Quite Simply, Chook Chat

[RichmondHens]

Shopping ........ha ha! I've been waiting for a lull just to get chooks shut up and load up log baskets for the evening, and we've just had horizontal ice balls hammering at the windows, what a racket! I've run out of wheat too, and am trying to cut down on fuel consumption and didn't want to go out to get any more so poor old chooks not only had to deal with crappy day but also no treats. Dead grumpy they were when I went to shut them up.

[petal]

Weather doesn't look quite as bad today, but i have a rotten cold and ache all over- my son was right, you can get ill from being soaked to the skin.

[polo]

Weather has been awful hasn't it. Hens ok but not amused even though they the old wooden greenhouse to shelter in.

Its the rain thats the problem now - we have had so much the garden is like a bog. We are on clay so that doesn't help!

[Nicos]

Wet and windy here too- daft things keep going out and standing in the rain!..they don't like the wind much though- so take shelter when that clicks up a notch or two.

Looks like we have mice or something going into the coop at night so we've set traps outside-be interesting to see what we catch!

I sort of thought at least one of the 18 chooks ( including 2 cockerels would have caught them by now though????)Lazy things

[Nicos]

Darn- nothing caught, but a couple of the little nippes were sprung. Could have been the wind maybe? Will try again tonight.

[bearded bloke]

Went & got some fresh straw today,wandering round the farm to see the new piggies happened across the barley grain store had a word & will be taking a few buckets next visit untreated whole grain chook treats for free,does it get any better

[RichmondHens]

Went & got some fresh straw today,wandering round the farm to see the new piggies happened across the barley grain store had a word & will be taking a few buckets next visit untreated whole grain chook treats for free,does it get any better

You can't feed straight barley to chooks, they lack the enzyme to digest it - sorry to spoil your plans! But you could ask and see if they have wheat instead. I get wheat direct from farms where possible as it is a lot cheaper than the feed merchant.

[petal]

however, you can boil the barley to make it digestible!!

[Nicos]

No idea what I'm on about really- but I kept my pony on a farm which grew barley and had free access to it for my horse.
Apparently it's very 'heating' for horses so best only to be used in very small quantities- and only after pressure cooking it.
If it's more 'heating' than oats then it's probably best used sparingly for chooks
...well that's a gut feeling- have a bit of a google- there are a few in depth papers mentioning feeding barley to hens.

[bearded bloke]

Thanks for the info peeps there must be wheat,the mobile feed mill was there rolling as I left

[bearded bloke]

sorted,now have access to whole grain wheat store AND the rolled wheat silo's

[petal]

I am currently inundated with people wanting turkey poults and ducklings-NOW! its January!!!!????? They are very impatient-!

[Suechooks]

I am currently inundated with people wanting turkey poults and ducklings-NOW! its January!!!!????? They are very impatient-!

Preparing for Christmas?

[Nicos]

I've opened a new thread for your beak BB

[vicky]

Dispatched 3 cockerels this morning. Horrible! Just took the breast and thighs off as they were quite skinny. Will have to sneak them into dinners as my familiy seem to object to eating the pets....