I have a 40 gallon trash can that I made into a gravity feeder using pvc elbows. I fill it with BOS sunflower seeds for extra protein and fat. It's cheap and easy to find - wild bird seed kind. We get Japanese beetles every year. I use Safer traps with the hourglass bags. When they fill up, I roll it up, stick it into a gallon ziplock bag and toss it into the freezer. About once a week or so, I give them the frozen bugs for a treat ;)
@@AcresOfAdventure Its wonderful for bridging the gaps and just giving them extra snacks or extra nutrition. Throw extra grit or calcium in there or meal worms for protein etc. It controls the waste from throwing feed around and scratching it all over. I used an old square trash can and a hole saw and pvc elbows and caulked them in.
You could put your compost pile in your hoop house & keep your chickens active in the winter. You can also ferment your feed which makes your feed last twice as long.
Grub Terra usually run specials and are cheeper than others, Pop Worms in College Station,TX has better prices on BSF larva if you want to raise your own
I did not realize your family lives in Michigan. Yes, it sure does get cold here. I am hoping to get chickens soon but in the meantime, I am learning everything I can about homesteading.
With the costs of everything going up so much don't worry. You're still feeding them 10 times better than what most chickens are fed. Add more table scraps. I also do black soldier, larvae and meal worms here and there.
I feed my girls a mix of black soldier fly larvae, non gmo whole oats, non gmo corn, black oil sunflower seeds, flax seeds, herbs, dog food and random stuff.
My golden buffs started molting in mid august all done by October, usually they don’t start till end of sept but I guess they new a early cold snap was coming.
I actually have not water glassed eggs yet but I've wanted to! Have you cracked into one yet? Congratulations on the growth of your channel, you guys are doing great!
Thank you for your videos. A request on your glassed eggs. Would you do a video and open a bottle and pull out an egg and crack it in a bowl? I'd like to see that. Also maybe showing us cooking an egg that has been saved that way? Does the pickling spice flavor come through?? Hope not. That is such an interesting way to save the eggs. Thanks again
So glad I came across your channel! So much good information. Thank you! We just recently got a few chickens. We’ll definitely be getting chicks next time. Only one of the 4 chickens lay’s eggs but just in the last couple of weeks has not been laying. Question, we put up some roosting bars in their coop but for some reason they don’t roost on the bars instead they sleep together in the laying boxes. I’m constantly cleaning out the boxes because they poop in them. 🤦♀️ Any advice on what I should do? This is our first time having chickens so we’re learning as we go. 🤷🏼♀️ Thanks! 😊
That happened to us a few months ago. It took 2-3 nights of going out each night and manually placing them on the roost bars. That should teach them. :)
You can try what someone else has commented, they will get the hang out it, and for nesting boxes I just posted a video that might help make them easier to clean! Glad you enjoyed the video Melanie thanks for watching!
Melanie. Has it worked? Placing them on the roost? I did the same thing and they totally took to the roost and now won't go anywhere else. Also I found doing it in the dark helps even more cuz they can't see so they stay put. I flip the flashlight on to find them and quickly turn it off when when all on roost. Fun little game we played..lol. keeps me out of trouble.
How do you get your chickens to go in the coop at night? Mine seem to huddle under the coop. We did remove the automatic door, and I know they go in there at some point, but not at dusk. They’re about 6 weeks old
Hi Tiffany, are they feathered out yet to keep warm? I would block access to underneath the coop and every night put them through their door. Sometimes it can take a week of showing them where to sleep. Make sure you cover the opening of nesting boxes with cardboard so they don’t try to sleep in their nests. That creates big messy problems with poopy eggs. When they are ready to lay open nests to them. I started with lower roosts for youngsters then raised them depending on heavy breed heights or lighter breeds which are better flyers. Enjoy!😊
Mine were a little older than six wks when I put them out in there coop and run after it got dark went out they were wondering around in the run like they didn’t kn wht to do so I picked them up put them in there coop and after that first night I go to lock them up there always in there coop which I’m so glad wouldn’t want to be out every night having to put them in there coop , 😊
I breed crickets for my chickens to eat everyday. Chickens absolutely love them.
I have a 40 gallon trash can that I made into a gravity feeder using pvc elbows. I fill it with BOS sunflower seeds for extra protein and fat. It's cheap and easy to find - wild bird seed kind.
We get Japanese beetles every year. I use Safer traps with the hourglass bags. When they fill up, I roll it up, stick it into a gallon ziplock bag and toss it into the freezer. About once a week or so, I give them the frozen bugs for a treat ;)
Gravity feeder sounds great to be able to go on vacation easier!
@@AcresOfAdventure Its wonderful for bridging the gaps and just giving them extra snacks or extra nutrition. Throw extra grit or calcium in there or meal worms for protein etc. It controls the waste from throwing feed around and scratching it all over. I used an old square trash can and a hole saw and pvc elbows and caulked them in.
