Monday, December 2, 2013

Predator

I lost another hen the other day, she had her neck broken and the skin had been sliced open. After investigating and doing some research I am pretty sure that the culprit is a weasel, I'm now wondering if the other hen that  died had been injured by the weasel. Another sign is that my dominant rooster 'Uther' had his comb injured. Weasels like to go for the head and comb. So far I haven't caught it, but I have set up a motion detector light to ward off night attacks. I will keep you updated on this situation. I will try to do my blog posts more regularly I've been sick again but I think I'm nearly better. Well keep visiting, and Happy late Thanksgiving.

Chickenman

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Predators

 It is inevitable that you will have a loss in your flock at some point, just the other day I lost a Rhode Island Red hen to the cold. I'm not sure if she was too weak and got sick from the cold or not. I'm doing my best to avoid any more chickens from freezing now. You have good years where you don't lose any chickens. Last year I didn't lose any chicken, but then there are years like I've had this year where you lose a few. I've had 4 chickens die from various things this year, but with each loss you also learn how to be better prepared to help the chicken next time.

Now lets get off this sad topic, its nearly Thanksgiving, a time to celebrate the brave pilgrims, who sailed across the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower, so they could serve God, and it is also a time to give thanks for our many blessings.

                                                              Keep visiting and Happy Thanksgiving

Chickenman

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Getting Cold Soon

Hey I just wanted to throw a friendly reminder that it's going to be getting cold for most of us soon. I'm sorry that I've been late on the posts, I've been sick for a few weeks. I will try to do a few posts soon. So here is whats coming up.
A post on winter prep for your chickens.
A new post on the fodder
And more to come.

Thanks for visiting

Chickenman

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Update on the baby chickens

The baby chicken will be 18 weeks old tomorrow, the other baby didn't make it, a couple of days ago I found it in the brooder barely able to move, I tried several things on it but by night time it had died. It was very small for its age so I suspect there was an issue in its genes, I'm sorry if I'm depressing you with this news. I will try to do a new post in a few days.

Chickenman

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Coming Up

Welcome back to Gone Chicken. Just a little sneak peak at what's coming up. The next post is an update on my 2 baby chickens , and my misadventures with introducing them to the flock.
Well keep visiting.

Chickenman


Edit 8/28/2013 : Sorry for the delay , things have been busy around here.

Monday, October 21, 2013

The Fodder Project Day 7: Final Weigh In

If you haven't read a post in The Fodder Project series then please read these links first.
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-1.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-2-sequel.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-1-and-half-forgot.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-3-sprouts.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-fodder-project-part-4-day-3.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-fodder-project-part-5-day-4.htmls
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-fodder-project-day-6-1-day-left.html




Welcome back to The Fodder Project. This is Day 7 , the day I feed the fodder to my chickens.





here is the fodder , ready to feed to the chickens.
Today you don't have to rinse it , all you have to do is weigh it , dump it out in a bowl , and feed it to your chickens. I guess your wondering how much this weighed ? Well this batch of fodder weighed (drum roll) 5.3 lbs. That's right from one lb. of grain I got 4.3 lbs extra. I'm not guaranteeing that you will always get this. I don't , I have days when I get less than 5 lbs. ,  once I got a 5.5 lb. yield. It just depends on the seed , temp , airflow , and the rinsing.
This is the root mat from this batch. this isn't the greatest I have gotten better root mats.


Here is a root mat from a different batch. this one can be rolled up and it won't tear easily.
Now I have a few last bits of information. You can let the fodder grow up to 9 days , but after day 9 it starts losing nutrition , and will eventually require added nutrients.  The ideal time to feed this to your chickens is days 7-9. I haven't tried going all the way out to day 9 yet , I've only recently got enough space to experiment. Once I have tried going out to day 9 , I will do a post on it , and how it turned out.
Here is my shelf set up.
Well I hope you have enjoyed this series , The Fodder Project. Few more things. From what I have read 5 lbs. is the average yield for fodder ( from 1 lb. of grain ) but I sometimes have yields as low as 3 lbs. Also I have read of people getting 7 , 8 , and even 9 lb. yields but I have never gotten this high. The highest yield I've gotten is 5.5 lbs which is still very good. Your chickens may take a few days to adjust , but after a few days they should be eating it as good as feed ( may take them some convincing on the field peas, but the field peas are worth it).

Well keep visiting and good luck with the fodder.

