Hey southernprepper1.... Being a VETERAN AS YOURSELF, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND ASK EVERYONE WATCHING TO PRAY FOR AND TO REMEMBER THE FALLEN THIS WEEKEND.....
I am making this post to recognize the 44 men from the Virginia Military Institute who were killed in action in the Vietnam war. The Class of 1966 was especially hard hit, loosing 11. Rest in peace to all.
Rotary push mowers are worth their weight in gold at your BOL. Grass and weeds can get pretty tall pretty fast. Undesirable wildlife can be pressed right up against your living space,… Ticks… Etc.
Came to the comments to ask this. Considering getting into rabbit and chicken farming for meat & eggs, and I have a push reel mower grandpa gave me. Glad to know that I can use it on the safe grass patch. Thank you
I have chickens and give them a big pile of grass clippings when I cut grass. Gives them something to do when you can't let them free range every day. Also, fresh plantain is good for bee stings. Chew it and place it on the sting location I'm a bee keeper and that's what I use.
I get all the books I can and save all my homesteading magazines. I print anything I need and put it into a binder I let my grass clipping sit and feed it to my chickens and I make sure there are some bugs in with it. Plus I have started to grow fodder to my chickens we used to have rabbits but no more thinking about doing it again but need to build a few rabbit tractors .. but between the chickens dogs kids and cows and garden I have enough but we always make it work. My husband built me an aquaponics tank. So need to work on that first. We have a pond but we also have gathers..
Bailing green hay will catch fire by itself when you stack it in a barn. I’ve actually seen it smoking. If you stick your hand between the bales it can be extremely warm and or hot.
There was a video on the "Hollis and Nancy Homestead" yt channel 3 months ago, on a seed mixture he bought and planted, that was designed just for chickens. It was the first time he tried it, and he planted about a 20×6 foot plot with it. And then he showed in the video a time lapse of how it grew, and then showed his chickens foraging through it when it was fully grown. And the chickens loved it, gravitated to it quickly. I imagine that special blend could be harvested and stored too, like you're doing here. And if it's a special blend just for chickens, you could have an area in your garden or yard to grow this for the chickens in the summer, and to harvest it for winter. Video is titled "How To Grow Chicken Feed".
I’m currently feeding my rabbits about 25% of their diet from hand gathered grass, clover, plantain, and garden treats. I’m currently building out a new homestead to completely support them, chickens, and ducks in tractors between crop rows with Timothy, clover, buckwheat, fescue, and wild yard plants, as well as perennial “Tree hay” which can provide huge amounts of protein such as mulberry leaves, willow, maple, sumac, etc
SouthernPrepper with information on feeding Rabbits and Chickens. He also showed Plantain Weed leaves. ... The Plantain plant can sometimes be used as an edible plant by people. The plant may also have some medicinal uses. Further research on Plantain Plants might be of interest to preppers.
Good stuff. I am not sure I understand how the plant knows the difference between a power mower and a hand held scyth or a rotary mower. But appreciate the info either way.
Rabbits breed like rabbits. How do I know? I got a lot of rabbits. Predators here in NW Montana, keep the population stable. They can over winter without support, but if they are fed occasionally, they stay around and are easy to harvest. We already have to protect the garden from deer and elk. With a little bit more effort, the garden is protected from a herd of rabbits, but they will dig small holes they use as a nest and this can be annoying, yet if they are free range rabbits, they require very little other attention. Raise rabbits in a cage and make them somewhat tame before releasing them, and feed them a small amount daily, then only a small amount occasionally.... Keep only a breeding pair to establish a larger herd. This works in the environment around here, but may not work so well in your area.... Many folks around here 'free range' rabbits.
I’d been searching hard for a long time for someone to confirm that it is okay to feed rabbits fresh grass clippings from a hand-pushed reel mower - thank you for this helpful video!
I give my hens grass cuttings all the time with no problems the only thing you have to look out for is other plants growing in the grass the could harm the chickens/hens.
Thanks for your video. I use "guinea" rabbits. lol I'll test something out on one and see how it goes. Also, if mine seem lethargic and not well, I feed them dandelions. It's supposed to be good for their stomachs. Another thing to look out for, and apparently it's common in sub divisions, the neighbor who sprays to kill his AND your dandelions because he's tired of them popping up in his yard.
