Farming, Gardening & Homesteading

Discussion in 'Survival and Wilderness Skills' started by Delkancott, Dec 1, 2016.

  1. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    Surprised we don't have this yet seeing how many weirdos there are here.

    Who homesteads? Any tips, tricks or traps?

    Anyone use Kuhl Rollout Nest Boxes? They are great.


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  2. Slade

    Slade Member

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    What is this sorcery? I'm tired of kicking angry chickens off their nests. :D
     
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  3. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    It's amazing. They make them in smaller sizes and they are easy to assemble. You could build one out of wood fairly easily too, but these are easy to clean.

    Essentially the chicken lays its egg as normal, but the nest box is on a decline and has a exterior hopper so the eggs just gently roll away to where the chickens can't get them. They are not cheap, but I recommend them 100%.
     
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  4. tangomike3

    tangomike3 Member

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    LOL. Same problem. Always pissing off the chickens.
     
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  5. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    meybe stick to sheep? :)

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    only homesteading i do currently (due to city life) is stock up emergency food , pet food (stock rotated often) , and water for the cats (2 liter club soda bottles filled with UV treated water).
     
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  6. FortyTwoBlades

    FortyTwoBlades Moderator Staff Member

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    I used to have chickens but they were filthy critters and not cost effective for us in the long run given the effort that went into them. However, we've got plenty of meat rabbits. :)
     
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  7. anrkst6973

    anrkst6973 Member

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    Here's a trick for anyone who has property with a legally defined edge, and hopefully a lack of city regulators who might frown upon it. If you till or disc up just 1 width of the soil around your back yard or fields it super easy to transplant in things like dandelion, dock, pigweed, sheep sorrel and many other species of edible plants. Most times many of them pop up on their own. Just chop the soil loose, not till,harrow,rake ect. That 1 width of disturbed soil will give a maximum amount of food and nutrients that are not found in our everyday diet. Give your body something good and hit back at viruses and illness with something it hasn't seen in a 100 years.
     
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  8. tangomike3

    tangomike3 Member

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    I have always like the idea of stealth farming. I have mushroom logs scattered through the wetlands and Jerusalem Artichokes along a lot of the tree lines.
     
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  9. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    Chickens for eggs and meat, meat goats and dairy goats here.
     
  10. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    Looks like next spring we will have a potential for 24 baby goats on the ground.
     
  11. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    3 dead chickens today and a frozen well. Fun times.
     
  12. DYSPHORIC JOY

    DYSPHORIC JOY Administrator Staff Member

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    What happened to the chickens?
     
  13. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    Not sure. The coop has an automatic door, but not all the chickens go inside at night, some roost under the coop on the wagon frame. Two were pretty clean, maybe a few bite marks and missing feathers around the neck, but one was a mess; head torn off and a wing ripped off and torn into around the shoulder. Head and wing were nearby. Not sure if more were dead, but there was no indication of it. The coop has a 4' imperfect electric fence around it. All were inside the fence. Also was the coldest day of the year so far.
     
  14. FortyTwoBlades

    FortyTwoBlades Moderator Staff Member

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    Back when we still had chickens we had skunks kill several of ours.
     
  15. DYSPHORIC JOY

    DYSPHORIC JOY Administrator Staff Member

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    Yep. Skunks and raccoons can be vicious even if the intent is only the eggs.
     
  16. FortyTwoBlades

    FortyTwoBlades Moderator Staff Member

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    I "permanently removed" something like 5 skunks in 2 years there.
     
  17. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    The layed eggs or ones still inside the chicken?
     
  18. FortyTwoBlades

    FortyTwoBlades Moderator Staff Member

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    We had 'em dig under the fence and get into the coop.
     
  19. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    4 more dead today. One totally headless and eaten. Looking like a raccoon.
     
  20. FortyTwoBlades

    FortyTwoBlades Moderator Staff Member

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    Things like that, along with the birds finding ways to escape and then poop all over stuff in the barn, contributed to us getting out of dealing with chickens. The eggs were great, but cost more to produce than store bought by a strong margin not including all the labor and filth. :p
     

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