Chickenman
Sorry for the delay.

Monday, October 14, 2013

The Fodder Project Day 6 : 1 day left

If you haven't read the other posts in The Fodder Project please read these links first.
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-1.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-2-sequel.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-1-and-half-forgot.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-3-sprouts.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-fodder-project-part-4-day-3.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-fodder-project-part-5-day-4.html


Welcome back to The Fodder Project. I wasn't able get any pictures yesterday. Did a lot of traveling , but I'm back today. So here is the fodder on day 6 ( I changed a setting on my camera and got better pictures now ).

You can really see the green shoots on it now.

The fodder is growing good. There is just one more day left until we feed it to the chickens. Please remember to keep rinsing twice a day , and to start a new batch of fodder every day.
Come back next time for the final post in The Fodder Project.

Chickenman

The Fodder Project Part 5 : Day 4

If you haven't read the previous posts in The Fodder Project series then please read these posts first.
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-1.html
 http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-2-sequel.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-1-and-half-forgot.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-3-sprouts.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-fodder-project-part-4-day-3.html



Welcome back to The Fodder Project. We are now on day 4 of growing the fodder. Thanks for keeping up with this series.

The sprouts are progressing nicely now
Remember to keep checking for mold , as mold is dangerous to chickens. To help prevent mold , make sure that you're getting plenty of air flow to the fodder.

I know it's hard to see but the barley has green shoots on it now.

It's growing good. Now you're probably wondering how this can feed your chickens. Well by sprouting the grain , it increases the nutritional value of the grain. Here is a rough chart for barley and peas.
                                                              Barley (unsprouted)
                                     Crude Protein  15.5%
                                     Calcium           1.5%
                                                             
                                                              Barley (sprouted)
                                     Crude Protein   21%-24%           
                                     Calcium            2.5%

                                                             Field Peas (unsprouted)
                                     Crude Protein  22.5%
                                     Calcium           3%

                                                              Field Peas (sprouted)
                                    Crude Protein   25%-27%
                                    Calcium            4%

Now this is only a rough chart , so feel free to do your own research on the protein content.
With this nutrition it gives the chickens enough nutrients to lay.

Well I hope you have enjoyed these posts ,  remember keep rinsing twice a day , and keep starting a new batch every day.
   

Chickenman 


For those who may not have read it here is a link to my Chicken Treat List.

http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/08/chicken-treat-list.html

Thanks and remember , if you have any questions , or anything else to say , feel free to comment.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

The Fodder Project : Part 4 Day 3

If you haven't read my previous posts on fodder , then please read these first.
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-1.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-2-sequel.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-1-and-half-forgot.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-3-sprouts.html


Welcome back to The Fodder Project.

You can really see the sprouts good now
By now you could start seeing some green shoots coming out of the seeds. The roots will be developing nicely , and if you look at the bottom , you might see the start of a root mat.
So far I haven't had a root mat develop on this batch , sometimes they don't develop , but if one forms I will post the picture.
This one is doing real good.
Please remember to start a new batch of fodder everyday , and to rinse it at least twice a day . If you have any questions just ask them in the comments. Keep visiting .

Chickenman

Fodder Project Part 3 : The Sprouts Day 2

 If you haven't read the other parts of The Fodder Project series then please click on these links below.

http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-1.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-1-and-half-forgot.html
http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-2-sequel.html


Welcome back to The Fodder Project. Here is the fodder for Day 2
Notice the sprouts coming out of the fodder , these will be the roots of the plant.
Another Picture of the sprouts

Continue rinsing twice a day. Now I run a fan on this to help with the growth , but it depends on where you are , and the temperature in your house. It just takes trial and error. Remember to start a new batch every day. Keep checking for more updates on the fodder project.

Chickenman

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Fodder Project Part 1 and a half : Forgot to add...

There's a couple of things I forgot to mention. You need to start a new batch of fodder soaking every day , that way you will have a batch ready for your chickens to eat every day. Also if your fodder gets dry , and you've already rinsed it twice , then you may have to rinse it again , or get a little spray bottle and give it a nice spritz of water ( I just give it the spritz of water with the spray bottle) . I will try to have the next update out by tonight or in the morning.