Rabbits and chickens will eat Spanish Moss. There isn't a lot of nutrition in it but it does have lots of fiber in it. Rabbits need some fiber A word of warning about raising rabbits on pasture. Any critter that digs or roots around in the ground can get bad parasites. This includes hogs, bears, and squirrels too. Parasite numbers are at low ebb in the cold weather so its safer to eat them in the winter. All such meats should be thoroughly cooked just in case. Parasites can be fatal to domestic rabbits. Keep them off the ground in cages. Put a 1x12 board in the cage so they can get off the wire if they want too. Thanks for the video.
Hmmm I guess I have been doing it wrong for years. I feed all my rabbits and chickens fresh lettuce scraps from a local restaurant everyday. And my rabbits eats grass clipping everyday from a cordless mower with a bagger.
I am a register rabbitry through the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) I feed my rabbits pasture clippings (grass) straight from the push mower (I used a battery powered mower that I charge with solar) and have never had an issue with my rabbits. Also remember fermentation will happen in the rabbits gut naturally. Using petroleum based equipment I would be more worried about dioxin (emissions from the equipment) build up then the process of the grass getting cut with a hot blade. I have never seen any research regarding this issue. I would say do what’s best for your rabbit but like you I haven’t experienced this.
You take those power cut grass clippings and pile them underneath the rabbit cages and it makes for easier clean up and will also compost that impossible Bermuda grass. Still a stinky job.
Speaking of plantain, I recently watched a very interesting video on plantain and other edibles, from a guy who teaches foraging and has written books on it. The video is titled "Wild Edibles with Sergei Boutenko-Plantain-Plantago/This Plant Can Save Your Life", and it was on the "Boutenko Films" yt channel.
I've been concerned when I've watched many of the home steading channels when they show buying all of their feed from the feed store....what will they do when it is no longer available? I've long been a student of alternate foods gathered to care for animals. thank you for this video, maybe it will help!
When I had my 500 chickens I would free range them and they’d eat everything, bugs, grass, fresh cat crap,etc. Then In the evening they would head back to the pens where they’d roost at night and had their nest boxes. The best ones we had were the black austrolorps. They are I would say the best laying hens because each bird lays on average an egg a day.
Great info! . Do you selective breed the rabbits and chickens that tend to do better on forage ? I would think you could eventually build yourself a breeding stock of animals that could thrive without pellets at all. This is what I'm planning to start doing now. Thanks for the video.
I am a register rabbitry through the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) I feed my rabbits pasture clippings (grass) straight from the push mower (I used a battery powered mower that I charge with solar) and have never had an issue with my rabbits. Also remember fermentation will happen in the rabbits gut naturally. Using petroleum based equipment I would be more worried about dioxin (emissions from the equipment) build up then the process of the grass getting cut with a hot blade. Do you have any research you can cite regarding this issue?
Was wondering if you could do a video on how you store bulk feed for say your chickens and pet dogs/cats. I have a dog 3 cats and about 18 chicken/ducks and a couple turkeys. As I live in south Arizona grass clippings are very limited. Any recommendations would b appreciated.
Actually, grass clippings is a good way to mess up your chickens crop and using dried clippings for bedding is a big no as well. Leaves aren’t a wise choice either because both are perfect for growing bacteria and mold. Chickens have very sensitive respiratory systems. Good way to make your chickens sick. 🙄
I did that with one pair that wouldn't seem to breed in the cage. Turned them loose. A few months later, I had bunnies everywhere, so did the neighbors. lol
I throw weeds, grass with seed heads and some perennial leaves I grow into my coturnix quail cage. All gone a few hours later. Quail are a lot easier to deal with than chickens on my suburban homestead.
@@quailjailss Where this practice is popular here in NW Montana, we have lots of wildlife of all kinds, from badgers to bald eagles, and Grizzly bear. Keep a breeding pair and see how it works in your location. Rabbits breed at surprising rate, and there must be enough predators to stabilize the population. If the local wildlife is not teaming with life, rabbits could quickly over populate.
SP1, how many years should you wait, after you move onto a property where someone has been using pesticides/chemicals on their grass, before you can start using it as feed?
Thanks for the explanation. Have you been able to feed your rabbits (or chickens) totally, with this method for a few months or even a year? Did they grow normally and increase weight as expected? How much hay per rabbit, per month?
