growing Chicken feed

Awesome news!!! Those sure are lucky chickens to have all that good food to eat. I'm crazy about your coop! Hope the coon stays away too.

I started doing sprouting seeds in jars, the first batch of alfalfa was ready today. I was so excited to give it to them... they took one look and walked away! My husband said I gave it to them too soon after their morning snack of oatmeal, kefir, flax and blueberries. Hope he's right because I have 5 other jars of sprouting seeds started for them and 2 batches of kefir brewing.

My theory on wild life is-- I need to build my pens strong and tight enough to keep the wild animals from breaking in and eating them, the idea of just killing all the predators, is crazy, [after they have eaten my animals] --as soon as I kill the local ones more just move in to the vacant space, I can not hope to kill all the wild animals in Florida [even if I wanted to] so --what is left is just building strong coops and rabbit pens, etc --after that I selectivly kill those with a special problem.
--last month [just down the road] " something" killed a 500 pound sow and carried her over the fence, and ate about 100 lbs of her, the mans dog didn't even bark [so is still alive] -- in the same area 2 people reported seeing a Tiger. [we have a large cat rescue in Citra [ about 100 yds from the kill] who claims nothing has ever goten away] I have not seen that kind of kill, since leaving Grizzly Bear country, - if I start having those type of troubles I would be inclined to shoot some predators, -- but I have saved myself a lot of trouble and loss, by building good pens.
The "new girls" laid 20 eggs yesterday

Raising Chicken Feed, -- Tia [my daughter] fed the girls several wheel barrows of bolted lettuce , --last night when I got home, there was still a pile in the feeder[at least 2 wheel barrow loads] so they have for the first time had more greens then they could eat in a day. when i asked how much she had brought them, she said "lots" she had cleaned out a 25 foot x 5 foot bed. -- my guess is that there is a wheel Barrow load for every 2 feet of bed, --[as the bed was packed tight and about 16 inches tall, -- ] --Happy Chickens--

I am teaching a class at Crones Cradle conserve, on sat, -- [this is the "jest "of it, -- from my hand-out]

Sustainable living


1,[My Base assumption] -- all soil maintenance , and enhancement comes from Manure. Manure comes from plant material. Plants do not make manure, --so –it is necessary to have the plant material digested by something. Plants are digested, by Animals, bacteria, and fungus, --the resulting “manure” is what will feed future generations of plants.

2, - In order to maintain fertility, all plant material, [in the form of manure] must be returned to the soil. – any export of material must be compensated for, by import of material. – or —soil depletion will be the result.

3. When planning a sustainable life style, we need to think in a circle, like the tribal people here used to. Every thing needs to complete the circle. If we have poor soil, organic material will need to be imported. Once the soil is built up and rich enough to grow our food well, we need to make sure it stays that way, by either returning all used plant material [manure] to the soil, or by import to compensate for any export.

4. When adding animals to the food cycle, remember that all the animal waste must be returned to the soil, and also the manure resulting from eating those animals. As long as everything completes the circle, soil fertility will be maintained or enhanced.

Michael Porter [Michael@michaels4gardens.com ]

Interesting ideas. Scarey that a tiger may be on the prowl. Like the cougars weren't enough?

Michael I agree 100%! Take nothing away from your soil.
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Michael, I used to live just outside of St Cloud FL, before it was so congested and crowded. It used to be such a backwater that all our friends A black bear in the area was killing smaller cattle and had to be captured. It was injured and had to be put down. We've been having mountain lion sightings in our area (Van Zandt/Rains Co TX). Odd to think of these creatures expanding their ranges, but they used to be common in this area I understand. There was an article in the newspaper discussing the larger predators and that they are actually increasing in numbers these days for any number of reasons. The younger individuals have to move further and further from home to find their own range. Still, that tiger theory sounds very plasible.

I agree with you about not killing unless absolutely necessary. I don't even mind the odd coyote as long as he is on the other side of my electric fence and stays there. But I'll take an exemption to the feral hogs! Oh and rats, they attract snakes. =P

Best of luck with your class, sounds very interesting.

I like your ideas on sustainable living Michael. It is refreshing to me.. I enjoy your thread and look forward to more of the same.

things are good here, -- 21 eggs today from the new girls, -- set up part of the automatic water system, - have a 50 gal stock tank with a float valve to feed the system, -- I tethered the roosters on sat , everyone is much happier, --including the roosters, -- [no more fighting, and upset hens] removed all but 3 rosters, - will add a few more in a few days, -- males [in general ] can such a pain, --

LOL Uh.. AMEN! LOL

and Congrats on all the eggs! Time to celebrate!

I love this thread, thank you MichaelP! I feel inspired to grow lots of food for the chickens! I planted seed in the chicken run, its been bare since it was built. I put a lot of sand in there during the last year so I don't know if anything will grow there or not.

Our soil is the worst, clay with coal in it. It stays wet & heavy when it rains, or is dry & hard like cement when we need rain. I've used every bit of bedding from the cleaning the coop to try to amend the soil but it's going to take years and years to get it decent just for the areas I plant in. We got a couple inches of snow last night - AURGGH !
I've been feeding the chickens Kefir, it's fun & easy to make and they love it! We had Kefir smoothies for dessert last night too.

Made me realize I should be bringing the donkey manure into town and putting it in the yard. Maybe some grass will grow for a change. He makes plenty of manure. That donkey eats a LOT of Hay! I buy him two large bales and it is gone before I know it. I'm talking LARGE bales too. Poof !

This is what I worry about when putting chicken, or horse manure, in the flower beds or the compost pile... parasites. The compost pile has chicken & horse manure in it. It's been covered all winter with a tarp. I don't think it's kept it warm enough to kill any bugs. I also don't want the chickens digging around in it in case they pick up parasites. When I did the big strip down of the coop, DL method for months, I put it all in a bed that has mostly trees and shrubs, it's out of the fenced area so the chickens and dogs can't get to it. Parasites ick me out.

Thanks AnnieB. I do worm my donkey every 4 or 5 months. He starts looking too thin if I don't. So, yes there must be a problem there. If I bring it in, I'll put it in the front yard where the chickens do not go. I wanted one of those fancy composters you turn. That looked so neat, but I have so many other things to think about. When the compost heats up it's supposed to kill all that stuff.

I had completely forgotten that compost will heat up by itself with little help from the sun. Whew, thanks for that info LFK, I worry about the weirdest things sometimes! I know all animals that eat from the ground eventually get parasites.

Do you think if I added some 7 dust to the compost pile it would help the potential parasite problem, or would it just kill the good nutrients instead?

What parasites? You mean worms from the horses? I don't think they can live outside of the intestines for long...
It is said that they can get parasites from eating worms and snails.. so I just worm them when it becomes a problem.. they love worms, and worms are loaded with protein..

I turn my compost and my girls go nuts in it.. If you kill the organisms with 7 dust, you won't get compost... you'd just get a pile of poop.,LOL That would be my guess. The beauty of compost is the world of organisms that create black gold from poo.. :)

I let my hens decide what they want to eat, and just worm them when they need it.. I think the health benefits they would miss out on from not eating what they want would be worse than the parasites they pick up naturally. Free ranging shouldn't be controlled if you ask me..

I said I worry about weird things LOL. Parasites just gross me out, thats all. I worm the chickens twice a year and also give garlic, pumpkin seeds in between that are supposed to help with worms. I'd rather the compost turn to black gold for all the flowers so I'll let the Girl's know you said it was Ok for them to dig around in it, they'll be so happy LOL.

:) I would say that is a good care regimen. I worry about weird things too.. :) Although I don't think they are weird.. others do. I don't think you are weird.. Just careful.

I just dug up a load of compost from behind the house.. I had those stack-able composters out there that was just left unattended for a couple years and I am just thrilled about it! Funny how dirt can make me so happy.. but it's really old stuff and looks so rich.. I am going to use it in my raised beds for my herbs.. I can just SEE the flavors and nourishment! The only bad part is that dang Bermuda grass got in it... I have to sift it before I use it or I'll be sorry..

It's a beautiful morning here.. I hope I have lavender babiez this am..

Oh, I want some lavender babies. :( Do you know I bid on some lavender araucana large fowl the other day on backyard chicken? I won it but the reserve was not met. Probably a good thing too, because shipping was going to be high.

This is all your fault z.

I use it all and don,t worry about parasites, -- I just add some diatomatious [how-ever youspell it] earth to the feed, -- I have 9 year old chickens who are still laying, -- I take some wormwood, Cloves, and greenhull walnut tincture about every 6 months, and eat lots of fresh garlic, -- I add all the manure , etc, -- to the garden, and only compost the weedy stuff, --

When I am not certain of spelling, I put it in google search and it says.. oh did you mean... when I am wrong. It's a handy tool.

I've never heard of a chicken living to the grand age of 9, let alone still laying! That's amazing, must be all the goodies you plant/feed them.

Seems I have read that chickens can live to be 15 years old. They normally quit laying at age 5. Correct me if I have remembered this wrong.

Could be different breeds live long and lay longer too. Might be worth looking into.

This message was edited Apr 4, 2011 12:14 AM

Beadmom has one that is 9 and still laying! I am almost sure that is the post she put on fb.. I was amazed! I think mine are getting old at 3 LOL

the oldest ones are Road Island White,9+ -- the 8 year olds are Americana, --and Bared Plymoth Rock, the rest are cross-breeds of my own, --then Leghorns, -- and the youngsters are Hy-line Brown, ---all still lay, -

and I got 61 eggs yesterday

I sure hope mine live a long time. Quite a while ago I read an article about older hens being used as Composters. Their coop and run was in the compost area and they happily scratched away all day long. Even though they were no longer laying they were just as valuable for their work at turning over the soil. I'm a happy ending sucker.

got 72 eggs today, --I have found --[that for me]--as long as the hens are healthy they continue to lay, -- once they have stopped, -- they do not live long, -- and that saves me the trouble of trying to decide if I should kill them [and can them] or--not, -- once the pasture set up is working again, -- it will not be so important [$ wise] to get rid of non-producers, -- they can just tag along, and make poop for the garden, -- the ones that die are Gator food, - I don't have to do anything with them except toss them in the pond, -- they are gone in a few hours--

Do all bodies of water in Florida come equipped with alligators?

Are these gators in a pond on your property? Geeze,Michaelp, we'll all need to come visit you, sounds like lots of interesting stuff going on at your place!

I like knowing if there's room old hens can still have a job and a good life.

MichaelP, Now that you are getting more eggs does that mean you have less time to garden and built and maintain things around the place? I mean like it takes time to wash and package all those eggs.. Do you have an outlet for the eggs that you have to make deliveries or do customers come to your place for their eggs. Either way this takes time or no?

Wow! Your egg count is climbing fast.. Your story is like going perfect! I'm happy for you Michael.

It sounds to me as if the way Michael designed his nest boxes that he will not need to do much egg washing.

The eggs are mostly clean, but there are a few dirty ones, and I still get some "floor eggs" that always need washed. but the nest box idea and a dry floor keep the poopy egg thing to a small problem.
I have a market for the eggs, but now that the girls are laying he is getting a little flaky, --hope he keeps his word, -- but My Daughter is adding them to her marketing down at the corner, along with her produce, so a few will go that way. I can deliver them --but it is not going to make any $ that way, --my work time is $25/hr and gas is almost $4/galon, -- the work truck only gets about 11 - or 12 mpg, -- so that wont work very well.
I don't know if all water in Florida has Gators, --but-- one should assume so, before getting near the water, -- if a Gator can run down a deer , us humans can't rely on being quick to get away, -- but --they are great garbage disposals.

Michaelp, from my time living down in Florida: Don't feed 'gators marshmallows! We had a smallish 'gator living in the pond behind the few houses on our little road. Older lady down the road decided it would be cute to start feeding it treats and discovered that this particular 'gator loved marshmallows. She ended up losing a couple of fingers. Felt bad for her, but really--Duh! Also, don't walk your toy poodle along the edges of known 'gator ponds/bodies of water.

I hope you have the best of luck with your egg business. I know, if I were still in Florida and in your area, I'd drive out to buy some. I find I enjoy buying from the actual producer so much more. I think many of use are getting to be that way.

OMG You better not have gone through all that work and expense to have your contact flake on you! Funny, I'm a gazillion miles away, wouldn't know you in a crowd, have no interest whatsoever in your biz, but that makes my blood boil! LOL :) People need to keep their word! If your not gonna do it don't say so! arrgh that gets me mad.

I agree completely with ZZ! - But let's hope the deal is still going to happen.

so far so good as far as sales go, --got 83 eggs yesterday, -- I don,t let the gators see me throw anything in the pond, --and never in the same place, -- if Gators asociate people with food, --then people will be on the menu also, --only had trouble with 1 that came up in the Yard and was acting hungry, he didn't want to go back to the pond when I tried to chase him away [the woman across the pond used to feed them] he got agressive, --so----he was yummy, ---

Mmm Aligator Sauce Picant.

got 94 eggs ,last night, -- they are enjoying all the greens, -- Tia fed them several hundred lbs a day now for the last week, -- [her market garden lettuce bolted, -- [lost about 400] she is feeding all they will clean up, -- they sure like to see her come by, -- they are turning the lettuce back into usable fertilizer, --[ ready to go back into the garden the next day-- it's a perfect system,] --
Gator is great if it is not over cooked, -- as soon as it floats it is done, -- yummm