tman's recent activity

  1. Comment on Seeking advice and resources for keeping chickens in ~life.pets

    tman
    Link Parent
    Yeah, throw them all the scraps you can! You may find things they don't like, but they are pretty voracious and will turn the scraps into eggs. We also let them out of the run for a portion of the...

    Yeah, throw them all the scraps you can! You may find things they don't like, but they are pretty voracious and will turn the scraps into eggs.

    We also let them out of the run for a portion of the day to free range, and they eat all kinds of things. Just make sure they have feed as well, and as mentioned some source of calcium.

    I'd love to get some Buff Orpingtons in the future! Going up we generally had a mix of Rhode Island Reds, Americaunas, and Barred Rocks. We also sometimes had bantams, they are pretty neat.

    Our little girl is definitely confident around the chickens, and she'd probably work it out with the rooster, but am still wary when she's around him. I've seen wounds from spurs and they are not pretty.

    Best of luck with the chickens! I think you will enjoy your new adventure.

    1 vote

  2. Comment on Seeking advice and resources for keeping chickens in ~life.pets

    tman
    Link Parent
    Consider aerial predators as well. We have lost chickens to birds of prey. Eagles and hawks will both go after chickens. A covered coop is helpful in this regard, and also helps keep flighty...

    Consider aerial predators as well. We have lost chickens to birds of prey. Eagles and hawks will both go after chickens. A covered coop is helpful in this regard, and also helps keep flighty chickens contained.

    3 votes

  3. Comment on Seeking advice and resources for keeping chickens in ~life.pets

    tman
    Link
    I am not a chicken expert, but I grew up around a hobby farm that kept chickens, and got back into keeping some chickens myself a few years ago. I'll start by saying that @JurisSpecter raises an...

    I am not a chicken expert, but I grew up around a hobby farm that kept chickens, and got back into keeping some chickens myself a few years ago.

    I'll start by saying that @JurisSpecter raises an important issue to consider regarding feed costs and whether you'll actually save money by raising your own eggs. I don't think it's off topic. You also have to consider your investment into the coop, run, and other equipment. I wouldn't recommend doing it just to save money.

    Your coop and run sound like a good size, and I think you'll find there is space for more than 5 or 6 birds. I highly recommend building or buying a feeder with a hopper that holds enough grain for a number of days, and automating the door between the coop and the run if possible. That way they are somewhat self sufficient if you can't make it out to the coop on a particular morning for whatever reason.

    I've read not to feed layer pellets to hens until they are fully grown, as layer pellets contain too much calcium for birds that are not producing eggs. Laying hens must have either layer pellets or have their feed supplemented with calcium in some form (crushed oyster shellsl in a separate bin are an option, and you can dry and crushed egg shells as well). Also, chickens will intentionally ingest grit to aid in their digestion, and this grit wears out and must be replaced. If they don't have access to soil with small rock particles, you must provide grit for them. Baby chicks need smaller grit then adult birds.

    Breed definitely matters for egg production! Hens from some breeds will lay an egg just about daily. Also, some breeds tend to keep producing throughout the winter months, while others stop completely. In my experience (and by the literature), Rhode Island reds lay prolifically and keep producing throughout the winter. Americaunas produce fairly well in the summer, and stop almost entirely in winter. Lots of info is available for egg production numbers for different breeds. If you run a light in their coop during the winter to extend the "daytime," this can increase rates.

    It's fun to raise the birds from chicks, and I recommend it. Depending on the breed and the individual birds, you can get them to be quite tame.

    They should weather those temps (breed dependent), insulation will make it nicer for them. Definitely make sure they have good ventilation in the heat, and don't let the water freeze.

    Eggs are safe to eat right out of the hen, but be aware the shell has been in contact with feces. You can wash them but I've read this removes a protective coating and makes the eggs not last as long. We don't always wash them, but we do if there is poop stuck to the shell. Don't get it in your frying pan.

    Our young daughter loves watching the chickens. We have had some tame ones that will come right up to her, but be aware they are curious and investigate anything/everything to see if it's edible by pecking it. Beaks can be painful on small hands. We currently have a somewhat standoffish rooster that I don't trust around her - roosters develop spurs, are frequently protective and sometimes just mean, and are more likely to attack smaller people. Don't trust one around your kids unless you know it well. Hens can also be mean, so maybe don't trust any of them unless you know them well.

    Hope this helps. I'm typing on my phone so going to stop now. If you have questions, please ask.

    2 votes

  4. Comment on Android Mozilla browsers with access to about:config in ~comp

    tman
    Link Parent
    Ah, ok. I don't, but I'm interested to see what others have to say.

    Ah, ok. I don't, but I'm interested to see what others have to say.

    1 vote

  5. Comment on What browser extensions do you absolutely love to use? in ~tech

    tman
    Link Parent
    I came across LocalCDN a while back and have it running on my phone. I seem to recall that DecentralEyes does something similar, and it is mentioned in another response to this topic. I am not...

    I came across LocalCDN a while back and have it running on my phone. I seem to recall that DecentralEyes does something similar, and it is mentioned in another response to this topic.

    I am not qualified to speak about how these extensions work or how well they work, but I'd like to learn more and I think it might be informative for others here. Care to expound on this topic?

  6. Comment on Android Mozilla browsers with access to about:config in ~comp

    tman
    Link
    Are you looking for additional browser suggestions? My daily driver is Iceraven. Haven't needed to use anything else in quite a while, and it supports about:config.

    Are you looking for additional browser suggestions?

    My daily driver is Iceraven. Haven't needed to use anything else in quite a while, and it supports about:config.