[Ag-eq] my chickens

Nella Foster nfoster at extremezone.com
Tue Jul 6 12:41:34 UTC 2010 

Susan:

That makes sense.

Years ago I visited a commercial egg farm where the hens were kept in tiny 
wire cages.  They looked horrible; most of their feathers seemed to be 
missing.  I couldn't eat eggs for over a year after that!

I started buying cage free and range fed chicken eggs after that.  It will 
be so nice to get eggs from my happy, healthy hens!

Nella
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Susan Roe" <dogwoodfarm at verizon.net>
To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, July 05, 2010 7:57 PM
Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens


> Nella,
>
> Commercially produced eggs are made thicker by adding extremely 
> consintrated calcium to their food and probably their water.  They want 
> the harder shells for added protection in transportation.
>
> Susan
> dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Nella Foster" <nfoster at extremezone.com>
> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2010 11:30 PM
> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>
>
>> Susan:
>>
>> Why are the shells thinner than on store bought eggs?
>>
>> I've seen an egg with just the membrane before; they feel pretty strange!
>>
>> Nella
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Susan Roe" <dogwoodfarm at verizon.net>
>> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2010 5:52 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>>
>>
>>> Nella,
>>>
>>> Yes, the laying food is only bad for them if you give it to them too 
>>> early. The calcium in it may also build in their bodies because their 
>>> body doesn't have anywhere for it to go if they are not laying or nearly 
>>> laying yet.  I also never gave them crushed oyster shells until they 
>>> started laying.  We also, once they had started laying, added about 3 
>>> tablespoons of white vinegar to their water everytime we filled their 
>>> waterers.  This helps the hens to metabolize the calcium into their 
>>> system.  This was very important if you noticed thin egg shells or on 
>>> rare occasions, an egg that was laid with no shell, just the membrane 
>>> for a shell.  That would feel so weird in your hands, almost like a thin 
>>> reptile egg.  Just so you'll know, your egg shells will be thinner than 
>>> store baught eggs.  It took me a bit to get use to that without cracking 
>>> them too hard.
>>>
>>> Susan
>>> dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Nella Foster" <nfoster at extremezone.com>
>>> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2010 11:03 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>>>
>>>
>>>> Susan:
>>>>
>>>> I've been feeding them pieces of fruits and vegetables.  They really 
>>>> seem to like that.  They also find bugs and such when I let them into 
>>>> the yard.
>>>>
>>>> I was told that the laying hen food is very rich and can be hard on 
>>>> them; is this true.
>>>>
>>>> Nella
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>> From: "Susan Roe" <dogwoodfarm at verizon.net>
>>>> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2010 9:45 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Not yet, I'd wait til August if they're telling you they will lay 
>>>>> towards the end of August.
>>>>>
>>>>> Go ahead and feed them soft or squishy fruit and vegetables like 
>>>>> tomatoes, squash, and even a piece of cabbage will also keep them 
>>>>> occupied to peck on.
>>>>>
>>>>> Susan
>>>>> dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>> From: "Nella Foster" <nfoster at extremezone.com>
>>>>> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2010 9:14 AM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Susan:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I met to say the chickens might start laying near the end of August. 
>>>>>> I believe they hatched on March 30 and I was told they could start 
>>>>>> laying at 18 weeks.  From everything I've read these breeds are known 
>>>>>> for laying early.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I just started feeding them the chicken scratch; I was feeding them 
>>>>>> the stuff for chicks.  Do you think I should feed the food for laying 
>>>>>> hens?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Nella
>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>>> From: "Susan Roe" <dogwoodfarm at verizon.net>
>>>>>> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2010 4:53 AM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Nella,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> How old are your hens.  I usually got mine in April or May at about 
>>>>>>> 4 to 8 weeks old and then they would start laying by October.  I fed 
>>>>>>> them the baby crumble up til they were about 12 weeks and then 
>>>>>>> switched to adult laying mash.  You don't want to give them the 
>>>>>>> adult stuff too early because they can't handle the extra calcium 
>>>>>>> until they are a bit older.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Susan
>>>>>>> dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>>>> From: "Nella Foster" <nfoster at extremezone.com>
>>>>>>> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2010 8:54 PM
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Susan:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Yesterday it got up to 115!  I was so worried about the chickens, 
>>>>>>>> but they were o.k.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thursday evening I let the girls out to run around and eat bugs and 
>>>>>>>> such. I went back out about 8:30 to shut their gate; I could only 
>>>>>>>> feel 3 chickens in the coop, but thought the other was up on the 
>>>>>>>> top roost, which I can't reach.  Friday morning when I went out to 
>>>>>>>> feed here comes one of my chickens.  She was all upset since she 
>>>>>>>> was out of the run and the rest were inside.  I was able to catch 
>>>>>>>> her and put her back in. I've been trying to handle them a lot so 
>>>>>>>> they will be easier to catch, I guess it's paying off!
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> They are really growing and filling out.  My neighbor said that 
>>>>>>>> their feathers look healthier than when I first got them.  They 
>>>>>>>> should start laying near the end of July, but I suspect they may 
>>>>>>>> wait due to the heat.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> How is everything going there?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I hope you are having a great 4th of July weekend.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Nella
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>>>>> From: "Susan Roe" <dogwoodfarm at verizon.net>
>>>>>>>> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, July 02, 2010 8:56 AM
>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Nella,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> When I can get my hands on them, I can tell the Buff Orphingtons 
>>>>>>>>> because they don't have much of a tail so to speak.  LOL
>>>>>>>>> I don't know exactly how long chickens can live.  I'm sure there 
>>>>>>>>> are a lot of factors to consider, however, right now my oldest 
>>>>>>>>> ones are about 5 years old and though they have slowed down a bit, 
>>>>>>>>> they are still laying good size eggs.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> That is not a problem with letting your hens out like you are 
>>>>>>>>> doing and putting them up at night.  I can't do that here, too 
>>>>>>>>> many roaming hunting dogs, farrel cats and loads of active 
>>>>>>>>> wildlife.  We have 12 foot square enclosed yards for each coop. 
>>>>>>>>> They get plenty of sun, wind, rain, bugs and mice, grass 
>>>>>>>>> clippings, leaf rakings and whatever vegetable/fruit we have of 
>>>>>>>>> our own, local farmers market and things we find really cheep on 
>>>>>>>>> sale.  They love it all.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Susan
>>>>>>>>> dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> Ag-eq mailing list
>>>>>>>>> Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>>>>>>> for Ag-eq:
>>>>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/nfoster%40extremezone.com
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> Ag-eq mailing list
>>>>>>>> Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>>>>>> for Ag-eq:
>>>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/dogwoodfarm%40verizon.net
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Ag-eq mailing list
>>>>>>> Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>>>>> for Ag-eq:
>>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/nfoster%40extremezone.com
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> Ag-eq mailing list
>>>>>> Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>>>>>> Ag-eq:
>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/dogwoodfarm%40verizon.net
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Ag-eq mailing list
>>>>> Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>>>>> Ag-eq:
>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/nfoster%40extremezone.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Ag-eq mailing list
>>>> Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>>>> Ag-eq:
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/dogwoodfarm%40verizon.net
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Ag-eq mailing list
>>> Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>>> Ag-eq:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/nfoster%40extremezone.com
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Ag-eq mailing list
>> Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>> Ag-eq:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/dogwoodfarm%40verizon.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ag-eq mailing list
> Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> Ag-eq:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/nfoster%40extremezone.com

More information about the AG-EQ mailing list