You could put your compost pile in your hoop house & keep your chickens active in the winter. You can also ferment your feed which makes your feed last twice as long.
I’m going to do that, thank you!
@@AcresOfAdventure Also.. If you put your chicken water container on the compost, your water won't freeze.
Grub Terra usually run specials and are cheeper than others, Pop Worms in College Station,TX has better prices on BSF larva if you want to raise your own
I feed my chickens, grow or feed all the time. With oyster shell on the side. But I add a little black oil, sunflower seeds when they start melting.
Thank you Jessica Kirchhoff!! Great ideas, especially blocking under the coop! They’re not easy to catch 😆
I did not realize your family lives in Michigan. Yes, it sure does get cold here. I am hoping to get chickens soon but in the meantime, I am learning everything I can about homesteading.
Yes! We hope to spread the word and get more people to homestead, especially in Michigan!
Nice video , thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
With the costs of everything going up so much don't worry. You're still feeding them 10 times better than what most chickens are fed. Add more table scraps. I also do black soldier, larvae and meal worms here and there.
Thank you for the encouragement!
I feed my girls a mix of black soldier fly larvae, non gmo whole oats, non gmo corn, black oil sunflower seeds, flax seeds, herbs, dog food and random stuff.
I bet your chickens are very happy chickens Carisa!
@@AcresOfAdventure spoiled
Where do you get non gmo corn?
@@friel49 Omni Feed and Supply
@@CarisaRae thanks I'll check that out.
Love the chickens
I love the sweater 🤩
Thank you!
My golden buffs started molting in mid august all done by October, usually they don’t start till end of sept but I guess they new a early cold snap was coming.
It’s good if they get it done earlier then later!
I actually have not water glassed eggs yet but I've wanted to! Have you cracked into one yet?
Congratulations on the growth of your channel, you guys are doing great!
Yeah, wondering about the taste and texture.
Haven’t tried them yet, and thank you, we feel blessed that this has happened to us!
@Bunny Nut we water glass. The taste and texture is fine. If you like sunny side up though, be aware that the yolks have a harder time staying intact.
Thank you for your videos. A request on your glassed eggs. Would you do a video and open a bottle and pull out an egg and crack it in a bowl? I'd like to see that. Also maybe showing us cooking an egg that has been saved that way? Does the pickling spice flavor come through?? Hope not. That is such an interesting way to save the eggs. Thanks again
We will have to try this video out, thanks for the idea and hopefully it will be helpful
Interesting info friend , thanks!!!!
Thanks for watching!
So glad I came across your channel! So much good information. Thank you! We just recently got a few chickens. We’ll definitely be getting chicks next time. Only one of the 4 chickens lay’s eggs but just in the last couple of weeks has not been laying. Question, we put up some roosting bars in their coop but for some reason they don’t roost on the bars instead they sleep together in the laying boxes. I’m constantly cleaning out the boxes because they poop in them. 🤦♀️ Any advice on what I should do? This is our first time having chickens so we’re learning as we go. 🤷🏼♀️ Thanks! 😊
That happened to us a few months ago. It took 2-3 nights of going out each night and manually placing them on the roost bars. That should teach them. :)
@@BrandonSchildt Ok I’ll try that. Thank you so much! 😊
You can try what someone else has commented, they will get the hang out it, and for nesting boxes I just posted a video that might help make them easier to clean! Glad you enjoyed the video Melanie thanks for watching!
Melanie. Has it worked? Placing them on the roost? I did the same thing and they totally took to the roost and now won't go anywhere else. Also I found doing it in the dark helps even more cuz they can't see so they stay put. I flip the flashlight on to find them and quickly turn it off when when all on roost. Fun little game we played..lol. keeps me out of trouble.
Great info! 👍🏻
Thanks for watching as always!
Great info! Thanks!😊Regina
You are so welcome!
You remind me of Coach Lincoln Riley.
I just looked him up because I didn’t believe it…but I agree haha!
How do you get your chickens to go in the coop at night? Mine seem to huddle under the coop. We did remove the automatic door, and I know they go in there at some point, but not at dusk. They’re about 6 weeks old
Hi Tiffany, are they feathered out yet to keep warm? I would block access to underneath the coop and every night put them through their door. Sometimes it can take a week of showing them where to sleep. Make sure you cover the opening of nesting boxes with cardboard so they don’t try to sleep in their nests. That creates big messy problems with poopy eggs. When they are ready to lay open nests to them. I started with lower roosts for youngsters then raised them depending on heavy breed heights or lighter breeds which are better flyers. Enjoy!😊
Mine were a little older than six wks when I put them out in there coop and run after it got dark went out they were wondering around in the run like they didn’t kn wht to do so I picked them up put them in there coop and after that first night I go to lock them up there always in there coop which I’m so glad wouldn’t want to be out every night having to put them in there coop , 😊
6 weeks is young they will figure it out, try using a light to help guide them
The ladies have figured it out!!! Thanks for all the advice!!!