Chickenman

Sorry but it looks like I won't be able get the new post out tonight. Check back tomorrow.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Fodder Project Part 2 : The Sequel Day 1

Welcome back. If you haven't read the first post in this series please click on the link below.

http://gonechicken.blogspot.com/2013/10/fodder-project-part-1.html

So now I have let the grains soak for roughly 27 hours. You can't tell much difference in it except for a faint smell. Don't worry about the smell, it's just part of the process, there isn't anything wrong with it.
Here is the grain after soaking for 27 hours.

Now you need to set out the fodder. It's best to set it out in a plastic container ( roughly 13" long and 9" wide.  I found these cheap at the Dollar Tree ). I drilled roughly 25 holes in it ( you can adjust by the container you use )
This is roughly 13" long and 9" wide. It doesn't have to be perfect.
 So next you need a pan a little larger than the plastic pan, and put something like rocks to lift it slightly off the surface (so you fodder isn't sitting in water). Here's an example.
There doesn't have to be a ton of rocks just enough to lift the pan.

Now dump the water and fodder out in the plastic pans. It is best for this size batch to be divided into two 13"by 9" plastic pans ( It needs to be plastic. I have used both aluminum pans and plastic pans and got a higher yield from the plastic. )

Here is the fodder after pouring it in the pans. Remember it is best to divide between 2 pans.



Now rinse it with cool water from the sink.





Then let it drain ( you may have to tilt it carefully in one direction to get the water out ).
Make sure you get all the water out ( If water sits in it , the fodder will begin to rot)
Here it is after it has drained sitting in the aluminum pan.
Now you need something to put it on ( A shelf is ideal )  Here's my set-up, it's not the prettiest , but I'm looking for efficient.
Here is the fodder. If you have to stack it , like I do , then make sure that they are tilted to allow air for the fodder.


Now you may have to rinse it one more time today ( I rinse it twice a day , roughly 12 hours apart) . It depends on several things. Just remember this is something you can experiment with. It just takes trial and error.
The ideal temperature is 65 to 70 degrees so you may have to run a small fan on it to keep it cooler , plus it gives it plenty of air-flow , which in turn helps prevent mold.
Well good luck and check back soon for part 3 of the fodder project.


Chickenman



Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Fodder Project : Part 1: Day 0

When I first got chickens I assumed you had to have chicken feed for them right ? No. Feed is the most expensive part of raising chickens so imagine if you could grow your own chicken feed right from home . No I'm not talking about planting tons of acres of wheat, corn, and other grains. I'm talking about growing your own feed inside your own home, its called Fodder. Earlier this year we got a magazine and my mom saw an article on fodder. She had me research it some more on the internet. After a few weeks of researching and gathering supplies I started experimenting with the fodder.

Things you will need
Plastic Trays (13"by 9" and 3"tall)
Grain (preferably Barley)
3% Hydrogen Peroxide 
Metal Trash can with tight lid


Metal Trash Can (prevents rain and pests from getting in)




Barley (must be unhulled , not heat treated , and not pearled)

Field Peas ( I use these for extra calcium)
                                        




I weigh out a pound of the grains ( 1 half pound Barley, 1 half pound Field Peas ). After you weigh the grain pour about half a teaspoon of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide on the grains. Mix with your hands so that the peroxide is on all the grain (the 3% hydrogen peroxide helps prevent mold which can be deadly to chickens) .  Then take the grain and rinse in a strainer in the sink with cool water , rinse it for at least 20 seconds.

This is the grain after rinsing 



Then put grain in a large bowl and cover with water.


Here is the grain soaking in the water.
Now cover the soaking grain with a towel or something ( I have found that soaking in the dark helps in the long run) and let it soak for at least about 27 hours.
I'm sure I have piqued your interest by now, but I will leave you hanging until tommorow when we do the next step on growing fodder. One more thing, I'm telling you how I have done my fodder, but I have found that growing fodder is a lot of trial and error. So it will require you to experiment for your self. I hope you have enjoyed this . Keep checking for more on the Fodder Project.

Chickenman

I will try and make sure I have a new post ready by tommorow.
Thanks and keep visiting

Friday, October 4, 2013

Coming Soon

Struggling with feed costs ? Need a way to save money without compromising on your chickens health? Well if you do then you will like the next few blog posts that are coming soon. Keep checking because I will show you what I'm  feeding to my chickens now. It has really helped cut down on the feed bill.

