BYC Café

[Shadrach]

How did you figure out how much commercial feed they eat vs. how much they eat free ranging? 40% in the winter is amazing. Do you know what it is in the summer, too?

I used to weigh their feed before and after. I'm not well.
I don't any more, mainly because I make a mash now and the water content varies day to day.
Some don't eat any commercial feed in the Spring and early summer. Once the ground bakes they eat more commercial feed than they do in the winter. There are a couple of reasons for this.
1) they tend not to lay eggs in the winter so don't eat as much,
2) When the ground is baked there are very few bugs and not a lot of green some years. They head into the woods in very warm weather and dig under all the pine needles and rotting branches.

Well, my view is if we didn't feel bad some of the time we wouldn't know what feeling good felt like.
Not much help am I.

 

[Shadrach]

Morning Cafe or Afternoon, got up really late.
Kinda throws the day off.

I slept through Cillin crowing this morning (he's in the house atm) and most of the alarm as well. Still got up at 7am though in time to get the chickens out when the sun came over the ridge.

 

[DobieLover]

That last one had it's feet straight in the air and stuck a toe in it. Sounded like it was in a shredder and I panicked and yanked him out of the incubator, certain the toe was a goner

Now that kind of thing would never happen under a broody hen...well, except maybe Mommy Dearest, but still. Sheesh. What a welcome into the world.

I slept through Cillin crowing this morning (he's in the house atm)

Are you deaf or were you near death?! I have tinnitus in both ears and there is no way I could sleep through any of my boys crowing in the house.

 

[DobieLover]

I let them out to fart around a little today. They had a fine time trashing the remnants of the wet nest and looked like cast aways stranded on the only island of grass in an ocean of snow.

 

[ronott1]

I should let mine out a bit today. Lots of grass for them to eat!

 

[CLSranch]

My whole 4 acres is so bare from the horses there isn't enough for the chickens. Barely even in the yard where the horses haven't been in 4-5 months.

 

[ronott1]

My whole 4 acres is so bare from the horses there isn't enough for the chickens. Barely even in the yard where the horses haven't been in 4-5 months.

Our yard did not have grass for a couple of years. I have been working on getting it back and so far so good!

 

[CLSranch]

so far so good!

That's good to hear.
I really need another 20 acres. I don't feed round hay about 2 months a year. With more ground I could feed small square hay 2mth a yr. I can't find any lease land near me.
I've got horse math. Although the last to and one on the way is raised here.

 

[CLSranch]

That's another reason the horses get to hit the yard for a couple of days before I mow.

 

[Perris]

I let them out to fart around a little today. They had a fine time trashing the remnants of the wet nest and looked like cast aways stranded on the only island of grass in an ocean of snow.
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You have such pretty flock Tonya; what breed are the two in the middle in the first photo? I just love their plumage.