Re: Chooks 41Jul 12, 2011 10:09 am Thankyou cmooring for some excellent hints! I am looking forward to recycling kitchen scraps, as I have lots of them from cooking, and my worms are a lazy lot this time of year! Can chooks eat pretty well anything? Do you have to chop larger scraps up for them or are they happy to peck it all apart? Cassie 28/7/11 - Slabbed 15/8/11 - Framed 19/9/11 - LOCKED UP! 6/10/11 - Kitchen in! 11/11/11 - It's all OURS! Pg 12 Follow our build: The Noodle Family - Preston in the Hills Re: Chooks 42Jul 12, 2011 12:00 pm We are seriously considering chooks & we plan to house them around our fruit tree area to keep the weeds down & the trees fertilized. I'm worried that the chickens will attract mice & in turn attract snakes? we have a couple of acres & I know there's snakes out there but i'd prefer not to tempt them! especially as the plan is for my young kids to help tend to the chooks. Should I be concerned?? Building our custom design "Dream Home" Follow my Build - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=46820 Contract Signed - 28/04/11 Siteworks Commenced - 20/06/11 Re: Chooks 44Jul 12, 2011 6:26 pm Cassie - from what I have read the only things chookies can't eat raw are potatoes (including peelings), onions, citrus and avocados. I do blitz up our scraps every morning in my food processor as our birds are only young and they prefer it in smaller pieces than large. They race down the ramp as soon as I open the door to get to the bowl in the run. They also have pellets available all day and night inside the coop but they love the fresh fruit / vegies and scraps. Don't forget they will even eat things like egg shells - good source of calcium. These I make sure are really blitzed as I don't want them to realise eggs taste good for when the time comes for them to lay eggs. Some things are worth waiting for. Re: Chooks 45Jul 12, 2011 10:12 pm ^^^ Our girls get the scraps as is..I do crush the eggshells smaller though. Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: Chooks 46Jul 12, 2011 11:29 pm Same with us. We provide the scraps as is, I tend not to give them eggshells. I put those in the compost along with anything else that gets too old and stinky. As for mice/snakes and rats etc, I'd just suggest, not feeding them right before they go to bed. Early in the morning is better so they've got a chance to eat the majority of it during the day. Combine this with the rule of not feeding them more than they can eat in 10 mins, and it will help ensure that there isn't much left for rodents to feast on. Re: Chooks 48Jul 14, 2011 12:01 pm Brilliant however most people will let it sit and rot before placing onto the garden bed. Something about being too strong and can "burn" plants I think? We got our first egg today!!! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Some things are worth waiting for. Re: Chooks 49Jul 14, 2011 12:04 pm That is a BEAUTIFUL egg Kyton! Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: Chooks 50Jul 14, 2011 12:08 pm What are you going to do with it ... the egg I mean! Has to be something special for this auspicious occasion For info on our build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43093 Built the McLaren by Dechellis - slab down 22 Feb - handover 30 Aug 2011 - and gardens finished 9 Dec 2012!! Re: Chooks 52Jul 14, 2011 12:18 pm Ooohh I love frilly edges ... I bet it was best egg you'd ever had!! For info on our build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43093 Built the McLaren by Dechellis - slab down 22 Feb - handover 30 Aug 2011 - and gardens finished 9 Dec 2012!! Re: Chooks 54Jul 14, 2011 2:08 pm It was a huge source of excitement let me tell you. We had to phone both sets of grandparents to let them know as well as each having their photo taken holding said precious egg. It must have been laid fairly early as it was slightly cold when we got it from the nesting boxes - I actually asked DH if he had "planted" a commercial one from the fridge to give us all a thrill LMAO Some things are worth waiting for. Re: Chooks 55Jul 14, 2011 2:10 pm One of our girls (Ruby) lays first thing inthe morning, whereas the others seem to lay around lunchtime-Ruby is also the leader of the flock and I have wondered if she lets the others lay before her! Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: Chooks 57Jul 14, 2011 2:55 pm Congratulations kyton on your first egg. We have chickens at my school and I have to say, I hate the feel when you pick the egg up out of the nestbox and it is still warm! Makes me want to be sick!! Re: Chooks 59Jul 15, 2011 4:36 pm I'm excited to get our very own chooks when we move. We've just looked after a friends chooks while she was away and DD loved it! Casey + Gary + 5 kool kiddos + 1 funky Frenchie + 5 happy hens = barrels of fun in Muswellbrook |