Chickenman

Saturday, September 28, 2013

A way to earn a few extra $

Let's say you need a little extra cash to pay for your feed, or you need supplies, or pretty much anything.Well, do I have news for you.  Swagbucks is a online reward site where you can earn real money. You can get Pay Pal cards, Amazon cards, Walmart cards and  many other gift cards. Here is my referral link if you want to sign up. Also if you have a blog once you've signed up you too can post your referral link and earn up to 1000 swagbucks per referral (only with their searches but it is one of the best ways to earn swagbucks). Every 100 swagbucks you earn equals roughly 1 dollar.
Besides searching you can also  earn swagbucks by doing surveys, special offers and many other ways.
 Just click the link and sign up. Swagbucks is completely free.


swagbucks.com/refer/notajediyet2


Well I hope you enjoy Swagbucks.

Chickenman 

Comment if you need more tips to earn swagbucks.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Chicken Pen on a Budget Part 2: Wire

So now you have the posts in the ground and the next stage is probably wire , but first I want to talk about another thing. Several of the animals that can kill your chickens or steal eggs can get in your pen by digging under it. So to prevent the majority of digging animals from getting in your pen you can put pieces of tin around the bottom of the pen. Dig a 1 to 2 inch trench around the pen. Now you want about a 1 foot tall piece of tin. We split a 2 foot tall section of tin in half and placed the sharp side in the trench ( this helps as any digging animal will most likely cut it's self digging under the tin. Hammer the tin to the posts and use something to connect the pieces of tin. We took a foot tall 2 by 4 and hammered it in the ground on the inside of the pen, then we hammered the tin to the 2 by 4.
So now we have the tin. Next one of the other expensive things to buy will be the wire.I advise buying 1 inch wire. I bought 2 inch chicken wire but I didn't realize that several things could get through it. Be very careful handling the wire. Use gloves when handling it and use a good pair of wire cutters to cut it. Now use staples to staple the wire to the posts. We used plastic cable ties to connect the wire to tin ( you can find cable ties in places like the Home Depot ). Now I put a top on my coop. Some people don't put tops on it but I highly recommend it as hawks can swoop in and kill the chickens. It also welcomes in many other predators such as weasels and even foxes from what I have read. We just spread more wire over the top and connected to the wire using more plastic cable ties. Finally I would recommend placing a sturdy screen all over the pen ( this will mostly prevent squirrels but believe me even when you think you've got it fixed those rats still find a way in ) and I have yet to find a way to keep snakes out of the pen.

Here are the sides of my chicken pen. Also its best to put screen on the top of the screen to. Attach to posts with staples and to wire and other screen with plastic cable ties. I hope that this has helped.
Keep checking for more posts. A little hint for the next one. A way to make a little extra cash.
Thanks for visiting.

Chickenman

Sorry for the delay. 

In my next post I will give some tips to make a few extra $ 
Enjoy

Hey I added a few things to my Chicken Treat List.

Keep Visiting 

Monday, August 26, 2013

Chicken Pen on a Budget: Part 1: Posts

Today I'm going to talk about how I built my chicken pen on a teenager's budget. When building any pen one of the most expensive things about it will be the posts. So here is how to get them for cheap.
First you need to have cedar trees growing on your property.  Try to find trees 6-8 inches in diameter. I cut mine about 5 feet, 6 inches tall. You have to dig a hole about 4-6 inches deep to keep it secure. Now you can use cement to set the post or you can do what my Grandfather showed me. It's called tamping in. Here is how you do it. After you dig the hole put the post in and put small stones in the hole around it and use something sturdy like a metal rod to hit it in the ground. Do several layers of the rocks and continue tamping them in until the post is secure. Warning: To cut down trees this size you will need a chainsaw and cutting down trees is a dangerous business. So I advise that you have at least 2 people with you. In my case my Dad and Grandfather. Also if you can't dig down 6 inches then it would probably be best to use some cement.guarantee
Here you can see part of the front of the pen and the cedar posts.

Keep visiting , I plan on releasing Part 2 in a couple of days.
                                                              Chickenman 

Edit 8/27/13 : It could be a few days until the next blog post. I hope to have a new one by the weekend but I can't  guarantee .
Just keep checking though.
Edit 9/3/13 : Sorry for the delay I hope to have a new post published Tomorrow : )

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Egg Thieves

This blog post will be about egg thieves. These are the only predators I have dealt with thankfully , so far no chicken killing predators have made an appearance. So here are some of the egg thieves I have dealt with.



Here are the thieves that have stole the most of my eggs.