I disagree with SP1 on this respectfully. Yes you can feed rabbits exclusively on pasture clippings. Feeding Rabbits for Free! ruclips.net/video/4HSjrVzQubM/видео.html
I can’t eat orchard grass, alfalfa, corn stocks etc. it’s not good for my system but it’s great for my sheep, cattle, rabbits, poultry etc. so I don’t understand your premise.
@@grannygrump7425 Using this logic what would you feed sheep, cows, goats ect.? Organic Pasture is good for them however my stomach is not designed to digest those products so what would you feed them?
@@grannygrump7425 I understand you don’t have livestock, I am trying to understand the logic of your reasoning is all. So if you had livestock would you feed any of them organic pasture grass? Would you ever free chickens compost for example? I am not implying that you are doing anything wrong lol I’m just trying to understand the reasoning is all
Hey southernprepper1.... Being a VETERAN AS YOURSELF, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND ASK EVERYONE WATCHING TO PRAY FOR AND TO REMEMBER THE FALLEN THIS WEEKEND.....
I am making this post to recognize the 44 men from the Virginia Military Institute who were killed in action in the Vietnam war. The Class of 1966 was especially hard hit, loosing 11. Rest in peace to all.
🙏💥💫😪
Amen
Rotary push mowers are worth their weight in gold at your BOL. Grass and weeds can get pretty tall pretty fast. Undesirable wildlife can be pressed right up against your living space,… Ticks… Etc.
Came to the comments to ask this. Considering getting into rabbit and chicken farming for meat & eggs, and I have a push reel mower grandpa gave me. Glad to know that I can use it on the safe grass patch. Thank you
This video is right up my alley. I just got chickens and rabbits
I have chickens and give them a big pile of grass clippings when I cut grass. Gives them something to do when you can't let them free range every day. Also, fresh plantain is good for bee stings. Chew it and place it on the sting location
I'm a bee keeper and that's what I use.
Nice about sting
I get all the books I can and save all my homesteading magazines. I print anything I need and put it into a binder I let my grass clipping sit and feed it to my chickens and I make sure there are some bugs in with it. Plus I have started to grow fodder to my chickens we used to have rabbits but no more thinking about doing it again but need to build a few rabbit tractors .. but between the chickens dogs kids and cows and garden I have enough but we always make it work. My husband built me an aquaponics tank. So need to work on that first. We have a pond but we also have gathers..
Bailing green hay will catch fire by itself when you stack it in a barn. I’ve actually seen it smoking. If you stick your hand between the bales it can be extremely warm and or hot.
Why? Because of the acid within it?
There was a video on the "Hollis and Nancy Homestead" yt channel 3 months ago, on a seed mixture he bought and planted, that was designed just for chickens. It was the first time he tried it, and he planted about a 20×6 foot plot with it. And then he showed in the video a time lapse of how it grew, and then showed his chickens foraging through it when it was fully grown. And the chickens loved it, gravitated to it quickly. I imagine that special blend could be harvested and stored too, like you're doing here. And if it's a special blend just for chickens, you could have an area in your garden or yard to grow this for the chickens in the summer, and to harvest it for winter. Video is titled "How To Grow Chicken Feed".
Thanks for the videos, SP1
Extremely helpful!! Thank you so much and God bless you and your family!
Can you show us your chicken and rabbit buildings and runs?
I’m currently feeding my rabbits about 25% of their diet from hand gathered grass, clover, plantain, and garden treats. I’m currently building out a new homestead to completely support them, chickens, and ducks in tractors between crop rows with Timothy, clover, buckwheat, fescue, and wild yard plants, as well as perennial “Tree hay” which can provide huge amounts of protein such as mulberry leaves, willow, maple, sumac, etc
I pick small amounts of Blackberry, Briar and Sweet gum leaves as a special treat with mine!
Thank you for not only your videos but your service for our country.
SouthernPrepper with information on feeding Rabbits and Chickens. He also showed Plantain Weed leaves. ... The Plantain plant can sometimes be used as an edible plant by people. The plant may also have some medicinal uses. Further research on Plantain Plants might be of interest to preppers.
Plantain weed is awesome.
Thanks for the information could be very useful.
Good stuff. I am not sure I understand how the plant knows the difference between a power mower and a hand held scyth or a rotary mower. But appreciate the info either way.
