Sustainable Poultry Management

Friday, February 11, 2011

Here's my free range flock on bug patrol.
My yard and garden were overrun with slugs, snails, sowbugs and earwigs last year. Oh, and Black Widows were far too common.
After a year of letting my hens free range there is nary a bug in sight.
The hens only pay attention to their feeder in the hen house when they have thoroughly combed the yard and garden.
I give them egg pellets these days which hold well in the feeder until they come looking for something extra.
Egg Pellets are 16% protein which is about 1% lower than an All in One food which is usually (depending on manufacturer) about 17% protein.

If the hens had to be penned because of predators I would use a higher protein feed to maintain egg production and quality, something like an All in One crumble. It costs a little more but if it doesn't have too much corn it will be okay. Corn is cheap and it adds fat which can reduce egg production.
I will explain more later about the pros and cons of different grains especially corn and wheat.

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Contentment

Probably one of the most relaxing things I have ever done is watch my hens cluck and scratch in the flowerbeds--all the while keeping a wary eye out for stray dogs and the occasional hawk gliding over.
They also watch my every move, waiting for me to head for the barn and feed barrels.
I hear them hot on my heels when I enter the barn. As I tip a scoop of pigeon food in the head height feeders for the white homers, the hens gather below snapping up any seeds the pigeons obligingly flick out of their feeders.
I fill the poultry feeders with egg pellets but the hens only turn their attention to the egg pellet when their is no sign of pigeon millet or corn.
There are eggs in the nests. I put them in my coat pocket--all the while reminding myself to not forget I have eggs in my pocket--because once again I've forgotten the egg bucket on the kitchen counter.

Management Tips

1.) If your hens have lice and you desire an organic method to get rid of poultry lice try diatomaceous earth. It can be found in the local garden center.
Follow the directions on the package.
Diatomaceous earth can also be put in a shallow pan like a litter pan so your birds can dust themselves--which is so much easier than struggling to dust a reluctant hen.
2.) Adding oyster shell to the feeder if the hens are laying thin shelled eggs will help strengthen the shells.
3.) If the scales on your hens legs are looking thick (building up) they probably have leg mites (not the same as feather mites). the only solution for mites of this type is to smother them. Petroleum jelly will work. The only drawback is that it will have to be reapplied every couple weeks until the scales on the legs are clean and smooth again.
If you are not strictly organic and this is a bird you want to save WD-40 will do the trick. It is non-toxic--I know it sounds ghastly but it works in one or two applications.
4.) The best thing to do of course is to prevent either feather lice or leg mites from building up. A clean poultry house is essential. Pay particular attention to the roosts and anywhere dust collects. I hose out the inside of my coop on a regular basis. Rake out and replace the floor bedding as often as feasible at the same time.

Sustainable Poultry Management

Friday, February 11, 2011

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