Squirrels: They may look sweet and innocent but I have lost many eggs to these furry tailed rats. I have tried to prevent them with screen and many other deterrents but the only effective way I have found to deal with them is to exterminate them. I use a pellet gun. May leave pieces of shell on outside of pen.

Snakes: Nearly impossible to keep out. They can eat up to seven eggs at one time if given the opportunity. You pretty much have to catch it in the act as it leaves no sign of the eggs.

Gophers: These rodents can tunnel under the pen. The only way to know for sure if it's been in there is to find it's hole. It will be well hidden ( look behind your nesting boxes just in case ) . Another sign that it's been is there is it will leave empty egg shell with a hole in it.

These are the only Egg Thieves I have dealt with. With squirrels doing the most damage. Do you have any animals stealing your eggs ? Feel free to share in the comments.

               Chickenman       
Edit 8/21/13: I plan on releasing a new post tomorrow , sorry for the delay. 
Edit 8/22/13: Sorry for the delay , I should be able to publish the post tonight. Thank you and keep visiting. Sorry . Not going as planned. Maybe tomorrow. Thank you.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Chicken Treat List

As promised here is the list of chicken treats.

Ants
Apple Cider Vinegar ( Add 1 Tablespoon per gallon of water)
Arugula
Bananas (Fresh or Frozen)
Barley
Basil
Bell Pepper
Beatles
Biscuits
Blackberries
Bread (fresh or stale. just make sure there's no mold)
Broccoli 
Cabbage
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Celery (Stalks and Leaves)
Chestnuts
Cilantro
Clover
Corn
Crickets
Cucumber
Dandelions (Greens and Flower)
Dill
Earthworms
Egg(I would suggest scrambling the eggs, it's a great protein boost, helpful for weak chickens.)
Eggshell(only feed them their own eggshell)
Flies
Garlic (use in moderation to worm)
Gnats (believe it or not they go after these bugs)
Grass
Grasshoppers
Grapes 
Grubs
Honeydew
Lettuce
Meal-worms (just started raising them)
Mint
Okra
Oyster Shell (to provide extra calcium)
Parsley
Pumpkin
Rosemary (only feed them a little at a time. too much will make strange tasting eggs)
Slugs
Snails (they love to break open shell)
Squash ( No leaves or vine )
Spinach
Strawberries
Sunflower seeds
Sweet Potato
Tomatoes ( Do not feed them leaves or vine , it's poisonous )
Thyme
Watermelon
Whey(for a little extra protein)
Yogurt
Zucchini ( No leaves or vine )

 This is a list of the treats I have fed my chickens.  However, it is always best to double check for yourself on whether the treat is safe . Keep checking, I will add more treats to this list as I think of them.


Chickenman
P.S. Any chicken treats you would like to share just comment on this post.
Edit 08/13/2013: I will try to have a new post ready within the next 2 days or so. It will be about egg thieves.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Lord of the Roosters

 Welcome to The Lord of the Rings No? You're not looking for Lord of the Rings. Oh. How about this. Please give a warm welcome to The Lord of the Roosters , Uther Penrooster.


        Here's the Dominant , Rhode Island Red , Uther Penrooster.


Uther ; fiercely protective of his flock , once he stared down a tomcat that could easily have killed him. This rooster is not afraid of anything. Just don't touch him or his hens and he will play nice , most of the time.
 Keep visiting. In one of my next posts I will have a list of chicken friendly treats that I have learned from my experiences.


                            Chickenman

Edit: Sorry about the mud in the photo.It's been raining a ton here.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Introducing My Flock

Here are a few pictures of my chickens. I have 22 total; 11 Dominiques , 9 Rhode Island Reds , and 2 baby chickens that I haven't been able to determine their breed yet (either full Rhode Island Reds or Dominique/Rhode Island Red cross). Anyway, here are a few photos. Enjoy.
                                               
                                  
Here are the two chicks and their Mamma, Ventress
                                               
                                                

Demonique , my mild mannered Dominique rooster
                                                                  
Four of my hens wanting treats. The Rhode Island Red's name is Merida , the Dominque on the center right is Rue.



I hope you've enjoyed this post, keep checking my blog , there's more to come.

                           Chickenman


Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Welcome To Gone Chicken

Welcome to Gone Chicken, a blog by a teenager that's gone completely chicken. I'll be chronicling my experience with chickens, general chicken advice, the things I do to save money on feed costs, make money for feed and to share my love of chickens. Once again Welcome to Gone Chicken.