hens for the first time, I went mad almost – they use to lay eggs all over the farm but not their next boxes. It was bothering because most of the eggs used to get wasted as I was not able to locate them or other animals used to break eggs. Are you going through the phase when the hen laid eggs in the garden, trees, hay bales but not their boxes? 1: Place nest boxes in quantity: You must have at least 4 to 5 boxes for a flock of 20 hens – in this way hens would feel comfortable laying eggs in the boxes because of ease. 2: Alluring nest boxes: The nesting boxes must have something that the hen would not to eat or maybe play with. 3: Placement of the box: 5: Limit their movement:
Natural worming-what to feed chickens to help prevent internal parasites worms(graphic pic) My flock is my little family; I mean all my chickens are babies to me. They are so adorable and beloved that I cannot resist if something goes wrong. One fine morning I went to backyard to feed the babies and get the eggs too; I saw two of my fellows looked really tired and lazy. I thought it was because of food or maybe something other and sadly, I did not pay much attention. The next morning I found one of them lifeless; I was startled. I was too late to figure out what went wrong and my mistake cost my baby’s life. Beware of internal parasites: One of the most common poultry ailments include internal parasite infections and in simpler words, worm infections. Types of worms: The most common worms in chicken include: 1) Roundworm: These worms are found in the intestine and look somewhat like threads. ThreadwormsHairworms It is not that the worms instantly affect the chicken as birds manage to stay with the blight; however, this worm infection is contagious. 2) Gapeworms: 3) Tapeworm: Garlic:
Chickens: Killing, Plucking and Eviscera @ foodwaterandfire.ludlowsurvivors.com First, catch yourself a chicken! Next, put your chicken in your killing cone head first.Pull the head out through the end of the cone.And then cut the artery just below the jaw line. And let your bird bleed out until... it has expired. Have your scalding tank between 140° F. and 150° F. Dunk your bird, swishing it around to agitate the water.Between the agitating and the dish detergent I put in the water,the water penetrates to the feather follicles allowing for easier feather removal. A quick dunk in cold water to prevent the skin from tearing when plucked. For $50 a weekend, I rented this plucker. However I've done hundreds of birds by hand (and thousands with a plucker!). A handful of tail feathers. Using the pinning knife to pluck the last few feathers.A table knife works just as well. Next, I cut the head off with a pair of shears. Now, grasp the neck and pull the skin down tightly.Slit the skin on top of the neck from the backbone to the end of the neck. And then cut and discard.
Homemade chicken feed-The ingredients to add in your Diy poultry feed The fact is beyond any question that poultry or chicken farming in particular is a lucrative business. However, if the owner or the keeper lacks diligence than the entire business can turn itself upside down. There are lots of risks associated with poultry and each has to be either overcome or minimized to some extent. The cute little fellows just like infants ask for attention, care and love. This in particular; burdens the responsibility of the farmer to take care of the chicken feed. The health of the poultry must be the utmost concern because chickens are usually prone to lots of diseases and parasitic infections. What do chicken likes to eat? Just like you make sure infants get the right type of food, you have to make sure you treat chickens the same way. This excerpt tells about various kinds of best chicken feed and enlightens you in depth about its benefits. Homemade feed vs commercial feed: What ingredients make a feed essential? Feed green: A complete wholesome feed: You must have:
Hatching chicken eggs naturally under a broody hen I have a vast experience of handling 2 dozen babies at the same time – you must be thinking I have gone crazy, or just looking around; however, this is true. Babies, I am talking about my fluffy, cute and fatty hens here. When it comes to hens all the activities are fun – feeding, bathing but more specifically, I can guarantee hatching chickens is just wow! The artificial incubation is not fun because you do not get to see a different behavior and feel attachment. The excerpt in detail highlights how to hatch chicks naturally under a broody hen. What do you think? Where to find a Broody Hen: Truly, if you want to get chicks that mean you need fertile eggs – it also means you need a rooster. Buff Orpingtons: Any idea, which breeds, is known for its broodiness. Other breeds: Brahmas, Silkies, Australorp, Dark Cornish, Buff Rocks, Turkens, Cuckoo Marans and Bantams are even among those types that easily go for brooding. Signs of brooding: Essentials of a broody box: The hatching process: Day 2: