Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[Bens-Hens]

She is totally smitten hahahaha.

We love the look of paint too!

 

[vehve]

Ben, you remind me of Martin Gurdons books (read them if you haven't). I read somewhere about a feather duster wrapping around a chicks neck, so be mindful of that.

Blah, an hours wait to get my pugs registration renewed. And all they need to do is check one minor repair...

 

[vehve]

Oh and Ben, you should build a non tumbling compost yourself, then you get to experience the processes when turning. I haven't named mine yet though... How does Bob the Compost sound?

And the little chirpers look adorable.

 

[joannefiddler]

Congrats on the new arrivals Ben! Alicia is an enabler. That's perfect in this arena! Hope the little ones continue to grow and thrive.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Oh and Ben, you should build a non tumbling compost yourself, then you get to experience the processes when turning. I haven't named mine yet though... How does Bob the Compost sound?

And the little chirpers look adorable.

Felix I have nothing to compost. Even my autumn leaves go into the chook run . When I put a pony in with the coronation they make short work of it.
I sprout barley , it's really very easy and just a little addictive , like all things chicken.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/composting-with-chickens
Oops , short work of the pony poo not the pony.

 

[vehve]

The pug is allowed to endanger traffic safety for another year!

Fancy, we get loads to compost, mainly the chicken poop and bedding. I have a bucket of wheat that couod be sprouted, but with all the grass we get I see no reason yet... maybe in winter.

 

[Fancychooklady]

The pug is allowed to endanger traffic safety for another year!

Fancy, we get loads to compost, mainly the chicken poop and bedding. I have a bucket of wheat that couod be sprouted, but with all the grass we get I see no reason yet... maybe in winter.

Every week I have 4 chaff bags full of coop litter ( poop and hay ) my friends take turns in collecting for their gardens. I have a bed behind the vege patch that I will start wintering down ready for pumpkin seedlings in spring. So I'll use some myself. On the sprouting 1 kg converts into 5 kg in 6-7 days and the chickens love it.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Having a single chick hatch is a great reason to get more! It has worked real well for me in the past . I wish I could find some here less than a few days old that could fool Betty or even slip under another broody - I have four now. I wanted to give Fancy a reward for her participation but I guess it's not going to happen.
A wylkie - yay! I see the little pink toes in the new pic, lol. I'm glad you found it some friends. I have a standard New Hampshire hen. She is the heaviest of all my hens and most of the roosters actually. She's not bigger in size so she must be very solid.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Every week I have 4 chaff bags full of coop litter ( poop and hay ) my friends take turns in collecting for their gardens. I have a bed behind the vege patch that I will start wintering down ready for pumpkin seedlings in spring. So I'll use some myself. On the sprouting 1 kg converts into 5 kg in 6-7 days and the chickens love it.

I sprout red wheat and rye through the winter so mine get fresh greens all winter. Of course in my climate I have to grow it on a tray in the basement window - I use those plastic garden seed starting trays with just a little water and dirt in the bottom. Then I take the whole tray out to them each week. It's devoured in minutes but it seems worth it when I see those bright orange yolks.

 

[vehve]

I sprout red wheat and rye through the winter so mine get fresh greens all winter. Of course in my climate I have to grow it on a tray in the basement window - I use those plastic garden seed starting trays with just a little water and dirt in the bottom. Then I take the whole tray out to them each week. It's devoured in minutes but it seems worth it when I see those bright orange yolks.

I'm planning on doing that in winter. Karin came home with 20kg feed, 20kg progut and 40kg oat today. Seems a bit excessive for 9 chickies...