Rabbits breed like rabbits. How do I know? I got a lot of rabbits. Predators here in NW Montana, keep the population stable. They can over winter without support, but if they are fed occasionally, they stay around and are easy to harvest. We already have to protect the garden from deer and elk. With a little bit more effort, the garden is protected from a herd of rabbits, but they will dig small holes they use as a nest and this can be annoying, yet if they are free range rabbits, they require very little other attention. Raise rabbits in a cage and make them somewhat tame before releasing them, and feed them a small amount daily, then only a small amount occasionally.... Keep only a breeding pair to establish a larger herd. This works in the environment around here, but may not work so well in your area.... Many folks around here 'free range' rabbits.
I’d been searching hard for a long time for someone to confirm that it is okay to feed rabbits fresh grass clippings from a hand-pushed reel mower - thank you for this helpful video!
I give my hens grass cuttings all the time with no problems the only thing you have to look out for is other plants growing in the grass the could harm the chickens/hens.
Thanks for your video. I use "guinea" rabbits. lol I'll test something out on one and see how it goes. Also, if mine seem lethargic and not well, I feed them dandelions. It's supposed to be good for their stomachs. Another thing to look out for, and apparently it's common in sub divisions, the neighbor who sprays to kill his AND your dandelions because he's tired of them popping up in his yard.
excellent information! thanks for sharing!
Rabbits and chickens will eat Spanish Moss. There isn't a lot of nutrition in it but it does have lots of fiber in it. Rabbits need some fiber
A word of warning about raising rabbits on pasture.
Any critter that digs or roots around in the ground can get bad parasites. This includes hogs, bears, and squirrels too.
Parasite numbers are at low ebb in the cold weather so its safer to eat them in the winter. All such meats should be thoroughly cooked just in case.
Parasites can be fatal to domestic rabbits. Keep them off the ground in cages. Put a 1x12 board in the cage so they can get off the wire if they want too.
Thanks for the video.
fresh grass clippings are a NO for horses to
Hmmm I guess I have been doing it wrong for years. I feed all my rabbits and chickens fresh lettuce scraps from a local restaurant everyday. And my rabbits eats grass clipping everyday from a cordless mower with a bagger.
I am a register rabbitry through the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) I feed my rabbits pasture clippings (grass) straight from the push mower (I used a battery powered mower that I charge with solar) and have never had an issue with my rabbits.
Also remember fermentation will happen in the rabbits gut naturally. Using petroleum based equipment I would be more worried about dioxin (emissions from the equipment) build up then the process of the grass getting cut with a hot blade. I have never seen any research regarding this issue. I would say do what’s best for your rabbit but like you I haven’t experienced this.
You take those power cut grass clippings and pile them underneath the rabbit cages and it makes for easier clean up and will also compost that impossible Bermuda grass. Still a stinky job.
Wow
Speaking of plantain, I recently watched a very interesting video on plantain and other edibles, from a guy who teaches foraging and has written books on it. The video is titled "Wild Edibles with Sergei Boutenko-Plantain-Plantago/This Plant Can Save Your Life", and it was on the "Boutenko Films" yt channel.
Good one!!
I push mow. Save the clippings Put them on a tarp in the sun till it’s mostly dry.. rabbits seem fine
I did not know this about rabbits. Fortunately, I don't have rabbits - yet.
I've been concerned when I've watched many of the home steading channels when they show buying all of their feed from the feed store....what will they do when it is no longer available? I've long been a student of alternate foods gathered to care for animals. thank you for this video, maybe it will help!
Great tips! Can't wait for more scenario videos!
When I had my 500 chickens I would free range them and they’d eat everything, bugs, grass, fresh cat crap,etc. Then In the evening they would head back to the pens where they’d roost at night and had their nest boxes. The best ones we had were the black austrolorps. They are I would say the best laying hens because each bird lays on average an egg a day.
I've been feeding my rabbits all kinds of vegetables , but not more than hay or some pulled grass
Thank you!
Good to know about rabbits.
I’ve been putting together books. I also thought about keeping a journal.
Thank you brother, great useful info, said concisely. Shalom
clovers they really enjoy them
great video
Great info! . Do you selective breed the rabbits and chickens that tend to do better on forage ? I would think you could eventually build yourself a breeding stock of animals that could thrive without pellets at all. This is what I'm planning to start doing now. Thanks for the video.
Good stuff to know, thanks.
I am a register rabbitry through the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) I feed my rabbits pasture clippings (grass) straight from the push mower (I used a battery powered mower that I charge with solar) and have never had an issue with my rabbits.
Also remember fermentation will happen in the rabbits gut naturally. Using petroleum based equipment I would be more worried about dioxin (emissions from the equipment) build up then the process of the grass getting cut with a hot blade. Do you have any research you can cite regarding this issue?
I feel really, really stupid... I never knew hay was just grass.
we watch these videos to learn. Everybody is ignorant of some topics and so we learn. Keep on going.
Me neither haha
LOL
Are you a city girl?
Me too lol
fescue: any of a number of narrow-leaved grasses.
Was wondering if you could do a video on how you store bulk feed for say your chickens and pet dogs/cats. I have a dog 3 cats and about 18 chicken/ducks and a couple turkeys. As I live in south Arizona grass clippings are very limited. Any recommendations would b appreciated.
My rabbits love comfrey
Dandelions are good for both animals.
Very good to know 👍👍
Very Helpful!
My pigs will not eat grass cut with a mower. But if picked be hand they will.
Actually, grass clippings is a good way to mess up your chickens crop and using dried clippings for bedding is a big no as well. Leaves aren’t a wise choice either because both are perfect for growing bacteria and mold. Chickens have very sensitive respiratory systems. Good way to make your chickens sick. 🙄
Free range your rabbit's. They will do some damage, but they can thrive with very little input.
I did that with one pair that wouldn't seem to breed in the cage. Turned them loose. A few months later, I had bunnies everywhere, so did the neighbors. lol
I throw weeds, grass with seed heads and some perennial leaves I grow into my coturnix quail cage. All gone a few hours later. Quail are a lot easier to deal with than chickens on my suburban homestead.
You most def can give rabbits grass clippings they just need to be dried is all. What the hell do you think hay is
Only if you have very very low pressure from predators.
@@quailjailss Where this practice is popular here in NW Montana, we have lots of wildlife of all kinds, from badgers to bald eagles, and Grizzly bear. Keep a breeding pair and see how it works in your location. Rabbits breed at surprising rate, and there must be enough predators to stabilize the population. If the local wildlife is not teaming with life, rabbits could quickly over populate.
Wow!
Rotary mower or reel mower. I have not seen a manual rotary mower???
Dave, do you sprinkle salt over it? It helps dry it out plus minerals for animals....jim from ohio
no
Can chickens get any nutrients from dried grass? (Hay).
Good information
What about Dandelions?
free range cats 8)
Can you make a video on how you herd them?
@@barongugelsurch1145 its like this. here kitty kitty they come running. 8)
SP1, how many years should you wait, after you move onto a property where someone has been using pesticides/chemicals on their grass, before you can start using it as feed?
SP1: QUESTION: What about a weed eater?
Good idea!
Thanks for the explanation. Have you been able to feed your rabbits (or chickens) totally, with this method for a few months or even a year?
Did they grow normally and increase weight as expected?
How much hay per rabbit, per month?
I disagree with SP1 on this respectfully. Yes you can feed rabbits exclusively on pasture clippings. Feeding Rabbits for Free! ruclips.net/video/4HSjrVzQubM/видео.html
What kind of push mower?
👍🇨🇱🇺🇸✝️🙏❤️
We never feed anything to our animals that we will not eat ourselves
I can’t eat orchard grass, alfalfa, corn stocks etc. it’s not good for my system but it’s great for my sheep, cattle, rabbits, poultry etc. so I don’t understand your premise.
@@themyrtlewoodshomestead9371 you don't have to. If it's not fit for me to eat then it's not fit for my critters to eat. What's not to understand
@@grannygrump7425 Using this logic what would you feed sheep, cows, goats ect.? Organic Pasture is good for them however my stomach is not designed to digest those products so what would you feed them?
@@themyrtlewoodshomestead9371 we don't raise sheep for 1. And we would feed our livestock good food instead of makeshift feed
@@grannygrump7425 I understand you don’t have livestock, I am trying to understand the logic of your reasoning is all. So if you had livestock would you feed any of them organic pasture grass? Would you ever free chickens compost for example?
I am not implying that you are doing anything wrong lol I’m just trying to understand the reasoning is all